So, as I said when we went and rented Beige Dahlia (oh, sorry... Black Dahlia)... my video store has instituted a $1 movie deal on Tuesdays... so yesterday I went in and snapped up four of their gay titles (sadly the movie I really wanted to see was already out) for the princely sum of $4... Bargain!And like last time, I'm not doing the full review/rating thing (especially since I did that already last night with Transformers)... but I'll jot down my thoughts...
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
I'm a sucker for documentaries about Queer Cinema (actually I think I'm a sucker for well made, gay themed documentaries)... although, thinking about it, I think there are actually only two... The Celluloid Closet and this one (I couldn't find the Australian cover anywhere online though unfortunately). I liked this one though because instead of focusing on the "closeted" years... instead they dived straight in (no pun intended) and discussed more contemporary stuff... and a lot of it I'd actually heard of. And because this was made some eleven years after Celluloid Closet, there was a whole bunch of movies that hadn't even been thought of when that came out that this new version was able to delve into. It pretty much just amounts to a bunch of talking heads and clips from movies, but if you're a pop culture junkie like me, then it will appeal.
Slutty Summer
Okay, for the record, this movie doesn't live up to the promise of the cover and contains more dodgey accents than a session of the United Nations... and it's actually a lot less slutty than the title would have you believe. I will say though, that the Directors commentary is definitely worth a listen... and it did give me a new respect for a movie that was made with (in movie terms) no money, and only took fourteen days to shoot. Under those conditions, its beautifully shot... its just the story and the acting (oh lord the acting) are a little shaky in places. The movie has a quote about being a gay Sex and the City on the cover, and, yeah, I guess I could see how you could draw that comparison... but it's not quite on the same level. Forgetting the two leads for a minute, Jeffrey Christopher Todd as Peter (the Charlotte of the group to use the SatC comparison) is too adorably cute for words, and Jesse Archer as turboslut Luke (he's the Samantha... and also in the bluey tanktop on the cover) just steals pretty much every scene he's in... even when he's not simulating sex. The movie is only really let down by its writer/director/editor/producer and lead actor Casper Andreas... who is wooden at best for most of the movie... in fact he's more animated in the commentary on the DVD than he is in the movie. And just going back to Jesse for a second... the funniest thing on the whole DVD is him wandering around Chelsea in New York asking gay men on the street a list of the most inappropriate questions...
SunKissed
And obviously the difference between a good movie and a bad movie is the difference between it taking 14 days to complete like Slutty Summer... or taking nine days like SunKissed. Actually I don't think it was the nine days... I think it was the fact that (according to the making of documentary on the DVD) the director, Patrick McGuinn, set out to make an "abstract" movie... so what he ended up with is a plot that makes NO linear sense whatsoever... I still only have a vague idea of what the hell happened. On the upside though it's full of lots of half nudity, and some full nudity (nothing really full frontal though), and Gregory Marcel, who is just hot... in or out of clothes. So if you want to watch something occasionally pretty, but that isn't going to make a lot of sense, then this is exactly the movie for you. And if you work out what the hell was supposed to be going on, can you tell me?
Adam & Steve
M'eh... I don't think this was as funny as it seems to think it is... unless it's just the difference between an American and Australian scence of humour. Actually it was a little cringeworthy in spots, and I did fast forward through a few bits and piece, just because I knew it wasn't going to be funny, just bad and wrong... so I skipped those bits. It's sweet in pieces, but then there are some weird ass bits towards the end... like a boot scootlin' battle and a song from The Sound of Music. Maybe I should just stay away from gay themed movies starring writer/directors...
But hey, they cost me $1 each...
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4 comments:
I saw a doco about gay cinema not so long ago on SBS but can't remember what it was called. It was quite interesting although it fell apart a bit when it dealt with more recent history, concentrating on the Tom Cruise - is he, isn't he, no he definitely is, no he definitely isn't saga...
I don't know that I've seen that one... it doesn't sound like Celluloid Closet (although, I have to admit, my memory of it is a little rough just at the moment)... I gotta say though, I LOVE all the "sexumentaries" that SBS plays on a Friday night... although at the moment they're mostly repeats from last year's set.
Ok - finally catching up on some blog reading.
Fabulous - Ditto. Sam and I loved it. :)
2. Slutty Summer - it's ok. At least it didn't feel like soft porn. I like gay themed movies with a real plot. :)
3. SunKissed - biggest load of %^*%^*&% - I made the mistake of buying it because it was on sale without having watched it. Want it??? :P
4. Adam and Steve - it was quite bland to me. Meh.
:)
I think I'll pass on the offer of SK... well, if both of the guys were as hot as Gregory, maybe... but nah...
And you do realise that I take note of your occasional mentions of gay movies so that if I happen to see them I know whether I should bother or not, right :)
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