Intermission: Oscar nominations bring two films to theaters here

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"Boys Don't Cry"|ret||ret||tab|

Directed by: Kimberly Peirce|ret||ret||tab|

Starring: Hillary Swank, Chloe Sevigny|ret||ret||tab|

Rated: R|ret||ret||tab|

"Sweet and Lowdown"|ret||ret||tab|

Directed by: Woody Allen|ret||ret||tab|

Starring: Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman|ret||ret||tab|

Rated: PG-13|ret||ret||tab|

Several weeks back I made the prediction that, after the Oscar nominations were announced, films that had yet to be seen in Springfield would be popping up, bolstered by their Oscar notice. Of course at the time I was making reference to Steven Soderberg's great film "The Limey." Not only has "The Limey" failed to see wide release, it didn't garner any of the nominations it so richly deserves. |ret||ret||tab|

The good news is that two other nominated, and critically acclaimed, films have made it to town and are well worth a look.|ret||ret||tab|

First is the sobering true story of gender-confused young Brandon Teena, born a girl named Teena Brandon. |ret||ret||tab|

Hillary Swank, of "Beverly Hills, 90210" fame, plays the lead role in Kimberly Peirce's directorial debut, "Boys Don't Cry." There is also a 1999 documentary that tells this sad tale, but it's this theatrical version that made the rounds to great notice on the festival circuit and is now getting wider release. |ret||ret||tab|

When Teena Brandon moves from Lincoln, Neb., to the small town of Falls City, she uses the fact that no one knows her there to accomplish a gender switch. She becomes Brandon Teena and lives her life as a young man. Brandon falls in with a rather rough crowd but attracts the attention of a lot of the young women. |ret||ret||tab|

"He really knew how to treat a woman," one young woman asserts in the documentary film. |ret||ret||tab|

He falls in love with the beautiful Lana, played by Chloe Sevigny. As their affair deepens, it becomes apparent that Lana can't possibly not know Brandon's secret, but maybe she doesn't really care. For the first time in her life, Lana has a lover who treats her with respect and kindness. |ret||ret||tab|

The local toughs with whom Brandon has been running begin to suspect something is amiss, too, and they don't take it as well as Lana. As the film draws toward its devastating conclusion, the psychological and sexual tension makes for many uneasy moments. "Boys Don't Cry" is depressing, but in the manner of movies such as "In Cold Blood," and "Badlands," it's a well executed, deeply affecting piece of filmmaking.|ret||ret||tab|

On a lighter note is Woody Allen's latest effort, "Sweet and Lowdown." For those who complain that Allen tends to make the same movie, with the same New York City milieu, again and again, here's something decidedly different.|ret||ret||tab|

"Sweet and Lowdown" takes place in the 1930s and follows the career and exploits of a jazz guitarist, Emmet Ray, played with droll subtlety by Sean Penn. Ray is the second best guitarist in the world, outdone only by "that Gypsy over in Europe," Django Reinhardt. |ret||ret||tab|

While the character is purely fictional, it's easy to forget as Allen intercuts the film with interviews of various jazz historians (and Allen himself) recounting stories they've heard about Emmet Ray.|ret||ret||tab|

Ray is full of swagger and braggadocio, but he's also somewhat insecure and vulnerable.|ret||ret||tab|

On the surface he resents Reinhardt and his talent, but he so worships the guitarist that when he finally meets him, he faints dead away. Like many musical geniuses before and since, Ray struggles with several vices. He drinks, spends too much money and goes through a seemingly endless succession of women. |ret||ret||tab|

Then he meets Hattie. She's a simple girl, a laundress, with a trait that seems to be a perfect match for Ray: She's mute.|ret||ret||tab|

Emmet tells Hattie that women are OK but that they should stay in their place. Smiling sweetly, she begins to be the guitarist's constant companion. Samantha Morton is brilliant as Hattie and gives a beautiful performance without uttering a sound. She's a cross between a silent-film femme fatale and the sweet innocence of Harpo Marx.|ret||ret||tab|

Theirs is a rocky romance, and Ray soon abandons Hattie and marries a jabbering socialite named Blanche, played by Uma Thurman. Needless to say, Ray, whose first love is the music he plays so beautifully, is not long for any relationship.|ret||ret||tab|

This is a very different movie for Woody Allen, but his fans will surely remember he himself has a great love of jazz music, so it's really no surprise he's made this film. The music is a main character here, more so than in any other Allen film. |ret||ret||tab|

So, two little films have shown up here because Oscar gave them a nod. There's a long list of other critically acclaimed films from 1999 that I hope will come our way as well, including "The Limey," "Tumbleweeds," "All About My Mother," "Mansfield Park" and "Topsy Turvy." |ret||ret||tab|

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.)[[In-content Ad]]