H5

VICTORIA AHEARN

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

Here's what's happening today on the small screen:

Saturday

* One of the world's most prestigious cycling competitions, the 95th Tour de France, starts today. This year's race consists of 21 stages covering a total distance of 3,500 kilometres. The last stage ends on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen host the live coverage while Craig Hummer and Bob Roll provide analysis. Special guests, including former professional cyclist Robbie Ventura, will also provide colour commentary. (OLN)

* A must-see for panda bear fans is tonight's The Nature of Things as it provides rare footage of the cute, elusive animals searching for bamboo. The piece also shows the fuzzy creatures conducting mating rituals in China's Qinling Mountains. (CBC)

* Mike Birbiglia: What I Should Have Said Was Nothing is a one-hour comedy special featuring an American comedian described as having a "dry and self-effacing" sense of humour. (The Comedy Network)

* Those planning a dinner-and-a-movie night can settle in with My Cousin Vinny, a stellar 1992 comedy starring Joe Pesci as an inexperienced lawyer defending his innocent cousin and a friend against murder and robbery charges. Marisa Tomei won a best supporting actress Oscar for her role as the lawyer's big-haired, loud-mouthed girlfriend. (AMC)

Sunday

* Capturing Cooperman: A Not So Private Investigation of Howard Engel profiles the Toronto-based mystery writer and Order of Canada recipient behind the Benny Cooperman series. Engel suffered a stroke that left him unable to read in 2001, but he's since returned to writing. Many of his colleagues and friends speak of his bravery in this piece. (Bravo)

* In the film lineup is Troy, a 2004 big-budget Trojan War tale starring Brad Pitt as Greek hero Achilles. Rounding out the all-star cast are Eric Bana as Trojan warrior Hector, Orlando Bloom as Trojan Prince Paris, Diane Kruger as Greek beauty Helen, and Peter O'Toole as Trojan King Priam. (CBC)

* It's far from big-budget, but Locusts: The Eighth Plague has that cheesy B-movie appeal that may suit your mood. This 2005 offering sees a swarm of flesh-eating locusts escaping from a top secret government lab. (Space)

Victoria Ahearn is a syndicated columnist.