Morning!

It’s gonna be a scorcher today! Please be careful if you’re out and about. If you can’t stand the heat, then put on a fan, and sit in front of the TV and watch a movie. Here are today’s recommendations.

Stay safe, look after yourself, and Happy Friday!

AMAZON PRIME

OFFICIAL SECRETS (15)

Starring: Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, Ralph Fiennes

Biopic, Drama

The true story of a British whistleblower who leaked information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Terrific drama with a superb lead in Keira Knightley. Very strong language.

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION (15)

Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall

Comedy

The Griswold family’s cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated. Road movie comedy written by John Hughes. Strong language.

NETFLIX

UPGRADE (15)

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Melanie Vallejo

Sci-fi, thriller, horror

Set in the near-future, technology controls nearly all aspects of life. But when the world of Grey, a self-labelled technophobe, is turned upside down, his only hope for revenge is an experimental computer chip implant. Underrated sci-fi drama from the director of The Invisible Man. Strong violence, grisly images, and language.

TWILIGHT (12)

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner

Drama, romance, fantasy

Bella Swan moves to Forks and encounters Edward Cullen, a gorgeous boy with a secret. The first of the teen drama series which is better than most people will remember. Moderate fantasy violence and horror.

NOW TV/SKY CINEMA

JOKER (15)

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro

Drama, Thriller

In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker. Joaquin Phoenix is magnificent in his Oscar-winning role. Strong bloody violence, language.

TOTAL RECALL (15)

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox

Science Fiction, Adventure, Action

When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real – or is he? Excellent sci-fi adventure from the director of Basic Instinct. Strong language and violence.

MOVIES ON TERRESTRIAL TV

THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE (U)

11am Film4

Starring: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown

Animation, comedy

SpongeBob SquarePants takes leave from the town of Bikini Bottom in order to track down King Neptune’s stolen crown. Bonkers first big screening outing of the TV animated show. Very mild threat and rude humour.

SALOME (PG)

11.10am Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton

Drama

After her banishment from Rome, Jewish Princess Salome returns to her Roman-ruled native land of Galilee where prophet John the Baptist preaches against Salome’s parents, King Herod and Queen Herodias. Epic biblical drama. Mild gory violence and sexual content.

LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE (U)

12.05pm Talking Pictures TV

Starring: Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim

Comedy

At the Earndale by-election natural history expert and TV personality Bob Wilcot for the Conservatives finds himself up against Billingsgate girl Stella Stoker for the socialists. Enjoyable British comedy. Black and white.

BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES (15)

12.45pm Film4

Starring: James Franciscus, Kim Hunter, Charlton Heston

Sci-fi, nation, adventure

The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission searches for the only survivor of the previous expedition. He discovers a planet ruled by apes and an underground city run by telepathic humans. Sequel to the huge sci-fi hit. Violence and scary images. May be edited for content.

SUNSHINE ON LEITH (PG)

2.35pm  Film4

Starring: George MacKay, Peter Mullan, Jason Flemyng, Jane Horrocks

Musical. drama

Two soldiers return home to Edinburgh to resume their romantic and family lives. Wonderful feel-good musical based on the songs of The Proclaimers. From Dexter Fletcher, the director of Rocketman. Mild language, violence and sex references.

SON OF PALEFACE (U)

3.20pm Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Bob Hope, Roy Rogers, Jane Russell

Comedy, Western

Junior Potter returns to claim his father’s gold, which is nowhere to be found. “Mike” is the luscious head of a gang of thieves, and Roy Barton is the federal marshal hot on her trail. Hilarious comedy sequel. Sexual references and mild violence.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 (PG)

4.35pm Film4

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Ricky Gervais, Steve Coogan, Owen Wilson, Amy Adams

Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy

Security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institution in order to rescue Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake. Fun sequel the 2006 hit. Mild comic violence and scary moments.

TRIPLE CROSS (PG)

4.40pm Sony Movies Action

Starring: Christopher Plummer, Trevor Howard

Action, adventure, drama, war

During WW2, convicted bank robber Eddie Chapman becomes a triple agent working for both the British and the Germans. Boys-own wartime drama. Language, violence and sensuality.

THE FIVE PENNIES (U)

4.45pm Talking Pictures TV

Starring: Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel Geddes, Louis Armstrong

Drama, biopic, music

Loring “Red” Nichols is a cornet-playing country boy who goes to New York in the 1920s full of musical ambition and principles. He gets a job playing in Wil Paradise’s band, but quits to pursue his dream of playing Dixieland jazz. He forms the “Five Pennies” which features his wife, Bobbie, as a vocalist. At the peak of his fame, tragedy strikes. Fascinating jazz biopic.

MY FAVOURITE BRUNETTE (PG)

5.15pm Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr.

Comedy, Crime, Film-Noir

Shortly before his execution on the death row in San Quentin, amateur sleuth and baby photographer Ronnie Jackson, tells reporters how he got there. One of Bob Hope’s finest. Infrequent moderate violence. Black and white.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW (PG)

6.45pm Film4

Starring: Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham-Carter, Denholm Elliott

Drama, romance

In a Florence pensione circa 1900 with English guests, George Emerson (Julian Sands) and his dad (Denholm Elliott) offer their rooms with views to Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) and her chaperone, Charlotte Bartlett (Dame Maggie Smith). Lucy and George get acquainted, but Lucy returns to England. George and Lucy meet again, but now she’s engaged. Beautiful costume romance. Infrequent moderate violence and mild sex.

FAST AND FURIOUS 7 (12)

9pm ITV2

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell, Dwayne Johnson

Drama, Action

Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother. More high-octane action with a moving finale. Moderate violence, moderate bad language.

STIR CRAZY (15)

9pm Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor

Comedy

Set up and wrongfully accused, two best friends will be sent to prison for a crime they didn’t commit. However, no prison cell could keep them locked in. The return of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in a hugely successful and very funny comedy. Language and drug misuse.

EVERYTHING: THE REAL THING STORY (15)

9pm BBC Four

Starring: Jacob Anderson, Eddie Amoo, Chris Amoo, Dave Smith

Documentary

Dubbed ‘the black Beatles’ by the British tabloids, the ‘other’ four lads from Liverpool recount their incredible story from the tough streets of Toxteth to the bright lights of New York. Fascinating documentary about the 70s soul group. Images of drug preparation.

PHASE IV (12)

10pm Talking Pictures TV

Starring: Nigel Davenport, Lynne Frederick, Michael Murphy

Science Fiction, Horror

Desert ants suddenly form a collective intelligence and begin to wage war on the inhabitants. It is up to two scientists and a stray girl they rescue from the ants to destroy them. Bizarre sci-fi horror directed by credits designer Saul Bass. Infrequent strong language, moderate horror.

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON (15)

10pm Channel 5

Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

Comedy, Romance

After finding love, Bridget Jones questions if she really has everything she’d ever dreamed of having. The continuing adventures of the famous singleton. Strong language, sex and drug references.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (18)

10.45pm BBC1

Starring: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea

Horror, Drama

A vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger. A star-cast in a stylish adaptation of Anne Rice’s book. Strong gory violence, horror, language and sexual content.

THE DANISH GIRL (15)

10.45pm ITV1

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard, Ben Whishaw

Drama, Biopic, Romance

A fictitious love story loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer. Lovely looking drama with great leads. Sexualised scenes and nudity.

BLACK SHEEP (15)

10.50pm Horror Channel

Starring: Matthew Chamberlain, Tammy Davis, Oliver Driver

Horror, Comedy, Sci-fi

An experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into bloodthirsty killers that terrorise a sprawling New Zealand farm. Funny if silly New Zealand comedy-horror. Strong language and gory violence.

HANNIBAL (18)

11.05pm 5*

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta

Crime, Drama, Thriller, Horror

Living in exile, Dr. Hannibal Lecter tries to reconnect with now disgraced F.B.I. Agent Clarice Starling, and finds himself a target for revenge from a powerful victim. Ridley Scott’s grisly sequel to The Silence of the Lambs. Strong bloody horror and infrequent strong language.

EVERYBODY WANTS SOME! (15)

11.10pm Film4

Starring: Blake Jenner, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin

Drama, Comedy

In 1980, a group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Richard Linklater’s 80s version of Dazed and Confused. Strong language, sex references, drug use.

SHAMPOO (18)

11.20pm Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn

Comedy, drama

A sexy male hairdresser that does more than just hair, concerned only with who is “doing” whom and the superficial appearances of the upper class of Beverly Hills set against election day for the 1968 Presidential election. Biting sexy satire. Language, sex, sexual references and nudity.

THE AMERICAN (15)

11.25pm Sony Movies

Starring: George Clooney, Irina Björklund, Lars Hjelm

Thriller, Drama, Crime

An assassin hides out in Italy for one last assignment. Tense, slow-burning thriller. Strong sex, language and one gory image.

THE DRIVER (15)

11.40pm Talking Pictures TV

Starring: Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani

Thriller, Action, Crime

A getaway driver becomes the latest assignment for a tenacious detective. Influential tough action thriller with amazing car chases. Strong violence and language.

FILTH (18)

12 midnight Channel 4

Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent

Comedy, Drama

A corrupt, junkie cop with bipolar disorder attempts to manipulate his way through a promotion in order to win back his wife and daughter while also fighting his own inner demons. Excessive comedy-drama that will shock. Not for the faint-hearted. Very strong language, sex and hard drug use.

THE BIG HEAT (15)

1.30am Sony Movies Classic

Starring: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame

Crime, Thriller, Film-Noir

Tough cop Dave Bannion takes on a politically powerful crime syndicate. One of the best film-noir thrillers around. Violence and sexual references.

RIDDICK (12)

1.30am Film4

Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff

Science Fiction, Action

Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick’s past. Vin Diesel returns to his Pitch Black roots with this third outing. Strong bloody violence and strong language.

SCHIZO (18)

2.15am Horror Channel

Starring: Lynne Frederick, John Leyton, Stephanie Beacham

Horror

A newly married woman becomes convinced someone from her past is stalking her, but nobody believes her until the bodies start to pile up. Creepy and gory British horror thriller. Strong bloody violence and nudity.