If not, how could I ever explain that I went to see 2 Fast 2 Furious or Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle in theaters? (Well, alright, there's also the fact that sometimes I can just go watch anything ... and those two times I did regret it!) Indie distributors may just be afraid to try to change moviegoers' habits. At any rate, this week, once again, they seem to be, as I only have one film to tell you about, the documentary Lou Reed's Berlin (Fantasy Moguls still lists Hounddog as a July 18 release, but it's been postponed to September).

I do not know Julian Schnabel personally, but I think it's safe to say that the man just had a terrific year, professionally speaking. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2007; it won a prize at Cannes, grabbed Oscar nominations, ended up on many "favorites" lists at the end of the year, and, more importantly, overwhelmed the people (you, me, your neighbour) who saw it. (A friend from Arkansas raved to me about it only a few days ago; I have yet to hear anyone say anything bad about Diving Bell.) Schnabel, though, did not rest on his laurels. Right after he completed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, he made the documentary that is our sole arthouse offering for July 18, Lou Reed's Berlin.

If you're not a fan of Lou Reed, then you may not know exactly what this is about. "Berlin" is perhaps Lou Reed's most famous album. He recorded it in 1973, shortly after leaving his band, The Velvet Underground. At the time, "Berlin," which follows the erratic journey of drug addicts Caroline and Jim, did not encounter success. Throughout the years, however, the album slowly built a fan base and has become a true object of cult worship. Yet it had never been performed onstage until 2006 at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn. Schnabel, a painter as much as a filmmaker, designed the show and filmed it, his first documentary after the features Basquiat, Before Night Falls and Diving Bell.

Presented in Venice and Toronto last September, Lou Reed's Berlin will likely not be a "big" arthouse release. The distributor is Third Rail Releasing, and it would be surprising if the film were to be released in more than 10 theaters. Given Schnabel's popularity among film buffs lately, and Lou Reed's cult status among many music lovers, a documentary combining the talents of the two of them could make a dent on the PTA front. Sure, it's facing The Dark Knight, the film that will most probably grab the five points that weekend. But Berlin can take the other Hollywood films, and has no competition from other independnent films, not that weekend, nor even from the weekend before. So don't be surprised if it collects 4 PTA points. Box office will be almost nonexistent, but the IMDb User Rating should be excellent, the 7.0 Fantasy Moguls predicts being probably a bit pessimistic. It's a nice $7 pick for an Ultimate Movie Moguls slate that needs some prestige.

That wraps the July 18 arthouse releases. A bit slim, isn't it? I know, so in order to not leave you feeling a bit robbed this week, here's what I'll do: I'll tell you which are the five arthouse films scheduled to be released by the end of the year that have me the most excited. Not for Fantasy Moguls purposes, necessarily, but simply as a film lover. Maybe in the end one or two of these will be given a wide release and my friend Shrykespeare will handle them. For now, however, there's a better chance they will be limited (and there will probably be even more interesting films; for now, these five are the ones that have been scheduled). So here they are:

Hamlet 2 (Aug. 22) — This film has quite possibly the best title of the year. It doesn't seem THAT great at first, but entitling a film as if it was the sequel to one of the most classic pieces of writing ever, well, in fact it is genius. I couldn't tell you whether the pitch came first, or the title, but the result is the same: I'm already laughing. (If it doesn't make you laugh as well, then just consider it French humor.) Hamlet 2 (still laughing) was a flat-out success at this year's Sundance, where Focus Features spent A LOT of money to acquire it. Another reason I'm excited for this one is Steve Coogan. The comedian may not be funny in everything he does, but when given a sharply written role (see his work with Michael Winterbottom, or his sketch in Coffee & Cigarettes), he is hilarious. Oh, I almost forgot: The film follows a failed actor turned high school drama teacher who comes up with a sequel to Shakespeare's famous play to save his job. Isn't that an awesome storyline?

Choke (Sept. 26) — Anyone who has ever read a book by Chuck Palahniuk knows the feeling: the excitement of a cinematic adaptation is quickly followed by the fear of a cinematic train wreck. Since Fight Club in 1999, no director, or at least no producer, has dared to tackle another Palahniuk piece. Yet the author's style is full of a madness that could translate extremely well onscreen. Clark Gregg, a little-known actor who appeared in Iron Man this summer (as the agent from SHIELD), wrote and directed this adaptation of Choke, putting Sam Rockwell in the spotlight as Victor Mancini, the sex addict who pays his mother's hospital bills by faking chokes in restaurants. The book is a cult favorite, Rockwell is popular among movie geeks, and the buzz around the film is high. Sign me up!

W (Oct. 15) — George W. Bush by Oliver Stone. What a project! A controversial president examined by a controversial filmmaker. This one will probably end up in one of Shrykespeare's columns, but I hope he'll forgive me. The film already made the cover of Entertainment Weekly a few weeks back, there's already been controversy with the appearance of the screenplay on the web, and the cast is top notch (Josh Brolin as the Big Guy — George W. Bush, I mean, not God — Thandie Newton, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Scott Glenn, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Burstyn). It will be interesting to see how Lionsgate chooses to handle the release of this one ... if the film can make its deadlines. Because the big question right now is: Will Oliver Stone have finished his movie in time for it to go to theaters Oct. 17? He's still filming, so ... stay tuned.

The Road (Nov. 14) — One year after the remarkable success of No Country for Old Men, another Cormac McCarthy book makes it to the silver screen. This time, it's his Pulitzer Prize winning "The Road" that is adapted, with Viggo Mortensen in the lead role of a man who wanders with his son in a post-apocalyptic world. Given the care with which Mortensen chooses his roles, and the dedication he puts into his performances, the man is becoming the kind of actor who can elevate a film's quality just by being in it, a la Daniel Day-Lewis. There's much more than just the actor to be excited about, however, with The Road. Some might say the fact John Hillcoat, the Australian director of The Proposition, is behind the camera is enough to anticipate the film. They are probably right.

Milk (Nov. 26) — There is no doubt that Gus Van Sant's best films are the ones that dare to experiment, be it thematically, visually, narratively, or aurally. My Own Private Idaho, Gerry, Elephant — these are perfect examples of what Van Sant is capable of at his best. Milk should be interesting, because it seems the director has tackled a subject close to his heart (Harvey Milk, the first openly gay San Francisco city official, assassinated in the '70s) by returning to a more classic filmmaking style. This one's much closer to his work on To Die For, Good Will Hunting or Finding Forrester. Maybe an opportunity for Van Sant to flirt with success again, only a few months after Paranoid Park's very discreet passage through American theaters. Having Sean Penn, Josh Brolin (again!) and Emile Hirsch in front of the camera will definitely help.

Let's stop here. I could list more, but then it would be an enumeration of those good-looking fall movies, and everybody knows that, in the U.S., the best films are released between September and December (well except last year of course, when the best American film was released in ... March, Zodiac). So let's meet back next week, with independent films filled with teenagers.

Indie Jones isn't proud of having seen Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, but what's done is done. And he just may go see Drew Barrymore's next big movie, too, especially if it's hot outside in France that week. So there. Confess your own sins against the general well being of cinema to danceswiththearthouse@gmail.com.