With so many good films on this week and the holiday weekend, we gave you more! All times ET.
Sept. 4
The Green Mile (1999)
Tom Hanks stars in this tragic story of a sort of gentle giant (played by Michael Clarke Duncan) with inexplicable healing powers, whose wrongful conviction and subsequent placement on death row has a ripple effect on the guards and population of the prison as a whole. Based on a Stephen King short story, to boot. Bravo, 8pm ET
Sept. 5
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
One of Will Ferrell’s better satirical characterizations, Ricky Bobby is a champion NASCAR driver who, with his little buddy Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly), constitute the race duo “Shake and Bake.” Together, they dominate the No. 1 and 2 spots of every race — until French Formula One driver Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) begins to threaten Bobby’s confidence and, ultimately, his perception of himself. TBS, 7pm ET
Sept. 6
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
The dashing leading man of the latest Hollywood hit, played by Jeff Daniels, steps off of the movie screen and into reality to save Depression-era damsel in distress, a put-upon Mia Farrow. This imaginative film by Woody Allen, who stays well behind the camera, is truly one-of-a-kind. TCM, 6:30pm
Sept. 7
Office Space (1999)
One of the great pressure-valve films of all time. If you’ve ever worked in a cubicle farm, chances are you’ve seen one, two or more of the types of people sent up in this movie. Gary Cole is absolutely classic as the boss who hovers around just lying in wait to ruin his employee’s weekends. Might even be funnier in today’s struggling economy. IFC, 8pm ET
Sept. 8
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
Based on the Sue Monk Kidd bestseller and set in mid-’60s South Carolina, the film traces the experiences of young Lily (Dakota Fanning), daughter of an abusive farm owner and Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), the African-American woman who has assumed responsibility for her. When a racially charged incident makes it dangerous for Rosaleen to stay, Lily takes her to a new town where they begin to discover what it really means to have a family. HBO (HD), 8pm ET
Sept. 9
Sling Blade (1996)
The movie that put Billy Bob Thornton on the proverbial map, Sling Blade patiently tells the story of convicted murderer Karl who has, over the decades, become quiet, reserved and peaceable, eventually earning release from the mental hospital that has been his home. When he is befriended by young Frank and allowed to move into his family’s garage, the abusive boyfriend of Frank’s mother begins to stir long-dormant feelings in Karl. A trifecta for Thornton, who wrote, directed and starred in this tour-de-force effort. Encore, 8pm ET
Sept. 10
National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985)
Written by the late John Hughes and directed by Amy Heckerling (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), the second chapter in the Griswold family’s adventures takes Clark (Chevy Chase), Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and the kids on a rigidly scheduled trek across Europe, where they leave their mark at Stonehenge, repeatedly run over Eric Idle, check out the Louvre in 15 minutes and nearly find themselves the victims of a lynch mob in Munich. Lots o’ fun, especially if you’ve ever traveled with a dad like Clark. Travel Channel, 8pm ET