Your guide to films on television over the holiday season...
Spider-Man 3
Christmas Eve, RTÉ1, 8.45pm
Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst return for another energetic all-out action sequel directed with verve by Sam Raimi.
Shakespeare in Love
Christmas Eve, RTÉ1,12.25am
A witty script mixing period comedy, inventive biography and regal heritage in a total charmer of a movie. Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow star.
Gilda
Christmas Eve, BBC2, 2.10am
Misogynistic gambler Glenn Ford resumes his love-hate relationship with old flame Rita Hayworth, now married to a rich casino boss. Charles Vidor directs.
The Incredibles
Christmas Day, RTÉ1, 2pm and BBC1, 3.10pm
Quality, witty animation directed and written by Brad Bird.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Christmas Day, RTÉ1, 3.50pm
Harry Potter and Dumbledore find themselves under attack from the Ministry of Wizards.
The Devil Wears Prada
Christmas Day, RTÉ1, 9.30pm
Excellent adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s novel; by turns witty, acidic and cute. Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep star. David Frankel directs.
Bridge to Terabitha
St Stephen’s Day, BBC1, 1.30pm
Two 10-year-old kids form a friendship that leads to mutually inclusive empowerment. A charming fantasy; directed by Gabor Csupo.
Casablanca
St Stephen’s Day, TG4, 1.45pm
Rick’s Cafe acts as a hub for war refugees. One of these is Laszlo (Paul Henreid), the husband of Rick (Humphrey Bogart)’s former lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman). Michael Curtiz directs.
Intermission
St Stephen’s Day, TG4, 9pm
Director John Crowley and writer Mark O’Rowe piece together a winning formula made all the more pertinent to Ireland through location and accents. Michael McElhatton, Colm Meaney, Colin Farrell, Deirdre O’Kane and Cillian Murphy star.
Michael Collins
Sunday, TG4, 1.20pm
Irrespective of the simplification of the facts, Neil Jordan’s drama smoothes out the ruffles with a tense and sinister tone. Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman also star.
Chicken Run
Sunday, BBC1, 3.05pm
Mel Gibson and Julia Sawalha lead the voice cast as two clever chickens that aim to save the clucking inhabitants of Tweedy’s Farm from death. (Also Tuesday RTÉ2, 4.25pm)
The Aviator
Sunday, RTÉ1, 11.25pm
Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) takes on Hollywood and from there continues with his romantic flings, his obsession with cleanliness and his downward spiral into ill health. Martin Scorsese directs.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Monday, RTÉ1, 1.05pm
All aboard for a lengthy ride on a flying Edwardian motorcar that gets stranded in a strange region of Europe where children are abducted to work in toy-making sweatshops.
Brokeback Mountain
Monday, RTÉ2, 10.10pm
The immobilising nature of suppressed love is at the centre of this superb movie – 1960s Wyoming men Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) as lovers who marry for the sake of convention. Ang Lee directs.
The Dead Monday
, RTÉ1, midnight
A minor masterpiece from director John Huston (his final film) and based on James Joyce’s novella. Anjelica Huston and Donal McCann star.
Lawrence of Arabia
Tuesday, RTÉ1, 8.35am Director David Lean’s commanding portrait of one of Britain’s most prepossessing yet complex heroes. Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif star.
Life is Beautiful
Tuesday, TG4, 4.50pm
Director, co-writer and star Roberto Benigni attempts to make sense of the inexplicable realities of the Holocaust.
Bonnie and Clyde
Tuesday, RTÉ2, 2.05am
Director Arthur Penn adroitly evokes crime-infested Depression era America as Clyde (Warren Beatty) and partner Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) embark on a bank-robbing rampage.
Mrs Doubtfire
Wednesday, RTÉ1, 3.35pm
Robin Williams stars a divorced father who dons a girdle and a flinty Scottish nanny demeanour in an attempt to win back his ex-wife.
Se7en
Wednesday, TV3, 9.30pm
Seen-it-all cop Morgan Freeman is seven days away from retirement. Along with his enthusiastic replacement, Brad Pitt, he investigates the handiwork of a serial murderer.
The Searchers
Wednesday, TG4, 11am
Former Civil War soldier John Wayne embarks on a five-year odyssey to find the Native Americans who abducted his niece.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
New Year’s Eve, TG4, 4.30pm
Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón does a great job of injecting a scarier tone into the franchise.
Kisses
New Year’s Eve, TV3, 9pm
Suburban Dublin kids Kylie and Dylan team up and traipse into the city, where they are confronted by unwitting dangers.
Kings
New Year’s Eve, TG4, 9.55pm
Irish immigrants discoverer their comfort zone in an Irish pub in Kilburn. Colm Meaney, Donal O’Kelly star. Tom Collins writes and directs.
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
New Year’s Day, RTÉ1, 3.05pm
Steven Spielberg’s classic sci-fi story hits the right targets with just theright amount of pathos and humour. Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore star.
Gladiator
New Year’s Day, TV3, 9.30pm
Exiled Roman army general Maximus (Russell Crowe) returns to Rome as a gladiator to avenge his loved ones. Ridley Scott directs.
The Departed
New Year’s Day, RTÉ1, 9.40pm
The scenario of undercover agents, loyalty and greed are played out against an Irish-Boston backdrop. Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio
