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Thursday 1/17/13

12:20 AM Encore Action
Species: The Awakening (2007 USA): Remember that Species marathon we all enjoyed a few weeks ago? Little did I know there was a fourth chapter to the saga. Here it is – I’ve never seen it, but how much worse than Species III could it possibly be? Let’s all tune in and find out!

11:30 AM Sundance
The Kid With a Bike (2011 BEL-FRA): Let me get this off my chest: fk you, Sundance Channel, and the corporate horse you rode in on who convinced you that showing commercials during prime time would be a great idea. And no, it doesn’t make it "better" that you only break into the movie at the top of each hour: in some ways, it’s even more aggravating than the frequent interruptions you get on some other so-called "premium" channels. I’ve invested an hour of my life in the plot and characters of the film you’re airing, and suddenly I’m thrust into a loud and obnoxious promo for one of your ridiculous fashion reality shows. Memo to Sundance: no one who likes art films gives two s**ts about fashionistas.

Harrumph. That said, at least Sundance isn’t interrupting "off peak" programming with commercials (yet), so by all means check out this screening of The Kid With a Bike, the latest sterling effort from the kings of contemporary neo-realism, Belgium’s Dardennes Brothers.

Friday 1/18/13

1:15 AM Sundance
Foul Gesture (2006 ISR): No more rants this week – I promise! This shot-in-Tel Aviv drama, however, provides some fictional rage of another variety, featuring a woman (Keren Moras) who flips the bird to a passing motorist. She immediately regrets her decision when said motorist sideswipes her vehicle, which is being driven by her husband (Gal Zaid), and things get even worse when she learns her fit of temper has offended one of the city’s most feared criminals (Asher Tsarfati). And that’s not all: hubby decides to report the incident to the police, causing all sorts of additional unexpected and unwelcome fallout. This unusual, gripping feature won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Miami International Film Festival.

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Laurel and Hardy mini-marathon: Many years ago, AMC (another channel about which I’ve previously vented my spleen) showed several hours worth of foreign language Laurel & Hardy short subjects. It was a remarkable opportunity to see some of the comedy team’s rarest efforts, and hasn’t been repeated since – until (at least in part) tonight. Thanks to TCM, we’re getting back to back English and Spanish language versions of Chickens Come Home (1931) and Blotto (1930), and back to back English and French versions of Be Big and Laughing Gravy (both 1931). There are a ton of other non-Anglophone L&H’s out there (including some German ones), so let’s hope TCM decides this is an exercise worth repeating and/or extending.

Saturday 1/19/13

4:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Phantom of Crestwood (1932 USA): Ready for an old dark house mystery? Here’s a decent one, even if the plot (and the house) are pretty creaky. Ricardo Cortez is the dashing star and there’s a reliable supporting cast, led by H. B. Warner as the elderly Crestwood patriarch and Karen Morley as his scheming daughter. Apparently the film was also the final chapter of a radio serial, suggesting RKO had some creative types working in the executive suite back in ’32 (a pretty inarguable conclusion when you consider the studio would release King Kong the following year).

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