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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 06/10/08

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936 USA): A few years back, Fox Movie Channel yanked their Charlie Chan films from circulation after a group of misguided Asian-American activists voiced complaints about the series' racial stereotyping and casting choices. Now TCM takes up the mantle and is airing several Chans as part of their Asian Images in Film series. We can be thankful that these features are now available again and being shown in their correct context: that of 1930's Hollywood, where Tinsel Town's product reflected both the nation's racist cultural zeitgeist and its melting pot mythology. First up is Charlie Chan at the Circus, one of my favorites in the series, in which our hero (Warner Oland) receives some free passes to the big top, where he finds himself embroiled in a three ring mystery involving owner Joe Kinney (Paul Stanton) and performers Colonel Tim and Lady Tiny (brother and sister George and Olive Brasno). Critics of the series tend to overlook the performances of the actors and actresses who portrayed Charlie's all-American offspring, and Keye Luke is in excellent form here as number one son Lee, who finds himself falling for contortionist Su Toy (Shia Jung). It's followed at 6:30 PM by 1938's Charlie Chan in Honolulu, the first entry featuring Sidney Toler as Chan; at 7:45 PM by The Scarlet Clue (1945), co-starring the great Mantan Moreland as loyal sidekick Birmingham Brown; at 9:00 PM by 1937's Thank You Mr. Moto, featuring Peter Lorre as the titular Japanese detective; at 10:15 PM by 1937's Daughter of Shanghai, a florid melodrama headlined by Anna May Wong; at 11:30 PM by Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939), a cheaply made Monogram cash-in featuring Boris Karloff as yet another inscrutable Asian detective; at 12:45 AM by Phantom of Chinatown (1940), in which Asian actor Keye Luke portrays Mr. Wong; and at 2:00 AM by The Jade Mask (1945), in which Toler and Moreland reprise their most famous roles.

Wednesday 06/11/08

10:05 AM Starz Edge
Jindabyne (2006 AUS): This above average Australian drama from director Ray Lawrence (Lantana) died an undeserved death at the American box office. It makes its American television debut this evening, and features everywoman Laura Linney as Claire, the wife of secretive Irish auto mechanic Stewart (Gabriel Byrne). Stewart has just returned from an annual fishing trip with his drinking buddies - a trip low-lighted by the discovery of the dead body of a young aboriginal woman. Undisturbed, the men don't report the death until they return from their holiday, forcing Claire to ask herself if she really knows the man she married. Beautifully shot in New South Wales and featuring standout performances by the two leads, Jindabyne deserves a far wider audience than the one it has heretofore had.

Thursday 06/12/08

12:00 PM Starz
The Valet (2006 FRA-BEL): An amusing comedy of errors, The Valet features previously unknown Gad Elmaleh as Francois, a working man who finds himself a pawn in the games being played by wealthy Pierre Lavasseur (Daniel Auteuil). Careless Pierre has been caught committing adultery by those pesky paparazzi, and stands to lose millions if his enraged wife (Kristin Scott Thomas) opts to sue him for divorce - but Francois, an unsuspecting passer-by, has also been caught on camera, and Pierre hires him to portray his mistress's (Alice Taglioni) lover until the hubbub dies down. A sex and social satire in the best tradition of Moliere, The Valet is, if anything, a little brief at 80 minutes - but you'll enjoy every one of them. Also airs at 9:00 PM.

5:30 PM Showtime
We're All Angels (2007 USA): I haven't seen this documentary, but the subject matter is irresistible. The first stand-alone feature of director Robert Nunez (who started his career helming DVD ‘extras' and ‘first look' promos), We're All Angels takes a look at the lives of aspiring pop stars Jason and DeMarco, who also happen to be Christian. And gay. Hopefully it'll be more than just a puff piece — no pun intended. Also airs at 8:30 PM and 6/15 at 2:35 AM and 5:35 AM.

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