New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

6pm Starz!
Cadillac Records (2008 USA): There's a lot to like, and much to disdain, in this period drama detailing music-biz history of the 1950s and ‘60s. We'll start with the good stuff: the Chess Brothers were geniuses who established one of the most important pop music labels of the 20th Century and released some of the greatest sides ever recorded, so it's nice their work finally gets some cinematic recognition. Beyonce ain't bad as Etta James, Jeffrey Wright is near brilliant as Muddy Waters, and the music is, of course, great. Now the not-so-good: if you're going to make a movie about Chess Records, why not call it Chess Records? And if you're going to make a movie about Chess Records, why not mention the fact that it was founded and operated by brothers? Rock historians and Chess fans will also be disturbed by other factual inaccuracies, such as Chuck Berry (Mos Def) being released from jail to find that the Beach Boys have rendered him irrelevant (in fact, Berry would have some of his biggest hits during 1964 and 1965). For the casual moviegoer, Cadillac Records is a well-made, if fairly typical, plod through the chapters of recent popular music history, but for the cognoscenti, it's a frequently maddening exercise in mis-information. Also airs at 9pm.

11:15pm Turner Classic Movies
Beasts of Marseilles (1957 GB): You can't beat "Beasts of Marseilles' as a title, but the film itself doesn't quite live up to expectations inspired by such florid word-smithery. The Beasts moniker was, in fact, attached to the US release of a movie released in its native UK as Seven Thunders, which is still a pretty good title, though not nearly as evocative. So how's the film, you ask? Well, pretty darn good, actually, and certainly not in need of a title more redolent of the grindhouse than the arthouse. Irish-born Stephen Boyd plays Brit POW Dave, who's escaped from his friendly neighborhood Stalag and made his way to the southern port city of Marseilles, where he hopes to hop a boat and sail to freedom. Whilst awaiting rescue, Dave tries to blend into the background, but finds the locals, including James Robertson Justice and Kathleen Harrison, not always as cooperative as he might like. Directed by journeyman Hugo Fregonese and superbly lensed by Wilkie Cooper, this is a surprising and unusual entry in the "great escape" genre.

Sunday 09/27/09

5pm Turner Classic Movies
Green Promise (1949 USA): With that title, you'd think this would be an eco-doc destined for the Sundance Channel. Instead, it's a rather loopy religio-agrarian drama featuring Natalie Wood as a young girl searching for spiritual satisfaction on the family farm. It's not really my cup of tea, but sometimes the TiVoPlex moves in mysterious ways.

9pm Sundance
Dorm (2006 THA): I haven't seen this week's Asia Extreme feature yet, but the story apparently revolves around a Thai youngster's special relationship with his boarding school roommate: the spirit of a former student who came to an unfortunate and tragically early demise during a previous term. Online synopses make this one sound a bit like a Southeast Asian Sixth Sense, which is more than enough to inspire interest in these quarters.

Continued:       1       2       3       4