Sunday May 13
ANNE HATHAWAY SPREADS HER WINGS IN RIO
Rio [M-Net.20.05]
Elephant White [M-Net.00.40]
Anaconda [e.tv.20.00 and 23.45]
Monday May 14
A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE FROM PAUL GIAMATTI
Barney’s Version [M-Net.22.30]
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never [M-Net.01.00]
Red Riding Hood [M-Net.03.00]
Tuesday May 15
SOME OF THE HARD WORKING CAST FROM HALL PASS
Hall Pass [M-Net.00.00]
It’s a Kind of Funny Story [M-Net.01.45]
Wednesday May 16
Knowing [M-Net.09.30]
Blindness [M-Net.03.05]
Office Space [e.tv.22.35]
***
WHEN THE THRILLER TURNED TO CRIME, BOGIE AND HIS COAT LED THE ASSAULT
Someone once wrote, ‘What’s in a Name?’ What indeed. Years ago it was quite simple; a film was either a drama of a comedy or occasionally, a thriller. In the 30s, that was amended to a Crime Thriller. Then, along came a comedy with dramatic moments, so…what else but a Dramatic Comedy; add a touch of romance and the Romantic Comedy was born.
STEWART AND PATTINSON IN THE MOST POPULAR ROMANTIC FANTASY OF RECENT YEARS
Over the last two decade or so, Horror has stopped being a Drive In Joke, and has metamorphosized into something both chic and trendy; as has Sci-Fi and its rather more glamorous sister Fantasy. So, now we have Horror Sci-Fi, Romantic Fantasy, and the Fantasy Thriller, actually, the list is endless.
HARDWICKE AND HER BELLA
Little Red Riding Hood has been a stock fairy tale with Grimm undertones for longer than most of us care to remember. Recently, half the world has fallen in love with hairy wolves and things that go bite in the night. Controversial American director Catherine Hardwicke must take some responsibility for this; after all, she made the first Twilight Movie.
WHERE RED IS THE COLOUR AND NONE IS THE NUMBER...WELL SORT OF
After she wasn’t fired from making the sequel, she made Red Riding Moon um... as Red Riding Hood [M-Net.Monday.03.00] instead. It must have seemed a good idea at the time; many dark forests and much tainted blood. The cast, all who should have known better, include Oscar nominee Gary Oldman, Virginia Madsen, and Amanda Seyfried as Red.
JULIE CHRISTIE-A STAR FOR ALMOST FIFTY YEARS
As a movie, it is quite ludicrous; although it is always nice to see Julie Christie, sending herself and everyone else sky high, she plays a sweetly coy grandma.
BELLE NOIR OR SHOULD THAT READ BETE NOIRE
This movie seems to part of an unfortunate trend; there are rival Snow Whites out at the moment, one starring Julia Roberts; the other Charlize Theron. The thought of the two of them attempting to out Wicked Witch/Evil Queen each other is no fairy tale!
THE EVER TREND SETTING BEATLES IN LET IT BE. JUST FOR THE RECORD- PAUL, GEORGE, RINGO AND JOHN
When Documentaries were first made, they were serious and told stories about Isolated Eskimos or Endangered Wildlife. Now, more often than not, Rock Stars are the pivotal feature of the modern Documentary; the aptly named Rock Dock.
SWEET
Canadian singer Justin Bieber star of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never [M-Net.Monday.01.00] is a truly 21st century phenomenon, if ever there was one. He is a product of You Tube, Twitter and Facebook; we know what he thinks about religion, ecology and how many eggs should be eaten for breakfast on a Friday.
BABY IS OFTEN ALL A TWITTER
This Boy Band of One, who reminds me of someone’s precocious nephew, can be quite tuneful and seems harmless enough. Frankly, I preferred the days when our idols were surrounded by mystery, the mystique and innuendo was half the fun; now, they Twitter away, revealing for all to see how dull and limited some of them are. But, don’t listen to me, I’m old.
LOOKING DECIDEDLY SHEEPISH- WILSON AND SUDEIKIS
Don’t look now, but here they come again, first Peter, then Bobby, The Farrelly Bros; doing what they always do, trying to make a funny movie. This time, Owen Wilson and buddy Jason Sudeikis, get a Hall Pass [M-Net.Tuesday.00.00] from (their) marriages.
THE THREE STOOGES-MOE, CURLY AND LARRY
The wives are played by Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate and the movie is up to Farrelly standard. Talking of the Farrellys, I’m sure that their tribute movie to The Three Stooges is highly anticipated in some circles; Peter and Bobby meet Larry, Curly and Moe; now that truly is a match made in heaven.
THE CREATIVE TEAM OF BODEN AND FLECK
A bird of a more talented feather is the comedy drama, It’s Kind of a Funny Story [M-Net.Tuesday.01.45]; which is a movie bravely set in a mental health clinic. Like most of us, filmmakers don’t know really how to handle Mental Health. This movie is an exception; made by the team of Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden and based on a semi autobiographical young adult novel by Ned Vizzini.
WRITER NED VIZZINI AND ACTOR KEIR GILCHRIST
The movie tells the pertinent story of a young man, played by Keir Gilchrist, who suffering from depression and in the aftermath of a suicide attempt, books himself into a Mental Health Clinic.
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS AS BOBBY
The book translates well into film; the whole cast is spot on, with Zach Galifianakis both deeply moving and gleefully funny as Bobby. Mental Health is something we all need to know more about, It’s Kind of a Funny Story with its candour and warmth, is a good place to begin.
NICOLAS CAGE ADDS UP THE NUMBERS IN KNOWING
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world…two views of this Apocalypse; one with Nicolas Cage, called Knowing [M-Net.Wednesday.0930] which is a very clever idea, revealing mysterious numbers found in a letter, enclosed in a time capsule; a modern-day doomsday book.
NEW WORLD IN THE MORNING
It is such a pity about Nicky’s Hair…I didn’t say that. Seriously, the movie runs out of steam rather badly after the first hour; the ending is intriguing, if perhaps a little harps and flowers.
JULIANNE MOORE AND MARK RUFFALO PLAY THE BLIGHTED COUPLE IN BLINDNESS
Blindness [M-Net.Wednesday.03.05], based on a rather hackneyed novel by Jose Saramago, is not so much about the end of the world, but about something almost more frightening, a break down in society as we know it; which, as any Sci-Fi writer worth his/her salt will tell you, could happen very fast.
ROUGH AND DANGEROUS-BACON AND HOUNSOU
Often the thriller, especially of the blood thirsty variety, is weighed down by a script that no one can understand. True fans of the genre don’t seem to care, as long as the boom goes bang often enough. Elephant White [M-Net.Sunday.00.40], staring Djimon Hounsou and Kevin Bacon, is a case in point.
BAMBI AND HIS DOOMED MAMA
Animation has come a long way since Bambi lost his poor mother. Firstly, the technology has almost become a focus and force in itself and secondly, the stories are often geared to an adult audience.
JESSE EISENBERG IS THE VOICE OF BLU
Rio [M-Net.Sunday.20.05] tells the chirpy tale of flighty mating in Brazil with a Latino soundtrack to match. The song Real in Rio came second to Man or Muppet in the Oscar Best Song stakes this year. How do I know it came second? Easy; sadly, there were only two nominees.
JON VOIGHT IN A FATAL EMBRACE
Movies about Volcanoes, Floods and Strange Wild Animals with Vicious Agendas have always had an audience, given just the right amount of spit, glue and innuendo; these movies are often unintentionally very funny.
JO LO
Jon Voight seems to be having a ball amid a spree of special effects, complete with a big, big snake in Anaconda [e.tv.Sunday.20.00 and 23.45], Jennifer Lopez, who co stars, proves that when all is said and done, she has a fine pair of lungs.
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I THINK STEPHEN ROOT IS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR OFFICE SPACE'S DVD SUCCESS
Jennifer Aniston seems to be our Friend for Life; in 1998, she co starred in Office Space a brain child of Mike Judge, which was a very minor hit at the time of release, but has since gained a strangely strong cult following; see why on e.tv on Wednesday at 22.35
WRITER MORDECAI RICHLER
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz was a movie much enjoyed by me in the mid 70s; I found the novel and discovered Mordecai Richler, a Jewish Canadian writer, whose work I have enjoyed for many years.
GIAMATTI AND DUSTIN HOFFMAN
Richler, who died in 2001, really had a way with words, people, and situations. Watch Barney’s Version [M-Net.Monday.22.30] and get a taste for his writing. Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike and Dustin Hoffman star in this canny tale of urban rebuttal and renewal.
PAUL GIAMATTI AND ONE TIME BOND GIRL ROSAMUND PIKE
On that note, I’m going to pick Barney’s Version [M-Net.Monday.22.30]; Paul Giamatti is such a wonderful actor, never more so than in this bitter sweet saga.