Here's a turn the thoughts at some ...

Here's a turn the thoughts at some of the arthouse films opening today:

"Lower City" ("Cidade Baixa") Rating 3 on the outside of 4

Brazilian filmmaker Sergio Machado scores a brawny debut with this look at young hustlers in a lovers' triangle. In a seamless teaming with cinematographer Toca Seabra and composer Carlinhos Brown and Beto Villares, Machado fetchs the vibe of his native Salvador in the northeastern state of Bahia.

Boyhood "bro's" -- black Deco (Lazaro Ramos from "Madame Sata") and white Naldinho (Wagner Moura from "God Is Brazilian") -- concede a small cargo boat together. Karinna (Alice Braga), a pole-dancer and prostitute, barters sex for a lift upriver. Waiting his use Deco follows a soccer match upon the radio. Naldinho finishes with their passenger and asks the score. "One-nothing," answers Deco

Karinna does not retain score. She's drawn to the one and the other men. A tight duo becomes an impassioned trio. Sex is no vexed question Love is.

Machado designs this slow-building drama with persuasive looks. Natural twilight lighting graces his location shooters For a virtuoso climax, he intercuts of the highest close-ups on the eyes of Karinna, Deco and Naldinho that compeer into their hearts.

Rated R (for lusty sexual content, nudity, language, an violence and drug use). Running time: 97 minutes. In Portuguese, with English subtitles. Opening today at Landmark hundred years

"America: From Freedom to Fascism" Rating 1 abroad of 4 1/2

In 1913 a trio of bankers staged a "silent coup d'etat," claims farmer director, writer, co-editor and narrator Aaron Russo in this rambling docu-rant against the Federal store up Bank and the Internal reward Service. Accused conspirators J.P. Morgan, Paul Warburg and John D Rockefeller achieved their "fathers' and great grandfathers' goal" of direction takeover, says Russo, who doesn't say to what end their grandfathers opted out of the multi-generational plot

Russo -- who unsuccessfully sought the Libertarian Party's nod in the 2004 presidential race--- traces no bloodlines linking the 1913 cabal to the 109th Congres and 43rd president, on the contrary insists both are the knowing tools of unnamed, unelect bankers. "I believe the conduct is evil," he told Deborah Rowe forward WLS-AM radio earlier this year. "You have to chop off the head of the beast, the Federal husband System."

That beast is Hydra-headed. Russo fingers President Bush for defiling the Constitution. He forecasts common World Government. He quotes the volume of Revelations and Joseph Stalin. Officials will implant citizenry and bills and notes; circulating medium alike with tiny radio-frequency- identification surveillance chips, he fears. And to what end is the source code for electronic voting machines a secret?

Russo borrows the first-person suit style of Michael Moore in "Fahrenheit 9/11" if it be not that in an interview on the Conscious Media Network, Russo dissed that filmmaker as a credulous person of "the powers that be."

As if anticipating bad reviews, Russo cessations his scattershot assault with a preemptive strike against the media: "It's just the Federal reservation System trying to save itself." If you bribe that line, then I'm the great-grandson of a 1913 conspirator.

No MPAA rating. Running time: 105 minutes. Opening today at Landmark centenary AMC Loews Esquire 6, AMC Cantera 30 roads of Woodfield 20.

"Edmond" Rating 2 disclosed of 4

Edmond smother (William H. Macy) is an angry white man. Black men and white women get by heart in touch with his feelings. Ugliness comes He ends up wondering if he's just a proof animal watched by aliens, and if his high sect prom date ever had unrestrained will.

"Edmond" makes little intellect as a character study, and borders forward nonsense as a screed in succession race in America. Originally written in 1982 as a one-act play according to David Mamet, most of "Edmond" tells over one grotesque night. After work, 47-year-old Edmond walks abroad on his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon). forward the neon-lit street, he deals badly with strangers: a tarot card reader, a three-card monte hustler, and an actress who barely acts like one (Julia Stiles).

Although not settle nor shot in Chicago, "Edmond" uses talent linked to Chicago and Mamet: director Stuart Gordon was artistic director of the Organic Theatre, Macy helped start St Nicholas Theater Company, southern Sider Lionel Mark Smith plays a pimp, and Mamet regular Joe Mantegna plays a racist at a bar watching pro basketball forward TV.

"Edmond" is a macho anus of rage with a masochist twist. Edmond's headlong freefall lands in a cuddly embrace with an unlikely soulmate. Thinking gone out loud about race is a bad idea, implies the disingenuous "Edmond"

Rated R (for violence, puissant language, and sexual content, including nudity and dialogue). Running time: 82 minutes. Opening today at the Gene Siskel Film Center Actor William H Macy will attend tonight's 8 pm screening.

Bill Stamets is a Chicago free-lance writer and critic.

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