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6:30 PM Showtime
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2008 USA): Okay, what is it about this family? Last month, we had the American television premiere of White Lightnin’, a dramatic re-imagining of the life of Appalachian folk dancer Jesco White and his hillbilly relatives. Now we get the American television premiere of this documentary about the same clan! Can the earlier Jesco White docs, Dancing Outlaw and Dancing Outlaw II, be far behind? Prepare for a whole lotta cigareets, whusky, and wild, wild women. And dancing. Also airs at 9:30 PM.

Saturday 2/12/11

9:45 PM Flix
Fortress (1993 USA): Here’s the widescreen television debut of yet another crappy bleak future sci-fi adventure. Actually, I tell a lie: Fortress is not totally crappy. It’s no classic, mind you, but with Stuart Gordon in the director’s chair, it’s head and shoulders above most genre pics — even after factoring in the presence of cardboard thespian Christopher Lambert in the film’s lead role. Lambert plays John Brennick, a poor schlep whose child has died. In this iteration of our bleak future, a couple’s child allowance is one, but Brennick and wife Karen (Loryn Locklin) are determined to pop another bun out of the oven and will go to any lengths to do so. Jail terms, a sadistic warder (Kurtwood Smith), a loony but helpful cellmate (Jeffrey Combs), and a Brazil-style prison break ensue. Lambert’s as bad as ever, but Gordon does his best with the material and Combs is always fun to watch.

Sunday 2/13/11

10:00 AM Sundance
Lovers of Hate (2010 USA): An above average indie slacker comedy, Lovers of Hate features Chris Doubek and Alex Karpovsky (one of the few redeeming qualities of recent mumblecore epic Tiny Furniture) as Rudy and Paul, two brothers competing for the hand of the same woman. Rudy lives in a car and is in the process of being dumped by wife Diana (Heather Kafka), whilst Paul is a successful writer with an ego to match and an abiding interest in catching her on the rebound. Shot by writer-director Bryan Poyser in nineteen days, Lovers of Hate is a cynical and darkly comic character study that may be a bit too bitter for some.

Monday 2/14/11

5:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Flirtation Walk (1934 USA): Years before Dick Powell became a movie tough guy he was a popular musical-comedy lead. In Flirtation Walk, Dick plays an army private stationed in Hawaii who falls for 42nd Street lovely Ruby Keeler—who also happens to be the General’s daughter. When Dick gets admitted as a cadet at West Point, guess who shows up and wants to help him produce the school musical? Directed by Frank Borzage and co-starring Pat O’Brien and (in a bit part as another cadet) Tyrone Power, Flirtation Walk features some terrific tropical paradise location photography and was nominated for Best Picture in 1935.

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