Great movie #4: Stanley Kubrick took Stephen King’s novel and changed parts of it significantly – some for the better, some not. But overall, this 1980 movie is among the best horror movies ever made. Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall star.

2015

Dec

LORD AND LADY GRANTHAM REFLECT ON THE IMPENDING END OF 'DOWNTON ABBEY' By David Hinckley

“I don’t think Hugh has gotten nearly enough credit for the way he’s played Robert,” says Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Lady Graantham of Downton Abbey. “I mean, Robert can be a bit of an idiot. But Hugh has made him into a character people really care about..."

2015

Dec

THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! By David Bianculli

It turns out that Carrie Underwood wasn’t the most dynamic choice to star in this 2013 NBC telecast, which reintroduced the idea of musical theater on live television to a new generation. But the production of The Sound of Music Live! was immensely popular anyway, even with a problem like Maria. Stephen Moyer, co-starring as her male lead, wasn’t effectively dynamic either – but the songs and story worked, and the supporting cast included several who should have been playing le

2015

Dec

SWING TIME By David Bianculli

This 1936 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical is presented tonight, by co-hosts Robert Osborne and Sally Field, as one of “The Essentials,” and it certainly is. But so is the movie that follows it, another Astaire-Rogers musical masterpiece made one year earlier: 1935’s Top Hat. So sit back, and enjoy the glamour, the music, and the unbridled talent. First up: Swing Time, in which Astaire plays a dancer who aims to impress his fiancé (Betty Furness), but ends up being muc

2015

Dec

NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL By David Bianculli

Yes, Saturday is a weird day for NFL Network to show Thursday Night Football, but that’s the place to watch tonight’s game, in which the 7-7 Washington Redskins hopes to knock the 6-8 Philadelphia Eagles completely out of the playoff picture – and, in so doing, win the NFC East division.

2015

Dec

ASH VS. EVIL DEAD By David Bianculli

This is the penultimate episode of the season, and a lot is happening: One of Ash’s traveling companions has been vanquished by the big evil nemesis, which has decided to take shape – and the shape it’s taken is the same as Ash’s.

2015

Dec

TOP HAT By David Bianculli

Now here is a movie “Essential”: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, dancing and romancing in glorious black-and-white in 1935’s Top Hat. And when he sings “Cheek to Cheek” to her as the two of them whirl around, it’s one of the quintessential movie-musical moments.

2015

Dec

THE ANDY GRIFFITH CHRISTMAS SPECIAL By David Bianculli

Just as with I Love Lucy the other night, CBS is colorizing old episodes of The Andy Griffith Show for the holidays. I don’t like colorization, but I do like the episodes – especially the “Pickles” one.

2015

Dec

GHOSTBUSTERS By David Bianculli

This 1984 comedy is about to be remade, or sequelized, with an all-female cast – but for now, revel in the original. Bill Murray is pure comedy perfection in this wild tale of paranormal investigators, and so is everyone around him – especially Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver as people possessed by evil spirits.

2015

Dec

ANNIE By David Bianculli

Filmed in 1982, this is a fine Christmas night family TV treat: Aileen Quinn stars as an orphan girl with a hard knock life, and with Albert Finney and Carol Burnett as co-stars.

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