Second Chance Cinema Roundup

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 17, 2009 4:20PM

Every great movie eventually leads to two responses: "Gee, I really ought to see that," and "Gee, I really ought to see that again." The summer is winding down, so seize the moment:

• The Chicago Outdoor Film Festival concludes its season with two American classics at opposite ends of the spectrum. John Ford's Young Mr. Lincoln (August 18) features Henry Fonda as an uncanny facsimile of our 16th president, while Sydney Pollack's Tootsie (August 25) features Dustin Hoffman as an uncanny facsimile of a woman. One thing they both movies have in common is being ripped off endlessly over the years. See: Stone, Oliver; Williams, Robin. Both films begin around dusk in Grant Park's Butler Field.
• Tonight, Wednesday and Thursday the Vic presents an inspired double feature: Brüno followed by Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Could there be a better pairing for the Brew & View? We thought Brüno was a bit uneven, too contrived to feel "real" while too shapeless to be have maximum effect as satire. But who are we kidding? The scene with the psychic is comic genius. And really, it's $5 for two movies, so why split hairs? The first feature starts at 7:30, but episodes of Da Ali G Show will be shown when the doors open at 6.
• Jamaican cinema is, frankly, unexplored territory for us, which is why we're so excited about Bottom Lounge's new screening series. Through September 9, every Wednesday night at 10 a different flick from the island gets shown on the Volcano Room's big screen. This week it's Rockers, a 1977 film revered for its all-star soundtrack. There's no cover and popcorn is free. And, yes, they have Red Stripe.
• The Queer Film Society, who we told you about awhile back, kicks off their new screening series next Monday, August 24. “Queer Cinema 102 - Offbeat Camp” is a five film series being co-presented with the Center on Halsted. As you can probably guess the program highlights lesser-known camp classics, beginning with The Ritz, starring Rita Moreno in the film version of Terrence McNally's Tony-winning play. The show begins at 7:00 with a suggested donation of $5 at the door. Check out the QFS website for more details.
• It's down the road apiece but thinking ahead never hurt: on September 23 The Wizard of Oz will be shown in HD at several area theatres celebrating the movie's 70th anniversary. If you've yet to see it on a big screen, you'll be surprised what details you might have missed (ever notice Toto's kennel?) Tickets are around $10 depending on the location, and the show will include a special introduction by Robert Osborne, TCM host and one of our top tier cine-crushes.