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8:45 PM Sundance
Fish Tank (2009 GB): No, it’s not a film about an aquarium - it’s a kitchen sink drama from Andrea Arnold, whose previous effort, Red Road, featured some of the rawest depictions of sex I’ve seen in an, ahem, "legitimate" film. Fish Tank is neither as bold nor as blunt as Red Road, but it’s also no walk in the park, either. Essex girl Katie Jarvis stars as troubled teen Mia, who lives a hellish existence on a working-class estate somewhere in East London. Mia’s mum (Kierston Wareing) ignores her, the local boys think she’s a slag, and she’s been expelled from school, leaving her plenty of time to get drunk and act up. When mum brings home new man-friend Connor (Michael Fassbender), however, things begin to change, and a holiday in the country sees Mia and Connor’s relationship go in a rather inappropro direction. Fish Tank won the 2010 BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, and though far from easy going will satisfy anyone who’s ever enjoyed a Ken Loach film.

Thursday 5/12/11

Midnight Flix
Fall: The Price of Silence (2001 USA): I haven’t seen this film yet, but there’s little else of note airing today so I’ll give it a brief mention on the strength of its star, Michael Madsen. Madsen is a familiar feature of countless contemporary crime dramas - you may remember him as Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs or as Sonny in Donnie Brasco - and always delivers a good performance, so even if this tale of a thief in a witness protection program sucks, you can count on him to be good. Fall: The Price of Silence also features Daniel Baldwin, Chad McQueen, and Joe Mantegna.

Friday 5/13/11

8:45 AM Encore Westerns
Gun Brothers (1956 USA): Regular readers of the TiVoPlex know that I don’t care much for westerns, but every now and then I find one that piques my interest. Such is the case with Gun Brothers, an obscure, independently-produced oater about brothers at odds over a cattle ranch. The brothers are Chad (Buster Crabbe) and Jubal (Neville Brand), and the two must settle their differences when Jubal’s crooked partner Shawnee Jack (Michael Ansara) tries to cheat them out of their land. The cast is the major attraction of this shot in Simi Valley feature, and also includes Slim Pickens as a guy named Moose.

11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Snapshot (1979 AUS): Better known by its U.S. distribution title, The Day After Halloween, Snapshot is an extremely odd, impossible to pigeonhole feature from Down Under. Chantal Contouri (previously seen to great effect in Aussie vampire thriller Thirst) stars as Madeline, a woman who convinces youngster Angela (Sigrid Thornton) to take up a career in modeling. Angela looks good in a swimsuit and the camera loves her, but she soon finds fame has a darker side - much of it personified by an ominous ice cream truck. Though marketed as a slasher, Snapshot isn’t one, and it’s not exactly a horror film or a crime drama, either. In fact, it sort of drifts from one genre to the next, making it a somewhat unsatisfying viewing experience. That said, it’s quite well acted, with particular kudos to Thornton’s performance as the naive, winsome Angela.

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