TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Speak" (2004), 6 p.m., Lifetime. Laurie Halse Anderson's novel crackled with wit and insight, telling the story of a teen outsider who decides she'll pretend to be mute. Writer-director Jessica Sharzer found ways to turn it into a deeply moving movie. Elizabeth Perkins and D.B. Sweeney play the parents, but the film revolves totally around Kristen Stewart, who gives a quiet and engrossing performance. Superb direction and performances make this one of the better TV movies of recent years.

"Sands of Oblivion," 6 p.m., Sci Fi Channel. This film starts with a neat what-if notion: What if Cecil B. DeMille was using real Egyptian artifacts while filming "The Ten Commandments"? What if he realized they were cursed and buried them under the sand of the California desert? And what if some fool dug them up a half-century later? Those odd notions add up to a reasonably entertaining movie. There are lots of special effects, including the first time we've seen a hero battle two-dimensional paintings that emerge from a wall. There's also a long dune buggy chase, plus a beheading, a behanding and other bits of gore.

OF LOCALNOTE

"Hawai'i Veterans Project," 9 p.m., KHON. Hawai'i veterans give first-hand accounts of their experiences in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. The program is introduced by "Flags of Our Fathers" author James Bradley, son of of Iwo Jima flag raiser John Bradley, who was trained on the Big Island.

OF NOTE

"Spider-Man" (2002), 5 p.m., TNT. Sam Raimi beautifully directed this big-scale romp, going from zesty action to human moments with Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire).

"Grease" (1978), 7 and 9:30 p.m., ABC Family. You might think this movie is a towering classic. Actually, it's merely OK, a high school musical, with cute stars (Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta) and a lot of bouncy, 1950s-style pop songs.

"The Unit," 7 p.m., CBS. In Pakistan, the team learns of a plan to spread a virus via airline passengers.

"America's Got Talent," 7:30 p.m., NBC. Here's a rerun of Tuesday's episode, the second one that has finalists performing.

"Without a Trace," 8 p.m., CBS. A 911 operator is missing. The first suspect is a guy enraged because she didn't react quickly enough to save his wife.

Derek Paiva contributed to Tube Notes.