THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

@ Women In The Director's Chair, 941 W. Lawrence , 773-907-0610 or www, widc. org: The 22nd Annual Women In The Director's Chair International Film & Video Festival—'The world's largest, oldest and most diverse showcase of films and videos by women directors' features a multitude of titles, of varying lengths, of interest to the LGBT and women's communities, by such diverse filmmakers as Su Friedrich, Yvonne Welbon, and Elisabeth Subrin. The well-attended, long-running festival features premieres of feature films, the Chicago debuts of international works and video productions at a variety of venues including the WIDC Theater (941 W. Lawrence), LaSalle Theater (4901 W. Irving Park Rd), Charles A Hayes Family Investment Center (4859 S. Wabash) and Columbus Drive Auditorium (280 S. Columbus).

Sunday, March 23rd. The Edge of Each Other's Battles: The Vision of Audre Lorde is Jennifer Abod's radical portrait of the late Audre Lorde focuses on a controversial conference honoring the poet and activist. While the appropriately titled Hand On The Pulse, Joyce Warshow's loving and generous documentary about writer, educator and lesbian/feminist activist Joan Nestle, is an honest portrait of and tribute to an important figure in world of contemporary women's history.

@ Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, 312/744-6630: International Dinner and A Movie - Taste of Cherry (Iranian cuisine served) - Mar. 18; M (German cuisine served) - Apr. 15; Rififi (French cuisine served) - May 20 & 21.

@ DOC Films @ U of C/Max Palevsky Cinema, 1212 E. 59th St, 773/702.8574: Queer Heroes - I'm The One That I Want - March 13.

In theaters -

Bringing Down The House (Touchstone): I didn't think it was possible, but openly gay director Adam Shankman's new movie is actually worse than his previous two. That's a hard track record to beat, considering that the two movies are the insipid Jennifer Lopez vehicle The Wedding Planner and the Christian morality tale A Walk To Remember with Mandy Moore. Sorely lacking in laughs, this pseudo-comedy begins with a legal chatroom conversation between divorced dad Peter (Steve Martin), screen-name Legaleagle, and single and available Charlene (Queen Latifah), screen-name Lawyer-girl. After a face-to-face meeting is arranged, Peter discovers that Charlene, an escaped convict on the lam, isn't who he thought she is, which leads to some of the most degrading and unpleasant racial humor I've seen onscreen since The Guru. Everyone gets into the act, including Peter's racist neighbor Mrs. Kline (Betty White), his racist heiress client Mrs. Arness (Joan Plowright), his hateful ex-sister-in-law Ashley (Missi Pyle) and his horny fellow attorney Howie (Eugene Levy), to name a few. There are even a couple of anti-gay slurs, including one uttered by Mrs. Kline to Peter's young son Georgey, who tells the kid that his haircut makes him look like a faggot. Bringing Down The House barely raises the roof. (D-)

On TV:

Sundance Channel highlights (check local listings for times) - Anatomy of a Scene: Prozac Nation - Erik Skjoldbjaerg's film version of the Elizabeth Wurtzel memoir stars Christina Ricci, Jessica Lange, Jason Biggs and Anne 'Just Visiting This Planet' Heche - Mar. 20 & 22