Let others battle traffic at the mall. For the rest of us, the long weekend promises extra time holed up in front of the tube, whether it’s a widescreen or an iPod.
Our three critics offer up recommendations for TV shows, movies and sports. Here’s a start on your weekend channel surfing:
Shows
TODAY: Macy’s parade and gorging are so yesterday. Now, the warm blue glow washes over the couch and invites our imprint. Warm the leftovers and enjoy “Shrek 2,” the animated, PG-rated, 2004 return of the green ogre voiced by Mike Myers, at 7 p.m. on KMGH-Channel 7.
Nicolas Cage is “The Family Man” on NBC, with Don Cheadle as his guardian angel in this 2000 spin on “It’s a Wonderful Life” at 7 p.m. on KUSA-Channel 9. The Disney Channel replays its smash hit “High School Musical” at 9 p.m. Those clever Disney programmers have our number all weekend.
SATURDAY: Summon the strength to sit with the kids through “The Cheetah Girls 2” at 9 p.m., the Disney movie whose soundtrack recently broke records upon its release. “Girl power!” You’ll get the hang of it. Conversely, the Discovery Channel is all about dinosaurs throughout Saturday night, starting at 6 p.m.
VH-1’s contribution to family togetherness is “The 3rd Annual UK Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” at 9 p.m., honoring inductees Brian Wilson, Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, Dusty Springfield and Sir George Martin.
SUNDAY: “Boston Legal” launches part 1 of a two-part story Sunday (concluding Tuesday), at 9 p.m. both nights on Channel 7.
Sunday also boasts a couple of feel-good movies suitable for families. “Candles on Bay Street” is a sentimental Hallmark movie starring Alicia Silverstone as a mother returning with her young son to her childhood New England home. And “Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front,” Disney’s made-for-TV movie based on the popular book series, debuts Sunday at 7 p.m. on Disney Channel. This smart production set in 1943 with the world at war features Molly Ringwald, David Aaron Baker and newcomer Maya Ritter as Molly.
-Joanne Ostrow
Movies on cable
Certain movies re-run on television have become family legend around holidays. How many kids associate their first movie memories with the flying monkeys from “Wizard of Oz”? Here are some suggestions to make your family tradition:
TODAY: “Jurassic Park” has recently taken on the role of perfect-pitch, post-Thanksgiving movie for food-immobilized families. Frightened little ones can hide behind their uncles’ stuffed bellies. The revived dinosaurs march again on AMC this afternoon at 3:30. If you prefer classic creatures from a slightly earlier movie era, AMC starts off the afternoon with “Jaws” at 12:45 p.m.
SATURDAY: Spend a little time Saturday morning setting the DVR or programming the VCR, because it’s a long run of great movies all over the channel keypad. Long before everybody hated the Yankees, everybody loved Lou Gehrig and Gary Cooper. The stoic Cooper took on the role of the ailing champion Gehrig for “Pride of the Yankees,” and TCM uses the great sports-and-life film to launch a day of classics. You can catch “Pride of the Yankees” at noon.
A lot less stoic, a lot more crazed, is Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning “Braveheart,” full of bad hair and screaming men in kilts. It’ll pump you up for the family football game, if nothing else. Bravo slots “Braveheart” at 5 p.m. And if that one’s not bombastic enough for you, you can spend the rest of the evening with James Cameron’s “Titanic”, starting at 6 p.m. The big boat won’t sink for at least four hours, so bring plenty of snacks.
AMC mints a much more recent “classic” with “Hidalgo” at 6 p.m. “Hidalgo” has the makings of a family tradition, with a rousing desert horse race, some enjoyable slapstick, and a minor-key leading man performance by Viggo Mortensen.
Wondering where the holiday movies are, since this is the official start of the holiday shopping season? Head back to TCM on Saturday night for the Danny Kaye-Bing Crosby heartwarmer “White Christmas,” starting at 8 p.m.
SUNDAY: By Sunday, you’ll need some exercise. Skip the Pilates DVD and tune in to “Singin’ in the Rain” on TCM at 2 p.m. Gene Kelly will have you tapping, sliding and skidding around the room in no time.
-Michael Booth
Sports
FRIDAY: Remember your vow after Thursday’s eating orgy that you’d never overdo anything again? It’s the same with football. Yes, there were three pro games on TV Thursday, but it’s a new day. Hot college rivalries fill this weekend’s sports platter so take an extra helping.
It means more to the Buffaloes than it does to anybody else in America, but it’s Colorado’s chance to redeem a forgettable season when it travels to Lincoln, Neb., to face the hated Cornhuskers (1:30 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7).
Among those also playing today are rivals Texas and Texas A&M (10 a.m., Channel 7); Arkansas-Louisiana State (1:30 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4); Grambling-Southern (Noon, KUSA-Channel 9); and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State (12:30 p.m. today, FSNRM), and BYU-Utah (1:30 p.m., CSTV).
No holiday break for the Nuggets, who host the Golden State Warriors (7 tonight, Altitude).
If hockey’s your game, an all-Colorado matchup pits the University of Denver against Air Force (7:30 tonight, FSN Rocky Mountain).
SATURDAY: Notre Dame fans have not forgotten last year’s last-second loss to Southern California and, as usual, the game has national-ranking repercussions. It’s in L.A. this time (6 p.m. Saturday, Channel 7).
An early-season college basketball showdown from Las Vegas pairs Florida, everybody’s choice to repeat as national champion, and Kansas, a rising power led by junior Brandon Rush (8:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2).
For real relaxation, get up early Saturday morning and watch bass fishing on ESPN.
SUNDAY: Regrettably, a mere four NFL games are on tap for Sunday. The lineup: New
Orleans-Atlanta (11 a.m., Fox); Oakland-San Diego
(2 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4);
Chicago-New England (2 p.m., Fox), and Philadelphia-
Indianapolis (6:30 p.m., KUSA-Channel 9).
-Dick Kreck
