@ Reeling: 22nd Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival, (312) 458-9117, www.chicagofilmmakers.org/reeling.
Yossi & Jagger - Directed by Eytan Fox, Yossi & Jagger sensitively tells the uncommon story of company commander Yossi (Ohad Knoller) and Lior (Yehuda Levi) two Israeli soldiers who conduct a clandestine romance in the macho environment of the Israeli army. Lior, who is nicknamed Jagger because he is like a 'rock star,' is told by one male soldier that he is 'pretty as a girl,' and is also the object of the affections of a female soldier named Yaeli (Aya Steinovitz). Yossi and Lior's interactions are intimate one moment and concealed the next, leading Lior to declare that he no longer wants to be in the closet and is prepared to come out to his family and introduce them to Yossi. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes before Lior has the opportunity. At turns erotic and frightening, Yossi & Jagger is a touching and well-acted movie. – Nov. 12
Secondary High - Quirky queer Canadian comedy Secondary High mixes genres (musical, horror, comedy, high school, romantic) and characters (a Stepford Wife-like mother, the 'jock asshole,' the nice popular girl, the bitchy popular girl, the daydreamer, the stoner, and the drop out, among others) like an out-of-control high school science experiment. Secondary High, which is 'a lot like juvie,' is the setting for most of the multiple story lines which include a trio of queer girls trying to start a band, new kid soft butch Heidi (Alyson Richards) trying to fit in, and crushed out student Theodora (Catherine Bertin) acting on her attraction to teacher Mr. Coop (Daniel Levesque), to mention just a few. – Nov. 12
Blue Citrus Hearts - An ambitious and somewhat experimental independent feature written, directed and produced by Morgan Jon Fox and shot in Memphis. Sam (Joshua Peter Laurenzi) is a student at White Station High School. He lives with his mother (Lee Ann Roberts), super macho father (Mark Pergolizzi), and sister, has what seems like typical teenage interests. He wants to learn to play guitar, he likes getting high, he has sex with his girlfriend Arielle (Alex Booth), and he writes in his journal. Julien (Paul Foster) and his mother (Emily Fry) live nearby, and pretty soon Sam is spending more time with Julien than with Arielle. This improvised and scripted film deals primarily with Sam and Julien's burgeoning friendship, and what happens when they discover that they are falling in love with each other. Nontraditional in many ways, Blue Citrus won't be to everyone's liking, but if you are patient with it, you will find that it grows on you. – Nov. 13
Wed., Nov. 12 - The Gift at Landmark, (Followed by a panel discussion.), Bulgarian Lovers at Landmark. Three Months With Pook and Yossi & Jagger at Chgo Filmmakers, Secondary High at CF, Dyke Shorts at CF.
Thursday, Nov. 13 - Night Trade, Nina and Kiki & Tiger at Landmark, Closing Night Film: Blue Citrus Hearts at Landmark (Closing Night Party at Hydrate).
Limited runs and special events:
@ Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E Randolph, (312) 744-6630: The Factory Films: Warhol and Morrissey w/introductions by Steven Watson, author of Factory Made: Warhol and the Sixties – Vinyl – 'the Factory version of A Clockwork Orange' w/Gerard Malanga, Edie Sedgwick and others – Nov. 14. Trash – starring Joe Dallesandro and Holly Woodlawn – Nov. 15
@ Gerber/Hart Library, 1127 W. Granville, (773) 381-8030: The Times of Harvey Milk – Nov. 23; Queersploitation - series viewing and examining treatment of homosexuality in some exploitation films of the 70s and 80s. The Big Bird Cage - Nov. 13; Score – Dec. 11; Vampyr Lesbos – Jan. 8.
@ Lakeshore Theatre, 3175 N Broadway, (773) 472-3492: The Cliffhanger – World premiere screening and benefit for 'unique motion picture collaboration' featuring queer Chicago artists filmmaker Dan Mohr and actress Laura Lonigro — Nov. 17
,b>In theaters:
Anything But Love (Samuel Goldwyn Classics) – This pleasant little movie pays tribute to the under-appreciated cabaret singer and is an homage to romantic comedies of the late '50s and early '60s, in which a career-minded woman often had to make the choice between love and doing what she loves. Theatrical director and co-writer Robert Cary teams up with actress and co-writer Isabel Rose to tell the story of modern cabaret singer/waitress Billie (Rose), who lives at home with her alcoholic nurse mother Laney (Alix Korey). When she isn't waiting tables at the swanky Gardenia Room (where Eartha Kitt is the headliner), she's singing, accompanied by her gay pianist T.J. (Sean Arbuckle), at the rundown Skylark Lounge, which is in the flight path of a nearby airport. When Skylark owner Sal (Victor Argo) gives Billie and T.J. six weeks notice, Billie is forced to make a decision about her future. She auditions to sing on a cruise ship, but her performance is sabotaged by the pianist, Elliot (Andrew McCarthy). Billie runs into old high school crush Greg (Cameron Bancroft), a corporate lawyer who is as handsome as ever, and they begin dating. Billie is also offered a solo gig at the Skylark and must brush up on her piano playing to accompany herself. The only piano teacher she can afford turns out to be Elliot. Suddenly, Billie finds that she is attracted to both men. Billie has a wise-cracking best friend name Marcy (Ilana Levine), as well as a fabulous vintage wardrobe. (B-)
The Event (Think Films) – The 'event' is the farewell party and ensuing assisted suicide of Matt (Don McKellar), a gay man whose struggle with AIDS has reached a critical turning point. Told in flashbacks, the movie follows the investigation of Matt's death by District Attorney Nick (Parker Posey). As she questions AIDS-care worker Brian (Brent Carver), unstable lesbian therapist Mona (Jane Leeves), loose-lipped drag performer Rory (Rejean Joseph Cournoyer), and members of Matt's family (Joanna P. Adler, Sarah Polley, Olympia Dukakis), details of the 'event' are revealed. Gay director Thom Fitzgerald (The Hanging Garden), who co-wrote the screenplay, gives the film a grainy, low-budget feel, while eliciting big-budget performances from Dukakis and Polley. (B+)
Shattered Glass (Lions Gate), the impressive directorial debut of screenwriter Billy Ray. Based on an article in Vanity Fair, which exposed young and rising journalist, and Highland Park High School graduate, Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a staff writer at the New Republic and contributing writer to Rolling Stone, Harper's and others, as having concocted a majority of his pieces, Shattered Glass is a depiction of the levels to which someone will go when they are under undue amounts of familial pressure and how trust can be irreparably damaged. The sexually ambiguous Glass is even taken for gay and tells the story of finding himself on the corner of 18th and T, in Washington, D.C., with a man's tongue halfway down his throat. (B+)
----------------------------------------