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| Minions |
The Mummy - 10.20pm, Talking Pictures TV, Mon, 18 May
There’s no Brendan Fraser or Rachel Weisz in sight here, and thankfully no Tom Cruise. Instead we get further back in time, to 1959, for an archaeological horror adventure courtesy of Hammer Horror stalwart Terence Fisher. Christopher Lee gives a tender, almost sympathetic performance as the centuries-entombed priest taken from his Egyptian home by a cultist (understandably) seeking revenge on the Englishmen who defiled an ancient tomb, but diverted by a fixation on an explorer’s wife (Yvonne Furneaux), who resembles his lost love. With a great performance by Peter Cushing and a magnificent score, it’s a thriller which also speaks to the developing conscience of the fading empire.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - 11.40pm, Tue, 19 May
Tim Burton takes on a children’s story in this adaptation of Ransom Riggs’ popular book, which sees an unaccountably special boy swept away to a magical school hidden in a twist of time, there to be surrounded by mutant children and caught up in a strange adventure. Eva Green sizzles as the titular heroine, seemingly unable to turn the temperature down, but there are distractions in the form of Samuel L Jackson and Rupert Everett’s scheming villains, plus cameos from Judi Dench and Terence Stamp. Hugo star Asa Butterfield (now doing interesting work as an adult) plays the young hero, falling for a girl who is lighter than air but faced with the gravity of discovering only he can save the day.
The 13th Warrior - 9pm, Great! Action, Wed, 20 May
Beowulf re-envisioned and directed by John McTiernan, The 13th Warrior is seen through the eyes of a young Arab scholar (Antonio Banderas) recruited by a group of Vikings after they are summoned to the aid of a settlement under attack. With authentic use of Old Norse (which gives way to English as the outsider begins to understand), it’s shot through with entertaining references to history and mythology throughout (a segment drawn from Herodotus being a bit of both). The heroes’ world is constructed with painstaking authentic detail. The villains are formed out of myth, their very improbability an aspect of their monstrousness. There are real scares and fabulous battles.
Three Days Of The Condor - 9pm, Sky Arts, Thur, 21 May
One of those films that is, if anything, more relevant now than when it was made, this Sydney Pollack classic features Robert Redford as a backroom CIC staffer whose job is to read books but who is forced to go on the run after colleagues are assassinated. Faye Dunaway plays the woman forced to participate in his schemes, resulting in an unlikely romance which the actors just about manage to sell, but the real honours go to Max Von Sydow as the mysterious villain with whom our hero engages in a game of cat and mouse. The conspiracy-driven thrills and brief but breathless action sequences are underscored by an acknowledgement of how it might actually feel to be abruptly cut off from one’s familiar life.
Minions - 7.35pm, BBC 3, Fri, 22 May
They’re small, they’re yellow, and they make cute noises. It’s difficult not to adore them – but is that enough to sustain a full length film in the absence of other characters familiar from Despicable Me? This spin-off adventure focuses on the minions’ deep-seated need to serve a master – ideally the most evil one they can find. There’s a cute sequence looking at the history (and pre-history) of their efforts in this regard before we zoom in on Stuart, Kevin and Bob, three unlikely heroes who leave their kinfolk in a snowy cave and set out to find a present-day villain. Enter Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), who has her heart set on England’s crown jewels. An uneven but lively romp ensues.
My Favourite Cake - 9pm, BBC4, Sat, 23 May
A film which fell foul of Iranian censors, which feels absurd in light of how gentle and sweet-natured it is, Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha’s late life romantic drama follows a widow who sees herself beginning to fade into obscurity, despite having strong friendships, and decides it’s time to get out and about in the world a bit more. Her small rebellions do take on state rules but also joyfully disregard the many unspoken rules through which age is policed all around the world. She loves to dance and doesn’t care who’s watching. She knocks back her drink with undiminished fortitude. And when she sees a man she likes, she’d determined to do something about it. Centring on a committed performance from Lili Farhadpour, this is a charmer.
Some Like It Hot - 2.15, BBC2, Sun, 24 May
An impulsive plan goes wildly awry when two unemployed musicians decide to dress as women to escabe the mob after witnessing the 1929 St Valentine’s Day Massacre, but everything goes right for Billy Wilder’s classic screwball comedy. Travelling as part of an all-female band, our hero(in)es get into all manner of scrapes but find romance amid some intriguing opportunities. Wilder’s script challenges all manner of censor priorities and social conventions of the time but somehow gets away with it. Its lively wit is matched by magnificent performances from Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe as the showgirl who just might suss them out – but might not care.
