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Reel life: Oscars and valentines at screenings

<b>Film critics notebook:</b>

● The After Hours Film Society presents Swedish filmmaker Ruben Ostlund's "Force Majeure," an examination of marriage set against the majestic peaks of the Les Arcs ski resort in the French Alps. It starts at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, at the Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Admission costs $10 ($6 members). Go to afterhoursfilmsociety.com.

● WGN personality and Chicago Film Critics Association member Nick Digilio presents the 1989 black comedy "The War of the Roses" as his Valentine's Day movie for his monthly fan club. It starts at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Muvico Rosemont 18 Theaters. Admission $10, but free parking. muvico.com.

● Join me and film historian Raymond Benson for our annual Academy Awards Preview at Dann & Raymond's Movie Club, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights. Clips from last year's best movies (and overrated ones, too). Free admission! ahml.info.

● Speaking of the Oscars, you can catch the nominees for Best Documentary Shorts starting this weekend at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Go to musicboxtheatre.com.

<b>Critic's mailbag</b>

Dear Dann: I agree that Steve James's great documentary on the life of Roger Ebert should have been nominated for an Academy Award. But I am puzzled as to why the film contained no mention of Roger's long association with fellow critic Richard Roeper. Seems like a peculiar omission. - Ted Balcom, Arlington Heights.

Dear Ted: I, too, thought Roeper should have been included in the film, and that some of New York critic A.O. Scott's clips could have been sacrificed to make room. Also, I thought Ebert's conversion from Catholic to agnostic should have been addressed in the latter part of James' doc, just because a discussion of an afterlife would have been appropriate, given the circumstances. We both agree "Life Itself" should have been nominated.

<b>Aurora filmmaker</b>

Victor Hawks grew up in Aurora and graduated from the Marmion Military Academy. He's now the writer and producer of a new Christian-based movie, "Pass the Light," opening Friday, Feb. 6, at the Hollywood Palms Cinema in Naperville.

The story concerns an optimistic 17-year-old Christian high school student who decides to run for Congress against a divisive political candidate espousing a campaign of hate, intolerance and exclusion.

I caught up with Hawks by phone last week.

DG: Your movie seems to run contrary to a great many Christian message movies that take up firm and fast rules.

VH: We wanted to do something more challenging to the Christian audience rather than just preaching to the choir. But we wanted to challenge in a gentle way. Are we acting the way Jesus would have acted? This is not about changing beliefs. It's about how we communicate.

DG: Your main character, Steve, is prompted to enter the political race after hearing the other candidate advocate the exile of homosexuals and so-called "sexual deviants."

VH: Me, personally, being in New York and coming up through the theater scene, I have many homosexual friends. They're the greatest people. Kind, compassionate, caring people. So we (Hawks and director Malcolm Goodwin) took a different stance based on our experiences.

God made millions and millions and millions of gay people. Not five. Millions over centuries, since the Byzantine Empire. We went out of our way to make this point, because it's relevant. A major issue in the church today is how do we deal with homosexuals?

This (movie) is our take on the matter. It became a project about love and acceptance and the other things that we hope we have more of in our society.

DG: What draws you to the performing arts?

VH: There's something about being able to use your talent, your voice to move people, to change people in a way. It was kind of amazing to me. I just love it. I love to make people laugh and that carries over to my writing. I love creating worlds and creating characters.

DG: How did you discover the performing arts?

VH: My mom was an early influence. She was a drama teacher and she sort of spun me to it. I had no other choice!

Note 1: Both Hawks and director Malcolm Goodwin will be at Hollywood Palms in person this weekend to introduce their movie and answer questions. Go to hollywoodpalmscinema.com.

Note 2: The filmmaker's parents, Richard and Arlene Hawks, still live in Aurora where they actively support the Paramount Theater, and he serves on the board at Aurora University.

<i> Dann Gire's Reel Life column runs Fridays in Time out!</i>

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