Ten years in Houston writing about movies and I only made it to my first SWAMP event last night: A SWAMP salon where Kelly Sears, a SWAMP member and animator, showed some of her work.

My excuse for taking so long: During my first five years at the Chronicle, when I was the paper's chief critic, I more or less drowned under the relentless flood of mainstream theatrical movies I had to write about.

I branched out a bit after that, when I became senior entertainment writer. I still wrote mostly about movies that got theatrical distribution or that played at major festivals, though. Essentially there was (and remains) no one at the paper writing in dedicated fashion about local filmmakers and the local film scene.

Anyway, Kelly Sears does nice work. I'm glad I went last night.

I'm trying to get out more. I'll be heading back to the Fairview (at 315 Fairview, the former Montrose location of Dean's Clothing) on Thursday for the Houston Film Commission's monthly short film showcase.

In The American, George Clooney plays a spiritually wounded and morally challenged loner in search of redemption. He's drawn to such roles. This is a good thing: As we've seen in Michael Clayton and in other films, he does them very well.

Here, he is an assassin named Jack who is being pursued by killers. After a close and bloody call, he is directed by his handler to hide out and await orders in the Italian countryside. His is a lonely life - there is safety in isolation - but Jack has weaknesses and he forms attachments, most notably to a prostitute named Clara but also to a friendly village priest with whom he discusses issues of morality and guilt.

The film is filled with tension. Jack can trust no one. He's always looking over his shoulder. His enemies are