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Movies & TV

16th Aug 2024

One of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century is on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

Holding a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film stars a future Oscar-winner.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Friday, 16 August) is Moon, the incredible 2009 sci-fi starring future Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri).

In the film, the actor plays Sam Bell, an astronaut in the future whose solo three-year work shift at a mine on the moon is finally coming to an end.

As he looks forward to his reunion with his wife (Irish actress Dominique McElligott, The Boys) and young daughter, the astronaut makes a startling discovery while out on the lunar surface.

He finds what appears to be a younger version of himself, possibly a clone. Together, the two try to work out what is going on.

Directed by Duncan Jones (Source Code) in his feature debut, Moon was recently shouted out by JOE in our article about 2018 modern classic Annihilation as an example of another ambitious, intellectual sci-fi movie that wound up becoming a cult favourite.

In Moon’s case, it is easy to see why it was so beloved with Rockwell’s incredible central turn, the film’s inventive premise and its stylish vision of the future – the latter somehow accomplished on a budget of only $5 million.

Holding a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, Moon is airing on BBC Two at 11.05pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft, Rakuten TV and the Sky Store.

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

Alien: Covenant – Film4 – 9pm

Read our review for the latest entry in the legendary sci-fi horror franchise, Alien: Romulus, right here.

Hot Seat – Legend Xtra – 9pm

Kevin Dillon and Mel Gibson star in this VOD action thriller from 2022.

Cat Ballou – TG4 – 9.30pm

A ’60s Western comedy with an Oscar-winning lead turn by Lee Marvin (The Dirty Dozen) opposite Jane Fonda.

The Godfather – RTÉ2 – 9.35pm

Part family drama, part gangster thriller – perhaps the greatest movie of all time.

Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation – BBC Four – 9.50pm

An acclaimed documentary about the legendary 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.

Infinite – E4 – 10pm

This 2021 sci-fi action flick starring Mark Wahlberg has a low 17% on Rotten Tomatoes, which means you may want to avoid it.

Braveheart – BBC One – 10.40pm

Mel Gibson’s Oscar Best Picture-winning historical epic.

Autumn in New York – RTÉ One – 10.40pm

A 2000 romantic drama with Richard Gere and Winona Ryder.

Sweeney! – Legend – 10.55pm

A ’70s big-screen spin-off of the popular British police drama series.

The Resident – Legend Xtra – 11pm

In this horror, a woman (two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank) comes to suspect she is being stalked after moving into a new Brooklyn loft.

Life – Film4 – 11.20pm

Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson and Ryan Reynolds star in this excellent spaceship-set horror in the vein of Alien.

Read more:

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