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Movies & TV

04th Jul 2022

The inspiration for a legendary meme is among the movies on TV tonight

Dave Hanratty

Movies on TV

You know the one.

It’s the fourth of July, so that must mean that tonight’s movies on TV are nothing but wall-to-wall American patriotism, right?

Wrong!

There is at least one very obvious/sensible selection, though. Let’s see how it all looks, shall we?

Made in America – Film4 – 6.45pm

Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg star in a very ’90s comedy centred around a DNA test.

Lethal Weapon – Turner Classic Movies – 9pm

Gibson and Glover team up for the first time.

The Imitation Game – RTÉ 2 – 9pm

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the biopic of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing.

Independence Day – Film4 – 9pm

Film4 got the memo today, then.

Will Smith welcomes aliens to Earth as if they were Chris Rock.

Assassins – ITV4 – 9pm

Our main choice this evening and the source of one of the more amusing memes and reaction GIFs on the Internet.

Yep, it’s that one where Antonio Banderas reacts to seeing something on his laptop in hugely satisifed, bizarrely over-the-top fashion.

This one:

But what is he reacting to? Well, it might involved the plot of the movie in which he plays a young upstart rival hitman who comes into dangerously close contact with Sylvester Stallone’s veteran contract killer.

Both men find themselves on a collision course while Julianne Moore plays the under-fire target at the heart of the matter. Assassins is a very silly film, but like most silly thrillers from the ’90s, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Not least that GIF. Look at him go!

Collette – TG4 – 9.30pm

Keira Knightley stars as a woman pushed to write books under her husband’s name. Based upon the true story of French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette.

Freedom: 50 Years of Pride – Channel 4 – 11.05pm

Described by The Guardian as “a messy, invigorating reminder to be vigilant”, this new documentary details the story of Pride and queer activism from across the past five decades. Ian McKellan and Olly Alexander feature.

Westworld – Turner Classic Movies – 11.15pm

Roll up, roll up and come witness the film they made of the book before the TV show that’s currently airing.

Ronin – ITV4 – 11.45pm

Robert De Niro and Jean Reno lead the way in an enjoyable throwback spy thriller that contains lots of twists and one pretty great car chase.

Coming to America – Film4 – 11.50pm

Film4 continues its American-centric approach with Eddie Murphy’s beloved ’80s comedy.

The Exorcist: The Version You’ve Never Seen – Turner Classic Movies – 1.05am

How do you know I’ve never seen it, eh?

Cold War – Film4 – 2.10am

Excellent Polish drama about a troubled-by-circumstance romance if you happen to be in the mood for such a thing and also awake just after two in the morning.