Movies

The Broken Hearts Club

Written and directed by Dawson's Creek producer Greg Berlanti, The Broken Hearts Club was a hit at Sundance before it was temporarily retitled The Broken Hearts League, as Sony Pictures' heavy hand scrounged around for a potential target audience. (The guys meet regularly for softball, hence Sony's attempt to play up the sports angle.) Looking for The Big Chill and Diner associations, Sony attempted to position The Broken Hearts Club as a "slice-of-life comedy with a twist-the guys are gay." Kudos to Sony for restoring the original title prior to release. • Dennis (Timothy Olyphant from Go and A Life Less Ordinary) is a 28-year-old West Hollywood photographer wondering what life might be like outside his family. His family is-Benji (Zach Braff), Cole (Superman's Dean Cain), Howie (Matt McGrath), Kevin (Andrew Keegan of Party of Five), Anne (Mary McCormack), Leslie (Nia Long of If These Walls Could Talk II) and Jack (John Mahoney of Frasier). • In concert with Berlanti's attempt to tell a story about universal values-love, family, relationships-the producers landed a cast of gay as well as straight actors. Dean Cain confessed to having to explain his kissing scenes to his mom before he let her see the movie. Olyphant loved the script and jumped at the chance to play Dennis. • The Broken Hearts Club explores the lines and issues that change friendship to family and takes a look (through Dennis' eyes) at the individual as a member of a group and explores what it takes to exist apart from that group. And it does it all with humor and fun. • The Broken Hearts Club is scheduled to open in November at Angelika Theatre and Landmark's Greenway Theatre. -John Stiles

What's Cooking?

An English woman, born in Africa of Indian descent, writes and directs a story of four families (African-American, Jewish, Latino, and Vietnamese) celebrating Thanksgiving in Los Angeles. Could we get any busier? How about we throw in some space aliens to liven things up? • Alfre Woodard plays the African-American mother, Mercedes Ruehl is the Latina mother, and Joan Chen is the Vietnamese. The Jewish family consists of mom (Lainie Kazan), daughter Rachel (Kyra Sedgwick), and Rachel's lover Carla (Julianna Margulies). • If writer-director's Gurnder Chadha's award-winning race-sex comedy Bhaji on the Beach is any guide, What's Cooking should be funny and frantic. • Following on such recent hits as Like Water for Chocolate, Big Night, and Woman on Top, What's Cooking features food preparation and consumption as well as some interesting twists on the traditional-but-tired Thanksgiving turkey. • What's Cooking? is scheduled to open November 17 at Landmark's Greenway Theatre.-JS

Love Reinvented

In the early 1990s, the French government commissioned a screenwriting competition to promote AIDS awareness. Of the several thousand scripts submitted, approximately 30 were made; however, hardly any involved gay characters. • In response, the Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Films, an activist organization, organized its own competition, also financed by the French government.The resulting 10 films were released as a compilation entitled L'amour est à réinventer (Love Reinvented). Hugely popular upon its release, the compilation has played theatrically for over a year. • In observance of Day Without Art, the Rice Media Center and the Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center are presenting the Houston premiere of Love Reinvented. Additionally, the Media Center will also present the premiere of Didier le Pêcheur's provocative Don't Let Me Die on a Sunday. An official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival, le Pêcheur's riveting second feature portrays a world where the aftermath of AIDS has destroyed intimacy and committment. • Love Reinvented and Don't Let Me Die on a Sunday run Friday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Rice Media Center. For more information, please call the film information line at 713/348-4853, or visit www.rice.edu/~cinema. -Kristian Salinas