May 3 – May 9

TV film fare -- week of May 3

The following are capsule reviews of theatrical movies on network and cable television the week of May. 3. Please note that televised versions may or may not be edited for language, nudity, violence and sexual situations.

Sunday, May 3, 12:30-2:30 p.m. EDT (A&E) "Cocktail" (1988). Young New York bartender (Tom Cruise) learns the ropes about life and love from a heavy drinking, womanizing mentor (Bryan Brown) but manages to jump off the fast track before it's too late for honest success and a good woman (Elizabeth Shue). Australian director Roger Donaldson's colossal bore lacks interesting characterizations and dramatic credibility. Sexual promiscuity, unwed pregnancy, excessive alcohol consumption, off-camera suicide and some profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Monday, May 4, 9:30-11:15 p.m. EDT (TCM) "The Big Clock" (1948). Intriguing suspense thriller embroils a crime magazine editor (Ray Milland) as the chief suspect in a murder committed by his megalomaniacal publisher (Charles Laughton). Directed by John Farrow, the tense narrative is nicely keyed to a collection of quirky characters (including Elsa Lanchester, George Macready and Henry Morgan). Mounting menace and some stylized violence. 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.

Tuesday, May 5, 5:45-8 p.m. EDT (TCM) "The Trial" (1963). Nightmarish tale of anxiety and alienation from the Franz Kafka novel in which Joseph K (Anthony Perkins), a junior office manager in a nameless European city, is arrested for an unspecified crime, but can learn nothing about the case from his lawyer (Orson Welles) or court officials before facing his executioners in an apocalyptic ending. Also written and directed by Welles, the surreal proceedings are filled with dark images and labyrinthine visuals of a hapless individual caught in an impersonal, bureaucratic legal system, though much of this vivid excursion into the absurd remains troublingly obscure. Some stylized violence, menacing situations, sexual innuendo and an instance of profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

Friday, May 8, 7:15-9 p.m. EDT (Showtime) "The Hunting Party" (2007). Interesting though uneven black comedy based on actual events, about a washed-up broadcast journalist (Richard Gere), his former cameraman (Terrence Howard) and the nerdy reporter-son (Jesse Eisenberg) of a network executive who, five years after the Bosnian war, attempt not just to interview but to capture a notorious war criminal who has thus far eluded CIA and U.N. search efforts in and around Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Writer-director Richard Shepard's mix of drama and laughs works sometimes, but not enough of the time, and despite individual pluses and an implicitly strong indictment of governmental inaction in capturing war criminals it fails overall to convince. Much gratuitous rough language and profanity, crass expressions, rear and upper female nudity, some violence including torture, a fox hunt, sexual references, brief nongraphic scene of sexuality, and premarital situations. 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.

Friday, May 8, 8-10 p.m. EDT (ABC) "Happy Feet" (2006). Computer-animated fable set in the Antarctic about a young emperor penguin (voiced by Elijah Wood) whose inability to carry a tune and propensity for tap dancing gets him banished by the puritanical elders who blame him for the colony's dwindling fish supply, prompting the misfit to prove them wrong, get to the bottom of the food shortage, and hopefully discover his "heartsong," the mating call unique to each penguin that will help him find true love. Director George Miller combines terrific animation and voice talent (that also includes Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman) but packs too many themes -- tolerance, conformity, environmental responsibility -- into the sweet yet slender story. There are some dark and intense moments laced throughout and an unflattering view of religious authority, but the broader themes of love and self-worth should melt most objections. Some mildly rude humor and innuendo, as well as some menace and two frightening sequences that may upset very young viewers, but probably OK for older children. 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 9, 9-10:45 p.m. EDT (Showtime) "The Nanny Diaries" (2007). When a recent college graduate (Scarlett Johansson) turns her back on Wall Street only to be accidentally hired by a wealthy couple (Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti) as a nanny for their son (Nicholas Resse Art), she must conceal the situation from her ambitious mother (Donna Murphy) and, as the stress of her new job becomes overwhelming, can only rely on the support of two close friends (Alicia Keys and Nathan Corddry) and on the sympathy of the handsome preppy who lives upstairs (Chris Evans). Writer-directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's adaptation of the best-selling novel aspires to be a comedy of manners, but is hobbled by a simplistic message (rich is bad, working class is good) and characters who are, with few exceptions, walking stick figures. One use of the F-word, some crude and crass language, occasional profanity, partially concealed sexual activity, sexual advances, implied adultery and premarital sex, brief gay references, brief female disrobing without nudity, and implied divorce. 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 9, 10 p.m.-midnight EDT (Cinemax) "The Incredible Hulk" (2008). Intense live-action adventure about a fugitive scientist (Edward Norton) searching for a cure to the gamma poisoning that transforms him, when provoked, into a rampaging behemoth, with the help of his girlfriend and former colleague (Liv Tyler) and despite the efforts of her Army general father (William Hurt) and a British officer (Tim Roth) to capture him and exploit his powers. In between breathless chases and effective battle scenes, this latest adaptation of the popular comic, directed by Louis Leterrier, touches on serious moral issues about the use of force and the manipulation of human biology, though it squanders the initial innocence of its main characters' romance. Nongraphic premarital sexual activity, partial rear nudity, stylized violence, painful medical scenes, brief scatological humor, and occasional crude and crass language; it is possibly acceptable for older teens. 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.

TV program notes -- week of May 3

Here are some television program notes for the week of May 3 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, May 3, 8-9 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Eagles of Mull." The Scottish island of Mull provides a beautiful backdrop as cameraman Gordon Buchanan turns his lens on his birthplace to give viewers insight into the wild characters of this remarkable island. A presentation of "Nature" (TV-PG -- parental guidance suggested).

Sunday, May 3, 9-10:30 p.m. EDT (PBS) "The Old Curiosity Shop." A teenage girl and her grandfather lose everything to a maniacal moneylender and flee his relentless pursuit.

The saga of Little Nell, Grandfather and their tormentor, Daniel Quilp, is one of Charles Dickens' most heart-rending tales. Derek Jacobi ("I, Claudius") stars as Grandfather, with Sophie Vavasseur as Nell and Toby Jones as Quilp. The Dickensian cast also includes Gina McKee as the brains behind Quilp's shady law firm. A presentation of "Masterpiece Classic" (TV-PG -- parental guidance suggested).

Monday, May 4, 9-10 p.m. EDT (Discovery). "Belly of the Beast." Rossi Morreale hosts a new series in which he explores what makes three advanced pieces of technology tick: tanks, helicopters and giant trucks.

Tuesday, May 5, 8-9 p.m. EDT (National Geographic) "Scottish Highland Games." In the latest episode of "Strong Men," brothers and champion strongmen Craig and Paul Pumphrey journey to Scotland to discover the legendary highland games -- traditional strength competitions that have come to define this rugged country and test the muscle of even the toughest competitor.

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