ENTERTAINMENT WARNING IN EFFECT AT THE MOVIE NETWORK AND MPIX THIS HOLIDAY
SEASON

- Programming slate to keep subscribers entertained during the holiday break

TORONTO, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - Put the snow shovels down, warm up the hot chocolate and turn on the television. This holiday season Astral's The Movie Network, along with its multiplex channel HBO Canada and classics channel Mpix, are spreading some festive cheer with an entertainment-filled programming line-up that includes holiday-themed flicks, Hollywood-hit movies, the best from HBO and Showtime, and classics from every era.

HAPPY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, subscribers can catch a line-up of holiday-themed films and favourites for the entire family to enjoy. On December 24, The Movie Network presents The Christmas Clause at 5:30 p.m., Battle of the Bulbs at 7 p.m., and Four Christmases at 9 p.m. On December 25, it's The Princess and the Frog at 2:35 p.m., followed by Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at 4:15 p.m., Up at 5:50 p.m. Old Dogs at 7:30 p.m., and the all-time holiday classic, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at 3:20 p.m. on Mpix.

BLOCKBUSTER PREMIERES
From December 26 to January 2, The Movie Network presents a Hollywood-hit movie premiere virtually every night at 9 p.m.:

• Alice in Wonderland on Sunday, December 26
• It's Complicated on Monday, December 27
• The Book of Eli on Tuesday, December 28
• The Back Up Plan on Wednesday, December 29
• Green Zone on Thursday, December 30
• Clash of The Titans on Saturday, January 1
• Hot Tub Time Machine on Sunday, January 2

VAMPIRE, GANGSTER AND SERIAL KILLER MARATHONS
From December 27 to December 30, The Movie Network and its multiplex channel HBO Canada are giving subscribers a chance to catch up on the critically acclaimed hit HBO and Showtime series they may have recently missed:

• Beginning at 11 p.m., The Movie Network presents three back-to-back episodes of the new season of Dexter
• Beginning at 5 p.m., HBO Canada presents three back-to-back episodes of Boardwalk Empire
• Beginning at 8 p.m., HBO Canada presents back-to-back episodes of True Blood (Season 3)

CLASSIC MOVIE MARATHONS
For those looking for laughs, action and light-hearted fare, Mpix showcases classic movie marathons every day from December 24 to January 2:

• December 24: Naked Gun at 12 p.m., Naked Gun 2 ½ at 1:30p.m., Naked Gun 33 1/3 at 3 p.m.
• December 25: National Lampoon's Vacation at 12 p.m., National Lampoon's European Vacation at 1:45 p.m., National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at 3:20 p.m. and National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation at 5 p.m.
• December 26: Bridget Jones' Diary at 12 p.m., Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason at 1:45 p.m. and Bullet Proof Monk at 5:30 p.m., The One at 7:20 p.m., Kill Bill Vol. 1 at 9 p.m., Kill Bill Vol. 2 at 11 p.m.
• December 27: The Mummy at 12 p.m., The Mummy Returns at 2:10 p.m.
• December 28: Look Who's Talking at 12 p.m., Look Who's Talking 2 at 1:45 p.m., Look Who's Talking 3 at 3:15 p.m.
• December 29: Agent Cody Banks at 12 p.m., Agent Cody Banks 2 at 3 p.m. and Saw at 9 p.m., Saw II at 10:45 p.m., Saw III at 12:20 a.m.
• December 30: The Addams Family at 12 p.m., The Addams Family Values at 1:45 p.m.
• December 31: Legally Blonde at 12 p.m., Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde at 1:40 p.m.
• January 1: Superman at 12 p.m., Superman II at 2:40 p.m. and Superman III at 4:50 p.m.
• January 2: The Longest Yard (2005) at 3:45 p.m., Happy Gilmore at 5:45 p.m., Billy Madison at 7:30 p.m., Anger Management at 9 p.m.

All programming will be available in High Definition, and will also be available on demand and on The Movie Network OnLine with Rogers, Bell TV, and Videotron.

The Movie Network is a pay television service available in eastern Canada. With premiere access to Hollywood hit movies, new and exclusive HBO content, critically-acclaimed Showtime series and first-rate Canadian programming, this pay-television service presents Canadians with some of the best television entertainment available. The Movie Network service includes five 24-hour multiplex channels - M, HBO Canada, MExcess, MFun! and MFest - which deliver diverse and entertaining programs in an uncut and commercial-free television environment. The Movie Network also offers The Movie Network HD, HBO Canada HD, MExcess HD and MFun! HD, four dedicated high-definition channels providing hundreds of titles in HD; The Movie Network OnDemand, a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, available in select areas across eastern Canada; and, TMN OnLine an Internet-based content streaming service available to BellTV, Rogers and Videotron subscribers. For more information, please visit www.themovienetwork.ca .

Mpix is a 24-hour pay-television network with the ultimate collection of great movies from every era and genre. Available in eastern Canada, Mpix - along with its affiliate channel Morepix - offers a variety of movies from thriller, suspense and action-packed entertainment to quality drama and light-hearted favourites. Mpix also offers MpixHD, a dedicated high-definition classics movie channel, and Mpix OnDemand, a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, which is available in select areas across eastern Canada. For more information, please visit www.mpix.ca.

The Movie Network and Mpix are members of the Astral family. Astral is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates over 100 of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

For access to The Movie Network's media room, please visit http://tv.astral.com.

For further information:

Media contacts:
The Movie Network (eastern Canada)    
Nicolle Balen         
[phone]       
[email protected]