Friday June 7
Seeking Justice [M-Net.00.00]
Saturday June 8
Will [M-Net.17.50]
The Waiting City [M-Net.01.45]
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE-RUSSELL BRAND AND ADAM SANDLER IN BEDTIME STORIES
Bedtime Stories [SABC3.19.30]
Sunday June 9
UP THE REDS
Will [M-Net.10.00]
SOME OF THE STARS THAT SHINE IN PROMETHEUS
Prometheus [M-Net.20.05]
Underworld: Awakening [M-Net.00.10]
Monday June 10
Zilch
Tuesday June 11
Waiting City [M-Net.09.30]
Seeking Justice [M-Net.02.25]
Mac Gruber [SABC3.23.30]
Wednesday June 12
That’s My Boy [NM-Net.00.00]
***
RAZZIE OR NOT TO RAZZIE
Dedicated followers of The Golden Raspberry Awards are in for a treat this week; the 2012 winner of this coveted award, Adam Sandler and one of the unlucky nominees, Nicolas Cage, are both on view in their respective Razzie nominated roles.
NICKY CHOOSES HIS POISON IN LEAVING LAS VEGAS
Nicolas Cage became one of the youngest actors ever to take home a Main Academy Award in 1995 when he won for Leaving Las Vegas; ironically, in 2002, when nominated for Adaptation, he was beaten by the very youngest winner ever; Adrien Brody received the nod that year for The Pianist.
THE WICKER MAN STARTED SOMETHING
But… that was long ago; Cage has made many dodgy career moves since Wicker Man, his first Razzie nomination in 2006, and now is on the nomination list more often than not.
NEW TIDY HAIR
Last year, Cage received a double nomination for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance/Seeking Justice. Nicolas Cage calls his style of acting ‘Nouveau Shamanic’ which means New Tidy Hair in an obscure Sicilian Dialect
HIS NOUVEAU SHAMANIC STYLE
Seriously, Seeking Justice [M-Net.Friday.00.00 and Tuesday. 02.25] is not terrible, just rather tedious; the plot proceeding along very well worn tracks.
JANUARY JONES AND NICOLAS CAGE AS MAN AND WIFE IN SEEKING JUSTICE
When Cage’s wife, played by January Jones, is brutally raped and beaten, a sinister man, Simon, here played by Guy Pearce offers Cage retribution that is both quick and effective. But, in ‘Revenge Cinema’, there is no such thing as a free killing.
THE HUNGARY RABBIT JUMPING
Cage must repay in kind at some later date. The film reflects the rage and anxiety of an angry society, at war with itself. When, ‘The Hungry Rabbit Jumps’ even the innocent are tainted with guilt.
GUY PEARCE PREPARES HIMSELF TO PLAY EDWARD VIII IN THE KING'S SPEECH
English/Australian actor Guy Pearce is very busy these days, three movies on our box this week as well as significant parts in both The King’s Speech and Iron Man 3.
SUSAN SARANDON GAZES AT HER SON WHILE HIS FATHER LOOKS ON
And now, back to the Razzies. The winner is Adam Sandler…again. This time for That’s My Boy [M-Net.Wednesday.00.00], a long winded, one joke wonder. Sandler is at his brash raucous best, as a man who sired a baby as a teenager, when seduced by an older woman. Poor Susan Sarandon is the older woman who is serving jail time for her sins.
LIKE FATHER LIKE SON SANDLER AND ANDY SANDBERG
Adam Sandler is certainly talented, but almost always, he allows his sometimes promising material to degenerate into a flatulence fest. Not always his fault, his audiences seem to love him mugging and fooling about.
DON CHEADLE AND SANDLER IN REIGN OVER ME. IS THAT THE BACK COVER OF GRAHAM NASH'S FIRST SOLO ALBUM?
Unhappily, when he does become more serious… Reign Over Me or Happy People… audiences stay at home. So Sandler returns to fooling around, basing his comic style on the silly shenanigans of Jerry Lewis, rather than the subtle emotional shifting of Jack Lemmon
ADAM SANDLER WITH CO STAR GUY PEARCE
Guy Pearce pops up in another Adam Sandler movie, this time a full on fantasy flick from Disney, entitled Bedtime Stories [SABC3.Saturday.19.30]. Sandler portrays a man who loves to spin stories, amusing himself and his niece and nephew with farfetched tales that inexplicably start to come true.
A PIVOTAL MOMENT FROM BEDTIME STORIES
The film crackles with potential; most of it sadly unfulfilled, although in this outing Sandler is quite appealing as the seemingly luckless hero.
A LOT OF HIS WORK LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE THIS
. To give him his due, Adam Sandler is a committed filmaholic, sometimes averaging two movies a year, most of them cocooned in his trademark lavatorial crudity.
ADAM SANDLER IN THE COSBY SHOW- ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
He is always the first to be around the clock, around the block and often around the bend. When all is said and done, his brand of comedy has certainly made him a rich and popular star. Mr Sandler has come a long way since his humble beginnings as Theo Huxtable’s pal Smitty in The Cosby Show.
GUY PEARCE AS PETER WEYLAND
Guy Pearce is also in the cast of Prometheus [M-Net.Sunday.20.05], Ridley Scott’s prequel to Alien. To be more correct, I guess, Prometheus and the Alien movies share the same cinematic DNA.
POOR PROMETHEUS, HIS PUNISHMENT WAS HAVING AN EAGLE NIBBLE AT HIS LIVER
Prometheus, in Greek Mythology, was a Titan hero who created man from clay and stole the gift of fire for him, allowing progress. Prometheus is associated with human striving for (especially) scientific knowledge.
IMPRESSIVE VISUALS
In Prometheus, the movie, we once again find mortal man in search of his essence, an essence given here a strong Sci-Fi twist. Needless to say, the visual effects are jaw dropping; Prometheus was nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar this year, but lost to Life of Pi.
NOOMI RAPACE- THE ORIGINAL LISBETH SALANDER
The cast is pretty good, too, apart from Pearce; we have Noomi Repace, the original Swedish Lisbeth Salander; ever since the days of Garbo and later Ingrid Bergman, Hollywood Moguls go goggle eyed at the words ‘Swedish Actress’.
QUITE A CHANGE FROM MR ROCHESTER
Michael Fassbender does an superb job, in his role as the android David while Charlize Theron is stylish in a smaller but important part. Prometheus is rebooting with a vengeance and is probably the start of another generation of Alien Type Antics. Sir Ridley Scott is a skillful, surefooted director, with a unique, well honed talent.
VARIATION ON AN OLD THEME- NOW IT'S 'VAMPIRE GIRL AS SEX OBJECT'
Our sequel slot is filled this week by Underworld: Awakening [M-Net.Sunday.00.10] which sees Kate Beckinsale back in the role of Selene. The traditional battle between Cops and Robbers has long ago become a war between Vampires and Lycans, but not that much has changed. Not really.
'VAMPIRE GIRL AS SEX OBJECT' ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED
Film critic Roger Moore said of the fourth Underworld movie.
(It is) pitiless, puerile pointless and perfunctory…
LET THE MONEY START ROLLING IN...
Moore forgot to add that the film made plenty of bread, bucks and big ones…and is a must for fans.
DREAMS FOR AN INSOMNIAC WAS A GOOD 'LITTLE' MOVIE
Dreams for an Insomniac [e.tv. Thursday.23.05 and 02.25] was only given limited release in 1996, which really was a shame. The movie was the brain child of writer/director Tiffanie Debartolo, a romantic comedy set in a theme pub called Blue Eyes, dedicated to the life and works of Frank Sinatra.
REMEMBER HER IN THE RATHER LOVELY SAY ANYTHIING... WITH JOHN CUSACK
Ione Skye who played the lead is the daughter of 60s folkie Donovan and was once married to Adam Horowitz, one of The Beastie Boys.
KAY FRANCIS- HERE WITH WILLIAM POWELL IN ONE WAY PASSAGE
Skye’s career seemed to be set for bigger and better things but somehow the magic just didn’t happen; which is a pity, she had a look and feel of Kay Francis about her.
JENNIFER ANISTON BEFORE BRAD AND THE BIG TIME
Her co star Mackenzie Astin also seems to have been lost on the rocky road to Superstardom. The only member of the cast to have really ‘made it’ is Jennifer Aniston! The movie is typically rom- com, with an added plus; a delightful little sub plot involving Seymour Cassel and his screen son neatly played by Michael Landes.
WILL FORTE ABOUT TO LOSE HIS GRIP
Staying with comedy for a moment, MacGruber [SABC3.Tuesday.23.30] stars Will Forte as a MacGyver clone, adrift in the 80s, armed with only a ball of twine and half a pack of gum, all the while being pursued by big bad guy, Val Kilmer. The movie is funnier if you have been watching the reruns of MacGyver on SABC3 lately, or if you have an excellent memory.
MITCHELL AND EDGARTON IN THE WAITING CITY
The Australian movie The Waiting City [M-Net.Saturday.01.45 and Tuesday.09.30] is a pertinent look at maternal longing, love, death and reconciliation.
DECAPRIO, MULLIGAN, MAGUIRE ANDJOEL EDGARTON IN THE GREAT GATSBY
This fine film stars Radha Mitchell and Joel Edgarton as a childless couple, seeking the joy of parenthood. Joel Edgarton was in Kinky Boots, screened on the box a few weeks back and was on the big screen in Zero Dark City. He is also cast as Tom Buchanan in the remake of The Great Gatsby. Is he a rising star? I hope so.
DIRECTOR CLAIRE McCARTHY
Innovative direction by Claire McCarthy gives The Waiting City a thoughtfully subtle edge. I rather fancied a quote from her. She said
I don’t know if cinema can change the world. But if it can inspire you to think about things, then it’s not just popcorn.
WIILL WITH GUEST STAR STEVE GERRARD
And to end, a British film. Will [M-Net.Saturday.17.50 and Sunday.10.00] is a charming movie about a boy, Will, determined to watch a football match between AC Milan and Liverpool in a Champion League Final.
BOB HOSKINS AND DAMIEN LEWIS CO STAR WITH PERRY EGGLETON
The year is 2005 and the venue is Istanbul. The movie chronicles Will’s ups and downs as he tries to get to the match, on time and in one piece. Will is played by Perry Eggleton, with Damien Lewis as his father and Bob Hoskins and Alice Krige in a talented supporting cast.
A MOMENT IN THE WAITING CITY
My pick from a limited choice this week is The Waiting City [M-Net.Saturday.01.45 and Tuesday.09.30] . Lurking are also Prometheus [M-Net.Sunday. 20.05] and Will [M-Net. Saturday.17.50 and Sunday.10.00]
Cricket may well change the SABC3 lineup; be warned.