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5pm IFC
Good Guys Wear Black (1978 USA): Did you ever think you'd see Chuck Norris on the Independent Film Channel? No, I didn't either, but here he is, and in wide-screen no less. This was the film that made him a star, and he plays John Booker, an ex-Special Forces guy whose Vietnam War veteran pals are being mysteriously knocked off one...by one...by one. Is it the CIA? Is it the Viet Cong? Or is it Obamacare? The roots of Norris' apocalyptic worldview are on full display in this ridiculous-but-enjoyable thriller, which co-stars Jim Backus, Dana Andrews, and James Franciscus. Also airs at 10:05pm.

9pm Sundance
Bloody Reunion (2006 ROK): This South Korean feature blends elements of both slasher and torture porn genres to middling effect. Also known as To Sir With Love (!), Bloody Reunion takes place at a bucolic countryside cottage where seven primary-school classmates are re-uniting with their former teacher, Mrs. Park, now ill and immobilized in a wheelchair. Mrs. Park's memories are all happy ones, but her students don't feel the same way. Frankly, they remember her as being a bit of a b-i-t-c-h. No time for navel-gazing, though; before you can say "must try harder", the X-Acto blades are flashing and the blood is flowing. At the very least, it's a refreshing change from long-haired ghosts and killer cell phones.

Monday 10/05/09

8am HBO Signature
Máncora (2008 ESP): Young people behave badly in this decent, if rather unfocused, Spanish road movie. Jason Day plays Santiago, a twenty-something Lima ne'er-do-well trying to recover from his father's suicide. Salvation lies, apparently, on the beaches of Máncora, a Peruvian seaside resort favored by the hard-drinkin', hard-druggin', multiple sexual-partnerin' young adult set, and Santi is soon partying with the best of them. It's been compared - not always favorably - to Y Tu Mamá También, so use that as your yardstick when measuring Máncora's potential to pleasure you.

6pm HBO
Outrage (2009 USA): I haven't seen this film yet but I imagine it won't be teaching me much I didn't already know. Directed by Kirby Dick, Outrage examines the deep current of repressed homosexuality in the Republican Party, where closet-case pols rail against the Gay Agenda whilst engaging in wide stances and sham marriages during their off-hours. Dick's previous two films - Twist of Faith and This Film Is Not Yet Rated - were both excellent, so I'm anticipating Outrage will provide an entertaining, if not particularly revealing, 90 minutes. Of course, when you're talking about Larry Craig and co., the less revealing the better. Also airs at 9pm.

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