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On a weekend dominated by sporting attractions, there is still a good selection of films available on the television tonight says our movie guy, James Finnegan…
Hotel Transylvania (Saturday 6.35pm RTE1) is a comedy animated story about a hotel set up by Count Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) for the benefit of all the ghosties and ghoulies looking for a break away from it all, especially from those pesky humans.
The Count is very protective of his teenage daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), so when she takes a liking to a lost human hitchhiker, Jonathan (Andy Samberg), who turns up at the Hotel looking for a room, he is not a happy vampire.
There are plenty of other famous Monster characters on site to help celebrate Mavis’s 118th Birthday, including Frankenstein (Kevin James), Warewolf Wayne (Steve Buscemi) and Griffin, the Invisible Man (David Spade) among others.
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This film has spawned a number of sequels and television series so settle down to a family fun film.
In Up in the Air (Saturday 9.20pm TG4), Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a Human Resources consultant who specialises in employee termination.
He travels around the country not only giving people the sack, but also gives motivational speeches.
He rejoices in the impersonal lifestyle, collecting air miles and enjoying hotel services that require no effort or responsibility from him to maintain a house and home.
He meets up with a similar minded executive, Alex (Vera Farmiga), whenever their schedules connect.
However, his own role comes under threat when a young executive Natallie (Anna Kendrick) comes up with an online method to do the job. Zoom anyone? For once, you are not on mute!
Suppose you were a struggling musician, who woke up after an accident, to discover that you are the only one in the world to have any recollection or knowledge of the Beatles and their songs? Yesterday (Saturday 9.35pm RTE1) is Danny Boyle’s fun conceit that takes up this theme.
Like Jack Malik (Himesh Patel), you would probably claim you wrote all of them yourself. However, his overnight success has ramifications, including causing difficulties with his girlfriend Ellie (Lily James).
With a fun role for Kate McKinnon as Jack’s LA Manager and a cameo by Ed Sheeran, this is a typical feel good Richard Curtis screenplay.
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Black Hawk Down (Saturday 10.45pm RTE2) is based on the true life story of a US military raid that goes disastrously wrong in Mogadishu, Somalia. The US attempt to mount a rescue mission to save colleagues who have been shot down.
Ridley Scott’s film gives a good impression of what it is like to be in an urban locked down situation, which we have become, unfortunately, far too used to from the Ukrainian War each day on our news programs.
With a large ensemble cast including Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Sam Shepard, Tom Hardy and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, this is not a comfortable watch, but it is a gripping war film. Enjoy and stay safe!
