There is, for some reason, a lot of sci-fi action movies on tonight…
Not that we’re complaining.
We love science fiction, and we love action, so we’re here for it!
Here are our picks for the best movies on the telly tonight:
WEDNESDAY 17 JULY
Independence Day: Resurgence – FilmFour – 9pm
Sequel to the hit 1996 sci-fi disaster movie doesn’t quite bring the same level of bonkers fun, but there is still some enjoyment to be had out of bringing back a zany Jeff Goldblum and pairing him with a new generation of world-savers. Plus that Queen Alien versus School Bus finale does actually bring the movie back to that bonkers fun level.
Payback – TCM – 9pm
Mel Gibson plays a gangster who is shot and left for dead by his best friend and his girlfriend after a successful heist, but he pulls through and goes on a revenge rampage against everyone who has ever done him wrong. And incredibly dark thriller with a fantastic supporting cast, including a scene-stealing Lucy Liu.
Elysium – Syfy – 9pm
The year is 2154, and Matt Damon has been assigned a dangerous mission that will hopefully help the poor people on Earth get back some of the resources that have been taken by the richer folk living on Elysium, a rotating vessel above the planet’s atmosphere. A not-very-subtle sci-fi action movie from the maker of District 9, and while this isn’t as good as that movie (mostly thanks to Jodie Foster’s terrible villain), it is still pretty good.
Spectre – RTE One – 9.35pm
Since everywhere is talking about the upcoming 25th Bond movie, now seems like a good time to revisit the not-as-good-as-Skyfall-but-still-pretty-good most-recent 007 outing. Christoph Waltz was a decent addition as the big bad guy, the opening Day Of The Dead sequence is fantastic, and Monica Bellucci brought some much-needed gravitas to her “Bond Girl” role.
Starship Troopers – ITV4 – 12.30am
We go in deep on this incredible sci-fi action thriller here, but let us just say this: It is amazing. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. If you have seen it, then you’ll already know you want to watch it again.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
