MARCH 7 2020 LISTENER 69
SATURDAY MARCH 7The Godfather (Māori TV,
8.40pm). Simply one of the
greatest movies ever made. In
three hours, Francis Ford Cop-
pola changed the way stories
could be told on screen and,
in doing so, left an indelible
imprint on our cultural his-
tory. Favourite quote: “Leave
the gun – take the cannoli.”
(1972)
Water for Elephants (TVNZ
2, 8.45pm). Set in the Great
Depression, Water for Elephants
is an old-fashioned love story
based on Sara Gruen’s best-sell-
ing novel of the same name. In
it, a young man named Jacob
(Robert Pattinson) gives up a
veterinary degree to jump on
the first passing train, which
happens to be a travelling
circus. A cruel animal trainer
(Christoph Waltz in evil mode)
rules over the show and his
performer-wife, Marlena
(Reese Witherspoon), with an
iron fist. There are occasional
scenes of animal cruelty,
but plenty more touchingmoments between actors and
animals. If only the central
romance had as much spark.
(2011)Angels & Demons (Three,
8.55pm). With a plot more
arcane than Vatican strictures,
Angels & Demons managed to
avoid the fate of The Da Vinci
Code, which was condemned
for its blasphemy by the Cath-
olic Church and banned in
countries as far flung as Syria
and Samoa. This put review-
ers in the awkward positionof having to come to the
defence of the movie. There
were no such qualms with this
mediocre sequel. (2009)Fatal Attraction (TVNZ Duke,
9.20). Director Adrian Lyne
and writer James Dearden set
the premise of a tantalising
psychological thriller: a mar-
ried lawyer (Michael Douglas)
has a one-night affair with
an enticing blonde woman
(Glenn Close), only she
doesn’t want it to end – and
will go to extreme lengthsAL
AM
YA Guide to the Week’s Viewing
TV Films
The Godfather, Saturday.by RYAN HOLDER