Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
There’s nothing like a potential pandemic to rouse audiences, especially as a movie of the week airing during sweeps and on a network that could use the boost. Thus tonight’s movie, from ABC: “Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America,” airing at 8 p.m.
There used to be a time when magicians were happy to pull a rabbit out of their hats. These days they don’t seem to be pleased unless they’ve tortured themselves to the top of the ratings. Which brings us to David Blaine, the attention-loving Gen Y magician who doesn’t mind being buried alive, frozen, or drowned–all for the sake of good TV, or at least good ratings.
Not as subtle as Diane Lane’s “Under the Tuscan Sun,” “Shadows in the Sun” highlights the beauty of rural Italy–and of Claire Forlani, who plays Parish’s daughter Isabella. The warm acting and lush scenery transcend the film’s slow-moving pace and the predictable ending, which, in movies like this, can be nothing other than happy.
May 18 marks the series finale of “That ’70s Show.” This week marks what may be funnier, two back-to-back new episodes, one of which features guest appearances by real-life ’70s stars Christopher Knight and Barry Williams from that real ’70s show, “The Brady Bunch.”
“One Tree Hill” has never been as compelling or interesting as fellow WB shows “Dawson’s Creek” or “Gilmore Girls.” So upon hearing that tonight’s season finale also may be the three-year old drama’s finale, even fans may be muttering a tepid, “Eh.”
Last night’s Yankees vs. Red Sox battle had nothing on the tiffs that’ll be rehashed on CBS’s “Dynasty: Catfights and Caviar,” a reunion show of sorts that airs at 10 tonight. The knockdown fights between big-hair sporting Alexis Carrington Colby (Joan Collins) and Krystle Carrington (Linda Evans) are the stuff of primetime soap operas.
Airing a new poker series a couple years after the poker craze has already peaked can be a bold move, but GSN is gambling on a win with “Annie Duke Takes on the World,” which premieres at 9 tonight.
Being the object of three teenage girls’ affections may be some men’s secret fantasy, but Keith Clark (David Boreanaz) finds it’s more than he can handle–or live up to–in These Girls. Keith is the type of guy who doesn’t work, but needs a babysitter to look after his infant when his wife is working. He and the 17-year-old sitter begin an affair, which goes smoothly until her two best friends catch her in the act. Literally.
Rescue Me is a wake up call for every man who (as a kid) dreamed about becoming a fireman and every woman who fantasized about being with one. As flawed and complicated as they are selfless and heroic, the fire fighters in this FX series are a compelling lot. They deal with infidelity, drug addiction, and sexual abuse on a daily basis and make it seem like old hat. But the characters are so well thought out that they almost always make viewers care about what’s developing in their lives. This second season surpasses the debut year in terms of story lines and pacing.
An assassination whodunit, “End Game” stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as Alex Thomas, a Secret Service agent assigned to protect the president of the United States. When the president is killed during his watch, Alex is wracked with guilt.
“Kate & Allie: Season One” introduced a new type of nuclear family to the 1980s: a pair of divorced women living with their children together in a somewhat cramped New York brownstone. A mid-season replacement in 1984, the sitcom starring Susan Saint James as Kate McArdle and Jane Curtin as Allie Lowell was both a critical and commercial success. The shoulder pads, clunky answering machine, and hairdon’ts give away the decade, but the storylines of grown-up best friends supporting and, at times, sparring with each other during personal and professional crises are timeless.
If you look at the premise of “Here Come the Brides” on paper, the whole series sounds rather bizarre: three brothers head East to find 100 young women who agree to move to untamed Seattle to marry the single men in town. The potential brides have to remain in Seattle for at least a year. If they don’t, the siblings could lose their family business. But this show isn’t set in a society where there’s a Starbucks on every corner.
Before “Degrassi Junior High” and “Seventh Heaven,” there was “The Facts of Life”–a feel-good sitcom where a lesson was learned at the end of each episode. Set in an all-girl boarding school, the series spanned nine seasons, countless hairdos, and an array of cast members and guest stars–some of whom (George Clooney, Helen Hunt, Molly Ringwald) would become very, very famous in the future.
A well-intentioned film about a young pharmaceutical rep who is torn between earning a good living and living a good life, Side Effects tells the story of Karly Hert, portrayed by Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy, Roswell), who also executive produced the project. Karly works for a company whose motto is “To protect and prolong life.” But what they really mean is prolong their own) lives by making as much money as possible.
It’s not easy to balance the fine line between being funny and offensive, but Carlos Mencia manages to make it work on “Mind of Mencia–Uncensored Season 1.” Born in Honduras to a Honduran father and a Mexican mother, Mencia takes glee in mocking uncomfortable stereotypes.
Sex Is Zero is to South Korea what Porky’s, American Pie, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High are to the United States. The Korean film has all the classic elements of a sex comedy: gratuitous breast shots, unusual use of bodily fluids, and a plot that’s secondary to the physical comedic skills of the actors.
Told with compassion and insight, the fascinating eight-episode documentary TransGeneration focuses on the lives of four college students struggling to fit into a society that doesn’t understand why they are the way they are–that is, transgendered young adults trapped in bodies that belie their true selves. Gabbie and Raci deal with their issues in vastly different ways.
Campy, earnest, and (at times) funny, “She Spies: The Complete First Season” is more “VIP” and “Charlie’s Angels” (with a little classic “Batman” thrown in) than “Alias” or “La Femme Nikita.” Showcasing the considerable physical charms of Natasha Henstridge, Kristen Miller, and Natashia Williams, who portray recovering criminals turned sexy she-spies Cassie, D.D., and Shane, respectively, the whodunit series offers a tongue-in-cheek alternative to hardcore crime-solving shows.
A quiet film by French-Canadian Robert Lepage (creator of Cirque du Soleil’s hit “Ka” production), “Far Side of the Moon” is a thoughtful look at a middle-aged man who is lonely, underemployed, and respected by no one–not even his twin brother. Lepage plays the dual roles of outcast Phillippe, a fortysomething telemarketer trying to earn his doctorate, and Andre, a selfish and lazy weatherman.
A remake of the 1983 film of the same name, “Zu Warriors” is a martial arts drama set in a fantasy world where stoic warriors battle a powerful demon. With each kill, the horrific beast consumes their souls, making himself stronger and more difficult to slay.