Reeling through the weekend

Yeah, you can reel through the weekend with a fifth of vodka, but we had something else in mind in our headline: We've got a few suggestions about the Reeling LGBT Film Fest.

TONIGHT!

Each year, a few Reeling films are able to transcend the gender divide. While women will love Butch Jamie, a lesbian comedy about a dyke wannabe actress who dresses as a man to land a role in an indie film, there's plenty of pointed movie industry satire and smart dialogue to make the boys chuckle. It's playing at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema (2828 N. Clark St) at 7pm.

Also tonight, at the Film Row Cinema at Columbia College (1104 S Wabash, 8th floor), Blueprint is one of many films that examine same gender-loving relationship among people of color. Although this experimental entry was a bit wandering for our tastes, it's encouraging to see so many queer African-Americans stepping into the role of director. Plus, we're expecting the after-party on this one to be hot.

SATURDAY

We were anticipating The Houseboy to sate our appetite for gratuitous shots of humpy boys in a perpetual state of undress. While the mission was accomplished, this compelling film about an insecure boy toy who conspires to turn as many tricks as possible before committing suicide on Christmas Eve serves as a cautionary tale about the sublimation of intimacy through random sex. Check it out at Landmark at 9:45pm.

We'd skip A Four Letter Word, even though Reeling is pushing it as a feature presentation. It's from Slutty Summer writer/director Casper Andreas. The man candy is undeniably pretty, butit's just not very well made or acted.

SUNDAY

We were impressed by Socket, a film that deals with addiction through a sly metaphor: people getting off on electrical charges. Check it out at the Landmark at 9:45pm. On a more serious note, we suggest the program of shorts called No Homos in Iran, which runs at 5:15pm at Chicago Filmmakers (5243 N. Clark St.). Fest director Brenda Webb has been praising this year's short film offerings to anyone who'll listen, and we think she's right (Come back next week for other short program recommendations). This is a solid program on sexuality in Iran.

With additional contributions from TOC's Gay & Lesbian editor Jason Heidemann