Good questions, bad comments fill my e-mail

Time to hit the e-mail basket and see what Daily Herald readers want to say about the movies:

Dear Dann: Can you please enlighten me on something?

Why is it that the American distributors of the film "Atonement" decided in their wisdom for a limited release, along with "The Kite Runner"? These are two great films, both probably have major awards potential, but we in the 'burbs are being deprived of seeing them, instead we have the delights of "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Beowulf" and other assorted garbage. Who wants to trek into the big city to see them at some art-house cinema? Perhaps there is a bit of obstruction because "Atonement" is a peculiarly English film. Who knows? (And I am a Brit.)

-- Mrs. Gill Nicholson

Dear Mrs. Nicholson: To answer your question, I went right to the source: Morgan Harris, director of publicity and promotions for Allied Advertising in Chicago.

"The cost of each movie print is considerable," he said, "so the distributors want to make sure that each print attracts the most eyeballs as possible. The more successful the movie is, the better its chances of being expanded into the suburbs. These movies go 'wide' if the box office warrants it.

"If you expanded a movie like "Atonement" right away to 30 or 40 screens, you wouldn't get the word-of-mouth advertising and proper audience build you need to support all those prints. Then the movie would simply die."

Harris points out that the excellent Spanish ghost movie "The Orphanage" (one of my top 10 movies of 2007) opened at two Chicago theaters Dec. 28. Because of positive word-of-mouth, "The Orphanage" branches out today on 40 screens in the city and suburbs. "Atonement" and "The Kite Runner" have already gone wide.

So, Mrs. Nicholson, you can continue to be a Brit and watch English movies in the suburbs without reservation.

Mr. Gire: I think your movie reviewing, positively, absolutely, (fornicat)ing sucks. You seem to love every nasty, (poopy) movie and hate every movie worth watching. I don't know if you have a brain disease or if you're just trying to (urinate) people off, or if you're just naturally that much of an (anus)hole. Anyway, I think the DH should fire your stupid (derriere). I stopped getting their paper because of your (defecation)-head reviews, although the paper (inhales) anyway. Have a (dance-of-the-wild-bunnies)-up day!

-- Your Friendly Neighborhood Hate-Mailer

Dear YFNHM: If those are my only choices, I'll guess I'll cop to brain damage, the unfortunate result of dealing with too many e-mails like yours.

• The documentary "My Kid Could Paint That" will be screened at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove, through the After Hours Film Society, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the widest variety of cinema to the 'burbs. General admission costs $9 ($5 members). For details, call (630) 534-4528 or go to www.afterhoursfilmsociety.com.