April 26 – May 2
TV film fare -- week of April 26
The following are capsule reviews of theatrical movies on network and cable television the week of April 26. Please note that televised versions may or may not be edited for language, nudity, violence and sexual situations.
Sunday, April 26, 8-10 p.m. EDT (TCM) "The Night of the Hunter" (1955). Powerful chiller from David Grubb's novel in which a berserk backwoods preacher (Robert Mitchum) learns of money stolen by a dying convict, marries his widow (Shelley Winters) to find it, then pursues her two frightened youngsters until they find sanctuary with a frail but resourceful matron (Lillian Gish). The only movie directed by actor Charles Laughton, the dark tale of suspense builds a truly frightening picture of a homicidal fanatic whose righteous facade is finally shattered by the innocence of children and the common sense of a determined woman. Much menace, some stylized violence and muted sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Monday, April 27, 8-11 p.m. EDT (AMC) "Sabrina" (1995). Gauzy romantic fantasy in which a workaholic billionaire (Harrison Ford) falls in love with his chauffeur's daughter (Julia Ormond) while trying to distract her from an infatuation with his engaged brother (Greg Kinnear). Director Sydney Pollack's long but lush remake of the 1954 Audrey Hepburn version is featherweight fluff laboriously plumped up with contrived romantic emotions. Fleeting violence and very mild sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Wednesday, April 29, 8-10:45 p.m. EDT (TCM) "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962). Fact-based prison saga of Robert Stroud (Burt Lancaster) whose death sentence for killing a guard in Leavenworth prison was commuted in 1916 to life in solitary confinement which he spent becoming an eminent authority on birds before his transfer in 1942 to Alcatraz, where he was deprived of anything to do with birds until transferred out in 1959. In showing Stroud's transformation from a vicious criminal to a dedicated ornithologist over 43 years in solitary, director John Frankenheimer probes the man's rehabilitation in relation to his mother (Thelma Ritter), wife (Betty Field), a sympathetic guard (Neville Brand) and a punitive prison warden (Karl Malden). Stylized violence and justice questions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Friday, May 1, 8-10:45 p.m. EDT (AMC) "The American President" (1995). Fluffy romance with the nation's widowed chief executive (Michael Douglas) insisting on his right to carry on a love affair with a feisty lobbyist (Annette Bening) despite its potential to derail his chances for re-election. Thanks to the appealing treatment of the couple, producer-director Rob Reiner's feel-good romantic fantasy provides superficial entertainment while glossing over moral issues and political realities. References to an off-screen affair and a few instances of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Saturday, May 2, 8-11 p.m. EDT (ABC) "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004). Richly textured fantasy in which the young wizard (Daniel Radcliffe), aided by his two best friends (Emma Watson and Rupert Grint), seeks out a violent escapee (Gary Oldman) accused of killing his parents -- who also is suspected of plotting to murder Harry. Director Alfonso Cuaron's adaptation of J.K. Rowling's third Harry Potter novel covers darker emotional territory in masterful cinematic fashion, blending fantastical images with Harry's need to reconcile past familial tragedy and a mounting desire for vengeance. Some frightening images and scenes of intense menace. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Saturday, May 2, 10-11:30 p.m. EDT (Cinemax) "The Strangers" (2008). Reasonably taut thriller in which a quarrelling unmarried couple (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) are menaced by a trio of masked intruders (Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks and Laura Margolis) at his parents' isolated summer home. Before its grisly climax, writer-director Bryan Bertino's feature debut mostly eschews bloodletting in favor of old-fashioned chills, but the script leaves many questions unanswered and its brief foray into religion and morality falls flat. Some bloody violence, nongraphic premarital sexual activity, some rough and occasional crude language, and two uses of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
TV program notes -- week of April 26
Here are some television program notes for the week of April 26 with their TV Parental Guidelines ratings if available. They have not been reviewed and therefore are not necessarily recommended by the Office for Film & Broadcasting.
Sunday, April 26, various times (check local listings) (CBS) "Poverty: A Time for Sharing." This interfaith special, produced in cooperation with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, looks at the anti-poverty activities of Catholic Relief Services, the Missionaries of Charity, the American Jewish World Service, the Mennonite Central Committee, Islamic Relief and other religious groups, as well as the United Nations' "Nothing But Nets" campaign to combat malaria.
Sunday, April 26, 10-11 p.m. EDT (EWTN) "The Triumphant Hour." A vintage portrayal of the triumphant "hour" of Jesus' resurrection, using many well-known Hollywood stars of the period.
Monday, April 27, 10-11 p.m. EDT (Discovery) "Doing da Vinci." A team of builders and engineers try to create an updated version of Leonardo da Vinci's bladed chariot.
Tuesday, April 28, 9-10 p.m. EDT (PBS) "The Released." This "Frontline" presentation examines what happens to the mentally ill when they leave prison and why they return at such alarming rates.
Wednesday, April 29, 9-100 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Cry for Help." This documentary tackles the pressing issue of teen depression and suicide from the perspective of adolescents themselves (TV-14/ LV -- parents strongly cautioned; strong coarse language, intense violence).
Wednesday, April 29, 10-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Legacy of War." Sixty years after he covered the aftermath of World War II, Walter Cronkite returns to key European locations in this special, tracing the complex and changing relationship between the United States and England and exploring the dramatic shifts of the Cold War, from the end of the World War to the present (TV-PG -- parental guidance suggested).