Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of Sony Classic Pictures "The Black Book," a Dutch war drama, was the last film screened at Doris Duke.

There's something exciting about Hollywood movies this time of year. Not only are we coming out of a summer with at least a dozen of high profile franchise sequels (several of which, like the most recent Harry Potter film, were actually pretty good), but we are rapidly approaching the Oscar season. As a result, a flood of award contenders are scheduled for box office release.

Hollywood has always been about larger-than-life stories, and the gravity of these portrayals - and the megastars which appear in them - can distract from the kind of reflection and thought developed in smaller films.

Luckily, it is not necessary to choose between these two realms of film, as Honolulu offers a variety of art house venues in addition to the standard-fare multiplexes. Consider the Doris Duke Theatre, the Honolulu Academy of Art's performance and film theater inconspicuously located at their rear entrance.

Doris Duke Theatre recently finished a one-week presentation of "Vitus," a Swiss film about a child piano prodigy directed by Fredi Murer. Fans of Wes Anderson will notice similarities between the precocious "Vitus" and Max Fischer of "Rushmore": both are extraordinary kids who spend most of the film confronting the universally ordinary plights of childhood and early adulthood. However, unlike "Rushmore," Murer's film is distinctly less cynical, and "Vitus" is a warm and optimistic story about a family's dedication through both success and failure.

The themes explored in "Vitus" - the pressure to be great, parents' expectations for their children, teenage angst - are neither new nor profound. However, the film devotes ample time to develop such themes without the forcing unwarranted conclusions. Such an approach is rarely feasible in Hollywood movies, which are expected to move quickly and resolve fully. As such, "Vitus" is an example of what art house films can offer that standard Hollywood cannot. Keep it in mind next time you head out for a movie.

The Doris Duke Theatre:

Located at 900 S. Beretania St. at the Honolulu Academy of Art (Entrance faces Kīna‘u Street)

NEXT EVENT: The fourth annual Hawai‘i Italian Film Festival, Sept. 27 to Oct. 2

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