For Your Consideration - Odd Couple Edition

For Your Consideration is a weekly round-up of upcoming indie limited releases. The idea is to either expose you to or remind you of films that can't afford to plaster their posters on the sides of buildings or accompany your Happy Meal in toy form.

This week's FYC is all about odd couples. It provides a perfect study in the extremes of limited releases, (500) Days of Summer is the polished, well-funded studio 'indie darling' that is simply using a limited release to build buzz before it blossoms across the country, while Tony Manero is an example of the niche-y 'art house' foreign film that barely received distribution and is now being sent to wither and disappear on a handful of small screens. And, for the sake of brevity, here is a dismissive summary of every thing else opening in limited release this week: More Indie WWII Dramas.

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

What: The first feature film from prolific music video director Marc Webb, (500) Days of Summer is a post-modern story of love and rejection. The non-linear tale follows hopelessly romantic copywriter Tom as he combs over the last 500 days of his relationship with Summer, a free-spirit that doesn't believe in true love, trying to figure out what went wrong. These reflections to the highest highs and lowest lows helps Tom not only learn more about his relationship, but - wait for it - the nature of love and life in general.

Where: NY - AMC Lincoln Square, Regal Union Square, AMC Empire 25, Clearview 1st & 62nd ; LA - The Landmark, AMC Century City 15, Pacific's Stadium 14 at the Grove, Arclight Hollywood

Why: Because, damnit, hipsters deserve romantic comedies, too! But seriously, (500) Days of Summer is worth seeing because it's been a long time since romantic comedies actually tried to be any more than formulaic fluff and tackle anything resembling deep emotions or complex issues, and while, by all accounts, (500) Days of Summer isn't exactly a thought-provoking cinema, it is one of the few films to actual tackle the growing phenomenon of the quarterlife crisis. It's well worth seeing for its endlessly charming cast and, if the trailer is any indication, the arrival of a new director to watch.

TONY MANERO

What: The second feature film from Chilean director Pablo Larrain, Tony Manero is a portrait of a man obsessed. When Raul, a small-town dancer enamored with John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever performance, sees a chance at super-stardom when a television station announces a Tony Manero impersonation contest, he single-mindedly pursues the goal of winning, regardless of what might stand in his way.

Where: NY - Cinema Village 12th Street ; LA - Laemmle Music Hall 3

Why: Chilean director Pablo Larrain returns with another study on the effects of obession. Chile's official submission for the 81st Academy Award's Foreign Language Category and part of Cannes 2008 Director's Fortnight, Tony Manero is a small, explosive tale about escapism in a totalitarian society. It's a rare opportunity to see an oft-forgotten piece of South American history viewed as the all consuming background of one man's quest to be famous. All that aside, just watch the trailer below and tell me you don't want to live in the world of Tony Manero for 90 minutes.

Everything Else

DEATH IN LOVE


A WOMAN IN BERLIN