What a weekend of movies lined up – there are some brilliant ones like the Godfather and then there are the terrible ones like Last Action Hero; there’s even a movie for Chuck Norris’ fans ;-). DStv is also continuing with their JCvD and Robin Williams festival with no less than two movies each showing this weekend. There are quite a couple of movies I’m looking forward to like Plunkett&MacLean and Lions for Lambs. I know the latter didn’t get rave reviews, but I like to make up my own mind about whether or not something is good or not. Then let’s not forget that the Super14 is still in full swing – GO BULLS!!!! and that this weekend is literally do or die for some teams. The build up to the Soccer World Cup is also increasing and you could almost feel the tension and anticipation in the air – just 27 days to go until D-Day – I can hardly wait! The movie of the week was a tough one as there could actually only be one – the Godfather, but as I’ve already had it as a movie of the week I’ve decided that the have to see movie of the week should be: Transporter 3
FRIDAY, 14 MAY 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 21:30 City of Ember
Starring: Bill Murray, Toby Jones, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau
Director: Gil Kenan
For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing ... and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker
Ch 103 MM1 19:00 Punisher: War Zone
Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchison, Stephanie Janusauskas, Wayne Knight
Director: Lexi Alexander
After hunting down and killing hundreds of violent criminals, Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, faces his most deadly foe yet: Jigsaw
Ch 103 MM1 20:45 RocknRolla (***)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Idris Elba, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges
Director: Guy Ritchie
I'm not sure what to say about this movie. It's one of those movies you need to keep your wits about you. It’s not bad, it’s just very deurmekaar. You don’t really know what’s going on in the movie until it’s about half way through. So if you want wreck your brain then this movie is defs for you.
Synopsis
A Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked land deal, putting millions of dollars up for grabs and attracting all of London's criminal underworld.
Ch 104 MM2 20:00 Lions for Lambs
Starring: Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Michael Pena, Derek Luke
Director: Robert Redford
Injuries sustained by two Army ranger behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist and a professor.
Ch 104 MM2 21:35 Hannibal Rising
Starring: Gong Li, Gaspard Ulliel, Ivan Marevich, Aaron Thomas (II), Rhys Ifans
Director: Peter Webber
After the death of his parents during World War II, young Hannibal Lecter moves in with his beautiful aunt and begins plotting revenge on the barbarians responsible for his sister's death.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 Powder (***½)
Starring: Mary Steenburgen, Sean Patrick Flanery, Lance Henriksen, Jeff Goldblum, Brandon Smith
Director: Victor Salva
This is one of those movies that if you’ve seen it once, you’ll not likely to forget it i.e. it will have a lasting impact on you long after you’ve watched it. It’s about acceptance and about difference. You best keep the Kleenex near as you’re gonna need it. This is one drama you should not miss.
Synopsis
A young bald albino boy with unique powers shakes up the rural community he lives in.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 21:35 First Kid
Starring: Sinbad, Brock Pierce, Blake Boyd, Timothy Busfield, Art LaFleur
Director: David Mickey Evans
The nation's capitol may never be the same after Secret Service Agent Sam Simms is given the dubious honor of being assigned to guard the President of the United States' son, Luke. An undisciplined lad with a penchant for making scandalous news headlines that embarrass the White House.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 20:00 Code of Silence
Starring: Chuck Norris, Henry de Silva, Bert Remsen, Molly Hagen, Joseph Guzaldo
Directors: Andrew Davis, Don Pike (II)
A renegade Chicago cop makes up his own rules as he goes up against a gang war.
Ch 109 TCM19:10 Mrs Soffel
Starring: Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson, Matthew Modine, Edward Herrmann, Trini Alvarado
Director: Gillian Armstrong
In turn-of-the-century Pennsylvania, the wife of prison warden falls in love with a convicted murderer.
Ch 109 TCM 21:00 Shaft
Starring: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Gwen Mitchell (II), Christopher St John, Charles Cioffi
Director: Gordon Parks
Follows the investigations of legendary, black private detective--one baaaad muthuh--Shaft! Donned in a turtleneck and leather jacket, he's not only an undercover hero, Shaft's also a lean, mean, sex machine, for all to admire
Ch 113 Sony 20:30 Universal Soldier: The Return (** 1/2)
Starring: Jean-Claude van Damme, Michael Jai White, Heidi Schanz, Justin Lazard, Kiana Tom
Director: Mic Rodgers
This is a decent action, but it’s not as good as the original. There’s plenty of action to satisfy the most adrenaline junkie, but that’s about it. Don’t look for any substance to the plot as there is non, but it will get the time by.
Synopsis
Luc Devreux--a technical expert--is brought in to make improvements in the government's Universal Soldier training program. But the computer controlling the Universal Soldiers malfunctions and Devreux must battle the elite team.
My Picks for Today: Powder
Movies that Might be Worth Watching: City of Ember, Lions for Lambs, Hannibal Rising,
SATURDAY, 15 MAY 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 20:30 Passengers
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Chelah Horsdal, Ryan Robbins, Andrew Wheeler (II)
Director: Rodrigo Garcia
A grief counselor working with a group of plane-crash survivors finds herself at the root of a mystery when her clients begin to disappear.
Ch 103 MM1 19:00 The X Files: Fight the Future (***)
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, John Neville, William B. Davis, Martin Landau
Directors: Rob Bowman, Billy Burton, E. J. Foerster
I was never into the whole X-Files series hype, as I’m not a fan of Sci-Fi, but after watching the first X-Files movie, I was hooked. This one is no different – it has enough suspense and action to keep you on the edge of your seat with some amazing special effects. It’s defs worth the watch – it might just make you believe ;-)
Synopsis
Mulder and Scully must fight the government in a conspiracy and find the truth about an alien colonization of Earth.
Ch 103 MM1 20:55 Primal Fear (****)
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, John Mahoney, Edward Norton
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Edward Norton was still and up and coming actor when he made this movie, but even then you could see his immensely acting talent. He is brilliant and his scenes with Mr Gere are amazing. His onscreen chemistry with Mr G is at some places almost unbearable (and I mean this in a good way). The story also has a nice twist towards the end that even I didn’t see coming. It’s defs worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet.
Synopsis
An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep.
Ch 104 MM2 20:00 The Lookout
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Isla Fisher, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode
Director: Scott Frank
Chris, a once promising high school athlete, has his life turned upside down after a tragic accident. As he tries to maintain a normal life, he takes a job as a janitor at a bank where he ultimately finds himself caught up in a planned heist.
Ch 104 MM2 21:40 Plunkett and MacLeane
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Liv Tyler, Alan Cumming, Michael Gambon
Director: Jake Scott, Norris Spencer
Plunkett is a highwayman who's partner is killed by the evil Police Detective Chance. He soon hooks up with disgraced soldier Captain Macleane to continue robbing the rich to fund his move to America. Things get a little bit muddled for them when Macleane falls in love with Lady Rebecca and Chance comes closer and closer to nailing them.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 What Dreams May Come
Starring: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr, Annabella Sciorra, Max von Sydow, Jessica Brooks Grant
Director: Vincent Ward, Charles Croughwell
Chris Neilson dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 21:30 Coupe de Ville
Starring: Alan Arkin, Joseph Bologna, Annabeth Gish, Daniel Stern, Patrick Dempsey
Director: Joe Roth
Three brothers meet for the first time in five years. They have met to drive home a car their father bought for their mother's 50th birthday. During the long ride home they get to know each other once again.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 20:00 Nowhere to Run (***)
Starring: Jean-Claude van Damme, Rosanna Arquette, Kieran Culkin, Ted Levine, Tiffany Taubman
Director: Robert Harmon, Peter MacDonald
This is not a bad action, if you have time to pass. It doesn’t have the same Hollywood schmaltzy, clichéd ending to it which is nice for a change. You can still count on plenty of action scenes and good choreographed fights JCvD style.
Synopsis
An escaped convict befriends a young widow and helps her battle corrupt land developers who want to force her off her land.
Ch 109 TCM 19:20 Skyjacked
Starring: Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, James Brolin, Claude Akins, Jeanne Crain
Directors: James W. Gavin, John Guillermin, James W. Gavin
A crazed Vietnam vet bomber hijacks a Boeing 707 in this disaster film and demands to be taken to Russia.
Ch 109 TCM 21:00 Snatch
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina, Vinnie Jones, Rade Serbedzija; Jason Statham
Director: Guy Ritchie
Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
Ch 113 Sony 20:30 Last Action Hero (**)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance, Frank McRae
Directors: John McTiernan, Fred Waugh (II)
I was a huge fan of Mr S, but even I couldn’t sit through this one and believe me I’ve tried – plenty of times. I either fall asleep or switch to another channel. I normally disagree with critics if they slash a movie to pieces, but I have to say that I totally agree with them on this one. It’s boring, dull and defs lack something. I wouldn’t recommend sitting through this – it’s plain torture.
Synopsis
A teenage boy's unfulfilling life takes a strange turn when he gets sucked into an action film and teams up with its hero, Jack Slater.
My Picks for Today: X-Files, Primal Fear
Movies that Might be Worth Watching: Snatch, Skyjacked, Plunkett & MacLeane, What Dreams May Come, Passengers, The Lookout
SUNDAY, 16 MAY 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 20:00 Transporter 3 (***)
Starring: Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, Francois Berleand, Robert Knepper, Jeroen Krabbe
Director: Olivier Megaton
Gorgeoulicious Statham – check. Plenty of over the top action sequences – check. One hot cool car – check. Nothing could ever top the original Transporter movie, but they’ve tried. I enjoyed the third installment – it has plenty of on the edge of your seat action sequences, but the best scene in the movie for me was the chase scene where Jason’s character chases after his car – not sure how close to realism that is, but then again that’s the movies – anything is possible.
Synopsis
Frank Martin puts the driving gloves on to deliver Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of a Ukranian government official, from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea. En route, he has to contend with thugs who want to intercept Valentina's safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the way of his dangerous objective.
Ch 104 MM2 20:00 Little Voice
Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks, Ewan McGregor, Philip Jackson, Annette Badland
Director: Mark Herman
After the death of her father, Little Voice or LV becomes a virtual recluse, never going out and hardly ever saying a word. She just sits in her bedroom listening to her father's collection of old records of Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe and various other famous female singers. But at night time, LV sings, imitating these great singers with surprising accuracy. One night she is overheard by one of her mother's boyfriends, who happens to be a talent agent. He manages to convince her that her talent is special and arranges for her to perform at the local night club, but several problems arise.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 Patch Adams (***)
Starring: Robin Williams, Daniel London, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bob Gunton
Director: Tom Shadyac
I can’t, in all honesty, trash this movie even if I wanted to. It’s a good movie with the, as always, brilliant Mr Williams. I say trash, as I had the privilege to meet the original Patch Adams and he’s a far cry from Mr W’s portrayal of him. I was so disappointed after having met him that I’ve never watched this movie again. But having said that it’s defs worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet.
Synopsis
Hunter "Patch" Adams was criticized in his official medical school record for "excessive happiness" and was once told by a faculty advisor, "If you want to be a clown, join a circus." Patch did, in fact, want to be a clown. But he also wanted to be a physician. Combining vastly different sides of his personality, he became both.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 20:00 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (***)
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, Daniel Craig
Directors: Simon West, Simon Crane
The guys will surely not miss this opportunity to see Ms Jolie at her absolutely physical best. Even I have to admit that she has a body to die for in this installment. As for videogame turn movie (which I’m also not mad about) - is this one not half bad. At least it has a storyline, plenty of action and some stunning visuals.
Synopsis
Video game adventurer Lara Croft comes to life in a movie where she races against time and villains to recover powerful ancient artifacts.
Ch 109 TCM 19:15 The Wheeler Dealers
Starring: James Garner, Lee Remick, Phil Harris, Chill Wills, Charles Watts
Director: Arthur Hiller
A fast-thinking, slow-drawling Texas oilman trying to raise a quick million, heads for the cash-lined canyons of Wall Street where he joins forces with an ambitious stock analyst.
Ch 113 Sony 20:30 The Godfather I (*****)
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall; Dianne Keaton
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
This is surely the movie of all movies – no one can ever deny that. It is brilliant in every aspect and it helps that it was nominated for 11 Oscars and walked off with 3. If you haven’t seen the Godfather then do yourself a favour and watch one of the most iconic movies ever made. It also put Al, James and Robert on the Hollywood map forever. This is one movie you defs should not miss.
Synopsis
Epic tale of a 1940s New York Mafia family and their struggle to protect their empire from rival families as the leadership switches from the father to his youngest son.
My Picks for Today: The Godfather, Lara Croft, Patch Adams, Transporter 3
Movies that Might be Worth Watching: The Wheeler Dealers