Thursday May 17
The Great White Hype [e.tv.20.30]
Friday May 18
Nancy Drew [SABC1.22.00]
GENE HACKMAN IN 2001- THE DOUBLE OSCAR WINNING ACTOR HAS SINCE RETIRED
Behind Enemy Lines [e.tv.20.30]
Gracie’s Choice: A Story of Love [e.tv.01.30]
Saturday May 19
Serious Moonlight [M-Net.21.00]
Heroes’ Mountain [e.tv.14.00]
Sunday May 20
MORE MUSCLE PER MILE
Fast Five [M-Net.20.05]
Heroes’ Mountain [e.tv.13.55]
Dancing at the Harvest Moon [e.tv.22.00 and 01.35]
Monday May 21
MOORE AND HARRIS AS PALIN AND MCCAIN
Game Change [M-Net.22.30]
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins [SABC2.22.00]
Tuesday May 22
Serious Moonlight [M-Net.23.55]
Hart to Hart: Till Death Do Us Hart [e.tv.22.30 and 02.55]
Wednesday May 23
Jesse Stone: No Remorse [M-Net.01.35]
***
TOM SELLECK HAS MADE THE JESSE STONE CHARACTER HIS OWN'
This week, in the main part, we have to fall back on the Made-For-TV Movie, always a handy standby. Let’s begin by rounding up the usual suspects. Tom Selleck appears in his Jesse Stone persona on Wednesday in Jesse Stone: No Remorse [M-Net.Wednesday.01.35]; this 90 minute story dates from 2010 and is, as usual, self contained and suspenseful. I find the Selleck/Stone combination very comforting; a little like listening to an old radio serial.
BACK IN THE DAY-BIG HAIR AND CHUNKY JEWELRY
The Hart to Hart Team is also in a full length feature, Till Death Do Us Hart [e.tv.Tuesday.22.30 and 02.55]; the last of their reunion TV movies. Even since 1996, when this movie was made, how fashions have changed, technology too.
IS THAT A FACELIFT I SEE BEFORE ME?
I can foresee a time when more stories will be set in the past; the instant availability of a cell phone can and does limit potential plot tension; although resourceful writers are already using modern technology as a plot devise.
A REAL THREE HANKIE AFFAIR
Sob of the Week, and a full blown one too, must go to Gracie’s Choice: A Story of Love [e.tv.Friday.01.30]. There is some good acting from Kristin Bell as Gracie, Diane Ladd and Anne Heche who received a Primetime Emmy nomination for her part as the neglectful mother.
THE REAL STUART DIVER IS A LUCKY MAN-HE WAS TRAPPED UNDEGROUND FOR 67 HOURS
Our Disaster of the Week was a landslide and an Australian one, to boot. Craig Mc Lachlan plays a man named Stuart Diver, who was the sole survivor of a landslide in a place called Thredbo in New South Wales. Need I add that the movie, called Heroes’ Mountain [e.tv.Saturday.14.00 and Sunday.13.55] is a suitable fix for the couch bound adrenalin junkies.
THIS SETS THE TONE RATHER WELL
An endearing little movie is Dancing at the Harvest Moon [e.tv.Sunday.22.00 and 01.35]; nice title too. It stars Jacqueline Bisset, who has been played ‘an older woman’ before, remember Class, back in 1983.
THAT SHOULD BRING BACK A MEMORY OR TWO
At the beginning of her long career, in the late 60s, she, Claire Trevor and James Brolin appeared in Escape Route Cape Town, a locally made, extremely silly spy drama; one of the costars was the presenter of the very popular Springbok Radio show Pick a Box, a man called Bob Courtney.
A VERY 60S SHOT-BISSET WITH STEVE MCQUEEN IN BULLITT
I guess nether Jackie or James Brolin now Mr Streisand; think about that time in their lives too much. It got a lot better for Bisset, she was Steve McQueen’s girlfriend in Bullitt, played her namesake Jacqueline(Kennedy Onassis) twice.
BISSET WAS A HARD BOIILED WRITER IN RICH AND FAMOUS-THAT'S PROBABLY WHY I LIKE IT SO MUCH
Also,she was Bette Davis to Candice Bergman’s Miriam Hopkins in the remake of Old Acquaintance, made in 1981 and called Rich and Famous; for some odd reason, a great personal favourite of mine. Dancing at the Harvest Moon is a sweet romance, based on a novel by Cathie Pelletier writing as K.C. McKinnon.
JOHN MCCAIN OFTEN KEPT STRANGE COMPANY- HERE WITH RICHARD NIXON
The big TV movie this week is a strong one, Game Change [M-Net.Monday.22.30] dealing with the 2008 American race to the Oval Office. Ed Harris stars as John McCain, a combatant in the Vietnam War, who was a prisoner of war for six years and came home a Nixon Hero in 1973.
AND HERE WITH SARAH PALIN
In Game Change, McCain ‘picks’ as his running mate, a strange lady called Sarah Palin, a woman with the charm of a malfunctioning combine harvester.
MOORE AND WOODY HRRELSON
The part gives Julianne Moore a chance to devour the scenery, which she does superbly. Woody Harrelson is suitably sleazy as a spin-doctor with an agenda all of his own. This really is a mesmerizing look at American history in the making.
NANCY BEGINS
Nancy Drew is also a piece of Americana; she was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the same bloke who dreamed up Joe and Frank Hardy. Sorry Folks, Carolyn Keene wasn’t a person at all. Dear Nancy has represented idealized young womanhood for nearly a century.
SHE ONCE WAS A PAPER DOLL
Madame Drew, armed only with her torch, her magnifying glass and an intrepid stare, she has sleuthed her way from decade to decade, strangely untouched by The Depression, The Second World War , Vietnam or Rock’ n’ Roll. Books, comics, movies and TV; she has done them all.
EMMA ROBERTS AS NANCY
Nancy Drew [SABC1.Friday.22.00] for the 21st century is almost exactly like Nancy of days gone by, sincere and smiling, doggedly following clues until she unmasks her villain.
NANCY WITH THE ROBERTS SMILE
Emma Roberts gives an intelligent interpretation of our heroine in a plot loosely based on the death of movie star Natalie Wood. Although the ending shrieks of sequel, none has been forthcoming, maybe, Nancy is a little out of touch with a generation born around the time of her 70th birthday.
NOT THE SAFEST PLACE ON EARTH-EVEN NOW
Somewhere in the world, war is always waging; often with American flags waving not so discreetly in the background. As the Communist Bloc ceased to exist, Eastern Europe went up like a tinderbox and Bosnia became one of the hottest spots on the planet.
OWEN WILSON AS AN ACTION HERO-POINTED GUN AND OPEN MOUTH
Behind Enemy Lines [e.tv.Friday.20.30] tells a story of ploy and counter ploy in the former Soviet stronghold. Both Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman are excellent actors; and their performances alone make the film a reasonable watch; apart from that, the plot is full of stereotypes, violence, and holes. Made in 2001, Behind Enemy Lines has dated pretty quickly.
NOT OVER BY A LONG SHOT
Fast Five [M-Net.Sunday.20.05] is the 5th in the Fast & Furious Franchise, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker join forces again, along with many familiar faces from the first four movies. Plus, in response to pleas from fans, Dwayne The Rock Johnson is added to the mix.
WHAT THE FANS WANTED
By the time most ‘Franchises’ reach number five, everybody seems to be on autopilot; not this time, if anything, it is the best one so far. An action adventure packed with pecs; gearing up for number six.
JANE ALEXANDER AND JAMES EARL JONES IN THE GREAT WHITE HOPE. THE FILM, RELEASED IN 1970, WAS BANNED IN THIS COUNTRY
Now we have black comedy and black comedy…For starters, there is a send up of the boxing movie in general and The Great White Hope in particular.
The Great White Hype [e.tv. Thursday.20.30] stars Sam Jackson, old Flyman Jeff Goldblum and Peter Berg as The Great White Punch Bag…
PUT UP...SEND UP
and don’t look now, there’s a Wayans on the horizon! Seriously, The Great White Hype is not a terrible movie, but the material and storyline are fairly tired, not to mention overdone.
JAMES EARL JONES AND MARGARET AVERY WELCOME ROSCOE JENKINS
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins [SABC2.Monday.22.00] stars Martin Lawrence, James Earl Jones, Margaret Avery and Michael Clarke Duncan. What a shameful waste of talent.
WRITER/DIRECTOR ADRIENNE SHELLY
Before her tragic death in 2006, Adrienne Shelly came up with the idea for Serious Moonlight [M-Net.Saturday.21.00 and Tuesday.23.55], a black comedy with a spinning sting in the tail.
NOT THAT MUCH CHEMISTRY BETWEEN MEG AND TIM-THAT COULD BE HALF THE PROBLEM
Shelly wasn’t around to do tinkering or rewrites, but because Waitress had been so well received the project went ahead, with her Waitress co star Cheryl Hines behind the camera. Unfortunately even though Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton and Kristin Bell do their best, the movie doesn’t have the punch or the perception to really make it worthwhile.
JULIANNE MOORE IS SUPERB AS SARAH PALIN
The movie scene has really been dire this week, I’m afraid; let’s hope next week brings a little more sparkle. However, Game Change [M-Net.Monday.22.30] is worth the effort. I wondered how the people of Alaska could have elected Sarah Palin in the first place; Hypothermia perhaps? … On second thoughts…only in America…
BONZO IS ON THE LEFT
Once upon a time they did have a President, one who served two terms, and he was a mediocre Hollywood actor who is best remembered for a movie called Bedtime for Bonzo.
SOMETIMES, IT'S HARD TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
After watching Game Change, consider this— at the time of the election, John McCain was a 72 year old cancer survivor; if he/they had been elected, we now could have President Palin in The White House. Now, that would make a killer horror movie.
DOUBLE TROUBLE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN-NEED I ADD THANK HEAVENS!