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11:00 PM Encore Action
Vanishing Son (1994 USA): Bet you never knew there was a four-part TV mini-series about martial artists fleeing from post-Tiananmen Square People’s Republic of China for the safety of America, did you? Well, I didn’t until now. The surprising thing is that the Vanishing Son films have a decent critical reputation and good casts, with Russell Wong, Vivian Wu and Dr. Haing S. Ngor headlining the first chapter. Vanishing Son II airs immediately following at 12:35 AM, whilst the concluding entries in the series air at a later date.

Sunday 6/13/10

9:00 PM IFC

The Woods (2005 USA): If you go out to The Woods today, you’re sure for a big surprise…it’s actually a pretty good film. Of course, if you’re familiar with the work of director Lucky McKee, it’s probably no surprise at all: McKee earlier wrote a pair of inter-connected but stand-alone fright flicks, May and Roman, and The Woods is further evidence of his penchant for character-driven storytelling. Indie queen Patricia Clarkson stars as Ms. Travers, headmistress of an exclusive girls’ school where pyromaniac new student Heather (Agnes Bruckner) has just arrived for a new term. Ms. Travers is the stereotypical cold fish and doesn’t seem to care much for Heather, but that’s the least of the girl’s problems—students keep disappearing, and she might be next! Though the film offers few surprises, its still miles ahead of most contemporary thrillers thanks to McKee’s attention to detail and ability to create characters we give a damn about. Co-starring Bruce Campbell as Heather’s deaf-mute dad, The Woods deserved a far better fate than being consigned to Straight-to-DVD hell, and appears this evening in widescreen.

Monday 6/14/10

1:45 AM More Max
Surf Ninjas (1994 USA): Not to be confused with the equally amusing Surf Nazis Must Die!, Surf Ninjas is an absurd, goofy comedy from Americathon director Neal Israel. It’s the family-friendly tale of brothers Johnny and Adam (Ernie Reyes Jr. and Nicolas Cowan) who find themselves thrust into battle against the evil Colonel Chi (Leslie Nielsen), whose iron fist rules supreme on the tropical island of Patu San. With the assistance of best pal Iggy (Rob Schneider), Detective Spence (Tone-Loc), and lovely Ro-May (Miss Teen USA Kelly Hu), how can they fail? I’ve had a soft spot for Surf Ninjas since my son was six or seven, when this movie was on heavy household rotation. Somehow I never got sick of it—even though I probably watched it with him at least a dozen times. Hey, better this than Power Rangers.

12:40 PM Showtime Extreme
The Escapist (2008 GB): The ever busy Brian Cox gets a rare lead role in this fine first feature from director Rupert Wyatt. Cox is Frank Perry, not the American film director but a hardened British con serving a life sentence without chance of parole. When he learns that his daughter is seriously ill, Frank decides family obligations trump corrections and rehabilitation, but needs the help of four fellow inmates to break him out of prison. Set beneath the streets of London (including scenes shot in a long-abandoned Tube station), The Escapist may not hit the same highs as Jacques Becker’s similarly-themed Le Trou, but is well worth a look for thriller fans and Cox admirers.

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
A Cry in the Night (1956 USA): Natalie Wood plays a kidnap victim in this decent, rarely screened police procedural. Wood plays Liz Taggart, daughter of hard-noised cop Dan Taggart (Edmond O’Brien) and target of deranged Harold Loftus (the perfectly cast Raymond Burr). Loftus grabs the girl whilst she’s spooning with boyfriend Owen Clark (Richard Anderson), who ends up with a nasty lump on his head and then has some ‘splaining to do to dear ol’ dad. Will Dan and Police Captain Bates (Brian Donlevy) break the case before something shudderingly awful and too dreadful to describe in a family newspaper happen to Liz? Tune in to find out!

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