The Godfather, on AMC
Marlon Brando stars as Vito Corleone, an Italian Mafia don who wages war against his enemies in 1940s New York. Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film is followed by its two acclaimed sequels starring Al Pacino as Vito’s son, Michael.
Q: Did Colin Farrell star in "Ballykissangel"? I saw a DVD boxed set and it looked like him on the cover, but I've seen the show before and didn't know he was in it.
Colin Farrell had a supporting role on two later seasons of the show, but a pair of circumstances conspired to put his face front and center on both seasons' boxed sets.
The first is that the show went through major cast changes when Farrell arrived, with its previous main star (the focal point on the early seasons' boxed sets) departing.
The second circumstance is that he's Colin Farrell.
Restaurant: Impossible, on Food Network
Chef Robert Irvine has traveled across the country tackling the most extreme kitchen disasters, from impossible owners to culinary catastrophes, and now you can relive the best of the best, and worst of the worst, in this new retrospective special.
Q: What was the name of that movie from the '90s about a guy, maybe Paul Rudd, who goes back to his home town and develops a cute relationship with his neighbors' daughter (played by the girl from "Black Swan")?
The maybe-Paul Rudd you're referring to is actually Timothy Hutton (perhaps the Paul Rudd of the '90s), the girl from "Black Swan" (2010) is named Natalie Portman (for the record), and the movie you're looking for is "Beautiful Girls" (1996).
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, on NBC
Jim Carrey brings one of Dr. Seuss' most famous characters to life in Ron Howard's big-screen adaptation of the holiday tale. The actor stars as a cantankerous green creature who's intent on ruining Christmas for the cheerful residents of Whoville.
A Christmas Story Live!, on Fox
Andy Walken stars as Ralphie, a boy who desperately wants to find a Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot Range Model air rifle under the tree on Christmas morning in this rebroadcast. This musical adaptation also stars Matthew Broderick and Maya Rudolph.
Q: Is it true there was a sequel to "Love Actually"? Why haven't I seen it playing anywhere?
It is true, but it's not the sort of sequel you're expecting.
The followup to the classic 2003 holiday rom-com "Love Actually" isn't the sort of thing that gets played often. It's a 10-minute special that was broadcast on the BBC in the U.K. and NBC in the U.S. as part of the 2017 Red Nose Day fundraising campaign. It was called, of course, "Red Nose Day Actually."
Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You, on AMC
This animated Christmas musical tells a story of young Mariah Carey, who wants nothing more than a puppy for Christmas. To see if she can handle the responsibility, her parents let her dog-sit - but the dog turns out to be crazy! Henry Winkler also stars.
Come on down: Star-studded 'Price Is Right' holiday specials to air this week
David Boreanaz of "SEAL Team"
Come on down: CBS and "The Price Is Right" are embracing the season of giving this week with two charity-focused, celebrity-themed prime-time specials.
New Releases for the week of December 22 - 28
Judy
Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz" at the young age of 16, Judy Garland (Zellweger) moves to London, England. It's 1986 and her marriage to Sidney Luft (Sewell) has collapsed, she's struggling with persistent money issues, and her career in the U.S. is cooling. Her time in London is plagued by ongoing substance abuse issues and haunted by her difficult past. As she struggles to pull herself together and make a comeback, she becomes increasingly unreliable. Her marriage to longtime friend Mickey Deans (Wittrock), her fifth husband, is new and exciting, and as she performs a series of sold-out concerts at London's Talk of the Town nightclub, Garland hopes that this phase of her life will bring her happiness and peace.
Director: Rupert Goold. Stars: Renée Zellweger, Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley, Rufus Sewell, Michael Gambon, Gaia Weiss. 2019. 118 mins. Drama.
Adopt a Highway
After serving 25 years in prison for a minor drug offense, former convict Russell Millings (Hawke) discovers an abandoned infant in a dumpster outside where he works as a dishwasher in a seedy motel. He finds a note under the baby that says, "Her name is Ella," and Russell decides to take the child home with him instead of turning her over to the police. New to the world outside of prison and still adjusting to a world so different from the one he knew before prison, Russell falls in love with Ella and puts his freedom at risk in the hopes of keeping her.
Director: Logan Marshall-Green. Stars: Ethan Hawke, Elaine Hendrix, Diane Gaeta, Mo McRae, Chris Sullivan, Betty Gabriel, Loni Love. 2019. 78 mins. Drama.
The Kill Team
A young soldier, Pte. Andrew Briggman (Wolff), grapples with the morally questionable actions of his unit under the command of Sgt. Deeks (Skarsgård). When an Afghan boy is killed, Briggman considers reporting his platoon to the authorities. But when Deeks starts to suspect that Briggman's loyalty to the team is waning, he begins to show his true colors. Briggman's very life may be at stake as Deeks reveals just how violent and single-minded he can be.