In theaters:
The Guru (Universal)—You probably won't believe it, but The Guru director Daisy von Scherler Mayer is the same woman who helmed the Parker Posey breakthrough comedy Party Girl, but it's true. Sharonna (Heather Graham, who appears to be doomed to playing porn stars with soft spots) takes newly arrived-from-India Ramu Gupta (Jimi Mistry) under wing to groom him in the American ways of love and honesty, on and off-screen. Sharonna is really no expert considering that her hot, but naive, fire-fighting fiancée Rusty (Dash Mihok) doesn't have a clue about her real occupation. In the meantime, Rusty is hiding a special secret of his own. Marisa Tomei, Christine Baranski and Michael McKean are tossed in for less than comic effect. The 'gay punchline' at the end of this lame exercise was as insulting to me as the 'Indian punchlines' throughout the movie probably will be to audience members with of Indian ethnicity. D+
The Recruit (Touchstone)—Hunk-of-the-moment Colin Farrell (who plays man-loving Alexander the Great in a forthcoming big-screen bio-epic) is one of openly gay director Joel (Tigerland, Phone Booth and the upcoming Veronica Guerin) Schumacher's favorite actors, and it's easy to see why. Co-starring with Al (Cruising) Pacino, Farrell's fatherless James is taken with the CIA-scenery-chewer's tactics and joins the intelligence team, only to be abused, confused, bedded by a female recruit and betrayed. And they worry about us recruiting. C
Limited runs and special events:
@ Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, 312/744-6630: International Dinner and A Movie—Black Orpheus (Feb. 18)—South American cuisine served Taste of Cherry (Mar. 18)—Iranian cuisine served M (Apr. 15)—German cuisine served; Rififi (May 20 & 21)—French cuisine served
@ DOC Films @ U of C/Max Palevsky Cinema, 1212 E. 59th St, 773/702.8574: Queer Heroes - Before Night Falls (Feb. 6); Paris Is Burning and Benjamin Smoke (Feb. 13) Wilde (Feb. 20); Southern Comfort and My Left Breast (Feb. 27) The Man Who Drove With Mandela and Tongues Untied (Mar. 6) I'm The One That I Want (Mar.13)
@ Facets Cinematheque, 1517 W. Fullerton, 773/281-4114: MC5*A True Testimonial (Feb. 19); Dead Alive: Final (Feb. 28, Mar. 1—6)
@ Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State, 312/846-2600: Nightclubbing: Danceteria Video Lounge (Feb. 6) The Pocket (Feb. 10, 13); ABBA: The Movie (Feb. 16, 20); Drugstore Cowboy, Mala Noche + shorts—all directed by Gus Van Sant (Feb. 21) Drugstore Cowboy (Feb. 22); A Skin Too Few (Feb. 22, 23, 27); My Own Private Idaho (Feb. 23, 25); Mala Noche (Feb. 25); Gerry—new Van Sant film w/Matt Damon (Feb. 26); The Producers (Feb. 28, March 1-6); Converging With Angels (Feb. 28, March 1-3, 5) Ray Charles: The Genius Of Soul Music (March 2, 6)
On TV:
PBS (check local listings to confirm time)—In The Life: Poet Staceyann Chin hosts the February edition of In The Life, featuring 'post-riot grrrls' (such as JD Samson of Le Tigre, and others), a significant leader in the civil-rights movement (Bayard Rustin), and 'a Native American who makes art out of his AZT,' in a program focusing on 'gays and lesbians who struggle to create voices for themselves and for the movement.' Other ITL profiles include The Advocate on its 35th anniversary and openly gay NYPD Blue actor Bill Brochtrup.—Feb. 23 @ midnight
Sundance Channel highlights (check local listings for times)—Amargosa—Feb. 7, 10, 16, 19, 27; Benjamin Smoke—Feb. 7, 11, 24; The Blank Generation—Feb. 7, 11, 15, 20, 24 Downtown 81—Feb. 7, 12, 15, 20, 25; The House of Mirth—Feb. 10, 19, 22, 28 The Night Porter—Feb. 7, 12, 17, 20; Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's—Feb. 6, 10, 15, 18 Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story—Feb. 12, 15 Sweetie—Feb. 8, 13, 25; Under the Sand (aka Sous le sable)—Feb. 14 Won't Anybody Listen—Feb. 8, 14, 19, 24.
Shorts Programs: Shorts Out Loud #3 - Inside Out, Above the Dust Level and hITCH—Feb. 6.
An Early Frost (aka Gelée précoce)—Feb. 26 Taste—Feb. 14, 18, 27.