Sunday, April 24, 2016
19
Moviesthisweek man finds himself endowed with God’s powers. TCM +++ Westfront 1918, (1930, Drama) Four German soldiers are sent to France. 11:05 p.m. A&E +++ Walking Tall, (2004, Action) A soldier sets out to clean up his hometown. 11:30 p.m. AMC +++ Die Hard, (1988, Action) A visiting cop helps stop some terrorists.
THURSDAY 9:50 a.m. STZ ENC +++ Escape From Alcatraz, (1979, True Story) An inmate leads an escape from Alcatraz prison. 11 a.m. HBO +++ Jurassic World, (2015, Adventure) A hybrid dinosaur in a theme park escapes. 11:45 a.m. STZ ENC +++ A Fistful of Dollars, (1964, Western) A gunfighter plays both sides in a battle. TCM +++ Once a Thief, (1965, Drama) An ex-convict wants to go straight. 1:10 p.m. STZ ENC +++ Only the Lonely, (1991, Romance) A cop confronts his dominating mother. TMC +++ The Jackal, (1998, Action) A former IRA sniper is called in to stop a terrorist. 1:45 p.m. TCM +++ The Train Robbers, (1973, Western) A widow and her cowboy buddies recover stolen gold. 2 p.m. DISN +++ Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, (2009, Animated) A town deals with food that rains from the sky. 2:55 p.m. MAX +++ Black Rain, (2008, Drama) A scientist tries to learn the cause of chemical rain. STZ ENC +++ Rocky IV, (1985, Drama) Rocky fights a seemingly undefeatable Russian boxer. 3:30 p.m. TCM +++ Viva Las Vegas, (1964, Musical) A race car driver takes a job as a waiter. 4 p.m. FX +++ The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, (2013, Adventure) A man realizes he must act to protect what he loves. 5 p.m. AMC +++ I Am Legend, (2007, Sci-Fi) A lone plague survivor struggles to find a cure. SHOW +++ The DUFF, (2015, Comedy) A high school senior sets out to reinvent herself. 5:30 p.m. SPIKE +++ The Expendables 2, (2012, Action) A man is sent on a mission to locate an object. 6:30 p.m. FX +++ Just Go With It, (2011, Comedy) A doctor’s assistant poses as his soon-to-be ex-wife. SYFY +++ The Mummy, (1999, Adventure) Adventurers resurrect an Egyptian mummy. 7 p.m. HBO +++ Jurassic World, (2015, Adventure) A hybrid dinosaur in a theme park escapes. 8:45 p.m. TCM +++ Marriage Italian Style, (1964, Romance) Relationship of mistress and wealthy businessman playboy. 10:30 p.m. FX +++ Just Go With It, (2011, Comedy) A doctor’s assistant poses as his soon-to-be ex-wife.
10:35 p.m. TMC ++++ The Station
Agent, (2003, Drama) A man with dwarfism finds his solitude interrupted. 11:30 p.m. SHOW +++ The DUFF, (2015, Comedy) A high school senior sets out to reinvent herself. 11:45 p.m. TCM +++ Arabesque, (1966, Spy) A man becomes involved in a murder conspiracy.
FRIDAY 10 a.m. SHOW +++ The Lovely Bones, (2009, Drama) A spirit watches her family struggle with her death. 10:05 a.m. MAX +++ Shattered, (2007, Thriller) A couple’s young daughter is abducted. 10:30 a.m. SYFY +++ Batman Returns, (1992, Action) Batman must save Gotham City from the Penguin. 10:50 a.m. TMC +++ King Kong, (2005, Action) An ambitious movie producer captures a giant ape. 11:45 a.m. COM +++ National Lampoon’s Vacation, (1983, Comedy) The Griswolds embark on a summer vacation. 1 p.m. TCM +++ The Last Wave, (1977, Thriller) An Australian lawyer is tormented by prophetic dreams. 1:05 p.m. STZ ENC ++++ Boyz ‘N the Hood, (1991, Drama) A single father tries to raise his son with values. 1:45 p.m. MAX ++++ Crimson Tide, (1995, Suspense) Nuclear submarine officers square off. 3 p.m. STZ ENC +++ Entrapment, (1999, Crime Story) Two people team up for a heist. TCM +++ Picnic at Hanging Rock, (1975, Mystery) Three girls disappear on outing. 3:10 p.m. HBO +++ Vertical Limit, (2000, Action) A climber must rescue his sister from a mountain. 3:30 p.m. SYFY +++ The Mummy, (1999, Adventure) Adventurers resurrect an Egyptian mummy. 4 p.m. FX +++ Jack Reacher, (2012, Action) A homicide is investigated involving a sniper. 4:55 p.m. STZ ENC +++ No Country for Old Men, (2007, Crime Story) A welder finds money and is chased by a crazy hit man. 7 p.m. AMC +++ Ocean’s Eleven, (2001, Crime Story) A gang of thieves plans to rob three casinos. CMT +++ Gridiron Gang, (2006, Sport) Offenders have a second shot at life because of sports. FX +++ Thor, (2011, Action) Thor is sent to live one on Earth amongst humans. TNT +++ Red, (2010, Action) A retired black-ops agent hunts down his assailants. VH1 +++ Ghostbusters, (1984, Comedy) Scientists open a ghost removal business in New York. STZ ENC +++ The Last Boy Scout, (1991, Action) An ex-agent and a quarterback investigate a murder. TCM ++++ A Star Is Born, (1937, Romance) A fading matinee idol marries a young starlet.
TMC +++ King Kong, (2005,
Action) An ambitious movie producer captures a giant ape. 7:15 p.m. FREEFORM +++ The Proposal, (2009, Comedy) A pushy woman forces her assistant to marry her. 8:50 p.m. STZ ENC +++ The Ghost and the Darkness, (1996, Adventure) Two men hunt man-eating lions. 9 p.m. COM +++ Old School, (2003, Comedy) Three men try to recapture their college days. 9:30 p.m. AMC +++ The Italian Job, (2003, Action) Thieves plan a heist involving a huge traffic jam. VH1 +++ Ghostbusters II, (1989, Comedy) Men save New York from a 16th century spirit. 10 p.m. FX +++ Thor, (2011, Action) Thor is sent to live one on Earth amongst humans. 10:15 p.m. TCM +++ A Child Is Waiting, (1963, Drama) A doctor tries to teach several handicapped children.
SATURDAY 9:45 a.m. AMC +++ The Shootist,
(1976, Western) A dying gunfighter sets out to settle scores. 10:30 a.m. FX +++ The Bourne Legacy, (2012, Action) A conspiracy is on the verge of being exposed. 10:40 a.m. HBO +++ Music and Lyrics, (2007, Romance) A one-time popular singer gets a second chance at fame. 10:45 a.m. STZ ENC +++ The Edge, (1997, Suspense) A billionaire becomes stranded in the wilderness. 11 a.m. VH1 +++ Ghostbusters II, (1989, Comedy) Men save New York from a 16th century spirit. TCM +++ The Fly, (1958, Sci-Fi) A scientist becomes a human fly. 11:25 a.m. MAX +++ The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, (2014, Adventure) An ancient foe plans to attack the Lonely Mountain. 12 p.m. AMC +++ Fargo, (1996, Crime Story) A police chief investigates a kidnapping in Minnesota. TNT +++ The Losers, (2010, Action) CIA members search for people that left them for dead. 1 p.m. CMT +++ Gridiron Gang, (2006, Sport) Offenders have a second shot at life because of sports. COM +++ The World’s End, (2013, Comedy) A pub crawl is interrupted by strange townsfolk. 1:05 p.m. TMC +++ Freedom Writers, (2007, Drama) A young teacher struggles to teach troubled students. 1:30 p.m. FREEFORM +++ The Proposal, (2009, Comedy) A pushy woman forces her assistant to marry her. FX +++ Jack Reacher, (2012, Action) A homicide is investigated involving a sniper. VH1 +++ Big, (1988, Comedy) A boy awakens as a full-grown man. 2 p.m. A&E +++ Walking Tall, (2004, Action) A soldier sets out to clean up his hometown. AMC +++ The Italian Job, (2003, Action) Thieves plan a heist involving a huge traffic jam.
TNT +++ Men in Black, (1997, Sci-
Fi) A secret organization controls the alien population. 3 p.m. TCM +++ Five Million Years to Earth, (1968, Sci-Fi) Time capsule unearthed. 3:05 p.m. STZ ENC +++ The Ghost and the Darkness, (1996, Adventure) Two men hunt man-eating lions. 3:30 p.m. COM +++ Ghostbusters, (1984, Comedy) Scientists open a ghost removal business in New York. 3:40 p.m. MAX +++ The Judge, (2014, Drama) A lawyer’s estranged father is suspected of murder. 4 p.m. TNT +++ Iron Man 2, (2010, Action) A man is pressured to reveal his superhero technology. 4:30 p.m. AMC +++ Ocean’s Eleven, (2001, Crime Story) A gang of thieves plans to rob three casinos. 4:55 p.m. STZ ENC +++ Point Break, (1991, Drama) FBI agents try to catch bank robbers. 5 p.m. TCM +++ Countdown, (1968, Drama) Russians are sent on a secret mission to the moon. 5:10 p.m. TMC ++++ Zodiac, (2007, Drama) A reporter follows the story of the Zodiac killer. 6 p.m. COM +++ Zombieland, (2009, Action) Two men find a way to survive in a world of zombies. 6:05 p.m. MAX ++++ Edge of Tomorrow, (2014, Sci-Fi) A soldier battling aliens is caught in a time loop. 7 p.m. AMC +++ The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, (2005, Fantasy) Four siblings discover a bewitched land. BRAVO +++ Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, (2004, Comedy) A gym owner enters a dodgeball competition. CMT +++ Gran Torino, (2008, Drama) An old man tries to reform and protect a boy. VH1 +++ Dirty Dancing, (1987, Dance) A girl discovers love on vacation. DISN ++++ Frozen, (2013, Family) A princess sets out to end a spell cast by her sister. TCM ++++ The Uninvited, (1944, Horror) A brother and sister buy a house with a ghostly secret. 7:30 p.m. FREEFORM ++++ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, (2013, Drama) Katniss and Peeta have large targets on their back. 8 p.m. MTV +++ Fantastic Four, (2005, Action) Four people get super powers from cosmic rays. 9 p.m. BRAVO +++ Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, (2004, Comedy) A gym owner enters a dodgeball competition. TCM ++++ H.M. Pulham, Esq., (1941, Romance) A businessman remembers his rise to the top. 9:30 p.m. VH1 +++ Dirty Dancing, (1987, Dance) A girl discovers love on vacation. 10:25 p.m. STZ ENC ++++ Will Penny, (1968, Western) An aging cowboy falls in love with a young woman. 10:30 p.m. MTV +++ Monsters vs. Aliens, (2009, Animated) A woman becomes part of a secret government team.
Hollywood Q&A
By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I just finished watching “Rocky Balboa,” the sixth Rocky movie, and was wondering about the guy who played Mason Dixon. Who is he? A: The 2006 hit “Rocky Balboa” continued the franchise’s tradition of hiring actual boxers to fill key roles. Mason “The Line” Dixon, the younger champ who wants to take on the legendary Rocky Balboa, was played by real-life pro boxer Antonio Tarver. Tarver was the International Boxing Organization light heavyweight champion at the time “Rocky Balboa” was made. He later lost that belt but is still fighting — his pro record is 31 wins, six losses and two no contests. He previously fought for the American Olympic team at the 1996 games in Atlanta, where he won bronze after losing in the semifinals. The films made before and after “Rocky Balboa” made similar casting choices. The 2015 hit “Creed” featured British pro Tony Bellew as the main villain/opponent, “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, while 1990’s “Rocky V” had Rocky squaring off against Tommy Morrison, who would go on to become the real-life heavyweight champion in 1993. Of course, the lot of them just can’t measure up to the real-life boxer who appeared in the first Rocky film in 1976: Joe Frazier. The legendary heavyweight champ actually inspired parts of the film, such as basing it in Philadelphia (as well as the bit about using sides of beef as punching bags). However, Frazier only gave a brief cameo, playing himself. Other fighters who did cameos in the series include Roberto Duran in “Rocky II” (1979) and Andre Ward in “Creed.” Q: I’m rewatching “Perry Mason” on MeTV and loving it. What else has the ac-
tor who played Paul Drake done? A: Sadly, “Perry Mason” was almost the last role William Hopper ever took (and he probably wished it was the last). Despite being just 42 when he took the role of Paul Drake, faithful private detective to the hotshot defense lawyer Perry Mason, most of his career lay behind him by that point. Hopper died of a heart attack in 1970, at the age of 55. He went into a (second) retirement period after “Perry” left the air, returning four years later to appear in the notoriously bad 1970 film “Myra Breckinridge” (Time magazine’s review called it “an insult to intelligence, an affront to sensibility and an abomination to the eye”). An early retirement seemed reasonable in Hopper’s case, since he took his first role before he was a year old. The son of two acting parents, Hopper’s first role was playing “Infant in Carriage” in the 1916 comedy “Sunshine Dad,” which starred his father, DeWolf Hopper. Amazingly, most of his whopping 117 film roles were uncredited — they were mostly bit parts and non-speaking roles. Some of them came in some pretty notable films, such as 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon” and 1942’s “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” And while 117 seems like a lot of movies, because the roles were mostly small, he was able to squeeze a lot of them into a short time — for example, he appeared in 24 films in 1941 alone. He gave up acting to fight in the Second World War, and when he first returned, he didn’t go back into the business — he spent eight years as a car salesman instead. But the lure of the big screen was too strong, and he went back to acting in 1954.
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