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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 12/20/11

6:45 AM Showtime Extreme
Blind Terror (2001 CAN): It was made for television! It was shot in Canada! And the biggest name in the cast is Nastassja Kinski! And yet, here is Blind Terror leading off this week’s TiVoPlex. What’s up with that, Mr. Seal? Well, two things: 1)it’s Christmas week (traditionally one of the worst weeks of the year for movie mad boob tube addicts) and beggars can’t be choosers, and 2) it’s actually not that bad. Nasty, as easy on the eyes as ever, is cast here as Susan, a newlywed who’s receiving threatening phone calls from a woman claiming to be husband Kevin’s (Stewart Bick) former paramour. Who’s making the calls, and why? That, of course, is the mystery at the heart of the film, and Susan hires private dick Martin Howell (Gordon Pinsent, particularly good) to get to the bottom of things. Though clearly displaying evidence of its small screen origins, Blind Terror is thoroughly enjoyable and even has a reasonably surprising surprise ending.

Wednesday 12/21/11

1:00 AM Sundance
What Alice Found (2003 USA): Seems like I toot the horn for this one about once a year, but until you’ve all seen it, my job here won’t be done! Another dark indie drama for those who can’t get enough ennui in their lives, What Alice Found features Emily Grace as the titular fresh-faced sweet young thing whose Florida road trip diverts her to the rocky side road of truck-stop prostitution. Shot on a shoestring (as well as on digital video), the film features a remarkable performance from Judith Ivey as a Good Samaritan who moonlights as Alice’s pimp. Co-starring Dogville’s Bill Raymond, What Alice Found will make you think twice about getting roadside help from kindly strangers. Now check it on so I can stop pimping it!

4:15 AM The Movie Channel
Elvis Meets Nixon (1997 USA): A holy grail of sorts for psychotronic movie mavens (who have long had to pay top dollar for this title on Ebay), Elvis Meets Nixon is a comedy that recreates that magic moment when a bored but opportunistic Tricky Dicky gifted the King with his very own DEA badge during a White House photo op. Elvis is portrayed by Rick Peters, who does a decent job but can't quite match previous silver screen Elvii such as Kurt Russell or Bruce Campbell, whilst Nixon is played by Bob Gunton (‘24'), whose five o'clock shadow is more convincing than either Anthony Hopkins or Dan Hedaya. Produced by Showtime and directed by Allan Arkush (Rock ‘n' Roll High School), Elvis Meets Nixon is a wonderful little gem that belongs in the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction files. Look for Curtis "Booger" Armstrong in a supporting role as one of the Memphis Mafia. Also airs at 7:15 AM.

Thursday 12/22/11

Midnight Sundance
White Material (2009 FRA): Christopher Lambert in arthouse film shocker! It’s true - the lanky, lumpen action star took a break from Highlander sequels so he could appear in this Claire Denis-helmed drama about civil strife in darkest Africa. Lambert plays Andre Vial, owner of a coffee plantation threatened by civil war in an unidentified country. Andre, however, does little but cash the checks: the hard lifting is actually done by ex-wife Maria (Isabelle Huppert), who drives the company truck and hires its workers. As war clouds gather, it becomes increasingly difficult for Maria to keep the plantation operating - especially when a paramilitary named The Boxer (Isaach de Bankole) shows up and starts making trouble. Enigmatic in the extreme, White Material was a prize winner at this year’s National Society of Film Critics’ Awards. Rumors that White Material 2: The Quickening is already in production are, however, false. Also airs at 4:00 AM.

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