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7:35 PM Sundance
Three Monkeys (2008): No, it’s not a prequel to Terry Gilliam’s Twelve Monkeys, but a drama about class and family conflict in contemporary Turkey. Ercan Kesal stars as Servet, a politician who hits a pedestrian during a sleep-deprived mid-campaign commute home. The panic stricken pol sees his future prospects flash before his eyes, and asks regular driver Eyup (Yavuz Bingol) to take the rap. Eyup agrees, with the understanding that he’ll get a short sentence and a nice cash reward after serving time — but of course, things don’t turn out quite as anticipated when Eyup’s family find themselves in immediate financial difficulties. Superbly lensed by cinematographer Gökhan Tiryaki, Three Monkeys’ helmer Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Best Director prize at Cannes 2008. Also airs on 6/23 at 2:15 AM.

Thursday 6/23/11

1:45 AM Starz
Tamara Drewe (2010 GB): It is, of course, a well-worn maxim that Helen’s face launched a thousand ships, precipitating the bloody and lengthy Trojan War. But what could a nose alone accomplish? That’s the question posed by Tamara Drewe, director Stephen Frears’ (High Fidelity, Dirty Pretty Things) marvelous romantic comedy of errors. Based on what I can only assume is the least-likely graphic novel ever penned, the film stars former Bond girl Gemma Arterton as the title character, a Dorset lass returning to her ancestral village of Ewedown after several years spent in London. Tamara left the country for all the usual reasons — Ewedown was a very small pond for an aspiring big fish — and her time in the Big Smoke has been well spent. Not only has she established herself as a respected journalist, she’s also invested in life-changing cosmetic surgery. Though I’m not generally inclined towards bedroom farce, Tamara Drewe is an utter delight: Moira Buffini’s adaptation of Posy Simmond’s novel is literate, frank, and at times screamingly funny, and the cast uniformly excellent. Of particular note is token American Bill Camp’s performance as lumpy, balding Glen, a novelist whose writer’s block is cured by his landlady’s cooking, whilst youngsters Jessica Barden and Charlotte Christie are impressive as the film’s Greek Chorus, a pair of scheming schoolgirls who get involved in everyone’s affairs — romantic or otherwise. Probably the first British film to feature a cattle stampede (foreshadowed by one character’s contention that the local cows “exude bovine malice”), Tamara Drewe is a very typical Frears film: strong on character, intelligently written, and a little unconcerned with plot development but not much the worse for it. Some may have issues with the film’s sexual politics — though written and produced by women, the film’s lead character probably won’t be everyone’s idea of contemporary feminist icon — but this is robust, hugely enjoyable storytelling. Also airs at 4:45 AM.

12:05 PM Encore Mystery
Moon (2009 GB): Sam Rockwell delivers a bravura performance in this intelligent science-fiction thriller from writer-director Duncan "Zowie Bowie" Jones. Rockwell, whose performance won him near-universal plaudits, plays astronaut Sam Bell, about to return to Earth upon completion of his three-year term of duty harvesting energy on the Moon. Completely bereft of human contact, Sam has only the voice of computer assistant GERTY (Kevin Spacey) to keep him company, and has reached the end of his mental tether. With only days to go before returning to his family on Earth, however, Sam gets into an accident — and begins to doubt both his sanity and the trustworthiness of his employer, Lunar Industries. If you tune in expecting space opera, you're going to be sorely disappointed, but for those who prefer their science fiction cerebral, Moon is a real winner. Rockwell is superb, Jones' script thought provoking, and Clint Mansell's score evocative and creepy. Sadly overlooked at the Academy Awards, Moon definitely rates as one of the top films of 2009.

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