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Thursday 07/26/07

12:15 AM More Max
Sexo Con Amor (2003 CHI): A spicy Chilean sex comedy that seems pretty tame by American standards, Sexo Con Amor (Sex With Love) was a huge hit in its homeland, a conservative country that has only recently developed a taste for democracy and socially progressive ideas. The film stars Sigrid Alegria (Parantesis) as a schoolteacher who broaches the uncomfortable topic of sex education with her students' parents whilst maintaining two separate affairs of her own, including one with a married man. If you're looking for something raunchy, Sexo Con Amor doesn't exactly fill the bill, but it is a refreshingly blunt look at 21st century sexual mores in heavily Catholic South America.

3:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932 USA): The wonderful Lee Tracy plays Button Gwinnett Brown, a freshman congressman determined to clean up the corrupt cesspool that is Washington, DC, in this still fresh Columbia comedy. The idealistic Brown immediately crosses swords with the entrenched powers that be, including a pious Senator up to his ears in rum-running, and finds himself in love with a second Senator's daughter. After hours, Mr. Smith — er, sorry, Mr. Brown — reconnects with an old chum and makes common cause with the Bonus Army, World War I vets promised — and denied — a stipend to help them get through the darkest days of the Depression. (As a side-note, that 'Great American' George Patton led the army unit that busted the heads of the Bonus Army marchers and their families on July 28th 1932.) This marvelous piece of progressive cinema is followed at 5:00 AM by Merry Wives of Reno (1934), an amusing Warners' bill-filler with a truly impressive cast, including Glenda Farrell, Ruth Donnelly, Guy Kibbee, Donald Woods, Frank McHugh, Roscoe Ates, Louise Beavers, Hattie McDaniel, and Hobart Cavanaugh. With a cast of such quality, you won't be surprised to learn that this is definitely an above average second feature, even if the subject matter — quickie Nevada divorces — is less than scintillating.

Friday 07/27/07

7:00 AM Starz In Black
Children of Times Square (1986 USA): One of many cautionary tales produced for television throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Children of Times Square is no classic, but does have some things to recommend it. Written and directed by Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential, The Wonder Boys), the film features future Falcon Crest regular Brandon Douglas as Eric Roberts (!), an out of his depth 14-year-old runaway who decamps to the Big Apple, where he falls into the clutches of drug dealer Otis (Howard Rollins, Jr.). Otis takes young Eric under his wing, promising him comfort and safety in exchange for his assistance in moving cocaine on the street. Hanson desperately tries to keep the proceedings on a serious level, and thought the film looks laughably outdated at this point, he by and large succeeds. Look for Revenge of the Nerd's Lamar, Larry B. Scott, as a fellow street tough, and the late, great Joe Spinell as a sidewalk salesman.

Saturday 07/28/07

1:45 AM Turner Classic Movies
Pharoah's Curse (1957 USA): After last week's Underground barrel scrapings (is there a worse 'horror' film than The Man Who Turned to Stone?) , things improve ever so slightly this week. Pharoah's Curse is little more than a 1950s update on the mummy meme, with an archaeological dig disrupted by the unwelcome arrival of a shambling, pajama clad baddie hell bent on revenge for some reason or another. It's a bit slow, which I guess is appropriate for mummy and zombie movies of the pre-28 Days Later era, but scores late in the game with a memorable arm wrenching scene that predates that of The Brain That Wouldn't Die by a good half decade.

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