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Thursday 12/11/08

5:30 AM Showtime
JUMP! (2007 USA): No, this is not a VH-1 rockumentary about the song that allowed Van Halen to crossover into the disco market. It's a film about skipping rope, of all things, which—like other simple pleasures such as Frisbee and hacky sack—has now been brought into the competitive realm. Examining the national and world championships (which encompass a wide range of age groups), JUMP! will inspire you to bust a Double Dutch move in the comfort and safety of your own living room. Either that, or play that old Van Halen record again.

12:50 PM Starz Edge
The Last Winter (2007 USA): I've been an admirer of independent filmmaker Larry Fessenden for some time, but with The Last Winter Fessenden has started to repeat himself. Set at an environmental research station in the frozen Arctic, the film stars Ron Perlman as Ed Pollack, a scientist keeping watch over a company exploring the area for oil. He's assisted by a group of beardy tree-huggers, including James LeGros, who are starting to develop serious cases of cabin fever and paranoia. And out there in the long Arctic night, something seems to be stirring...which is a great set up, unfortunately let down by a completely disappointing third act. As with his superior Wendigo (2001), Fessenden can't quite pull it off, with the final reel 'revelation' being an extremely disappointing CGI creation that would have best been left unseen. Still and all, Perlman is always a pleasure to watch, and the first two thirds of the film do a nice job of establishing a simmering aura of dread beneath the midnight sun.

5:30 PM Showtime
Very Young Girls (2007 USA): I haven't seen this documentary yet, but it makes me nervous. It's a film about teen prostitution, which is a worthy subject, but that title is — I dunno — kinda creepy, doncha think? Couldn't they have called it something like Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway? Or was that already taken? Regardless, Very Young Girls has decent pedigree — one of the filmmakers interned with Errol Morris — and is probably worth a look. Also airs at 8:30 PM.

8:45 PM Flix
Penitentiary II (1982 USA): And here's where you end up if you mess around with Very Young Girls. The sequel to the memorable Penitentiary, which aired a few months back on TCM, Pentitentiary II sees Leon Isaac Kennedy return as ex-con Too Sweet, now on parole and trying to keep away from The Man, the po-po, and the boxing ring. Alas, his plans go awry when his girlfriend is killed by psychotic fellow parolee Half Dead (Ernie Hudson), and Sweet is forced once again to don the gloves of ignorance and do battle, though this time with Mr. T in his corner. Really! Penitentiary II isn't very good, but it's never boring — and cameo appearances by Tony 'Bad Santa' Cox and late, lamented dirty mouth comic Rudy Ray Moore add some extra spice to the proceedings.

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