September 21, 2008 – September 27, 2008
The following are capsule reviews of theatrical movies on network and cable television the week of Sept. 21. Please note that televised versions may or may not be edited for language, nudity, violence and sexual situations.
Monday, Sept. 22, 2:15-4 a.m. EDT (TCM) "The Seventh Seal" (1956). Intense medieval morality tale about a disillusioned knight (Max Von Sydow) returning from the Crusades to a plague-ravaged land where he forestalls Death (Bengt Ekerot) by wagering his life on a game of chess during the course of which he saves a traveling player named Joseph (Nils Poppe), his wife Mary (Bibi Andersson) and their infant son. Swedish director Ingmar Bergman convincingly re-creates the religious context of the Middle Ages but the knight's quest to find meaning in a world of physical suffering and spiritual emptiness has less to do with religious faith than with the contemporary search for life's meaning in our own age of doubt and uncertainty. Subtitles. Recurring images of death, some stylized violence and instances of religious fanaticism. 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, Sept. 22, 8-11:15 p.m. EDT (AMC) "The Last Samurai" (2003). An embittered Civil War veteran (Tom Cruise), retained by the emperor of Japan to train a newly formed conscript army in the ways of modern warfare, finds himself torn between duty and honor when he befriends the man he has been hired to destroy, a Samurai general (Ken Watanabe) who is leading a band of renegade warriors against the imperial forces in an attempt to preserve their fading traditions and halt the encroachment of Westernization into the country. Lavishly shot with painstaking attention to historical detail, director Edward Zwick's epic 19th-century costume drama is, at its center, an intimate tale of one man's search to reclaim his soul. Unfortunately, despite lofty platitudes about honor, the film's romanticized portrayal of the samurai's militaristic lifestyle results in an at times exalted view of war. Strong battlefield violence. 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.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8-10 p.m. EDT (TCM) "All the King's Men" (1949). Strong adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's novel about a poor country lawyer (Broderick Crawford) whose rise to political power during the Depression transforms him from a populist reformer into a ruthless demagogue with national ambitions. Directed by Robert Rossen, the picture is strikingly realistic in showing the corruption of democratic processes by a politician closely resembling Louisiana's Huey Long, though is less convincing in its portrayal of his personal failings and moral transgressions. Mature themes and treatment. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8-10:30 p.m. EDT (AMC) "The Karate Kid" (1984). High school student (Ralph Macchio) learns about life, friendship and the martial arts from a kindly Japanese-American gardener (Pat Morita) who shows him how to deal with the bullies tormenting him. Directed by John G. Avildsen, the movie is made extremely appealing by the performances of the two principals despite its message that violence solves all ills. Parents should be sure that their youngsters realize karate is considerably more lethal than depicted here. 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, Sept. 27, 7:15-8:45 p.m. EDT (HBO) "Bee Movie" (2007). Generally delightful animated feature about a scrappy bee (voice of Jerry Seinfeld) who decides to sue the human race for stealing the honey manufactured by his hard-working bee brethren and brings the case to court, with the help of a sympathetic florist (Renee Zellweger). An often very funny script (by Seinfeld and others), terrific voice work from a cast including John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates and many more, and ultimately, a valuable ecological lesson, make this film -- directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner -- above-average family fare. Mild innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Saturday, Sept. 27, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. EDT (Cinemax) "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007). Teenage wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his intrepid Hogwarts chums (Emma Watson and Rupert Grint) face an unexpected obstacle in their ongoing struggle with the malevolent Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes): a repressive teacher (Imelda Staunton) from the Ministry of Magic who won't allow the practice of hocus-pocus that they need to defend themselves against the evil forces. With director David Yates at the helm, this fifth installment is arguably the best yet with its excellent performances, superior special effects, coherent narrative and sensible balance between action sequences and human drama, not to mention a meaningful subtext about the power of love and personal choice in doing good versus evil. Some scenes of peril, moderate fantasy violence and scary imagery may preclude very young viewers. 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-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
TV program notes -- week of Sept. 21
Here are some television program notes for the week of Sept. 21 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, Sept. 21, various times (CBS) "Christian Unity" (check local listings). This interfaith special celebrates the centenary of the Annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the United States by focusing on efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation among believers. Those interviewed include Atonement Father James J. Gardiner, director of the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, N.Y., and the Rev. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches.
Sunday, Sept. 21, 8-10 p.m. EDT (History) "God vs. Satan." A look at the climactic battle of Armageddon as envisioned in the apocalyptic literature of the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jewish beliefs about the end times are based on the Talmud and the Book of Isaiah. Christianity relies heavily on Isaiah and adds the Revelation from the New Testament. Muslims build on Judeo-Christian tradition and find additional inspiration in the Quran and the Sunnah. The program examines where the religions differ, where they converge and what this epic battle may look like.
Sunday, Sept. 21 10-11 p.m. EDT (EWTN) "At the Gates of Heaven." A documentary look at the process leading up to the 2002 canonization of St. Padre Pio da Pietralcina, the Italian stigmatist.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 9-10 p.m. EDT (CBS) "The Mentalist." Promising procedural with Simon Baker as an intriguing protagonist. He plays Patrick Jane, a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation who boasts an extraordinary power of observation. A former psychic medium -- though bogus by his own admission -- he still exhibits almost-superhuman powers of deduction, and despite his cocky attitude and reluctance to play by the rules, he earns the grudging respect of his colleague, senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney). It also develops that he has a tragic past, and a mysterious nemesis in a vicious serial killer. The pilot involves the murder of a young girl in the hour's first few minutes, and then a double murder which pits Jane against the suspicious business partner (Zeljko Ivaek) of the one of the victims. Baker makes a compelling hero. Plot, violence and language are moderate to strong, but on the whole, typical of this genre. The pilot, by the way, includes an interesting exchange between Jane and rookie Grace (Amanda Righetti) when, to his denial of an afterlife, she retorts with a strong assertion of his having an immortal soul, and that the kingdom of God is real. It will be interesting to see how that conversation develops over the course of the series.
Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 23-24, 9-11 p.m. EDT and Thursday, Sept. 25, 9-10 p.m. EDT (PBS) "You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story." Definitive, truly epic, five-hour documentary, craggily narrated by executive producer Clint Eastwood, about the 85-year-old studio with "working-class roots" -- which made its name with hard-edged dramas and tough-talking backstage musicals -- and filled with judiciously chosen clips from those early films, perceptively organized by genre, era, star or director by filmmaker and critic Richard Schickel, who directed, wrote and produced the series. The excerpts are a canny mix of the familiar and the offbeat. All are brilliantly placed in chronological and sociological context (e.g. the Depression, World War II, the "red scare" and the advent of television). There are fascinating new and archival interviews with Warner stars James Cagney, Ronald Reagan, Alexis Smith and Edward G. Robinson, and directors William Wellman, Howard Hawks, Vincent Sherman, Elia Kazan and Martin Scorsese. Film historians Janine Basinger, Molly Haskell, Neal Gabler, Gary Giddins and many more provide astute commentary. Giddins, for instance, speaks of the pagan aspects of Busby Berkeley's elaborate musicals. The series has some healthy revisionism, as when Doris Day, the "greatest and most beloved" of the postwar stars, for instance, is described as a sort of "premature feminist, contrary to her later image." The series is extremely well-paced, and gets down to basics within minutes. This is one of the milestones of the always worthy "American Masters" series (TV-PG -- parental guidance suggested).
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8-9 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Killer Stress: A National Geographic Special." Stanford University neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky examines the dangers of a biological response that once helped human to run from predators and take down prey, but has now become a major health risk (TV-PG -- parental guidance suggested).
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8:30-9 p.m. EDT (CBS) "Gary Unmarried." Recently divorced, sweetly neurotic Gary (Jay Mohr), a painting contractor and father of young Tom and Louise (Ryan Malgarini and Kathryn Newton), falls for pretty client Vanessa (Jaime King) who turns out to be a single mother, while his ex-wife Allison (Paula Marshall) reveals she's engaged to their marriage counselor (Ed Begley Jr.). The cast is personable, and the dialogue lively enough, including the ongoing sparring exchanges between Gary and Allison. Though the interpersonal relationships are generally respectful, the series' basic premise -- with its seeming tolerance of divorce and implied nonmarital sexual activity -- is, of course, morally problematic, and there's a good deal of casual innuendo. Furthermore, the pilot has a dubious story line about Gary encouraging shy 14-year-old Tom to study and socialize with a girl alone in his room, and the boy wondering what he's supposed to "do with her."
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 9-10 p.m. EDT (BBC America) "Should I Really Give Up Flying?" This documentary investigates how our love affair with air travel affects the environment, revealing climate change's impact on some of the world's favorite destinations including the city of Venice, which has recently seen a dramatic rise in sea levels. It also looks at how the latest advances in aviation technology and fuel use are helping to make taking to the skies more eco-friendly. Virgin Airlines founder Sir Richard Branson offers his ideas for solving the emissions problem.
Friday, Sept. 26, 9-11 p.m. EDT (PBS) "Debates 2008: A Newshour Special Report." Jim Lehrer moderates the first presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama live from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss.
Saturday, Sept. 27, 8-9:30 p.m. EDT (EWTN) "St. Therese of the Child Jesus." This documentary explores the life of St. Therese of Lisieux through interviews, dramatizations and an examination of her writings.