New Releases for the week of March 3 - March 9
Wreck-It Ralph
Ralph is a video game villain. While attending a support group with villains from other video games, Ralph expresses his desire to break out of his bad-guy role, to do good instead. He’s tired of being left out and shunned by others back home. When Ralph learns he can win medals in someone else’s game, he leaves his home behind and sets out on an adventure. But with Ralph gone, his home game is malfunctioning, and malfunctioning games get unplugged.
Director: Rich Moore. Stars: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Mindy Kaling, Ed O'Neill, Dennis Haysbert. 2012. 108 min. Animated.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
After giving birth and transforming from human to vampire, Bella awakens and begins to adapt to her new life and abilities. When Alice sees an ominous vision of the Volturi coming after Renesme and massacring the Cullens, the family assembles its allies and prepares for the impending final battle.
Director: Bill Condon. Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed. 2012. 115 min. Fantasy.
Red Dawn
U.S. Marine Jed Eckert awakes to find his hometown overrun with North Korean soldiers. As the invaders take the town, Jed, his brother and some other local youths escape and set up camp in the woods. Refusing to leave their home in the hands of the enemy, the group decides to fight back. Calling themselves the Wolverines, they gather intelligence and wage guerrilla warfare on their occupiers.
Director: Dan Bradley. Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, Connor Cruise, Will Yun Lee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. 2012. 93 min. Action.
Playing for Keeps
George is a washed-up soccer player and a deadbeat dad. Selling his own sports paraphernalia for money, he is always one step away from eviction. When he finds out his ex-wife is engaged to another man, George hits rock bottom. After being cornered into coaching his son’s soccer team, George’s luck suddenly shifts. Women are throwing themselves at him and ESPN is offering him a job, but what he really wants is his family back.
Director: Gabriele Muccino. Stars: Jessica Biel, Gerard Butler, Noah Lomax, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Judy Greer, David Tupper. 2012. 105 min. Comedy.
Lean, Deen machine: 'Not My Mama's Meals' still going strong one year later
Bobby Deen in "Not My Mama's Meals"
I’m sure Bobby Deen would forgive us if we labelled his show as “Deen Light.”
The Bible, on History
Live-action sequences and stunning CGI bring some of the most riveting stories ever told to life in this new five-part docudrama.. The debut retells the stories of Noah and Abraham, as well as that of Moses and the Ten Commandments.
Chicago Fire, on NBC
Dawson puts herself at risk as she tries to help her brother with his gang investigation. As she seeks assistance from an unlikely source, Severide visits an important person from his past and Casey deals with his new relationship with his mom.
Q: I know Jerry Orbach starred for years on "Law & Order," but didn't he have his own detective show once?
Not many remember it, but, yes, Orbach starred in a brief run of his own series, "The Law and Harry McGraw." It's a little surprising that it didn't do better, for a few different reasons.
For starters, it premiered on CBS while Orbach was still appearing on the big screen in one of the biggest films of the year, "Dirty Dancing" (he played Baby's slightly cantankerous father).
Blue Bloods, on CBS
Danny and Jackie suspect a young woman may have been forced to commit suicide in the first of back-to-back rebroadcasts. Elsewhere, the Reagan clan faces a crisis when Henry has a heart attack, and Linda worries about Danny's emotional state.
They're back: All-star celebrities return for 'The Celebrity Apprentice'
The contestants of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with Donald Trump
We have an unending fascination with the lives of celebrities. With supermarket tabloids and entertainment gossip TV -- not to mention the always-on Internet -- it's easier than ever to find out almost anything about these titans.
Family matters: 'Red Widow' tests the balance of right and wrong
Goran Visnjic, Radha Mitchell and Rade Serbedzija in "Red Widow"
How far would you go to protect your family? Would you be willing to break the law to keep your family safe?
Comic Book Men, on AMC
Walt has designs on an original Asteroids arcade cabinet and tries to negotiate for one, but another customer complicates matters. Meanwhile, GI Joe action figures from Ming's childhood get him fired up.
Q: What is the story with the hit TV show "Nashville" and the song "Fade Into You"? The CD of songs from the show came out recently, but "Fade Into You" was not on it. Just go to Amazon.com and you will see a lot of people want to know.
Indeed, there was a minor customer rebellion on Amazon.com when the CD "The Music of Nashville" was shipped, with a sticker on the wrapping that said it included "Fade Into You," but without the song.
No less a personage than music legend T. Bone Burnett apologized personally for the problem, saying that it was pulled at the last minute "due to a legal matter."