Best free films to watch over the Bank Holiday weekend

For those wanting to spend their weekend crashed out in front of the TV, here’s our pick of the best films available on free to air channels...

Saturday 4th May

Nim’s Island (2.15pm, Channel 5)

Courageous youngster Nim (Abigail Breslin) has the life many kids would dream of, living on an exotic island with her marine-biologist father (Gerard Butler) and a selection of animal pals.

After her father goes missing, Nim turns to her favourite adventure books in a bid to try and find him – only it turns out the books are written by a reclusive agoraphobic (Jodie Foster). It’s sweet easy watching and perfect for those with young children.

Clash of the Titans (7.10pm, ITV2)

The big budget remake of the 1981 classic, Sam Worthington takes the role of Perseus, son of Liam Neeson’s Zeus. With Hades (Ralph Fiennes) threatening to overthrow the king of the gods and enslaving Earth, it is down to Perseus to raise an army and save the world. A bit wooden in places but still good fun.

Friends With Benefits (9pm, Dave)

The frothy romantic comedy sees Dylan (Justin Timberlake) become close friends with his executive recruiter (Mila Kunis) after he moves to New York to work at GQ. Both exhausted from several broken relationships, the twosome decide to have casual no-strings-attached sex – but feelings quickly start to creep in.

Baywatch (9pm, Channel 4)

Zac Efron showed his cruder side as new recruit Matt Brody in the bawdy comedy based on the famous television series. Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) leads his squad of lifeguards to go deep under cover and take down a savage businesswoman (Priyanka Chopra) who could threaten the future of the bay.

The Expendables (9pm, ITV4)

Rounding up the hardest men in Hollywood, Sylvester Stallone plays Barney Ross who leads a group of elite mercenaries in an attempt to overthrow a corrupt Latin dictator – but the deception leads far deeper than they expect…

Sunday 5th May

102 Dalmatians (4.30pm, Channel 4)

Glenn Close is back as the deliciously evil Cruella de Vil. Out on the prowl again after a spell in prison, de Vil is supposedly “cured” from her partiality for animal cruelty. However, when she learns that her parole officer’s boyfriend works in an animal shelter, de Vil feigns interest in helping out in order to get her mitts on the dogs once more.

War Horse (3.35pm, BBC 1)

Steven Spielberg’s epic war drama sees Jeremy Irvine’s film debut as Albert, a teen who lives in the British countryside with his beloved horse Joey.

When the First World War breaks out, Albert is left heartbroken with Joey is sold to the British cavalry.

With Joey being transported to the battlefields of France, Albert is left devastated, and travels to find his friend to bring him home.

Ender’s Game (6.50pm, E4)

Based on the classic 80’s novel, the 2013 edition of Ender’s Game sees a very young Asa Butterfield before his role in Netflix’s Sex Education.

Butterfield plays Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a prodigal child who exhibits an extraordinary gift for training programmes that will help prevent alien invasion. As he’s so gifted, heroic fighter Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) decides to take him directly under his wing and prepare him for the incoming alien invasion.

The Other Woman (9pm, Film 4)

Lawyer Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz) thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she falls for the gorgeous Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), but realises not all is what it seems when she discovers he is married to Kate (Leslie Mann). With the pair furious, things take a turn for the worse when they discover yet another woman (Kate Upton) is embedded in Mark’s lies. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, so the three team up to exact their revenge.

21 Jump Street (9pm, 5Star)

Bumbling cop partners Morton (Jonah Hill) and Greg (Channing Tatum) are sent back to school under cover to try and contain the spread of a synthetic drug. Chaos ensues. Look out for the surprise cameo by original Jump Street stars Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise.

Monday 6th May

The Golden Compass (9.55am, ITV2)

Based on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, The Golden Compass follows Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) in a parallel universe where human souls are visible as lifelong animal companions.

After her best friend is kidnapped by an evil being known as a Gobbler, Lyra sets out to save him and free the world she lives in from the oppressive forces which rule it. It misses the magic of the original book series, but with solid turns from Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman, it’s a good film to keep children entertained.

Johnny English Reborn (6.55pm, ITV2)

The sequel to the bumbling spy film, Rowan Atkinson is back as Johnny English. After a disastrous mission in Mozambique, English is out of service and hiding in a Tibetan monastery. However, when MI7 get back in touch, it is down to English and his new partner Agent Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya) to stop an assassination attempt on the Chinese premier.

John Wick (9pm, 5Star)

With the third film in the franchise hitting cinemas later this month, catch up on the start of the series. Hit man John Wick (an always enigmatic Keanu Reeves) is forced to fight his way out of New York after a price of $14 million is put on his head.

Sherlock Holmes (10.45pm, ITV)

Guy Ritchie’s take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic sees Robert Downey Junior in the lead role. Alongside Jude Law’s Dr Watson, the top detective is hired by a strange secret society to prevent a mystic’s plot to expand the British Empire with what appears to be witchcraft.

Son of a Gun (11.05pm, Channel 5)

Petty teenage criminal JR (Benton Thwaites) is forced to adapt to the harsh reality of prison. As he struggles to cope with the power struggles that surround him, he manages to befriend the charismatic and notorious Australian criminal Brendan Lynch (Ewan McGregor) who offers him protection in prison – but it comes with a price…