Aug. 7, 2002
	Movie Maven by Gregg Shapiro The Reeling 2002: The Chicago Lesbian and Gay Film Festival closes Thursday, Aug. 8 with Margaret Cho's Notorious C.H.O. Call (312) 458-9117 or consult the Web site: www.chicagofilmmakers.org. Lili Taylor appears in two films being shown at Reeling 2002. The first is Gaudi Afternoon (which was shown on 7.26), an adaptation of a novel by lesbian mystery writer Barbara Wilson, in which her beloved crime-solving character Cassandra (Judy Davis) is hired by the exotic Frankie (Marcia Gay Harden in a role that will surprise you) to locate her missing husband. Julie Johnson features Taylor in the title role as a New Jersey housewife and mother of two who wants more from life. After she kicks her husband out of the house and pursues her dream of an education, her best friend Claire (Courtney Love giving a notable performance) moves in with her, and the two women begin a romantic relationship that neither had anticipated. While the subject matter may not be a new one, the performances by both Taylor and Love are new career highs. (Julie Johnson &endash; 8.8, 7 and 9 PM @ 3 Penny Cinema) Limited runs: @ Gene Siskel Film Center (312-846-2800): Black Harvest International Film and Video Festival: Films of queer interest include Kali's Vibe and That's My Face (reviewed below), Best of Both Worlds, Hughes' Dream Harlem, and the short film The Taste of Dirt (directed by Yvonne Welbon). Kali's Vibe: Kali (Lizzy Cooper Davis), an NYC social worker wants to be in a long-term, monogamous relationship. Her lover of three years, Crystal (Phalana Tiller), is a "poet" on the circuit with a wandering eye. When Kali discovers that Crystal has been unfaithful, she kicks her out of the flat they share. Kali goes on with her life, teaching yoga, dating, and seeking advice from friends in committed relationships and co-workers. When a male temp begins to show interest, Kali goes out with him and a sexual relationship begins. However, when Crystal calls, Kali goes running back. Director Shari L. Carpenter's feature-length directorial debut illustrates the fluidity of female sexuality within an African-American context and is both humorous and hot. (8.8, 8:30 pm and 8.10, 5:30 pm) That's My Face: Gay African-American filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris captures his personal journey of identity and spirituality on film in this cinematic journey of self-discovery. Harris, who grew up in the Bronx, got his love of photography and making movies from his grandfather, a man who had a dream of going to Africa, the "mythic homeland." As a child, Harris lived briefly in Tanzania with his mother, while she worked in Africa, and then returned to the U.S. in 1976. As an adult, on a "one-way track to medical school," Harris took a detour and went to Brazil, to "find what he was looking for," which, among other things, included the "African face of Brazil."  The Films of William Wyler: These Three: "Lillian Hellman's Broadway smash about a girls' school devastated by rumors of lesbianism was too hot for Hollywood in 1936, but this heterosexualized adaptation (scripted by Hellman) remains a powerful drama of the destructive power of innuendo and conformity. These Three marked Wyler's first collaborations with strong-willed producer Samuel Goldwyn and innovative cinematographer Gregg Toland. Wyler's 1961 remake, The Children's Hour, plays on Aug. 31 and Sept. 3. Newly struck 35mm print, with Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon." (8.10 & 15) The Little Foxes (8.17 & 19) The Letter (8.17 & 20) Wuthering Heights (8.18 & 22) The Heiress (8.23 & 26) Funny Girl (8.31, 9.2, 9.4) The Children's Hour (8.31 and 9.3) Landmark After Dark midnight movie series hosted by Dick O'Day (2828 N Clark Street, 773/248-7744): Elvira's Haunted Hills (Chicago Premier) 8.10; Flesh Gordon-Director's Cut 8.17; Short Circuit 8.24; Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains 8.31; Female Trouble 9.7; Strait Jacket 9.14.   In Theaters: Signs (Touchstone/Blinding Edge): Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), a widowed corn farmer and disillusioned former reverend, wakes up one morning to find his young children Morgan (Rory Culkin) and Bo (Abigail Breslin) standing on the periphery of a crop circle on his land in Bucks County, PA. Graham, and his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), a former minor league baseball hero who has moved in with Graham and the children following the loss of Graham's wife Caroline (Patricia Kalember), do their best to calm the kids. Soon they realize that the crop circles are not a prank, and the innocent, yet sensitive, children are the ones helping the adults cope with what is, in fact, an alien invasion. The whole cast, including the often one-note Gibson, is exceptional. Phoenix gives his broadest performance yet, and both children are marvelous. Tony Award-winning lesbian actress Cherry Jones, who plays police officer Caroline Paski, makes the most of her small role. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan has made another horror film with a human face, and he does so with considerably more humor than in the past. Be aware that the sci-fi aspect of the movie is secondary to the story of a man questioning and wrestling with his faith, giving the "signs" of the movie's title more than one meaning. Rating: 7.5/10
		Reeling 2002 Screening Schedule LANDMARK THEATRE 2828 N. Clark Street Wednesday, August 7 7 pm Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House 9 pm Ordinary Sinner Thursday, August 8 7 pm Metrosexuality, 4-6 8:30 pm Notorious C.H.O.   THE THREE PENNY 2424 N. Lincoln Avenue Wednesday, August 7 7 pm Gypsy 83 9 pm Mars Canon Thursday, August 8 7&9 Julie Johnson
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