Sjoe what a week has passed – from the spectacular opening of the World cup to the entire country in mourning due to South Africa’s dismal performance on Wednesday to temperatures plummeting to numbers we haven’t even heard of.
I prescribe a huge cup of hot chocolate or Milo, pancakes, a big bulky duvet, your partner and a fire burning in the fire place - it should soothe the damaged souls. We shouldn’t lose faith and hope – we only have to beat France with something like 5 goals – that’s not such a big mountain to climb (sorry just kiddin’ it’s huge), maybe they should get some tips from Leon Schuster, if we can eliminate France’s players one by one, we might have a chance (or maybe we could borrow Korea’s goalie and dress him up in France’s clothes?).
The World Cup is still in full swing and we, as a nation should hold our heads high (even if we might not qualify for the next round), because for every negative comment made Internationally, we showed them exactly where they can put it and that we are capable of hosting huge sporting events (we had some practice runs to help us along the way like the Rugby and Cricket World Cup).
If you’re not into soccer, then you can always watch the Inbound Tour match between Italy and the Bokke at 14:15 on either SS1 or M-Net and then there are the movies which you could look forward to.
The weekend kicks off with a proudly South African movie – just to boost the pride again. There should be something for everyone, but my have-to-see movie of the week: This is It!
FRIDAY, 18 JUNE 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 21:30 Finding Lenny
Starring: Barry Hilton, Russel Savadier, Michelle Bradshaw, Catriona Andrew, Kathleen Andersen, Vuyo Dabula
Director: Neal Sundstrom
"Everything happens for a reason" - on his 50th birthday, Lenny Vincent is fired from his job as a sports writer for a daily newspaper, his wife of 19 years leaves him for a much younger man and he and his best friend Dave are caught in a gang heist at a restaurant. He ends up being hi-jacked by the gang and dumped in a rural village. Here he befriends the local chief and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime; helping to reunite the chief's warring sons, fighting a money grabbing property company from turning the chief's land into a golf course, coaching the village soccer team and ultimately.. finding himself!
Ch 103 MM1 21:00 The Betrayed
Starring: Melissa George, Oded Fehr, Christian Campbell, Alice Krige
Director: Amanda Gusack
The story follows a young woman as she's put through a psychological journey under the thumb of a mysterious figure who suspects her husband of stealing millions from a crime syndicate.
Ch 104 MM2 20:10 Rush Hour 3 (***)
Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow, Noemie Lenoir, Hiroyuki Sanada
Director: Brett Ratner
RH3 is not as good as the original, but it still holds its own. The paring of Jackie and Chris was plain geniality and the two of them together on the big screen equaled a winning combination – who would have ever thought that. The main ingredients are still there, the fun, the tongue-in-the-cheek humour and outrageous stunts as only Mr Chan can provide and perform. It’s good escapism that the whole family could watch.
Synopsis
After an attempted assassination on Ambassador Han, Lee and Carter head to Paris to protect a French woman with knowledge of the Triads' secret leaders.
Ch 104 MM2 21:45 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (***)
Starring: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, Raymond J. Barry
Director: Jake Kasdan
The only thing I can say about this movie is that it’s weird – I’ve never seen a true life drama being portrayed like this. It’s part dark comedy, part drama. It obviously also has killer soundtrack if nothing else, watch it for that. It’s a good story if you could look past all the weirdness.
Synopsis
Singer Dewey Cox overcomes adversity to become a musical legend
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 The Waterboy (***)
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk, Jerry Reed
Director: Frank Coraci
Even though I’m not a huge fan of Mr Sandler, I enjoyed this movie. It’s funny, but it’s also heartwarming and pulls just the right strings in the sentimental department. It’s worth a watch if you haven’t seen it before.
Synopsis
A football team water boy discovers he has a unique tackling ability and becomes a member of the team.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 21:30 Big Business
Starring: Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Fred Ward, Edward Herrmann, Michele Placido
Director: Jim Abrahams, Michael Peyser
Two sets of identical twins, switched at birth, end up on opposite ends of a corporate labor power struggle.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 20:00 Hard Target (***)
Starring: Jean-Claude van Damme, Lance Henriksen, Yancy Butler, Wilford Brimley, Kasi Lemmons, Arnold Vosloo
Director: John Woo
A real skop, skiet and donner movie. Look out for our own Mr Vosloo as the baddy (which he plays sooo good). It’s not a bad action and would satisfy any guy’s action appetite. It has at least a storyline – well sort of.
Synopsis
A woman hires a drifter as her guide through New Orleans in search of her father, who has gone missing. They discover a deadly game of cat and mouse behind his disappearance in the process.
Ch 109 TCM 21:00 Donny Brasco (****)
Starring: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo
Director: Mike Newell
I would put this movie in the same league as The Departed. It’s a brilliant mafia drama/suspense. It has a top notch cast and won an Oscar for best writing/screenplay that year. Mr Depp plays the dark brooding undercover agent to a t and Mr Pacino well is Mr Pacino – brilliant as always. It’s a must see in my books
An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life to the expense of his regular one
Ch 113 Sony 20:35 The Replacement Killers (***)
Starring: Mira Sorvino, Chow Yun-Fat, Michael Rooker, Kenneth Tsang, Jurgen Prochnow
Director: Antoine Fuqua
I quite enjoy Chow Yun-Fat’s movies and this one is no different. It’s a decent action, with some decent action sequences and storyline. So if you‘re in the mood for popcorn and some escapism then this movie is perfect for you.
Synopsis
Failing to kill anymore because of his conscience, a troubled hit-man seeks aid from a forger to help him get papers to China. However, the drug-lord has hired replacements to finish the job and kill the hit-man.
My Picks for Today: The Replacement Killers, Donny Brasco, Rush Hour 3, The Waterboy
Movies that Might be worth the Watch: Finding Lenny, Big Business
SATURDAY, 19 JUNE 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 20:00 G-Force
Starring: Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Kelli Garner, Tyler Patrick Jones
Director: Hoyt Yeatman
A specially trained squad of guinea pigs is dispatched to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world.
Ch 103 MM1 19:00 Angels and Demons
Starring: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Director: Ron Howard
Symbologist Robert Langdon once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals.
Ch 103 MM1 21:00 Gran Torino (*****)
Starring: Cory Hardrict, Bee Vang, Clint Eastwood, Ahney Her, Brian Haley
Director: Clint Eastwood
If there is only one movie that you watch this weekend it should be this one. It is a powerful drama about forgiveness and accepting change. I’m a huge fan of Mr E (the actor and especially the director). I have yet to watch a bad movie of him. This movie will pull on your heartstrings - guaranteed and make you think of what is important in life. You’ll come to hate his family, but you’ll love his neighbours. This is one movie you defs should not miss.
Synopsis
Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino.
Ch 104 MM2 20:00 Shanghai Noon
Starring: Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Lucy Liu, Brandon Merrill, Roger Yuan
Director: Tom Dey, E. J. Foerster
Jackie Chan plays a Chinese man who travels to the Wild West to rescue a kidnapped princess. After teaming up with a train robber, the unlikely duo takes on a Chinese traitor and his corrupt boss.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 Hot Shots (***)
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn; Jon Cryer
Directors: Richard T. Stevens, Jim Abrahams, Ernie Orsatti (II)
I normally stay away from any spoof-like movies, but this one is actually quite good. You’ll see Mr Sheen and Cryer’s onscreen partnership way before they became famous as the two brothers in Two and Half Men. It’s a lot of fun and should defs not be taken seriously.
Synopsis
Parody of air force fighter films, such as "Top Gun," in which a group of misfit Navy pilots are being trained for a special mission.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 21:30 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (**½)
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ian McNeice (II), Simon Callow, Maynard Eziashi, Bob Gunton
Director: Steve Oedekerk, Philip C. Pfeiffer, Rick Barker
It’s defs not as good as the original, but it is watchable. Jim Carrey is in my opinion an amazing comedian – I just think he had to stay with what he is brilliant at – comedy. The little ones would surely enjoy this, the adults on the other hand, maybe not so much.
Synopsis
Pet detective Ace Ventura comes out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of a rare white bat, the symbol of an African tribe.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 20:00 D-Tox (***)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Tom Berenger, Charles S. Dutton, Sean Patrick Flanery, Christopher Fulford
Director: Jim Gillespie
I might be in the minority, but I quite like Stallone’s movies – they are decent actions and at least have decent storylines. This one is no different – it’s a decent drama/action with a decent storyline which will keep you on the edge of your seat with its who-dunnit plot. I would defs recommend this movie if you haven’t seen it yet.
Synopsis
A disgraced FBI agent with a drinking problem joins nine other troubled law enforcement officers at an isolated detox clinic in the wilds of Wyoming. But the therapeutic sanctuary becomes a nightmarish hellhole when a major snowstorm cuts off the clinic from the outside world and enables a killer on the inside to get busy.
Ch 106 M-Net Action 21:35 Windtalkers
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo
Director: John Woo
Two U.S. Marines in WWII are assigned to protect Navajo Marines who use their native language as an unbreakable radio cypher.
Ch 109 TCM19:20 Forbidden Planet
Starring: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly
Director: Fred McLeod Wilcox
A starship crew goes to investigate the silence of a planet's colony only to find two survivors and a deadly secret that one of them has.
Ch 109 TCM 21;00 Passion Fish
Starring: Mary McDonnell, Angela Bassett, Lenore Banks, William Mahoney (II), Nelle Stokes
Director: John Sayles
After becoming a paraplegic in an accident, a soap opera star returns to her home in Louisiana. The story focuses on the relationship between the actress and her nurse.
Ch 113 Sony 20:30 The Opposite of Sex
Starring: Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan, Lisa Kudrow, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Galecki
Director: Donald and Don Roos
A 16-year-old girl visits her gay half-brother and ends up seducing his boyfriend, thus wreaking havoc on all of their lives.
My Picks for Today: D-Tox, Gran Torino
Movies that Might be worth the Watch: The Opposite of Sex, Forbidden Planet, Passion Fish, Windtalkers, Angels and Demons, G-Force
SUNDAY, 20 JUNE 2010
Ch 101 M-Net 20:00 This is It (*****)
Starring: Michael Jackson, Daniel Celebre, Shannon Holtzapffel, Charles Klapow
Director: Kenny Ortega
Wow, what to say of this movie except that it’s sad, brilliant and heartbreaking. Sad in the sense that it’s the concert that never was and it’s the concert that could’ve been the most amazing thing ever seen by anyone. I would have been the first to stand in line for the DVD version thereof. Brilliant in the sense that (for all his mistakes and faults) Micheal Jackson was a visionary, a brilliant perfectionist, a man that knew no limits and it shows in this movie. He pushed people to what he knew they were capable of (one scene in particular where he pushed his guitarist on her solo, wanting more than she was giving – it’s goosebumps stuff). The choreography would have been breathtaking, the costumes would have been of technology that had to be developed for this concert and then off course there are the all the hits and more. Heartbreaking in the sense that this is his swansong where you’ll watch this movie (with tears streaming down your face) and at the end you’ll ask for more thinking that it just can’t be over. Is this really it? It’s a defs must see in my books.
Synopsis
A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London.
Ch 103 MM1 19:00 Cadillac Records
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyonce Knowles, Gabrielle Union, Columbus Short
Director: Darnell Martin
The rise and fall of Chess Records, which launched the careers of Muddy Waters, Etta James and Chuck Berry. Leonard Chess scoured the South, checking out the various blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.
Ch 104 MM2 20:00 Year of the Dog
Starring: Molly Shannon, Peter Sarsgaard, Regina King, John C. Reilly, Laura Dern
Director: Mike White
Peggy is a happy-go-lucky secretary--a great friend, employee, and sister who lives alone with her beloved dog. But when Pencil unexpectedly dies, Peggy must embark on a journey of personal transformation.
Ch 105 M-Net Stars 19:30 Tom and Huck
Starring: Jonathan Taylor-Thomas, Brad Renfro, Eric Schweig, Charles Rocket, Amy Wright
Director: Peter Hewitt, Ben Scott
Tom Sawyer and his best "friend" Huck go on many adventures throughout the town of Hannibal, Missouri. Finished by him winning the heart of young Becky Thatcher. Some of the adventures include: finding lost treasure, witnessing a murder, getting lost in a cave, and almost getting killed. Based on the book, Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.
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 17:35 Ben-Hur (*****)
Starring: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith
Director: William Wyler, Andrew Marton, Yakima Canutt (II)
Of all the movies ever made (and there are thousands) there are only two that stand out for me one of them is Ben-Hur and the other Gone with the Wind. They both pushed cinema to its limits and ‘till today Hollywood has never really captured their essence. They almost managed with Gladiator, but that was thanks to CGI and Russel Crowe. Ben-Hur is brilliant in that they didn’t have special/visual or even CGI those days – what you see is what you get. The grandeur, the stunts, the cinematography - everything was done hands on. The chariot scene is still today reckoned as one the best accomplished scenes ever captured on film. It’s a must see in my book
Synopsis
When a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.
Ch 113 Sony 20:30 The Mask of Zorro (****)
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Stuart Wilson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Matt Letscher (II)
Director: Martin Campbell, Glenn Randall Jr
Antonio Banderas as swashbuckling, drop down gorgeous sexy Zorro – oh yes please. I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this remake. CZJ has never looked so stunning and gorgeous. It has amazing action sequences, a decent storyline and some top notch actors. What more can you ask for. It’s a must see in my books.
Synopsis
The elder Zorro trains his replacement to fight the enemy Montero.
My Picks for Today: This is it, Ben-Hur, The Mask of Zorro, Nowhere to Run
Movies that Might be worth the Watch: Cadillac Records, Tom and Huck