Home » What’s On: HBO Schedule for May 2013

What’s On: HBO Schedule for May 2013

by Jef Dinsmore
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HBO-Logo-SpaceAnother month worth of programming is just ahead and I have little space for an introduction here as May is just stuffed to the gills with content. You know the routine; below grouped by category is the majority of the entertainment awaiting us on HBO in May 2013. I’ll bet you will find something you like.

Theatrical Movies: All four (4) of the movies premiering Saturday nights in May had good responses when they were out in the cinemas. If you haven’t seen any of these films yet or just what to watch a favorite again here is your opportunity. They are ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER; MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED; MOONRISE KINGDOM and MAGIC MIKE.

Lincoln_Vamphunter First up, on 05.04, is a horrific tweak on history. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, based on a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, gives us our 16th President wielding his trusty axe against the blood-sucking undead. Not a fave of film critics it is a popular flick for the pop culture fan base. It stars Benjamin Walker as Abe with Dominic Cooper, Rufus Sewell and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in supporting roles. If the Civil War wasn’t bad enough a supernatural threat to the nation might just to this famous U. S. leader in. Watch it and find out.

Moving on we have a successful sequel airing the following weekend (05.11). Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett-Smith all lend their voices once again to a lion, zebra, giraffe and hippo in Dreamworks’ MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED. This animated adventure has them hiding out in a circus. This one was stated as being as good as or better than the original! Debuting on the channel next is MOONRISE KINGDOM on 05.18. This movie takes us back to the 1960’s in New England. All the citizens of a town are on the search for a young boy and girl who have run away. From the comedic mind of Wes Anderson this tale features the likes ofMoonriseKingdom Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Bob Balaban. It received Oscar nominations and won a number of other awards. The last theatrical to premiere is on 05.25 and it is MAGIC MIKE. While not a movie for everyone (guys) it is a treat for those who enjoy their eye candy. A quite a bit of hype surrounded this film as Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello play male strippers…yeah, whatever. No, really it is touted as a fun and steamy watch.

As for me I’ll watch I’ll catch the vamp slaying tall tale and Anderson’s latest movie for sure. The one theatrical I watched in March, as I promised, was PROMETEHUS and luckily I did understand it better after watching it on HBOGo. Sorry for breezing through that section but we got to keep moving here. Anyone care to weigh in on what movie premiere they’d like to catch in May?  Okay, we close with the Trailer of the month, or should I call it a Tease –

Originals: Everyone loves their HBO Originals. We all have our favorites. May has plenty to offer including a new comedy series and an HBO Film. Here is a breaHBOSundayskdown of what and when we can find it in the coming month. Of course, everyone is up on their GAME OF THRONES, right? Sunday nights at 9:00pm starts on 05.05 with Episode # 26 – The Climb in which we find Jon, Ygritte and the Wildlings facing a daunting climb. Episode # 27- The Bear and the Maiden Fair finds Brienne facing a formidable foe in Harrenhal. This episode was written by George R. R. Martin himself and airs 05.12. 05.19 has Episode # 28 – Second Sons which shows King’s Landing hosting a wedding. Note: there is no episode on 05.26 because of Memorial Day. You might need that break after the sensory VEEPSeason2overload you are going to get with GOT this May.

Sunday nights has VEEP following the fantasy epic at 10:00pm. There are only three (3) episodes for this one as well starting with Episode # 12: The Vic Allen Dinner airing 05.05. In this one Selina Meyer is rankled when the White House releases an unflattering photo of her and she and the staff prepare for an appearance. Episode # 13: Helsinki (05.12) has the Veep and her staff heading to the Nordic city to finalize a trade agreement. The last one is Episode # 14: Andrew (05.19) which has the staff worrying about how the Veep will handle her ex-husband showing up. It should be good! Sundays on HBO are still the place to be.

Billmaher_fridaysFriday nights are not too shabby either though it is a completely different type of programming on that night. REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER gives us an  hour beginning at 10:00pm ET. Edition #281 debuts 05.03; Edition #282 on 05.10; Edition #283: on 05.17 and, after skipping the holiday weekend, Edition # 284: on 05.31 . Unfortunately, guests are not known in advance but, the usual interesting talking heads & topics will be present. Speaking of interesting topics, that takes us to VICE airing after REAL TIME. Several sources, including VICE.com itself, don’t list the subject matter or titles of the upcoming episodes which kind of trips me out so all we can give you is air dates.  Episodes #5, #6, #7 & #8 air at 11:00pm after Bill Maher’s comedy chat-fest. It is programming you don’t want to miss.

Also not to be missed is the new series premiering. FAMILY TREE debuts on 05.12 10:30pm and is by the improvisational genius Christopher Guest (Best In Show, Waiting For Guffman). Straight from an HBO Overview comes this setup to the new half-hour comedy: It is a single-camera, documentary-style show conceived and produced in the manner of Guest’s acclaimed feature films. The story revolves around the jourFamilyTree_ODowdney of 30-year-old Tom Chadwick (Chris O’Dowd, pictured), a man who has few roots, little family and an unsure sense of his purpose in life. Having recently lost his job and girlfriend, Tom inherits a mysterious box of belongings from a great-aunt he doesn’t remember ever meeting, triggering a passion to investigate his family lineage. As Tom’s interest in genealogy grows, his life expands and evolves in unexpected directions, as he uncovers a world of unusual stories and characters, acquiring a growing sense of who he and his real family are. Tom Bennett and Nina Conti also star in the show with supporting characters played by Carrie Aizley, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Maria Blasucci, Matt Griesser, Christopher Guest, Don Lake, Michael McKean, Lisa Palfrey, Jim Piddock, Kevin Pollak, Amy Seimetz, Meera Syal, Ashley Walters and Fred Willard. Episode # 1 – The Box introduces us to Tom Chadwick and the odd box of curios he inherits. A week later on 05.19 airs Episode # 2 – Treading the Boards in which Tom starts to explore his eccentric family tree.DouglasDamon_Candelabra

Clearly, a new series gets a chance, right?  Also deserving is a new movie that has been talked about for months. Finally on 05.26 beginning at 9:00pm ET is the premiere of HBO Films: BEHIND THE CANDELABRA. This tour de force stars Michael Douglas as entertainer extraordinaire Liberace and Matt Damon has his lover and friend Scott Thorson. Directed by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh from a script by Oscar nominee Richard LaGravenese, this dramatic movie is sure to create a buzz.

All of the originals slated for May have my attention and they have the attention of HBOWatch too. Keep coming back for articles and reviews about these shows and more.

JR_InsideOutDocDocumentary:  They used to be grouped under the previous heading but I now isolate them here. There are four (4) HBO Documentary Films in May. Through exclusive footage and dramatic first-person interviews HBO Documentary Films: MANHUNT – THE SEARCH FOR BIN LADEN reveals previously hidden truths about one of the most-examined stories of modern times, recounting the tumultuous decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. Its first airing is 05.01 at 8:00PM ET. Coming to HBO on Monday, 05.20 is a documentary entitled INSIDE OUT: THE PEOPLE’S ART PROJECT. It describes the life of French graffiti artist JR (picture here) and the movement to have his style of art expressed all around the globe.

Also on the documentary front is a continuation of last May’s The Weight of The Nation Initiative. Premiering on 05.07 will be two new half-hour films under the banner of The Weight Of The Nation For Kids which especially gears a message about healthy food choices for the younger set. The two films are entitled KEBREEYA’S SALAD DAYS and QUIZ ED. They are joined by a repeat of last year’s THE GREAT CAFETERIA TAKEOVER. They will all air back-to-back on its debut night beginning at 5:30pm ET.RR_Inductees

Specials: We’re rockin’ in May with the HBO Special: THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY. The broadcast features highlights from the 28th annual event recorded live on 04.18 in Los Angeles. It premieres Saturday, 05.18 at 9:00pm and will be a 90 minute presentation acknowledging the newly inducted. The accompanying graphic shows the honorees.

Sports: Moving on as we have to give a proper shout-out to sports on HBO. As usual we have another edition of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL ahead. It airs on 05.21. Also up, of course, is some bone-crunching boxing. We go in the ring with  World Championship Boxing: Jean Pascal Vs. Lucien Bute And Carl Froch Vs. Mikel Kessler II. This double-header starts off at 10:00pm ET on Saturday, 05.25. In the opening bout, super middleweights Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO) and Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KO) renew their rivalry at the O2 Arena in London for a title unification matchApollo13_onHBO. The main event features the biggest Canadian boxing match in years when former light heavyweight champions Jean Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KO) and Lucian Bute (31-1,  KO) square off at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Other Movies & Shows: Most of you know the drill. Here is a random listing of some of the other entertainment you can catch on HBO in May 2013. In movies you can check out APOLLO 13, THHE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and RUSHMORE. Also running in May is a series of behind the scenes features with MAKING OF…Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Bridesmaids, Rise Of the Planet Of The Apes and Snow White and the Huntsman. There are plenty of others but most of them air only once during the month.

HBO’s Other Platforms: As usual we offer a few items from the other channels in the HBO network. HBO Latino has a concert special RomeoSantos_HBOLatinopremiering on 05.03. Called THE KING STAYS KING it is a performance by Romeo Santos, the self-proclaimed King of Bachata. I had to look it up, it is the traditional romantic music of the Dominican Republic. HBO Family, besides WEIGHT IF THE NATION FOR KIDS, is also airing repeats of MASTERCLASS specials. HBO Signature wants to draw attention to such movies as MANNEQUIN, ROUNDERS and DON JUAN DE MARCO. Seek them out if your so inclined. HBO Comedy has the usual stand-up and cut-ups. I’m sure you’l find something there to make you laugh HBOGO: Again throwing out some titles here are some new ones coming to the site: the action movie RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, the comedy MOON OVER PARADOR and the comedy special DANA CARVEY: SQUATTING MONKEYS TEL NO LIES.   Listed as “Last Chances” before exiting the site are the ALIEN trilogy and the ROCKY series among others.  Cinemax : The movies they highlight for May are SAVAGES with on 05.04; the ghost story THE APPARITION 05.11 and BATTLESHIP with Taylor Kitsch on 05.18 and, of course, many more because Cinemax is all about movies.

And I am about done! Hope you enjoy May on HBO!

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1 comment

MJ Snow April 30, 2013 - 11:32 am

Moonrise Kingdom is one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time, nice work HBO. I’m also a little bit curious about Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. It’s got to be better than the last season of True Blood! ;) Also, just dying to get started on Family Tree! 5/12, hurry please!

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