MONDAY
DECEMBER 30
2013

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

Sundance, 6:15 p.m. ET

This 1973 martial arts action film, now 40 years old, belongs on a serious film network such as Sundance because it’s a) such an early example of international movie marketing, which is all but mandatory these days, and b) perhaps the most famous and impressive screen appearance by Bruce Lee. And yes, it’s worth watching for all that, but I’d also humbly suggest c) Ahna Capri, who plays the mysterious and beautiful Tania. Forty years later, I remember being stunned by Lee’s moves – but I also remember being stunned by Capri, too.

 
  
 
 

Starz!, 6:20 p.m. ET

A new reason to revisit this intense 2012 war film directed by Kathryn Bigelow, written by Mark Boal? Not that you should need one, but here’s one anyway: Watch for the small but crucial appearance by the late James Gandolfini, who plays a powerful politician critical to the continuation of the plan to find and target Osama bin Laden. He plays the part perfectly, with strength, compassion and not a little humor – which, come to think of it, were three of his strongest attributes as an actor. Jessica Chastain stars.

 
  
 
 

The Movie Channel, 8:00 p.m. ET

At the moment, Joaquin Phoenix is getting raves for his starring role as the man obsessed with his computer’s operating system in Her. Last year, he got raves for his role in this movie, playing an aimless war veteran who falls under the wing of a charismatic religious leader, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Or, what I said about Phoenix goes for Amy Adams as well: She got raves for her role in The Master (playing Hoffman’s wife) a year ago, and right now she’s getting rave reviews for her role in… Her. (As well as her role in American Hustle, but that has less symmetry for this particular entry.)

 
  
 
 

PBS, 10:00 p.m. ET

This Oscar-nominated documentary traces the origins of activist groups, such as TAG and ACT UP, in the early days of AIDS, when fear was much more plentiful than knowledge and reason. Check local listings.

 
  
 
 

Flix, 10:00 p.m. ET

Spike Lee wrote and directed this smart, intense 1989 movie about racial unrest and uneasy neighbors in Brooklyn. And there are plenty of strong performers and performances here, including Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro and Lee himself – but if you’re a Breaking Bad fan, you’ll want to pay particular attention to Giancarlo Esposito as Buggin’ Out, decades before he played the ultimate bad guy on Bad as Gus Fring.

 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
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4027 Comments
 
 
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Dave Bianculli
Howdy pardner,

Did you pass out on your keyboard after getting drunk, and then just kept bouncing your head over and over and over???

ROTFFLMBFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously dude, watch more TV, drink less alcohol!!!!

Warmly,

Dave
Jun 20, 2026
 
 
 
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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.