Movies on M-Net Stars in April, 2008:
MONDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
New BoysMonday 7 April at 19:30
1992 Directed by Kenny Ortega. Christian Bale, Bill Pullman
Set in New York of 1899, New Boys revolves around plucky newspaper seller Jack and his small band of newsies. The guys rely on sales to supplement family incomes, so when newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer decides to charge them an extra 10%, they form a union and go on strike.
With the help of a sympathetic reporter, they get the publicity they need, but then Pulitzer turns nasty, threatening to send Jack back to where he came from – reform school – unless he renounces the strike.
CrossroadsMonday 14 April at 19:30
1986 Directed by Walter Hill. Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca
Crossroads centres around a bright classical guitar student, Eugene, who is fascinated by legendary Delta blues singers, particularly Robert Johnson, whom he regards as the grandfather of rock ‘n roll.
When Eugene learns that Willie Brown, a man named in one of Johnson’s songs, is locked up in a minimum security hospital, he goes there to pick the old man’s brains.
Willie eventually agrees to talk, but only if Eugene takes him to a certain crossroads in Mississippi. The two head South and along the way, find adventure, respect and music.
The Thing Called LoveMonday 21 April at 19:30
1993 Directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Samantha Mathis, River Phoenix
River Phoenix’s last film (he died of a drug overdose just three months after the release of this 1993 flik) is set in Nashville, where four young people are trying to break into the country music business.
As they audition at the Bluebird Cafe, hoping for a chance to perform, their rivalry turns to friendship. A love triangle soon develops between Miranda, James and Kyle.
Miranda gets breathless in the presence of sexy, brooding James, but finds it easier to talk to Kyle, who is sweet and likeable.
Big PictureMonday 28 April at 19:30
1989 Directed by Christopher Guest. Kevin Bacon, Emily Longstreth
Nick Chapman is a talented young filmmaker who, after winning his first award, is suddenly in demand. A fast-talking agent thinks he has what it takes to make it in Hollywood, and next thing, Nick’s rubbing shoulders with filmmakers and actresses, some of whom want to rub more than just shoulders.
Nick’s growing ego alienates him from his friends, and it’s only when studio heads change his new script into something totally unrecognisable that he realises that all that glistens in Tinseltown is not gold.
TUESDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
Light Of DayTuesday 1 April at 19:30
1987 Directed by Paul Schrader. Michael J Fox, Joan Jett
The mother, the matriarch of the family, is a born again Christian. Her daughter Patti is a single mother who leads a struggling rock band. The two women hate one another, and fight constantly. It’s up to Joe, a guitarist in the band, to hold the family together, but it’s difficult when Patti’s growing anger leads to petty crime and parental neglect.
Bloodhounds Of BroadwayTuesday 8 April at 19:30
1989 Directed by Howard Brookner. Matt Dillon, Madonna, Jennifer Grey.
It’s the last night of 1928, and New Yorkers are preparing to usher in the new year with much merriment and bootleg liquor. But for some characters, life is a little more complicated.
A showgirl is yearning for someone to propose so she can go live in the country and have babies; a penniless man is considering selling his body parts so he can shower his lady love with baubles; a gambler is in serious trouble with the law; and a gangster who has been stabbed needs a blood donor urgently.
Matters come to a head at a wild society party where anything that can happen does.
PerfectTuesday 15 April at 19:30
1985 Directed by James Bridges. John Travolta, Jamie Lee Curtis.
Perfect centres around a Rolling Stone writer who is working on two pieces - a New York crime story and a Los Angeles health club story. The LA story has far more appeal, as the aerobics instructor is gorgeous.
Lust and love follow in quick succession, until his story appears in print and it’s nothing like the one he wrote.
Swing KidsTuesday 22 April at 19:30
1993 Directed by Thomas Carter. Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale
Hamburg, 1939. As Germany slides into war, a group of swing-mad German teens are defying the authorities by listening to banned musicians such as Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Artie Shaw, dressing in faddish English clothes, and resisting the call of the Hitler Youth.
As the life they know changes dramatically, they are forced to take a closer look at an ideology that is sending friends and neighbours to their doom.
Thomas eventually succumbs to a Gestapo officer’s glib propaganda, but Peter remains defiant to the end, even though it may cost him his freedom - or even his life.
Sister ActTuesday 29 April at 19:30
1992 Directed by Emile Ardolino. Whoopi Goldberg, Harvey Keitel
There’s a new sista in town. Her name is Sister Mary Clarence, and she’s anything but chaste. That’s because her real name is Deloris, her real occupation is singing in a nightclub, and she’s being chased by a killer.
Mary/Deloris isn’t happy to do the nun thing - the Mother Superior is a holy terror –- but it’s the safest place to be, and there’s always something to do … like transforming the hopeless choir into a kick-ass outfit even the Pope would applaud.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
Mr Holland's OpusWednesday 2 April at 19:30
1995 Directed by Stephen Herek. Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly
A warm, uplifting tale of a musician whose life ambition is to write a great symphony, but who becomes sidetracked when he takes a temporary teaching job to pay the bills. But the stop-gap job becomes his life’s work.
Over the course of 30 years, Glenn Holland instils in thousands of children a love and appreciation for music. However, his dedication to his work puts strain on his wife and deaf son - a son he has largely ignored because the boy can’t hear his beloved music.
TapWednesday 9 April at 19:30
1989 Directed by Nick Castle. Gregory Hines, Suzzanne Douglas
Max, the son of a legendary tap-dancer, has two talents: stealing things and tap-dancing. He wants to dance, and his old friends want him to dance, but tap-dancing is quickly being overtaken by rock.
Little Mo, a retired hoofer, suggests Max wire up his shoes to a synthesiser to create a new form of tap -- tap rock. Amy, an old sweetheart and dancing partner, suggests he audition for Broadway.
He tries out for the latter, only to be rejected for his individualism. When a former crime buddy invites him to take part in a robbery, he is sorely tempted - until he remembers Little Mo’s crazy suggestion.
FootlooseWednesday 16 April at 19:30
1984 Directed by Herbert Ross. Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer
City boy Ren moves to the Bible Belt with his single mother, and immediately clashes with the town’s fire-and-brimstone preacher.
After a tragedy that claimed the life of his son, the Rev. Moore has banned all pop music and dancing. The town’s kids are restless, none more so than the preacher’s pretty daughter Ariel. But Ren has a plan: he’ll convince the town’s elders that God loves dancers - and he’ll use the Scriptures to prove it.
Great Balls Of FireWednesday 23 April at 19:30
1989 Directed by Jim McBride. Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder
A look at two years in the life of Jerry Lee Lewis, the ‘50s piano-playing phenomenon whose controversial private life overshadowed his huge talent. The film covers the period 1956 to 1958, following Lewis as he performs, records and leaves a trail of scandal in his wake.
The biggest of these was marrying his second cousin Myra, his third wife, who was just 13 at the time. The resultant outcry killed his career, and Jerry Lee was reduced to playing in dives.
The film also looks at the performer’s relationship with his evangelist cousin Jimmy Swaggart, who plays his conscience.
Sister Act 2Wednesday 30 April at 19:30
1993 Directed by Bill Duke. Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith
Deloris is back in the real world, entertaining Vegas crowds with her ‘60s hits, when two nuns from her past turn up .The kids at their Catholic school are a bunch of tearaways and need knocking into shape. Can Deloris help?
Soon she's not only teaching the kids manners, but also how to sing and dance. And not a moment too soon: the priest and the headmaster have given up on the school and want to tear it down - unless the kids can prove that they are good at something, like winning a singing competition in Los Angeles.
THURSDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
YentlThursday 3 April at 19:30
1983 Directed by Barbra Streisand. Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin
Set in 1900s Eastern Europe, Streisand plays Yentl, a young woman who wants to study the Talmud, but who can’t because it’s a boys’ only world. So she chops off her hair, changes her name to Anshel and begins her studies as a man.
An unusual love triangle occurs when she falls in love with a handsome student who himself is in love with a sweet girl he can’t have.
White BoysThursday 10 April at 19:30
1985 Directed by Taylor Hackford. Gregory Hines, Mikhail Baryshnikov
When a Russian ballet dancer, who defected to the US some years ago, finds himself once more on home ground after his plane to Japan crash-lands in Siberia, the Russians sense a propaganda coup.
They team him up with a disillusioned American tap-dancer, who now lives in Leningrad with his Russian wife, hoping the contact will help the Russian dancer come to his senses. But things don’t turn out quite according to plan.
FlashdanceThursday 17 April at 19:30
1983 Directed by Adrian Lyne. Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri
Alex, 18, is a welder by day and a dancer by night who dreams of becoming a professional dancer. When she gets her chance to audition at last, she has no idea her boss has been pulling strings behind the scenes. A generous gesture, but one which could backfire if the proud and independent Alex ever finds out.
Stepping OutThursday 24 April at 19:30
1991 Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Liza Minnelli, Shelly Winters
Mavis is a dancer who was just about to get her big break on Broadway when her selfish boyfriend dragged her off to a small town. Now she keeps busy by singing in a bar and giving older adults weekly tap-dancing lessons in the church hall. Mavis, who has problems at home, soon finds herself playing confidante to her pupils, a motley bunch of women -- and one man. When Mavis and her dancers are invited to perform in a charity event, she puts her domestic issues on hold to whip her friends into a crack tap troupe.
FRIDAY NIGHT PREMERES
EvitaFriday 4 April at 19:30
1996 Directed by Alan Parker. Madonna, Antonio Banderas
Starring Madonna as Evita, a fragile beauty who rose from humble beginnings to become Argentina’s First Lady. She so captured the hearts of the common people that when she died in 1952, aged just 33, there was a massive outpouring of grief, almost on a par with that of Diana, who also died in her thirties.
This film, which is based on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical, follows Evita as she becomes model, actress and celebrity, bedding various men in her climb to the top. After marrying Juan Peron, an army officer who eventually became President, she worked tirelessly to uplift her country’s poor.
Saturday Night FeverFriday 11 April at 19:30
1977 Directed by John Badham. John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney
Tony Manero is a young hardware store worker who lives for Saturday nights. That’s when he dons his white suit, gets together with his mates and burns up the dance floor. With his fine moves and macho attitude, he’s leader of the pack, but secretly, he’s as confused as the rest of the kids who frequent 2001 Odyssey.
Tony gets no respect at home, where his parents favour his older brother, and he hasn’t figured out what he wants to do with his life. But when he enters a disco competition with a $500 prize, his new dance partner gives him some eye-opening advice.
GreaseFriday 18 April at 19:30
1978 Directed by Randal Kleiser. John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John
“Summer lovin, had me a blast.” is how macho man Danny describes his holiday romance to his pals, but he’s taken aback when the new girl at school turns out to be virginal Sandy, who has an entirely different version of the summer’s events.
As Danny struts around with the swaggering T-Birds and Sandy is adopted by the rebellious Pink Ladies, the two tentatively rekindle their romance and enjoy their last year at Rydell High.
What's Love Got To Do With ItFriday 25 April at 19:30
1993 Directed by Brian Gibson. Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne
A look at the tumultuous partnership of superstar performers Ike and Tina Turner, whose marriage was characterised by great songs and even greater fights. As Tina’s popularity grew, Ike became increasingly jealous, which, aggravated by drink and drugs, often led to abuse. But after almost 20 years of putting up with his rages, Tina walked out, never to return.
SATURDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
BeachesSaturday 5 April at 19:30
1988 Directed by Garry Marshall. Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey
A story about the friendship between two women who are as different as chalk and cheese. They meet when they are both 11 years old, and continue writing and meeting over the course of the next 30 years. CC Bloom is a loud, brash Jewish dancer from the Bronx; Hillary Whitney is a shy, reticent woman from the right side of the tracks.
Staying AliveSaturday 12 April at 19:30
1983 Directed by Sylvester Stallone. John Travolta, Cynthia Rhodes
Tony is now working as a waiter in Manhattan and hoping for his big Broadway break. He lands a small part in a musical called Satan’s Alley, and despite having a perfectly nice girlfriend back home, starts making a play for the show’s alluring star.
She eats him up and spits him out, so by the time the lead role is handed to him, they can’t stand each other. Will he survive her frosty looks and a trip through Broadway hell?
GreaseSaturday 19 April at 19:30
1982 Directed by Patricia Birch. Maxwell Caulfield, Michelle Pfeiffer
The sequel to Grease that goes back to Rydell High, with new characters and fashions. It’s 1961, and Stephanie is the tough leader of the Pink Ladies, whose members are only allowed to date T-Birds.
So when cleancut new British student Michael takes a fancy to her, he realises that to impress her, he will have to undergo an extreme makeover - preferably something involving hot wheels and cool leather.
CocktailSaturday 26 April at 19:30
1988 Directed by Roger Donaldson. Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown
Brian drops out of college to become a bartender in one of Manhattan’s trendy single bars. Teaching him the ropes - or rather, the cocktails - is Doug, a man who’s been there, done that, and has some philosophical advice for the ambitious young Brian.
Brian soon learns to juggle drinks and words like a pro, and is huge hit among customers, who almost forget to drink they’re enjoy watching him so much. But Brian and Doug fall out, and Brian heads for Jamaica, where he sets out to woo a rich woman who’ll buy him the bar he always wanted.
SUNDAY NIGHT PREMIERES
The ShowSunday 6 April at 19:30
1995 Directed by Brian Robbins. Craig Mack, Snoop Doggy Dog
A look at the world of hip-hop as seen through the eyes of some of America’s successful artists and producers. Concert footage in the US and Japan is interspersed with candid interviews in which performers speak about their fans, their lifestyles and the rap culture.
Artists interviewed include Dr Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Warren G, Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty by Nature and Craig Mack. There is also footage of Slick Rick, who was jailed for murder, and Notorious B.I.G., who was shot dead in an unsolved drive-by shooting in 1997.
Mambo KingsSunday 13 April at 19:30
1992 Directed by Arne Gilmcher. Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas
Cesar and Nestor Castllo are the Mambo Kings - brothers whose good looks and ability to turn Latin American music into aural sex have turned them into stars in their native Cuba. But when they get on the wrong side of bad people, they are forced to flee to America.
They work as meat-cutters by day and play in small clubs by night. Cesar, the older brother, relishes everything about his adopted country, and gets involved with at least two women. Nestor, though, pines for the girl he left behind.
Dirty DancingSunday 20 April at 19:30
1987 Directed by Emile Ardolino. Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey
The story revolves around a young girl who, while on holiday with her parents in the Catskills, New York, falls for the hotel’s sexy dance instructor. As her dad doesn’t want her to have anything to do with him (dad has his reasons), the lovebirds have to dance, and love, in secret. Dad finds out, all hell breaks loose, but all ends happily.
High FidelitySunday 27 April at 19:30
2000 Directed by Stephen Frears. John Cusack, Catherine Zeta Jones
Rob, the 30-something owner of a vinyl record store, is lamenting his latest failed relationship with his two assistants and the world in general. Since college, he has never been able to hang on to women. He’s had at least five break-ups.
Now his latest ex-girlfriend, Laura, is dating his neighbour, who is known for his long and noisy sex sessions. Rob decides to track down his old girfriends for a fresh look at what he’s doing wrong. Meanwhile, there’s music to discuss, records to collect, tapes to mix.
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