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From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated; they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times Pacific.

Tuesday 7/26/11

2:00 PM HBO Signature
El Hombre de al Lado (2009 ARG): This absurdist Argentine drama (titled The Man Next Door in English) comes with my highest recommendation. Daniel Araoz and Rafael Spregelburd star as Victor and Leonardo, residents of adjacent apartments in a fabulous Corbusier-designed building in a tony Buenos Aires neighborhood. Leonardo is a renowned architect with a deep appreciation for his building’s "artistic integrity," so when working-class Victor starts making "home improvements" - including some that affect his own living space - his hackles are understandably raised. Matters escalate, climaxing in a surprising denouement. Directed by Mariano Cohn and Gaston Duprat, El Hombre de al Lado is a simple, subtle, and satisfying examination of the roles played by class and status in contemporary Argentine society.

7:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Black Tent (1957 GB): Bryan Forbes penned this handsome but not terribly interesting look at the British Empire and its relationship with the subject peoples of the Arabian Peninsula. Anthony Steel stars as David Holland, a British Army captain who gets separated from his unit and then "goes native," marrying the daughter (Italian actress Anna-Maria Sandri) of a Bedouin chieftain (London-born Andre Morell). Holland’s attempts to rejoin the Army lead to a tragic - and tragically predictable - conclusion that most viewers will see coming a mile away. Nonetheless, this rare feature is worth watching for its attractive Libyan location footage and excellent cast, which also includes Donald Sinden, Donald Pleasence, and Anton Diffring.

Wednesday 7/27/11

12:15 AM Showtime Extreme
Color of Night (1994 USA): Bruce Willis headlines this goofy but enjoyable thriller directed by Richard Rush (The Stunt Man, Getting Straight). Bruce plays Bill Capa, a psychologist who loses a patient the hard way - she jumps out of his office window. Shocked beyond words, Bill develops a case of color blindness, decides to take down his shingle for good, and moves out west in hopes of getting a fresh start. Newly arrived in L.A., Bill attends a party hosted by best bud Bob (Scott Bakula), but when Bob also ends up dead Bill must bust out his mad psychological skills and figure out whodunit. Was it the nympho (Lesley-Anne Down), the obsessive-compulsive (Brad Dourif), or the cop with anger management issues (Lance Henriksen)? As Roger Ebert wrote of this film, “Color of Night approaches badness from so many directions that one really must admire its imagination.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, though I do like the film a little more than Roger does.

5:00 PM Sundance
Toe to Toe (2009 USA): A few months back I recommended a documentary entitled Keep Eye on Ball - the first (and to date, only) film ever produced about competitive squash. (I can’t actually prove this, but I’m still reasonably comfortable making the assertion. However, if you know of other films about pro squash - fictional or otherwise - drop me a line.) Now there’s Toe to Toe, an indie drama that tries to do the same for lacrosse: make it interesting for people who otherwise wouldn’t know a lacrosse stick from a bocce ball. I haven’t seen it yet, so Toe to Toe may be terrible, but c’mon people...lacrosse! Also airs 7/28 at 1:35 AM.

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