The Princess Bride for the win!
It’s two days before Christmas so chances are, you’re either going to spend the day:
- Catching up with friends and family
- Doing some panicked last-minute shopping (relax, there’s always tomorrow) or…
- Flaked on the couch watching some of the best movie options on the box
If you belong in the third category, there are any amount of options on the box this Monday to ensure you only have to get up to go to the toilet or for occasional food breaks.
Mr. Stink, RTÉ Two, 12.10pm
A pretty well-known cast feature in a movie about a stinky tramp that, thankfully, is a lot better than the title might suggest.
Around the World in 80 Days, TG4, 1pm
Back in the days of Phileas Fogg, taking the best part of three months to circumnavigate the globe was quite the feat.
Toy Story 2, BBC One, 1.25pm
Sequels to universally popular and critically acclaimed movies are often a struggle, but the second in the Toy Story series delivers in style.
White Christmas, Channel 4, 1.35pm
Bing Crosby crooning. You know the drill.
The Lady Vanishes, Virgin Media Two, 2pm
Widely panned remake of the Hitchcock movie of the same name.
Entrapment, BBC Two, 2.15pm
Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones fail to rescue this 1999 thriller from mediocrity.
The Santa Clause, UTV, 2.15pm
No Christmas is complete without at least one viewing of Tim Allen filling the sizeable shoes of Mr C.
Brave, BBC One, 2.55pm
Very commendable fantasy adventure starring Kelly MacDonald as the heroine of the hour.
The Princess Bride, RTÉ Two 3.15pm
A 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes for this all-time classic fairytale adventure is frankly doing it an injustice.
The Jewel of the Nile, RTÉ One, 3.45pm
Perfect Saturday afternoon fare, but every weekday in Christmas week is practically a Saturday, right?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, ITV2, 4.10pm
Spoiler alert: Christmas was eventually returned.
Billionaire Boy, BBC One, 4.45pm
TV adaptation of a David Walliams children’s novel starring the man himself, Warwick Davis, Catherine Tate and more.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Sky One, 5pm
Met Éireann’s latest weather forecast for Christmas Day.
Happy Feet Two, TG4, 5.20pm
The second one.
The Secret Life of Pets, ITV2, 6.15pm
Animals brought to life is usually a recipe for success in movies and this is no different.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, ITV2, 8pm
Star Wars fans won’t need an excuse to give this another watch, worth a look for non-Star Wars fans for the stunning shots of Ireland alone.
A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride, Virgin Media Three, 8pm
If you absolutely must watch a Christmas movie, then stick it on. Best avoided otherwise.
Jaws: The Revenge, ITV4, 8.05pm
Even the shark was starting to get bored at this stage.
Casino Royale, RTÉ Two, 9pm
Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007 proved to be a very entertaining one indeed.
Love Actually, RTÉ One, 9.30pm
It was on last night and you can be sure if you don’t catch it tonight, it will be on again before 2019 is out. If you’re a fan of the movie, you should really read this heartwarming tribute to it by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan.
Angels and Demons, TG4, 9.30pm
The Da Vinci code wasn’t great, but it might as well have been The Shawshank Redemption compared to this disappointing follow-up.
Lethal Weapon 3, ITV4, 10pm
A bridge too far for Murtaugh and Riggs, it doesn’t reach the heady heights of the first two.
Gremlins, UTV, 10.45pm
The most underrated Christmas movie, full stop.
Three Kings, Virgin Media Two, 11.30pm
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube together in a war movie shouldn’t really work, but somehow, it does.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
