MOVIES
Boldly taking on the role that made a movie star out of young Julie Harris in 1952, New Zealander Anna Paquin labors mightily at her American Southern accent in this new adaptation of THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (USA, Jan. 29, 9-11 p.m.), Carson McCullers' sentimental coming-of-age story set in the South of 1944. But the labor shows and takes its toll on the abilities of the Oscar-winning star of The Piano and Fly Away Home. As tomboyish 12-year-old Frankie Addams, uncomfortable in her own skin as she prepares for her brother's wedding, Paquin does a prodigious amount of staring and moping; what tethers her to the story is the graceful work of Alfre Woodard (Passion Fish) in the Ethel Waters role as the family cook. Woodard is lovely--her moist, expressive eyes speak eloquently--but I can't help thinking she'd be happier with a few more tough-chick Star Trek: First Contact-type roles that let her take a break from all that weeping. --Lisa Schwarzbaum
DOCUMENTARIES
HBO often tries to pass off voyeuristic sleaze like the Real Sex series as serious documentaries, so one approaches its sister network Cinemax's BREASTS: 22 WOMEN ON 41 BREASTS (Jan. 27, 11-11:50 p.m.) expecting a less-than-uplifting experience. Wrong! Director Meema Spadola smartly examines all things mammarian, from the silly (discussing different slang names for breasts, one woman confesses, "I like bazongas, because it kinda has a conga rhythm to it") to the deadly serious (among the interviewees is an 84-year-old breast-cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy). The women's stories are so fascinating, you almost forget that most of them are topless (now are you interested?). Spadola augments the sound bites with footage of flatchested flappers, campy TV bra ads, and corny educational puberty films. If nothing else, Breasts will teach viewers the meaning of mastoconcupiscence: an unnatural obsession with breasts.
CHOICE RERUNS
TBS traditionally counterprograms the Super Bowl with eight hours of The Andy Griffith Show, but this year it doubles the fun with SIXTEEN SUPER HOURS OF ANDY (Jan. 26, 10:05 a.m.-2:05 a.m.). The marathon kicks off with "The Pickle Story," in which Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) whips up a batch of her famous "kerosene cucumbers." Other highlights include Andy's son, Opie (Ron Howard), standing up to Mayberry's new bully in "One-Punch Opie" (11:05 a.m.); hayseed Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) losing his job at his cousin Goober's gas station and shacking up with the Taylor family in "Gomer the House Guest" (2:05 p.m.); town drunk Otis (Hal Smith) terrorizing the streets in "Hot Rod Otis" (3:05 p.m.); and weakling deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) bulking up to pass "Barney's Physical" (10:05 p.m.). Warning: Watching all 16 hours may leave you whistling the theme song for weeks.
