September 2012 Movie Highlights on M-Net Stars

The following movies are scheduled for broadcast on M-Net Stars (Channel 105) in September 2012:

FLETCH
Monday 3 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Michael Ritchie. Starring Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (1985)

Charismatic investigative journalist Irwin Fletcher will stop at nothing to get a good story, even if it means donning various disguises. While pretending to be a homeless man and investigating a drug ring, Fletch is approached by millionaire Alan Stanwyk.

Stanwyk tells Fletch he’s dying from cancer and offers this seemingly homeless bum, $50 000 to end his life, so he wife can get his insurance money. But Fletch isn’t convinced by Stanwyk’s story and starts an investigation that proves there’s more to this man than meets the eye.

FLETCH LIVES
Monday 10 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Michael Ritchie. Starring Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook and Julianne Phillips (1989)

When unconventional investigative journalist Irwin ‘Fletch’ Fletcher inherits a Louisiana estate, he quits his job at the newspaper and jets off to the good life. But his kingly abode turns out to be a rundown piece of rubbish.

Things get worse when a one night stand at the ‘mansion’ ends up in murder, and Fletch has to deal with both the cops as well as being offered an oddly large amount of money for this worthless land.

It all sets him on an investigation in the Deep South that has some shocking revelations.

THE DREAM TEAM
Monday 17 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Howard Zieff. Starring Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd and Peter Boyle (1989)

Mike, Harry, Jack and Albert are all a bit mental. In fact they’re certified crazy and placed in a sanitarium. Under the supervision of the kind and understanding Dr. Weitzman, they’re allowed a day out in New York at a baseball game.

While there Dr. Weitzman stumbles upon a crime and is injured and taken to hospital. Left by themselves in the city, the four find out that the criminals intend to finish the job and murder the doctor at hospital as he’s now a witness.

They’ll have to overcome their individual conditions to save their beloved doctor.

DENNIS THE MENACE
Monday 24 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Nick Castle. Starring Walter Matthau, Mason Gamble and Joan Plowright (1993)

The popular comic strip comes to life as Dennis once again terrorises his short-fused neighbor Mr Wilson. When Mr. Wilson and his well-meaning wife Martha babysit Dennis the night of a big party, they get more than they bargained for.

When a petty thief prowling the neighbourhood breaks into the house and steals Mr. Wilson’s prized collection of gold coins, Dennis springs into action, unleashing his unique brand of mischief on the thief.

FINDING GRACELAND
Tuesday 4 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by David Winkler. Starring Harvey Keitel, Johnathon Schaech and Bridget Fonda (1998)

Dealing with the death of his wife, a deeply depressed man named Byron hops into his rundown car and heads to Memphis.

While on the way there he picks up a hitchhiker who tries to convince Byron he’s the real Elvis and he just wants to go home to Graceland. Completely unconvinced, Byron slowly starts to change his view of the man when they later pick up a beautiful Marilyn Monroe impersonator.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
Tuesday 11 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Barbet Schroeder. Starring Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close and Ron Silver (1990)

In this Oscar winning film, a woman in a vegetative state narrates the tale. When she is given a near fatal dose of insulin, her husband Claus is charged with murder.

Having been released on bail, Claus is determined to prove his innocence and approaches Harvard Law professor Dershowitz to handle the case. Dershowitz involves a small group of his law students and together they build a strong case in favour of Claus’ innocence.

HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT
Tuesday 18 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse. Starring Winona Ryder, Ellen Burstyn and Anne Bancroft (1995)

Graduate student Finn is about to be married, but has some doubts about her fiancé Sam. She decides to spend the Summer with her grandmother and great aunt, both avid quilters.

While they all work on a quilt for Quinn’s wedding, they share stories of their lives and Finn learns a great deal from the experiences of these woman. She also meets an attractive young man who lives nearby and makes her wonder whether marriage is right for her.

SHOUT
Tuesday 25 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Jeffrey Hornaday. Starring John Travolta, Jamie Walters and Heather Graham (1991)

Set in 1955 in the dawn of rock and roll, a musician on the run from the police for murder takes refuge at a boy’s school where he’s hired as the new music teacher.

Determined to help these young boys take the straight path in life, he uses music and the new rock and roll craze to help them. But the style of music is controversial and soon the teacher and school director are butting heads.

Increasing the tension are the police who have honed in on his whereabouts – but with the big school concert coming up, should he stay with his students or flee and leave them in the lurch?

SHE-DEVIL
Wednesday 5 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Susan Seidelman. Starring Meryl Streep, Roseanne and Ed Begley Jr. (1989)

While at a glamorous dinner party, Ruth, the frumpy out of place housewife of Bob, spills wine over Mary’s pink dress. When Bob lays eyes on the blonde beauty, he abandons Ruth and his kids to go live the high life with Mary at her seaside palace.

An infuriated Ruth will not go down without getting vengeance, and gathers together an army of fellow scorned woman who help her systematically destroy Bob’s life.

BLAME IT ON RIO
Wednesday 12 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Stanley Donen. Starring Michael Caine, Michelle Johnson and Demi Moore (1984)

Matthew Hollis and his friend Victor Lyons travel to Rio de Janeiro on business, and take their teenage daughters with. When Victor sets out on the town in search of a lambada partner, Matthew is left with Victor’s sex crazed teenage daughter for company. While initially spurning her advances, he eventually succumbs.

ALL NIGHT LONG
Wednesday 19 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Jean-Claude Tramont. Starring Gene Hackman, Barbra Streisand and Diane Ladd (1981)

A disgruntled worker at a pharmacy gets demoted. Combined with his growing debts and unhappy family life, this proves to be the final blow for him. Eager to rebel and shake things up, he begins an affair with one of his wife’s distant relatives. He becomes smitten with the woman and leaves his family behind in hopes of making her his for good.

MYSTERY MEN
Wednesday 26 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Kinka Usher. Starring Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo and William H. Macy (1999)

In a sprawling metropolis of the future called Champion City, a brave and noble superhero known as Captain Amazing keeps citizens safe from the evil Casanova Frankenstein. But one day Captain Amazing mysteriously disappears, leaving the door wide open for Casanova and his associate Dr. Leek to terrorise the city.

With no one to protect the city, a group of less than super heroes step up to the plate. None of them have any real ‘powers’, least of all any which are useful. Nonetheless the Mystery Men do their best to take down Casanova and Leek, who make things personal when they capture one of the Mystery Men’s girlfriends.

MOONSTRUCK
Thursday 6 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Norman Jewison. Starring Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis (1987)

Widowed several years ago, Loretta decides it’s time to tie the knot again. She accepts a marriage proposal from nice guy Johnny, though by her own admission she isn’t in love with him.

While trying to convince herself that marrying Johnny is the safe and sure thing to do, he has to leave the country on a family matter.

Loretta uses the time to try and reunite Johnny with his estranged brother Ronny, but when she meets him she finally feels the chemistry she never felt with Johnny.

RAIN MAN
Thursday 13 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Barry Levinson. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise and Valeria Golino (1998)

Charlie is a young self-centered and brash automobile dealer come hustler. Having fallen out of favour with his father many years earlier, it still comes as a surprise when Charlie realises his now deceased father has left all his money to a brother Charlie’s never even met.

Raymond is Charlie’s much older autistic savant brother who has the ability to memorise reams of trivia and do complex mathematical calculations brilliantly, but is otherwise incapable of functioning as a normal human being.

Trying to swindle in on some of the cash, Charlie picks Raymond up from the institution where he lives and takes him on a cross country trip.

Although he finds it hard to accommodate Raymond’s autistic tendencies, he finds his mathematical knowledge very useful at the gambling tables. But this exploitation of his brother’s affliction soon compels Charlie to reassess his own values, or lack thereof.

COP AND A HALF
Thursday 20 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Henry Winkler. Starring Burt Reynolds, Norman D. Golden II and Ruby Dee (1993)

Eight-year-old Devon is obsessed with cop TV shows and dreams of becoming one himself. When he witnesses a murder by an Italian crime boss, Devon goes to the police with the information. But he’s only willing to release it on condition that they make him a cop for a few days.

They hesitantly oblige and Devon is paired with a veteran cop Nick who prefers the solitary life and certainly doesn’t have the patience for kids. Together the unlikely pair have some hair-raising adventures and a paternal relationship slowly forms.

AN UNFINISHED LIFE
Thursday 27 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Lasse Hallström. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman (2005)

Einar has never forgiven his former daughter-in-law Jean for the accident which claimed his son’s life and has chosen to rather become a drunk and a recluse wiling his days away on what’s left of his ranch. But fate brings Einar together with the woman he despises so much when Jean shows up on his door step with his 11 year old granddaughter whom he’s never met.

She’s on the run from a violent boyfriend and is seeking refuge at Einar’s ranch. He reluctantly takes them in and Jean tries to look for work and put her life back together but trouble follows her and soon she and Einar are forced to forgive each other and fight against common enemies.

MATERIAL GIRLS
Friday 7 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Martha Coolidge. Starring Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff and Anjelica Huston (2006)

Ava and Tanza are two spolit rich teen heiresses to a cosmetics company fortune. The most work these two are used to doing, is showing up to a party or making the occasional appearance at a company meeting.

Their lives change however when a scandal at the company sees all their wealth and privileges being taken away from them and they’re forced to tap into their true potential and work to clear the family name.

NEW YORK MINUTE
Friday 14 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Dennie Gordon. Starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy (2004)

Twin sisters Jane and Roxy couldn’t be more different. Jane is an overachiever who is trying to win a scholarship abroad and Roxy is a rebel who is trying to sneak backstage at a shoot with Simple Plan so they can hear her demo.

Somehow the girls find themselves in the middle of a black market deal involving a computer chip and end up bonding while trying to get out of trouble.

RAY
Friday 21 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Taylor Hackford. Starring Jamie Foxx, Regina King and Kerry Washington (2004)

This biographical look at the music legend follows two decades of Ray Charles’s life. From the family tragedy that affected him as a child, to how he overcame blindness, drug addiction and adversity to become one of R&B’s greatest stars.

FOR RICHER OR POORER
Friday 28 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Bryan Spicer. Starring Tim Allen, Kirstie Alley and Jay O. Sanders (1997)

Brad and Caroline live the high life in New York, till Brad’s accountant balances the books in his favour, making off with all of Brad’s money and jetting off to South America. Not only is Brad broke, but he’s been framed by his accountant and now has the IRS hot on his heels.

In an attempt to evade them, Brad and Caroline flee to the Amish community of Intercourse, Pennsylvania and pose as relatives of a farmer. It’s a great hiding place, but blending in is going to be one hilarious mission.

MY SISTER’S KEEPER
Saturday 1 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Nick Cassavetes. Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin and Alec Baldwin (2009)

A young suburban couple lives an idyllic life with their son and new baby – till an unforeseen event leaves them reeling. Their baby girl is suffering from life threatening leukemia and her only hope of survival is finding a suitable bone marrow donor.

Her parents decide to have another child in the hopes that she can be that donor. With both girls undergoing several invasive operations at a young age, the younger finally decides it’s time to take a stand and exercise her right to protect her body.

She hires a lawyer to fight for her, and must go up against her own mother who is insistent that she continue to be an organ donor for her ailing older sister.

OCTOBER SKY
Saturday 08 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Joe Johnston. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern (1999)

In 1957, an enthusiastic high school student named Homer is fascinated by the launch of Sputnik – the first man-made satellite to be launched into space.

While most are either unfazed or skeptical about the launch, he becomes obsessed with it, dedicating his free time to learning all he can about jet and rocket design.

Together with a few friends and a helpful teacher, he begins designing and launching his homemade rockets. Homer’s enthusiasm is not shared by his father however, who wants Homer to be work in the local coal mining industry like him.

BENNY AND JOON
Saturday 15 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. Starring Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn (1993)

A mechanic named Benny has devoted most of his time to taking care of his mentally ill sister Joon. They have a daily routine and manage to keep things relatively normal, till he gains something in a poker game that he was not expecting. He has to welcome another player’s relative, Sam, to his house for a few days.

Sam soon shakes things up with his wildly eccentric ways and insistence on emulating the comic antics of silent movie comedians. Joon is captivated by Sam and the two soon form a romantic connection that creates a rift between the siblings.

WE’RE BACK: A DINOSAUR’S STORY
Saturday 22 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Phil Nibbelink. Starring John Goodman, Charles Fleischer and Blaze Berdahl (1993)

Captain New Eyes time travels back in time to the age of dinosaurs. While they’re originally your average dinosaurs, they soon turn into intelligent, non-violent creatures after eating the Captain’s brain boosting cereal.

Eager to introduce them to the world, he brings them back to the 21st century where they make two young friends. It’s not all plain sailing for the Dinosaurs though, as they get cheated into performing in a crazy circus run by Captain New Eyes’ evil and mad brother.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY
Saturday 29 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Starring Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar and Anthony Higgins (1993)

Doug is a successful concierge at a fancy hotel with dreams of one day having a hotel of his own. He stumbles upon a great opportunity to make this dream a reality but needs $3 million in a hurry.

When tycoon Christian visits the hotel with his mistress Andy, Doug tries to convince him to invest in this idea and give him the money he needs. But Doug finds himself ‘babysitting’ the mistress when Christian is called away by his wife.

Problem is, the more time he spends with Andy, the more he falls for her and soon he’s wondering whether her love or the money is more important.

FATAL BEAUTY
Sunday 2 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Tom Holland. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Elliott and Rubén Blades (1987)

Rita is a narcotics cop who uses unconventional methods – including disguises – to catch the bad guys.

Pretending to be a prostitute, Rita delves deeper into the world of two drug dealers who stumble upon an unusually pure type of crack cocaine called Fatal Beauty.

Soon the bodies start piling up around all of them as kingpins come to the fore hoping to make a killing from this drug.

MEN AT WORK
Sunday 09 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Emilio Estevez. Starring Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez and Leslie Hope (1990)

Carl and James are nice guys who make a menial living as garbage men. One night, they observe a man giving their female neighbor a hard time and start shooting him with a pellet gun.

The incident takes place shortly before the man is strangled to death by two others. His body is dumped into a garbage can and fearing they might be implicated, Carl and James hide his body from the police.

Hoping to wipe all suspicion from themselves, they start an investigation as to who really killed the man.

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Sunday 16 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Mike Newell. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint (2005)

In Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts, he begins to feel the grip of Voldermort grow ever tighter – threatening not only him, but the entire world of magic.

While the Dark Lord’s presence looms over the magic community, Hogwarts hosts the prestigious but brutal Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Though contestants have to be 17 and over, the Goblet of Fire spits out Harry’s name as the second champion from Hogwarts and he has to compete. The tournament tests Harry not only physically but mentally too, and results in an encounter he could not have prepared for.

WEIRD SCIENCE
Sunday 23 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by John Hughes. Starring Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith and Kelly LeBrock (1985)

Gary and his best friend Wyatt are their high school’s resident geeks and while they’re computer whizzes, they’re completely hopeless with girls. They both dream of landing a super-hot girl but as they’ll never get one, they decide to create one on Wyatt’s computer.

A freak accident caused by a lightning storm brings their gorgeous creation to life and at first bewildered, they soon start taking her self-confidence and dating advice seriously. But Wyatt’s cruel older brother suspects something and starts trying to get to the bottom of it.

SECRET OF MY SUCCESS
Sunday 30 September at 6:30pm WAT
Directed by Herbert Ross. Starring Michael J. Fox, Helen Slater and Richard Jordan (1987)

Brantley, a bright eyed and smart young man from a small town lands his dream job in New York. Things don’t go according to plan however, when he’s fired on his very first day in a company take-over.

When he visits his uncle, the owner of a multi-million dollar company, he has no choice but to accept a job in the mail room. It isn’t long before Brantley spots an opportunity to advance to the top of the corporate ladder, albeit in a very underhanded way.

M-Net Stars is on DStv Channel 105.