TiVoPlex
By John Seal
April 29, 2013
5:00 PM HBO
Manhunt (2013 USA): Want more Osama? Here’s a brand new HBO documentary about the search for everyone’s favorite post-9/11 boogey man, that Saudi dude with the bad kidneys. I haven’t seen Manhunt yet, but something tells me it’s going to be a Zero Dark Thirty-style salute to the All-American guys and gals of the CIA. Proceed with caution. Airs again at 8:00 PM and throughout the month.
Thursday 5/2/13
6:15 AM Encore Suspense
The Trouble With Harry (1955 USA): One of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser-known films, The Trouble with Harry is also one of his few out-and-out attempts at a comedy. This being Hitch, of course, it's a very DARK comedy, but one filled with plenty of mirthful moments nonetheless. Since the film bombed at the box office during its initial run - apparently a title character who was dead from the start of the film was a bridge too far for middle America - it's languished in semi-obscurity, and continues to divide Hitchcock fans, many of whom loathe it. Set in the bucolic backwoods of rural New England, the film stars Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, and Mildred Natwick as locals who can't quite figure out how to keep Harry's body from popping up without attracting the attention of local sheriff Royal Dano and implicating themselves in his demise. The Trouble with Harry can, perhaps, be considered a through-the-looking glass reinterpretation of Hitchcock's 1948 experiment Rope. In that film, two murderers try to conceal their victim from a roomful of inquisitive eyes; in this one, a town full of innocents try to conceal Harry from each other whilst trying to solve the crime (if, indeed, a crime has been committed at all). This film also marked the first collaboration between Hitchcock and composer Bernard Herrmann, and includes the screen debut of Shirley MacLaine as a guileless local mother whose cute but meddlesome child is portrayed by the Beaver, Jerry Mathers.
2:30 PM 5 Max
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012 USA): Gotta be honest: I didn’t (and don’t) see what everyone else saw in this Academy Award-nominated drama. Little Quvenzhané Wallis is quite remarkable, but her performance aside, Beasts of the Southern Wild is an indigestible stew of magical realism, incomprehensible narrative, and giant rampaging hogs. That said, I’m in the distinct minority on this one, so check it out if you’re so inclined.
Friday 5/3/13
10:25 AM HBO Signature
Hanna (2011 GB-USA-GER): No matter what your crazy Teabagger uncle thinks, home schooling is not all that and a bag of, er, tea. How do I know? I watched Hanna, in which the titular teen (Saoirse Ronan) has been taught self-defense and other survivalist skills by dad Erik (Eric Bana) whilst her cheerleading, home ec, and social skills have been ignored. A secret agent of legendary skill, Erik has attracted the attention of the CIA, who send agent Wiegler (Cate Blanchett) to capture him and his progeny because they apparently pose a great threat to the US of A. The result is an unusual blend of fantasy, action, and arthouse tropes, with director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) getting a great performance from the spooky looking Ronan. Also of note: a truly outstanding original score by The Chemical Brothers.
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