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 Christian
Martin & Darren Flaxstone’s
Buffering
Newfest
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by Christian
Martin & Darren Flaxstone.
Starring: Alex Anthony,
Conner Mckenzy, Jessica Matthews, Oliver Park, Bernie
Hodges.
(UK, 80 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
Christian Martin & Darren Flaxstone
are responsible for the disturbing and bleak films Shank
and Release; both have merit despite their brutality
and extreme pessimism. Their follow-up film, Buffering,
is quite a departure for these prolific filmmakers.
A young Brit couple (Alex Anthony &
Conner Mckenzy) find themselves in dire financial straits
and, in order to keep their suburban home, they turn to
vidtaping themselves and posting their sexual escapades
on the internet while charging viewers a fee. As the money
begins to roll in, the relationship begins to suffer and
these two “digital whores” decide to do one
last showing—with a third party.
There are fun moments in Buffering,
but it is mostly silly and predictable.
Oliver Park is refreshingly elusive
as the couple’s hot neighbor and delivers the film’s
best line: “I’m not gay, I’m progressive.”
Buffering offers the viewer lots of
flesh and fucking but very little else. It’s almost
as if the filmmakers deliberately wanted to show that
they weren’t nihilistic misanthropes so they created
a mindless comedy with a happy ending to prove it. Sure,
the film says something about how difficult it is to survive
in these economic times but it’s flimsy at best.
Had the boys gone on to amass a fortune and then had to
deal with those repercussions, that may have been interesting
but ‘the strain on the relationship’ plot
is tired and done.
NewFest, the
New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film
Festival runs July 21-28 at various locations in New York
City. NewFest.org
Casper Andreas's
Going Down in La La Land
Newfest
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by Casper Andreas. Based on the novel by Andy
Zeffer.
Starring: Matthew Ludwinski, Allison
Lane, Michael Medico, Casper Andreas, John Schile, Jesse
Archer, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Tenuta, Alec Mapa.
(USA, 105 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
Casper Andreas is to be applauded
for being so prolific even when his efforts yield mixed
results. He’s given us a true gem (Between Love
and Goodbye), a fun fab frolic (The Big Gay Musical),
a silly comedy (Violet Tendencies) and a downright
bore (A Four Letter Word).
Last year, in my review of Violet Tendencies,
I wrote: “I wish he would truly challenge himself
with his next project. We shall see in about a year.”
Well, I’m elated to report that Andreas has made
his best film yet with Going Down in La La Land,
an incisive and sometimes biting look at fame and power
in Los Angeles.
Don’t let the title fool you, this film is an admirable
attempt to scrutinize Hollywood and the tele-closet that
exists for popular actors (something I’ve written
about extensively) and Andreas truly captures the desire
for fame and fortune that seems to envelop everyone in
tinseltown. In addition, he has a good handle on how drugs
and backstabbing permeate the culture.
Matthew Ludwinski plays Adam, our tour guide through the
pitfalls of “la la land.” He’s arrived
in LA, from New York, and hopes to make it big but ends
up starring in gay porn. This gig leads to his turning
tricks for some wealthy and closeted men—among them
is one of television’s most popular sitcom stars
(play winningly by Michael Medico). These two unlikely
bedmates actually fall in love and someone leaks the relationship
to the tabloids. Before you can say “paparazzi’
our TV star must decide between his career and the boy
he has fallen for.
Ludwinski is incredibly appealing, adorably handsome and
can actually act. He brings a genuine poignancy to Adam,
making the viewer fall for him and root for him, even
when the odds are stacked against him.
Andreas gives himself the thankless role of Nick, the
photog bf who turns to Meth. And he’s really good--so
good, I wanted to see more of this character.
Allison Lane chews some scenery and steals some scenes
as Adam’s fag-hag bestie who will do just about
anything for her 15 minutes.
Andreas is to be commended on so many levels including
how well he captures the decadent yet alluring look of
Hollywood. His adaptation of the script, based on Andy
Zeffer’s novel, is well-structured and quite clever.
SPOILER ALERT
The wholly unbelievable happy ending can even be forgiven,
although the film seems to end where the story would get
even more interesting. Perhaps a sequel, Casper?
NewFest, the New York Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival runs July 21-28
at various locations in New York City. NewFest.org
 Rashaad
Ernesto Green's
Gun Hill Road
Newfest Closing Night
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by Rashaad
Ernesto Green.
Starring: Esai Morales, Judy Reyes, Harmony Santana, Vincent
Laresca, Robin de Jesus, Miriam Colon.
(USA, 88 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
Esai Morales realistic portrayal
of a hyper-masculine Latino father who must deal with
the fact that his son is not the boy he left three years
ago when he was shipped off to prison, is one of the major
strengths of Rashaad Ernesto Green’s gritty and
dark first feature, Gun Hill Road.
Another reason to recommend the film is Judy Reyes, who
delivers a nuanced performance as a woman torn between
two men, who is fiercely protective of her child, whom
she loves, no matter what his choices are.
Finally, the stunning Harmony Santana, a real transgender
teen, is so believable as Michael that I was certain she
was actually a boy playing transgender, yet as Vanessa,
she had me believing she had to be a female. Santana’s
quiet moments truly take us into the mind of what it must
be like when the world tells you there’s something
wrong with you, yet you feel you’re finally finding
who you truly are.
Gun Hill Road pulls no punches as it graphically
depicts Vanessa’s sexual experiences. And the tone
of the film is quite harsh and depressing (echoing the
dark moments in The Crying Game).
Morales’ character, Enrique, may seem cliché
yet he is true to life, although when Enrique brings his
son to a hooker it made me squirm in my seat. However,
Green takes that scene and makes it a perfect example
of what that situation must be like for a boy like Michael.
There’s no comic bit here, it’s sheer torture
and difficult to watch.
My main quarrel with Gun Hill Road is that I
was rarely moved by it and I wanted to be. In going for
grit and audacity, somehow relatability and empathy were
lost in the cine-translation.
NewFest, the
New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film
Festival runs July 21-28 at various locations in New York
City. NewFest.org
Benjamin Cantu's
Harvest (Stadt Land Fluss)
Newfest
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by Benjamin Cantu.
Starring: Lukas Steltner, Kai-Michael
Muller, Karin Butsch, Markus Franke, Holger Merten, Uwe
Schaezel, Walter Schulze, Petra Thymian.
(Germany, 85 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
One of the most lyrical films about
‘coming out’ hails from Germany of all places.
Benjamin Cantu’s Harvest literally takes
place on a farm (most of the action, anyway) where two
cute, young farmhands, training to be certified farmers,
find each other and embark on a friendship filled with
sexual tension and desire.
Be warned: Harvest is not loaded up with tons
of nudity and soft-core porn scenes nor is it action packed.
It takes its time as we get to know both boys and their
environment (the third star of the film—along with
the cows!)
Part of the compelling nature of the narrative is how
it painstakingly details the mostly mundane toil of the
farmer and how devoted these workers are to what they
do.
Marko (Lukas Steltner) is the more tentative of the two,
concerned with appearances, while Jakob (Kai Michael Muller),
having come from the big city, is more comfortable with
his sexuality. The two eventually embark on an excursion
to Berlin where their relationship dynamics change for
good.
Both actors are mesmerizing to watch as is the film itself.
NewFest, the New York Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Film Festival runs July 21-28
at various locations in New York City. NewFest.org
J.T. Tepnapa's
Judas Kiss
Newfest
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by J.T. Tepnapa &
Carlos Pedraza,.
Starring: Richard Harmon, Charlie David, Sean Paul Lockhart
(aka: Brent Corrigan), Timo Deschamps..
(USA, 94 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
J.T. Tepnapa's Judas
Kiss is a very ambitious work that lives up to a
lot of what it promises.
Prolific gay actor Charlie David (Dante’s Cove)
has his best role to date as Zachary Welles, a has-been
at 35, who was once the most promising film student at
his University. Zack is grudgingly coaxed into returning
to his Alma Mater to judge a student film festival and
immediately has a one-night fling with a gorgeous student
(Richard Harmon).
Turns out that the trick’s name is Danny Reyes,
Jr. and his film, Judas Kiss, is the most talked about
entry in contention. Zach thinks someone is playing a
cruel prank on him since he is Danny Reyes, Jr. and it
is his film that is being judged. But that was fifteen
years ago, so how can this be happening now?
Zach soon realizes (with a little help from an older friend)
that he is there to try and prevent Danny (himself) from
winning the festival so his life won’t turn into
the empty mess it has become. But that won’t be
easy since Danny is a cocky, superficial jerk whose dream
is to be rich and famous.
The notion of going back in time to change one’s
past is a very popular one in entertainment for good reason,
but here Zack is not going back in time since both Dannys
exist in the present making Judas Kiss spellbinding
and slightly maddening. It would have been nice if the
writers worked these dynamics out a bit more since it
sometimes takes away form the enjoyment of the film. Still,
if you buy into the premise, there’s a very suspenseful
and entertaining time to be had since the movie has a
lot to say about misguided ambition and true success.
And good films ask more questions than they answer.
The film contains some terrific acting, especially by
Richard Harmon (currently in The Killing on AMC)
who provides just the right mix of petulance, sexual swagger
and true pain to make us care about Danny and his future.
Sean Paul Lockhart is sweet and shows great promise as
an actor. I’m sure one day he will appreciate a
review that doesn’t feel the need to mention the
fact that he’s also a gay porn star.
I wish the pic had dealt with the fact that Zach slept
with himself (so many possibilities) or addressed the
fact that he didn’t recognize himself (although
I get the big picture implications there). Imagine if
Zach had romanced Danny, the two had fallen for one another
and then Zach realized who Danny really was…
Judas Kiss features good camerawork by David
Berry and boasts a wonderfully penned confrontation scene
between the two Dannys near the end. Oh, and there is
a final twist (that I did not see coming) that is just
outstanding.
NewFest, the
New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Film
Festival runs July 21-28 at various locations in New York
City. NewFest.org
Andrew Haigh's
Weekend
Newfest
July 21 - 28
Various Locations In New York City
Written by Andrew
Haigh
Starring: Tom Cullen,
Chris New.
(UK, 96 min.)
Reviewed by Frank J. Avella
Since filmmakers like Todd Haynes
and Gregg Araki introduced an exciting and non-apologetic
style of Queer Cinema into American culture, new helmers
have had more freedom to explore all aspects of gay life
and truly delve into gay issues. Yet they’ve often
chosen the simpler stories about coming out and infidelity.
The Brits, however, have always been ahead of the US with
honest and edgy “gay” films that go much further
in their explorations of all aspects of gay life (Maurice,
Another Country, Beautiful Thing, My
Beautiful Laundrette, Get Real, Prick
Up Your Ears, to name a few from the 80s-90s).
Writer/director Andrew Haigh’s intense and atmospheric
new film, Weekend, is a simple yet powerful work
where, around the structure of a hook-up, we get to know
two very different gay men and how they cope with life,
love, sex and simply trying to find their way in the world.
The film assumes audience intelligence—which is
a rare and bold thing nowadays.
Tom Cullen plays Russell, a guy who is very uncomfortable
in his own skin and even more uncomfortable with the fact
that he likes other guys. On a Friday night, after a fairly
dull family event at his best friend’s home, he
finds himself at a gay pub and picks up Glen (Chris New)
a brazen, near-militant gay boy who begins to challenge
Russell’s beliefs—once they are both sober.
The two embark on their own queer version of Brief
Encounter, sans the melodrama and infidelity, but
chock filled with significant dialogue about what it means
to be a gay man in todays world—a world that has
finally begun to accept homosexuality, slowly and with
stipulations.
Amidst the raw and honest sex and drug taking, Haigh provides
a window into the lives of two guys, who happen to be
gay, trying to get along with each other and trying to
figure out where they fit in.
Weekend is terrifically shot by Urszula Pontikos
in a most effective peeping tomish style. Haigh’s
direction is deliberately stylized but not pretentious.
The script is crisp and smart. And the two actors are
riveting and both have moments where they reveal quite
a bit without saying much at all.
My only complaint (as a non-Brit) is that sometimes the
dialogue was unintelligible, but that just makes me look
forward to viewing the dvd twice more at least—once
with subtitles and another time so I can simply watch
the fascinating faces of these two actors go to places
that are real and penetrating.
NewFest, the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Film Festival runs July 21-28 at various locations in
New York City. NewFest.org
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