After the Bank holiday weekend the Film Club is back! This week we're looking at sporty films, starting with "Bend it Like Beckham". Jess Bhamra, the daughter of a strict Indian couple in London, is not permitted to play organized football even though shes 18. On a day of playing a casual match, her impressive skills are seen by Jules Paxton, who then convinces Jess to play for her semi-pro team. Jess uses elaborate excuses to hide her matches from her family while also dealing with the romantic feelings she feels for her coach, Joe. Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers star.  

For the final episode of a week dedicated to the mythical, Charlotte looks at the sinister with the 2017 horror "The Ritual". The film follows a group of college-pals, reuniting after the tragic death of their friend by setting out on a hike through the Scandinavian wilderness. A wrong turn leads them into the mysterious forests of Norse legend, where an ancient evil exists and stalks them at every turn.

More mythical creatures for this week's Film Club, as Charlotte and Danny discuss Disney classic "The Little Mermaid" today. A rebellious teenage mermaid named Ariel is fascinated with life on land, and on a secret visit to the surface falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, despite her father King Triton's rulings, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, the king must make the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter. Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, René Auberjonois and Kenneth Mars all star.  

Continuing to look at Films starring mythical creatures this week, today Charlotte looks at "Avatar", the cgi extravaganza about the far-away planet of 'Pandora'. On the lush alien world of Pandora live the Na'vi, beings who appear primitive but are highly evolved. Because the planet's environment is poisonous, human/Na'vi hybrids, called Avatars, must link to human minds to allow for free movement on Pandora.  A formerly paralyzed marine named Jake Sully finds himself  mobile again through one such Avatar, and slowly falls in love with a Na'vi woman as he spends more time understanding their culture. However as the military plans to destroy the native landscape become apparent, Sully must choose a side. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Scott Lang star.

This week the Film Club looks at Mythical Creatures of all shapes and sizes, starting with 2017's "The Mummy". Tom Cruise stars as a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. During a job in the middle east that goes wrong, the ensuing, fallout leads to the release of  Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. The resurrected monster will stop at nothing to get Cruise for what he has done, as she embarks on a furious rampage continuing from Egypt to the streets of London. Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis and Russel Crowe also star.  

As it is Good Friday tomorrow, Simon Carver joined us a day early to discuss the UK cinema box office top 10, the new cinema releases, and his choice of the best fils on free-to-air TV for the next week: Friday Fast and Furious 7 9.00pm – 11.30pm ITV Saturday Back to the Future 6.45pm – 9.00pm Film4 Sunday Selma 11,00pm – 1.00am BBC2 Monday Paddington 4.40pm – 6.30pm Film4 Tuesday Grand Budapest Hotel 11.05pm – 1.10am Film4 Wednesday Red Heat 11.00pm – 11.10am ITV4 Thursday Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 9.00pm – 11.10pm Film4

23rd March 2018 – Films on TV Simon Carver brings you his pick of the week's free to air TV: Friday Crazy, Stupid Love (2011) 8.00pm – 10.20pm ITV2 Saturday Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 10.30pm – 12.25am BBC1 Sunday Skyfall (2012) 8.00pm – 10.50pm ITV2 Monday The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) 9.00 – 11.25pm Film4 Tuesday There’s something about Mary (1998) 10.00pm – 12.25am 5STAR Wednesday Pulp Fiction (1994) 9.00pm – 12.05am Film4 Thursday Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) 10.55pm – 12.45am Film4

It's a Thursday, and almost time to conclude on this week's Film Club theme, and so Charlotte concludes a week of game-themed picks with the grand game presented in "Rat Race" from 2001.  Led by a single Las Vegas Casino tycoon, a group of rich philanthropists devise the perfect game, by pitting six ordinary people against each other in a wild dash for $2 million jammed into a locker hundreds of miles away. The film tracks each contestant as they find themselves in increasingly wild and wacky situations. The only rule is there are no rules! An ensemble cast carries the film, and includes stars such as Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Seth Green and John Cleese.  

Next on this week's Film Club, Charlotte looks at the video-game inspired "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" from 2001. Angelina Jolie stars in this live action adaptation as the world-known gaming character, Lara Croft, a daring explorer that tracks down ancient artifacts. When faced by the mystery of her father's death, Lara finds herself embroiled in a globe-spanning quest that will bridge the very gap of life and death itself. Alongside Jolie, Jon Voigt, Daniel Craig, and others star. 

The Film Club this week is still 'Game' themed in all shapes and sizes, and so today Charlotte looks at the aptly named "Game Night". This recent release sees competitive couple Max and Annie and their group of friends get their weekly game night shaken up when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party, that doesn't go as planned. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Jesse Plemons and Kyle Chandler are just a few of the stars in this comedy-thriller.