This August, HBO brings you a collection of movies based on TV series. Adapted from some of the popular television series, these movies promise to entertain the entire family every Wednesday at 9.30 p.m. Based on the popular 1970’s television show, the polyester-clad Brady’s are back on the big screen, still deeply entrenched in the styles and mores of the 1970s in the comedy A Very Brady Sequel on August 7, starring Tim Matheson and Shelley Long.

On August 14 catch Blue Brothers 2000, based on a role made popular by the famed Saturday Night Live skit. Join the adventure of one half of the legendary Blues Brothers as he goes about putting the band back together again in this musical comedy. Along the way expect the usual car chases, a litany of semi-criminal acts, and the hottest set-piece musical numbers this side of the movie that started it all. Starring Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman of Monsters Inc. fame, cameos from the who’s who of music include BB King, James Brown, Eric Clapton and Dr John.

On August 21, catch the updated version of the classic TV sit-com, Leave It To Beaver where the 8-year-old miscreant of the popular 50s TV show makes his jump to the big screen, along with the too-perfect big brother, sage dad and cookie-baking mom, still trying his best to stay out of trouble while finding a thousand ways to mess up despite his best intentions. This fun-filled family entertainer stars Cameron Finley and Erick Von Detten of The Princess Diaries fame.

Inspired by the original series from the 1920s and 1930s, the kinds of “He-man Woman Haters Club” are back in this modern take on the favourite comedy shorts and this time they are out to sabotage the budding romance of their club’s most promising member in The Little Rascals on August 28, starring Brittany Holmes, Travis Tedford and Bug Hall. Three stooges gone wrong? Kinds writing their own rules? Oshkosh style rags? Guess the age-old formula of the brat pack dishing out old-fashioned stapstick still works like a charm.

Mutant X premieres on STAR World

Star World is upping the action quotient with the premiere of Mutant X on Saturday, 17 August at 6.30 p.m. and 10 p.m. exclusively on Star World.

Brainchild of Richard Donner, creator of 1979’s Superman and Lethal Weapon, it’s in the genre of Matrix. Said Tarun Katial, Senior V P., Prgramming, STAR India, Mutant X is a sleek, fast-paced new age series, exploring the world of genetic engineering. In Mutant X, the viewers will for the first time witness, big screen effects, on small screen. This is the best of action series now on television.”

The highly anticipated new weekly action series, Mutant X chronicles the adventures of Mutant X, a team of human mutants possessing extraordinary powers as a result of genetic engineering. Like hundreds of other unsuspected in a covert government project. Realising that events have spun out of control, the organisation that created them is now hunting them down in an urgent “product recall.” Mutant X’s mission is to seek out their fellow new mutants to help them come to terms with their astonishing abilities and protect them from their creators.

Adam (John Shea), whose last name is shrouded in mystery, is arguably the smartest man alive - the strategist, tactician and moral center of Mutant X. It was his genetic research that inadvertently created new Mutants - and he takes as his responsibility the salvation of these innocent victims of society. Adam has the serenity of a warrior poet the perfect leader for Mutant X.

Shalimar Fox (Victoria Pratt) is in her mid 20s... fiery, and stunning, a sensual beauty utterly in touch with her primal self. Blessed with both human and animal DNA, Shalimar has the strength, speed, and cunning of the animal kingdom... with a tempestuous nature to match. She is uncannily fast, inhumanly agile and sensually feline. Walking the line between human and feral, Shalimar is a little wild and completely unpredictable.

Brennan Mulwray (Victor Webster) is a tough, yet vulnerable, street-smart wise guy in his late 20s with the astonishing ability to generate enough electricity from his own body to power a small city. A fast talking cavalier with an ingratiating grin, Brennan is a master of electricity - who can throws bolts of energy from his fingertips. Brennan loves being a New Mutant... throwing of sparks is an absolute blast.

Hallmark celebrates Friendship Day

On the occasion of Friendship Day Hallmark Channel went all out to celebrate Friendship Day with its viewers. The channel looked at life from the point of view of a common man! A puzzle of all the big movies from Friendship Day was designed and shared with groups of friends, targetted at public places. In true competition spirit, the groups worked as a team, trying hard to solve the puzzle in the allocated 2 minutes to win premiums and gift hampers from Hallmark Channel.

Whether they were a set of students from college, becoming great friends while bunking lectures, or a set of women travelers who strike a friendship by merely asking for the fourth seat in the train, or even if it is a couple - married for 56 years and hence becoming best friends for life, Hallmark Channel made the day special for each of them!

Amidst all this, the channel did not forget the less privileged lot and made the day special with the kids from Akanksha. Ask the kids what Friendship means to them and with gleaming faces they answer Friendship is sharing and caring. A friend is also one who helps you at class to learn and speak in English”. They went on to name their best friends! Along with the organisers of Akanksha, the channel held a drawing competition for the kids. Terence Yau, Chief Executive - Asia, Crown Media International said, “Hallmark is a family channel. We are about relationships, about emotionally engaging entertainment, about stories, which touch people’s hearts. Celebrating Friendships Day is significant to Hallmark, as it is a relationship that often goes without acknowledgement. We also did not want to restrict it only to the youngsters and hence took it a step forward by making the day special for the old and also kids.”

Added Laxmi hariharan, Marketing Director Asia, “Hallmark Channel takes great pride in celebrating relationships. Friendship is a relationship that we could not let go unnoticed. This time we decided to bring the channel closer to its viewers by doing something special with its audiences. The celebrations continue with a week of special Friendship Day movies.

Manoj Bajpai’s Road, On Air

Next week etc features Manoj Bajpai On Air in which he will talk about his new film Road. The episode was telecast first on August 5 and the repeat telecast is on August 9 at 6.30 pm.

Manoj Bajpai’s long cinematic journey can be expressed in short names such as Satya, Kaun Shool, Zubeida, Aks and now Road. Bhiku Mhatre is confident that no speedbraker can cut the speedy success of his Road now. To emphasise on the concept of the film Manoj tells, “No water, no trees, no sign of life. Only rocks and sand for miles all around and everywhere. If you are left alone on such a road what would you do?” Then Manoj takes the viewer in the world of his thriller Road.

In light blue jeans and yellow striped shirt, simple and so down to earth he appears all charged up about his role in Road. He reveals, “My character is friendly, jovial but it is also scary and weird and much much more”. If this reminds you of an unwelcome visitor with a black Coat in Kaun who gets on to your nerve most of the times then Manoj clarifies, “Please don’t mix up! in Kaun Urmila acted and I reacted but in Road I act and react while viewers will get confused as to how to react to this strange man?

He is excited to share experiences of shooting in Rajasthan’s interior town Jaisalmer where the temperature was as high as 48 degrees. “And mind it you also have to add the scorching Sun to it.” Last part of the movie was shot in Australia’s deserted area.

He is proud to say this is “the only movie of Bollywood that’s shot 100 per cent on road. Thrill, romance, drama, suspense, and speed - Road has everything and the audience will enjoy it.”