Real to reel

Local observations from a movie, music buff

Fall films have arrived

Six dynamite movies currently play in theaters, marking the end of summer and its bloated, popcorn blockbusters

By Dan Ochwat

That seasonal swing from the summer blockbuster to the more serious films of the fall has come early, as the month of August has introduced absolute arthouse gems that should stick around in theaters long enough to carry you into the fall (a season home to the International Chicago Film Festival in October and the studio releases tagged as “Oscar hopefuls”).

Until then, I have six standout movies to see:

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Elegy”

Have you ever played that conversation starter where your significant other grants you a free pass to sleep with five celebrities, if in fact they’d miraculously sleep with you? (Anyone who has met my wife has played this, many times against their will and with an arm wrenched behind their back.)

For me, and willfully, Penelope Cruz ranks No. 1 every time. So I am smitten, but damn if she isn’t one of the top actresses today, and the proof is in her two current films, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Elegy.” In Woody Allen’s “Barcelona,” she plays a mental muse —o ne minute she’s inspiring art from her lover, the next minute she’s trying to kill that lover (both sexes). Cruz creates a character who is too passionate for her own safety, a ferocious being that oddly creates some laughs but also some sadness.

The movie is one of Allen’s best and another entry from his European period (“Match Point,” “Cassandra’s Dream”). The film is a modern, playful spin on Francois Truffaut’s classic “Jules and Jim” and stars Scarlett Johansson (Cristina) and Rebecca Hall (Vicky) as two friends on a trip to Barcelona. There, they meet a to-the-point, brooding painter named Juan Antonio who — in one pivotal scene — interrupts their dinner and offers up a menage a trois proposal (it helps to be played by Javier Bardem).

The scene is one of Allen’s most brilliant, a clinic of witty, knifing dialogue that carries a ridiculous setup into a plausible and fun little mind game. On one end, you have the conservative, engaged Vicky. On the other, you have a free-spirited, single Cristina, and the two verbally joust and debate this sexual gesture while 6-feet of Latin, sexy confidence eyes them tableside and occasionally defends himself.

What makes the scene fun is we sit in our plush seats and quietly judge and choose a side: Are you with Cristina or Vicky? Truthfully, we all probably fall in between these two extremes, but from this point on, you are involved with these three characters. The film rollicks onward into a classic Woody, sexual relationship drama, backed by a gorgeous European setting and played by actors who, thankfully, never perform a Woody impression. It’s a wonderful trip — an excellent movie, despite the narrator. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is playing at Pipers Alley and at River East 21.

As for “Elegy,” based on the Philip Roth novel, “The Dying Animal,” Cruz plays a character who is the exact opposite of her role in “Barcelona.” She plays Consuela, a classy, quiet, throwback beauty with wide eyes and bangs, a student and open sexual canvas for her professor and love interest (played by Ben Kingsley) to ravish and devour. It’s a great turn on an old, dramatic tale of a student-teacher love affair, but here, the famous writer and experienced lover becomes the jealous, immature partner as opposed to the young, inexperienced girl. And it’s a real relationship; Consuela’s no “Lolita.” Dr. Kepesh (Kingsley) is the one who fears the commitment, which leads to a beautiful scene — a relationship’s eulogy by answering machine. I also want to commend the risky casting. The age difference between the actors and the unique look of both really does create quite a stirring picture on screen. “Elegy” is playing at Landmark’s Century Centre and River East 21.

“In Search of a Midnight Kiss”

Far from the elegance of “Elegy” comes a romantic tale spawned out of desperation and the cruddy streets of Los Angeles — “In Search of a Midnight Kiss.” The low-budget, black-and-white film is in the spirit of Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” and Jon Favreau’s “Swingers.” A lovesick, out-of-work screenwriter (Wilson, played by recognizable TV commercial actor Scoot McNairy) turns to Craig’s List to find a date for New Year’s Eve. He meets and walks the low-rent streets of L.A. with Vivian (Sara Simonds), an out-of-work actress and a pretty bitchy chick. The conversation between the two makes you laugh and seems sincere; they’re two people worth chasing around town. By no means are they the intellects of “Before Sunrise,” so the romance isn’t as heady or involved, but the raw quality of the movie works. And what really carries the movie beyond an independent love story is the excellent photography — it really holds the whole thing together. “In Search of a Midnight Kiss” is playing at Landmark’s Century Centre.

“Tell No One,” “Man on Wire,” “Frozen River”

Three varied films of suspense and three very good films are “Tell No One,” “Frozen River” and “Man on Wire.” All three are playing at Landmark’s Century Centre.

First up is the French film “Tell No One,” a must see for fans of whodunit mysteries and wrongfully accused heroes fighting for the truth, a la “The Fugitive.” Doctors, equestrians and gangsters embroil in a helluva ride. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I want to offer up one more nugget of intrigue: You will see no other movie with odder song choices, ever, and miraculously they work. This is flat out one of the better movies of the year. If you miss it, it’s on DVD on 1/27.

A bad idea can hold you in suspense. “Frozen River” follows a mother with her back against the ropes: She’s broke, her husband gambled away money for the new doublewide, her kids expect Christmas gifts and one keeps messing with a blow torch. In all seriousness, this Sundance-winning movie is sad, and it really gets sad when the mother begins smuggling illegals over a frozen lake that could break at any moment. Two levels of suspense: a frozen lake, avoiding arrest for smuggling illegals. “Frozen River” is a tragic and pretty riveting train wreck. No word when it will be on DVD.

The documentary “Man on Wire” follows one man’s idiotic quest to walk a wire between the Twin Towers. Apparently, Philippe Petit actually achieved this in 1974, and the documentary wonderfully constructs the movie as an espionage film, walking its own line treating the wire walker and his band of merrymen like terrorists breaking into the Twin Towers. It’s filmed with a sense of suspense that holds your attention, because, frankly, I think the dude’s nuts and don’t see the beauty in wire walking. It’s on DVD 12/9.

Live in Concert
This month is the Hideout Block Party, 9/20 and 9/21, with notable performances by Neko Case, solo, on 9/20 but with The New Pornographers on 9/21. The first day also touts known rockers Black Mountain. The final day brings heavier hitters with a DJ set by Britain’s Hercules and Love Affair, electro outfit Ratatat, rapper Rhymefest and folkie Robbie Fulks.

Other good shows include: The Walkmen, whose latest album is their best yet, at the Metro on 9/12. Popular dance rock band Cut Copy plays with another groove machine in The Presets at the Metro on 9/17. A solid double bill with the wonderfully violent A Place to Bury Strangers and Sian Alice Group visit the Empty Bottle on 9/21.

On 9/24, the indecipherable Sigur Ros play the Chicago Theatre; the same night beautifully poppy Stars play the Vic. Experimental legends My Bloody Valentine play the Aragon on 9/27, and Hot Chip plays two shows on 9/28-29 at the Metro.

A rare performance by Sunset Rubdown visits the Empty Bottle on 10/4, and the Bottom Lounge hosts folk rock band The Dodos on 10/8. Finally, on 10/9, Broken Social Scene team up with vastly underrated Land of Talk at the Vic Theater.

Send me a note at danochwat@hotmail.com or reach out to me on MySpace or Facebook.

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