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From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated; they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times Pacific.

Tuesday 06/30/09

10:00 PM Sundance
Lake of Fire (2007 USA): Sight unseen, I was apprehensive and a little scared of Lake of Fire. Directed by the prickly Tony Kaye (American History X), it's an abortion documentary with a difference: it presents both sides' opinions and doesn't flinch in its depiction of the abortion procedure itself. That's probably why I avoided this two and a half hour feature during its theatrical run, but braver critics — such as Dave Poland and Roger Ebert — did the dirty work for me and gave Lake of Fire extremely high marks. Now that I've finally had the gumption to watch it, I concur: it's a powerful and emotionally engaging feature, but it DOES feature blunt and graphic abortion footage that will render it beyond the pale for more sensitive viewers. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, however, you will know and understand more about it after watching Lake of Fire.

Wednesday 07/01/09

4:00 AM Flix
BMX Bandits (1983 AUS): 16-year-old Nicole Kidman stars in this fairly dreadful kiddie adventure flick about the wacky world of bicycle motocross. A sporting phenomenon of the 1970s and '80s, BMX racing was popular enough to inspire not only this film, but also a Scottish indie pop super group of the same name. Though only achieving moderate success, the group are still a going concern, whilst the film has been all but forgotten - 'til now! Kidman plays Judy, a teenage pal of two BMX enthusiasts who stumble upon a plot to rob a bank and, with the help of their trusty velocipedes, assist the authorities in tracking down the miscreants responsible. It all plays like an ever so slightly off color Disney movie (The Computer Wore Cycling Shorts, perhaps?), and makes its widescreen American television debut this evening. And for those who can't get enough of the off-road action, BMX Bandits airs again at 5:00 PM.

8:00 PM Sundance
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2004 GB): Shane Meadow's mordant comedy drama teeters into overly-cute territory from time to time, but ultimately it's one of the best British films of recent vintage, accurately capturing the atmosphere of suburban working-class life without straying too far into Mike Leigh or Ken Loach territory. In other words, Meadows is very much his own filmmaker, with a distinctly different (and less political) take on modern British life than the aforementioned auteurs. Starring Trainspotting's Robert Carlyle as bad lad Jimmy, a Nottingham exile returning to his home town to win back the heart of lady love Shirley Henderson, the film also features Notting Hill gurner Rhys Ifans in a rare straight role as Henderson's new paramour. The film's title and setting offer tribute to the spaghetti-western genre (in recent years, Nottingham has been the scene of a long simmering gang war), but Once Upon a Time in the Midlands is at heart a typically low-key British film, its well-crafted story blessed by solid performances from all concerned, including Ifans, helium-voiced Henderson, and the always fine Kathy Burke, here cast as Henderson's best friend and confidante. Look for director Meadows and co-writer Paul Frasor in a bingo-hall scene. Also airs 7/2 at 12:30 AM.

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