TiVoPlex
By John Seal
January 10, 2011
8:30 PM Showtime Extreme
Hannibal (2001 USA): Not certain this a widescreen debut, but I’m thinking it is. Or might be. Or even if it isn’t, you can’t go wrong with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, right? As far as sequels go, this is definitely amongst the elite, with our fava-bean favoring anti-hero returning to the States after a ten-year European sojourn to bring happiness and light to the life of FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). Mmm, mmm, good.
11:45 PM Encore Love Stories
Lorna’s Silence (2008 BEL): The Dardenne Brothers return with another slice of Belgian working-class life. Lorna’s Silence stars Alban Ukaj and doe-eyed Arta Dobroshi as Sokol and Lorna, Albanian immigrants trying to gain permanent residence status—and better jobs—in their adopted (low) country. Lorna plans to marry junkie Claudy (In Bruges’ Jeremie Renier) on a temporary basis, naturalize, and then leave him for Russian gangster Andrei (Anton Yakovlev), who will in turn acquire legal residence status through her. This is all being orchestrated by Italian con artist Fabio (Fabrizio Rongione, previously seen in the Dardenne’s Rosetta), and Lorna believes she will ultimately be able to marry her true love, Sokol, and live happily ever after. When murder, smuggling, and drugs are involved, however, you can be sure things will go seriously awry. If you’re a fan of the Dardennes, Ken Loach, or good old-fashioned Italian neo-realism, you’ll definitely want to give Lorna’s Silence a look.
Thursday 1/13/11
4:00 AM Encore Dramatic Stories
Sometimes a Great Notion (1971 USA): I’ve never seen this big-screen adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel of the same name, but I’ve always been intrigued by its enigmatic and mellifluous title — plus it stars Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, and Richard Jaeckel. It’s not on DVD and you’ll have to pay silly money for a VHS copy, so save yourself the trouble and join me in discovering Sometimes a Great Notion this morning. Shame it’ll probably air in pan and scan, but beggars can’t be choosers.
9:00 AM Flix
Villa Rides (1968 USA): A bewigged Yul Brynner plays the legendary Mexican revolutionary in this decent oater, which, considering the talent involved, probably should have been better. Nonetheless, it’s worth a look, as Villa takes his show on the road with the assistance of a Yankee gunrunner played by Robert Mitchum. The film is decidedly apolitical and ultimately a routine shoot ‘em up, but with a screenplay by Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah and a supporting cast including Herbert Lom, Frank Woolf, Fernando Rey, and even Charles Bronson, won’t completely disappoint.
3:15 PM Encore
Pacific Heights (1990 USA): Here’s a guilty pleasure if there ever was one. Pacific Heights stars the eternally annoying Melanie Griffith and the generally decent Matthew Modine as Patty and Drake, a couple who have just refurbished a posh San Francisco Victorian. The building work is a success, but they have poor luck with tenants: after odd duck Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) moves in, all sorts of bizarre stuff starts going down, including roach infestations and after-hours power-tool parties. Their desperate attempts to evict him come to naught, proving once again that tenant’s rights are the bane of landlords in liberal Baghdad by the Bay. So why do I like Pacific Heights? Well, I always enjoy watching movies shot in the City, there’s an earthquake at the end of the film, and Tracey Walter makes a brief appearance as the exterminator called in to cope with the roaches. Can’t go wrong with Tracey Walter. Also airs at 6:15 PM.
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