GireWire

Two free screenings of Usama Alshaibi’s documentary on Iraq will be held at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday at the Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. A naturalized American citizen from Iraq, Alshaibi shoots and narrates this video diary about his return to his native land in 2004 and finds it to be a place of bad bombs (by suicide bombers) and “nice bombs,” what his cousin calls American weapons designed to take out insurgents. “Nice Bombs” comes out on video Oct. 27. (Read more…)

Go to nicebombs.com for details.

Cost: Free

Friday, October 16 at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Portage Theater
4050 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago

More than 260 movies from 40 nations will be shown at the 26th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, cranking up next Thursday, October 22 and running through November 1 at venues throughout Chicago. Opening night is a series of shorts hosted by “Broken Hill” star Luke Arnold at the Thorne Auditorium, 375 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. (Read more…)

Go to cicff.org or call (773) 281-9075 for details.

Cost: $60.00 ($25.00 children) – Opening Night Gala
Individual screenings: $9.00 ($6.00 children)

Thursday, October 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Thorne Auditorium
375 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago

Ronnie and Dave (Malin Akerman and Chicago’s Vince Vaughn) get some romance tips from Marcel (Jean Reno) at a tropical resort in the romantic comedy “Couples Retreat.”

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Hollywood must really have it in for Buffalo Grove.

How else to explain why the Northwest suburb has been used as the setting for two inane and intelligence-abusing romantic comedies so far in 2009?

The pathetically trite and cliched “I Love You Beth Cooper,” based on Buffalo Grove High School grad Larry Doyle’s comic novel, changed the name to Buffalo Glen, which at least spared the community direct embarrassment.

Now comes “Couples Retreat,” a promising comedy that utterly squanders its opportunity to say something meaningful and truthful about marriage and commitment.

Instead, it settles for being one giant product placement for Guitar Hero video games and Applebee’s restaurants.

Although partially shot in Buffalo Grove earlier this year, “Couples Retreat” never identifies the village. However, Jon Favreau’s high school coach, Joey, wears a Buffalo Grove shirt in an early scene. (Later, Jason Bateman wears a Northwestern University shirt.)

Panachelessly directed by Peter Billingsley (yes, the guy who played little Ralphie in Bob Clark’s classic comedy “A Christmas Story”), “Couples Retreat” introduces us to four unhappy couples whom no emotionally well-adjusted person would want to spend time with, let alone pay admission to watch. (Read more…)

Back in 1987, William Dear directed an endearing family movie about a lovable abominable snowman called “Harry and the Hendersons.

Now, his newest film, an indie sports drama titled “Free Style,” represents a severely regressive work. It closely resembles an elaborate student film, complete with cast members who could have been snatched from a local community theater troupe.

“High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu plays Cale, the product of a mixed-race marriage and a broken home. He comes with the obligatory daddy-abandonment issues and a dream to become a professional motocross champion with his dirt bike.

“It’s not a game,” he asserts. “It’s my life!”

That’s just the tip of the cliché iceberg in this agonizingly familiar plot crammed with stock characters uttering well-worn phrases. It’s not clear why Dear makes all his untrustworthy characters blonde. (Read more…) Rated: PG. 94 minutes.

Now playing in local theaters.

Superhero origin movies are the rage these days (“Batman Begins,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” etc.), so why not one for super French fashion designer Coco Chanel?

Audrey Tautou, who charmed international audiences in “Amelie,” brings an emotionally weighted whimsy to Chanel as Anne Fontaine’s biopic whisks the future artist through her early days in a Catholic orphanage (futilely waiting for her father to return) and her modest beginnings as a seamstress and cabaret singer with her sister (Marie Gillain).

Chanel develops her eye for style after becoming a kept woman at the posh estate of the rich and scandalous Etienne Balsan (Benoit Poelvoorde). There, she experiments not only with the simpler, more practical designs of men’s clothing, but with a handsome British businessman (Alessandro Nivola) who comes to visit. Rated: PG-13 (sexual situations and smoking). 110 minutes. (Read more…)

Now playing at the Century Centre, the CineArts 6 in Evanston and the Renaissance Place in Highland Park.

So where’s the outrage? OK, outrage may be a little strong, but come on people. Look what’s happening.

I recently went online and called up a theatrical trailer to the new Bruce Willis thriller “Surrogates.” What did I get? A TV commercial for a car company.

The commercial came with an explanation that the “video” I requested would start after the car company plug.

My jaw dropped, as it does during moments of utter disbelief. (Read more…)

Actor Willem “The Green Goblin” Dafoe joins a parade of filmmakers attending the Chicago International Film Festival through Thursday, Oct. 22. He’s scheduled to be at a screening of his new controversial drama, Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist,” on October 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago. (Read more…)

Go to chicagofilmfestival.com for details.

Monday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m.
AMC River East 21 Theater
322 E. Illinois St.
Chicago

Actress Tia Carrère will attend screenings of her immortal comedy “Wayne’s World” on October 8 at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. at the Hollywood Palms theater, She’ll also attend screenings on October 10 at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. at the Hollywood Boulevard theater and again on October 11 at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. back at the Hollywood Palms theater. (Read more…)

Go to atriptothemovies.com for details.

Thursday, October 8 at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 11 at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Hollywood Palms Theater
352 S. Route 59
Naperville

Saturday, October 10 at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m.
Hollywood Boulevard Theater
1001 W. 75th St.
Woodridge

Tough guy Clive Owen goes moist and squishy on us in Scott Hicks’ poignant and problematic domestic drama about Down Under sports writer Joe Warr, who periodically receives child-rearing advice from the imagined spirit of his deceased wife (Laura Fraser).

Joe not only raises his 6-year-old (Nicholas McAnulty), but his imported rebel teen son (George MacKay) from a previous marriage. Joe loves his boys, but doesn’t really want to be the daddy, resulting in a home life reminiscent of “Animal House.”

“You drink too much and you live like a pig!” says Emma Booth’s available and comely single mother, who likes Joe. Rated: PG-13 (for language). 100 minutes. (Read more…)

Now playing at the Century Centre and the River East 21 in Chicago and the CineArts 6 in Evanston.

Actress Uma Thurman, who sliced her way through Quentin Tarantino’s two-volume action film “Kill Bill,” will open the 45th Chicago International Film Festival with her bittersweet comedy “Motherhood.” The actress and the film’s writer/director, Katherine Dieckmann, will be at the opening where the actress will also receive the festival’s Career Achievement Award.

Director John Woo, actors Willem Dafoe, Ben Foster and Martin Landau are also scheduled to appear at the fest, along with more than 145 movies. The Festival runs from October 8 through October 22. (Read more…)

Go to chicagofilmfestival.com for details.

Cost $150.00 (Opening night)

Thursday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m.
AMC River East 21 Theater
322 E. Illinois St.
Chicago