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Thursday 12/10/09

8:25 AM Sundance
Quiet City (2007 USA): A young Atlanta woman finds herself adrift in New York City in this prime example of the Mumblecore school of filmmaking. When southern belle Jamie (Erin Fisher) relocates to the Big Apple, she ends up spending time with helpful Charlie (Cris Lankenau), who offers her a place to stay when her friend fails to meet her at a Brooklyn diner. The two proceed to spend 24 hours together talking about a variety of topics, frequently punctuating their improvised dialogue with the deservedly maligned interjection ‘like'. This is otherwise a pretty decent indie movie, but, like, I wish they wouldn't, like, rely on saying like so much. It's, like, kinda annoying. Also, like, airs at 1:30 PM.

5:00 PM Sundance
Zift (2008 BUL): Neither Zardoz nor Zotz, but Zift. Is this the first Bulgarian film I've written about in the seven plus years of TiVoPlex? I have a feeling it is. Shot in the city of Sofia and set during the 1960s, Zift tells the tale of Moth (Zahary Baharov), a convict paroled after serving time for a crime he didn't commit. Imprisoned prior to Bulgaria's Communist takeover, Moth finds himself at sea in a country he doesn't understand and people who seem to have changed beyond recognition. It's a little bit noir, a little bit Lars von Trier, and impressively shot in widescreen black and white by DoP Emil Hristow. Also airs 12/11 at 12:30 AM.

Friday 12/11/09

10:00 AM HBO
Terror in Mumbai (2009 GB): This HBO original documentary premiered last month, but I missed it. Sorry. Presumably it's a companion piece to director Dan Reed's superlative 2003 effort, Terror in Moscow - so even sight unseen, it gets a strong recommendation. Also airs at 1:00 PM.

5:00 PM The Movie Channel
Stepfather II (1989 USA): Come to Daddy! While I'd be happier to report the return of the first Stepfather movie to the small screen, I can't really complain, because number two is pretty good, too. The incomparably creepy Terry O'Quinn returns as Jerry Blake, who, after serving time in a mental institution for the transgressions committed in the first film, has escaped and assumed a new identity as Dr. Gene Clifford. Doctor Gene is a marriage counsellor, and in the course of his work meets the woman with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. But there are other people getting in the way of Jerry's marital bliss - and when people get in Jerry's way, people die! This thoroughly enjoyable psycho killer thriller airs again at 8:00 PM.

9:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Wilby Conspiracy (1975 GB): Michael Caine and Sidney Poitier star in this better than you might expect suspenser set in South Africa (but understandably shot in Kenya). Caine plays Jim Keogh, a British engineer who has his eyes opened about the true nature of apartheid when he meets not-so-cute with political activist Shacktwala (Poitier). Their attempt to flee to Botswana soon draws the attention of police inspector Horn (Nicol Williamson), an unrepentant advocate of racial discrimination, and the film develops into an exciting road movie with lots of action and some pretty good car chases. I seem to recall there's a helicopter, too, though I might be mistaken on that point. Look for Saeed Jaffrey in an important role as (East) Indian collaborator Mukarjee, as well as Rutger Hauer and the absurdly beautiful Persis Khambatta.

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