@ Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, 312/744-6630: International Dinner and A Movie – M (German cuisine served) – Apr. 15, Rififi (French cuisine served) – May 20 & 21
Chicago Underground Film Festival (www.cuff.org) presents The Sum Of All Fears, ‘a program of short videos that look at contemporary events and the Bush wars via unconventional lenses’ including—State of the Union by Jason Archer & Paul Beck, Now Let Us Praise American Leftists by Paul Chan, The New Patriots by Robert Richter, Souvenirs of Love by Kyle Harris, One Mile Per Minute by Bobby Abate, The Last News by Christoph Draegger and Reynold Reynolds, Voice of the Prophet by Robert Edwards, Horns and Halos (Trailer) by Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky, and Spangled by Jason Blalock. – Mar. 27
In theaters:
Boat Trip (Artisan)—It should be smooth sailing at the multiplexes for Boat Trip, an offensive and laughless comedy that joins the ranks of other insulting movies, such as The Guru and Bringing Down The House, in cinemas nationwide, so far this year. Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. has been reduced to playing down on his love-luck Jerry whose marriage proposal to Felicia (Vivica A. Fox) is rebuffed. Goofball best friend Nick (SNL’s untalented Horatio Sanz) suggests a cruise to get Jerry’s mind off of being dumped, and after insulting the male lover of a bitchy queen travel agent, the pair find themselves booked on a gay cruise, a.k.a. Guytanic. Hilarity doesn’t ensue. What does ensue are gay-bashing jokes and homophobic hokum, often at the expense of two queens, old Lloyd (Roger Moore) and Latino Hector (Maurice Godin). As you might have guessed, the hapless heteros are rescued from a homo fate by women, and they live happily, but not gaily, ever after. Man the lifeboats, this vessel is sinking faster than Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s career. (D-)
View From The Top (Miramax)—Is View From The Top the story of a small-town girl pursuing her dreams? Is it a parody of flight attendants? Is it a portrait of the competitive nature in women? Unfortunately, director Bruno Barreto doesn’t know what he wants View From The Top to be either. Occasionally, it’s a cheap-shot comedy, making fun of trailer-park culture, big-haired women, commuter airlines, easy women, Texas, and vision and hearing disabilities. Nevada-born Donna (Gwyneth Paltrow) has ideas about leaving home for a better place, as she tells us in the voiceover narration. After her boyfriend dumps her in a birthday card and she sees successful stewardess-turned-author Sally Weston (Candice Bergen) interviewed on a talk show, she pursues her dreams of escape as a flight attendant for an airline that flies drunk gamblers between Laughlin and Fresno. Along the way she meets a couple of fellow air hostesses (played by Christina Applegate and Kelly Preston), endures the rigors of major airlines training under the guidance of zany instructor John (Mike Myers), and falls in love with itinerant law school student Ted (Mark Ruffalo). Surprisingly, the gay flight attendant Randy (Joshua Malina) isn’t nearly as over the ‘top’ as some of the other characters and comes off better than the rest. View never really gets off the ground. (D+)