Five Awesome Movies to Watch this Bank Holiday Weekend

With the heavens due to open this May Bank Holiday Weekend, why not set yourself up for a ‘rainy day movie’ - a film that you know and love, a classic that has stood the test of time, easy to watch and goes well with some treats, stretchy pants and a takeaway. 

For treats and takeaway, check out your local listings in the new look ‘Xplore Local’ app. For movies, here is what the Xplore team recommends and where to watch ‘em.

5. Grease (1978)

Where to watch: NowTV / Sky Cinema

Length: 1 hour 51 minutes

Fun fact:

Famously, most of the cast were in their 20s during production, despite playing high schoolers - Olivia Newton-John was 28 for example. Some however were actually in their 30s, such as Stockard Channing, who was 33 at the time, whilst Michael Tucci (Sonny) was 31 and Jamie Donnelly (Jan) was 30 on the nose.

4. Forrest Gump (1994)

Where to watch: NowTV 

Length: 2 hours 22 minutes

Fun fact:

There was no actual ball during the table tennis matches - sad to say - with a CGI one put in during post-production, leaving the actors free to mime the most elaborate games possible.

3. The Princess Bride (1987)

Where to watch: Sky Store (€3.99)

Length: 1 hour 38 minutes

Fun fact:

"Dread Pirate Roberts" was a real person, an 18th century Caribbean buccaneer. He was also known as Bartholomew Roberts, as well as “Black Bart”, and of course has nothing really to do with the Princess Bride story at all.

2. The Goonies (1985)

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Length: 1 hour 55 minutes

Fun fact:

Sean Astin (Mikey) tells a story of being given the treasure map as a memento, only to discover years later that his mother had found it one day, thought it was a piece of rubbish and threw it away.

1. The Monster Squad (1987)

Where to Watch: Sky Store (€3.99)

Length: 1hr 19mins

Fun Fact:

When working on the cast for the film, one name seriously considered for the role of Dracula was Liam Neeson, which could have seen a very different portrayal of the character. In the end, Neeson was offered a small cameo role in the film, and was even paid to appear in the film, even though the scene for which he was needed was never shot.