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Friday 2/15/13

12:45 PM Cinemax
The Dark Half (1993 USA): Stephen King alert! Seriously, how many novels/novellas/short stories has this guy churned out over the years, and how many of them haven’t been adapted for the big screen/small screen/dinner theater circuit? This one’s a bit above average on the King scale, benefiting from George Romero’s presence behind the camera and a decent performance from Timothy Hutton as an author we might describe in the 21st century as bipolar. There’s also solid support from Royal Dano, Julie Harris, and Michael Rooker. Also airs at 3:45 PM.

7:00 PM Starz Cinema
In Darkness (2011 POL): Poland’s official Academy Award entry at last year’s Oscars, In Darkness lives up to its title. Directed by Agniewska Holland, much of the film is set in the Lvov sewers during World War II, where a group of Jewish Poles are hiding from the Nazi occupiers hoping to herd them to Auschwitz. In need of help from above, they’re assisted by gentile businessman Socha (Robert Wieckiewicz), who’s willing to keep them fed and watered - for a price. When his clients’ money runs out, however, Socha is forced to make a decision: save them, or turn them over to the Nazi scum ruling his country? In Darkness has been compared unfavorably to Schindler’s List, but I think it stands up pretty well on its own.

Saturday 2/16/13

8:30 PM Encore Suspense
The Exorcist (1973 USA): Surprisingly, this is the first time William Friedkin’s scarefest has been on a premium channel since...well, I’m not entirely sure how long it’s been, but it has been quite a while. Now it’s confession time: I’m not a huge Exorcist fan. Though its TV ad campaign scared the bejesus out of me when I was a child, the film itself is a bit of a disappointment, especially for those of us who are neither specifically Catholic nor generally religiously-inclined. Despite good performances by all concerned – especially, of course, Ms. Pea Soup of 1973, Linda Blair – The Exorcist simply doesn’t provide scares unless you’re particularly susceptible to church dogma. In fact, I find it rather laughable. That said (and my status in the distinct minority confirmed), I’ll be checking it out again this evening to see whether or not Encore will be airing a pre- or post-spider walk print.

Sunday 2/17/13

Midnight Action Max
Tequila: Historia de una Pasion (2011 MEX): I haven’t seen this film yet, but I know two things about it: it really is about the highly potent alcoholic beverage, and it features beknighted American actor Edward Furlong in a supporting role, presumably drinking a lot of said beverage. Does he speak Spanish in the film? Does his character go into rehab? Tune in to find out.

6:00 AM Flix
The Innkeepers (2011 USA): Lotta horror films this week. Apologies to those of you less keen on the genre than I, but remember – I’m not the one in charge of premium channel scheduling. Believe me, if I were, the entire landscape of movies on television would look a lot different – and a lot more adventurous - than it currently does. Anyhoo, The Innkeepers takes place in an about-to-close New England hotel, where last days’ desk clerks Luke and Claire (Pat Healy and Sara Paxton) are intrigued by rumors of supernatural activity. Director Ti West takes the deliberative approach – always welcome in our age of quick cuts and underdeveloped plotting - whilst future Girls star Lena Dunham shows up as a local waitress.

4:00 PM Starz in Black
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property (2003 USA): Black History Month gets a lot of criticism from both ends of the political spectrum (for completely different reasons, of course), but we can be grateful that it provides Starz in Black an excuse to screen some worthwhile documentaries. This evening’s non-fiction double feature kicks off with this exemplary Charles Burnett flick about the legendary Nat Turner, leader of an abortive but historically important 1831 slave rebellion. At 57 minutes in length (apparently, a longer version exists somewhere), Burnett’s film offers a succinct but dense multi-interpretative examination of Turner’s impact on U.S. history. It’s followed at 5:00 PM by Banished (2006), an equally fine look at post-Civil War efforts to deny African-Americans residence in their own homes.

Monday 2/18/13

11:30 AM Showtime
The Woman in Black (2012 GB): Horror, horror, everywhere, and not a drop of blood to drink! Yep, it’s true...no vampires this week, only creepy old houses, ghosts, Satan, and that red-headed doll with the potty mouth. Here’s a genuinely pleasant surprise – a spooky feature from Britain’s revived Hammer Films that actually lives up to the studio’s reputation. Daniel Radliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a lawyer in Victorian England who finds himself stuck in a remote and spooky northern village far from the madding crowd. Tasked to prepare paperwork concluding the sale of a tumbledown mansion, he finds his curiosity piqued by the house itself and by the villagers, who are behaving very oddly indeed. A weak ending prevents The Woman in Black from achieving modern horror classic status, but it’s still pretty darn good. Also airs at 2:30 PM.

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