Friday’s Flicks

Eight new films open this week, and all are worth checking out. Yes, I’m even willing to grant that the mind-fucking twists and brutal turns of Saw III might be a nice Halloween diversion.

Speaking of F-bombs, a new documentary (see interview here and review below) that traces the origins/evolution of the word “fuck” opens for a brief run at UC’s Main Street Cinema (6 p.m. Saturday, 8 p.m. Oct. 31, 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1, 6 p.m. Nov. 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 3). In addition to its second-run mainstream offerings (Talladega Nights and World Trade Center this week), the space has been home to some intriguing titles over the past several months, including Park Chanwook’s Lady Vengeance and Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble. And there’s more on the horizon: Zatoichi, Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano’s 19th-century sword-fighting adventure, opens in mid-November.

Opening films (click on grade to read review):

Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker: Not screened for review

Catch a Fire: B+

Fuck: B-

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles: B

Running With Scissors: B

Saw III: Not screened for review

Shortbus: A

The U.S. vs. John Lennon: B-

Flick of the Week: Shortbus

Yes, despite my prediction to the contrary in last month’s Toronto Film Festival coverage, Shortbus opens in Cincinnati this week, and at the Esquire Theatre no less.

(Still in the dark as to why this turn of events might raise some eyebrows? Check out our cover story, in which I talk to Shortbus filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell and two of his actresses about the film’s unique journey to the big screen.)

I recently exchanged e-mails with Mitchell who says he’s encouraged (and slightly disappointed) that there’s been seemingly no opposition to his sexually-liberated film.

What’s next, a Democrat actually winning an election?

— Jason Gargano

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