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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, on a varied selection of genres on the box on Saturday…
There is a pleasant combination of almost every genre in today’s films on RTE One, Two and TG4.
The true story of US athlete Jesse Owens is told in Race (Saturday 3.20pm RTE1), a title that cleverly gives the two themes of this film, on and off the track.
Owens, played by Stephan James, is spotted as a potential Olympian by Coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis) but little realises the social and personal pressures on the athlete.
He is persuaded to compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics leading to momentous wins in a series of events. However, Owens life off the track, both home and abroad, is far more challenging.
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Also starring Jeremy Irons, Carice van Houten and William Hurt, this thought provoking story is directed by Stephen Hopkins and written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse. The final scenes for Owens Celebration Dinner are heartbreakingly poignant.
In The Kid Who Would Be King (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1), Alex (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is a 12 year old trying to adapt to a new school and the unfortunate attention of bullies.
While hiding in a construction site, Alex comes across a mysterious sword which turns out to be the fabled weapon Excalibur of King Arthur fame.
This is turn leads to meeting the equally legendary wizard, Merlin (Patrick Stewart) and to facing the evil Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson) in a battle to save the world, with the help of all his school classmates.
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Another youngster is the hero in Shazam! (Saturday 9.00pm RTE2), where teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is chosen by the ancient wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou) to be transformed into his adult super powered champion played by Zachary Levi. Billy has to learn to deal with his new talents while trying to stop the evil Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong).
The sequel is currently in the cinema, but this is the original adventure and does not take itself too seriously.
Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is an art director who joins the staff of GQ magazine, and is soon sleeping with the head-hunter who hired him, Jamie (Mila Kunis) in a no strings arrangement in Friends with Benefits (Saturday 9.30pm TG4).
They are both determined to avoid a relationship, but it becomes more difficult than expected to keep their feelings out of the equation.
Directed and written Will Gluck, this also stars Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins and Woody Harrelson.
After eleven series and six films with at least two more on the way, I wonder if it is time to stop calling them Mission Impossible, but rather Mission Very Tricky.
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Mission Impossible: Fallout (Saturday 9.20pm RTE1) is a rollercoaster of thrills and action when a group of terrorists plan a simultaneous nuclear attack on three different cities.
Fortunately Nathan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson), Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) are on the case.
Directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie, it also stars Henry Cavill, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett and Alec Baldwin. Enjoy!
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