by MATTHEW HAYS

Tortured gender relations certainly ignited some imaginations in the early '90s. In a post-feminist hangover, Camille Paglia made a name for herself (often rather dishonestly) by positioning her philosophies as radical and iconoclastic. The media bought it, hook, line and sinker. There were occasionally more interesting ruminations, especially Robert Altman's Short Cuts, his feature-length adaptation of the stories of Ray Carver.

Sex at the End of the Millennium, Sheldon Neuberger's locally-written and shot feature, attempts to create its own impression of the gender gap by offering up a host of screwed-up characters who play sexual games with various partners while seeking out personal happiness.

There are some funny moments in SATEOTM, but overall, the film suffers from the filmmaker's sky-high ambitions and a rather convoluted plot. The characters are feisty and unusual, but at many points I couldn't really understand where any of this was going. Still, there are some very funny character set-ups in SATEOTM, including a wicked one-liner concerning a pick-up and a pacemaker.

Topicality has got to count for something, and Neuberger is a bit late in trying to make some points about the gender wars now, when we appear to be in a state of détente (and a good ten years after Paglia made her points). Is it really so funny to hear a man express his belief that the sex act is innately degrading to women, a sentiment clearly meant to reflect the rants of Andrea Dworkin? Spoofing the utter idiocy of Dworkin can't really qualify as very witty, nor terribly germane, given that her body of thought has fallen so completely out of favour.

For all its faults, SATEOTM makes excellent use of Montreal locales (and features a performance by Mirror sex columnist Sasha) and is more than technically competent - though clearly done on a shoestring, you'd never know it by watching the superb camera and sound work and seamless editing. This script, however, clearly could have used some polish. The film screens this week at the Cinéma du Parc. See repertory listings for showtimes.

Also at the Parc this week is a rare window into the cinema of Romania. Three exquisite features will be screened from the country, including Every Day God Kisses Us on the Mouth, Rage and Stuff and Dough. These films all involve rough depictions of the criminal element while exploring themes of faith, fate and redemption. Three pleasing glimpses into a national cinema too often overlooked. Playing from Dec. 12-18. See repertory listings for details.

Finally, I never thought I'd be saddened to hear Stepford Wives-related news, but I am. A remake of The Stepford Wives is slated for release next year. It stars Nicole Kidman and Bette Midler, among others. The filmmakers are patting themselves on the back for turning the film into a comedy. Hey, idiots, too bad the original '74 film was a comedy!

>> Movie Listings