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JohnstoneBrian
Reviews
G.A.D.A.R. (2003)
Still quoting lines to my friends
I have been trying to figure out how to rate this film.
ON THE PLUS SIDE:
* I laughed all the way through it.
* It's nice to see a gay film that has plot and characters, rather than just hunky guys taking their clothes off.
* My friends and I liked it enough to watch it a second time. (Not a big commitment, since it's only about ten minutes long.)
ON THE DOWN SIDE:
* Production values are very low.
* Could desperately use some color correction.
THE BOTTOM LINE: It's a week later, and I'm still quoting lines from this thing to my friends. So I'll forgive it the technical flaws and say that I liked it.
Shelter (2007)
I should have walked out
I would have walked out of this film after half an hour, but my date insisted on staying since we'd paid for the tickets. Afterwards, he apologized, and agreed that we should have left early.
On the one hand, it's nice to see a gay film that's trying to be something more than a pointless parade of naked guys. On the other hand, this film hasn't found anything else to offer.
On the plus side: * Reasonably well shot * A gay film that actually tries to show grown up relationships and responsible human beings.
On the downside: * Very weak script * Painfully predictable plot * Bad casting. (There's a complete lack of chemistry between the two romantic leads) * Weak editing (The film keeps cutting away from the action to show long surfing montages that don't advance the plot in any way.)
Kiss the Bride (2007)
Not awful, but very uneven
As a fan of C.J.'s earlier movie, Latter Days, I really wanted to like this film.
The nicest thing I can say, however, is that it's NOT an awful film. There are some good performances, and a few funny scenes. In particular, Tori Spelling has a couple of great scenes where she's talking to her fiancé's ex-boyfriend.
Overall, though, it's pretty week. The script falls back on weird coincidences and clichéd movie moments way too often. (The main character went to Stanford on a golf scholarship, and his high school buddy doesn't even know that he plays the game?)
Most of the time, this movie had no idea where it was going or what it was trying to say. There are a lot of scenes that are mildly cute, but ultimately turn out to be a waste of time. And you could easily cut half the characters from the film without losing anything.
Still, for all it's faults, I would have to say that this is one of the better gay films of recent years. Which says a lot about how bad most gay films are.
I'm hoping C.J.'s next film will be better.
The Houseboy (2007)
Pointless film with a few naked guys in it
A completely pointless movie, about a guy having one meaningless sexual encounter after another. At the end of each trick, he announces that he's going to commit suicide on Christmas Eve.
I left the theater thinking, "Wow, what was the point of that?" There was no character development, and no plot. A few of the scenes were strange, but none of them were interesting. The only selling point seems to be a parade of naked guys that the main character has sex with. But really, if I wanted that, I would just rent porn.
Hasn't gay cinema developed beyond this point by now? Putting a few hot naked guys in a film is not enough.
I saw this at Outfest, so I can't comment on the DVD features.
Transamerica (2005)
Unconventional film that succeeds on its own terms
I'm generally not a fan of movies without a strong plot, but this one totally one me over.
The plot, such as it is, is kind of thin and improbable. Days before a man is set to go in for gender reassignment surgery, his psychiatrist threatens to withhold permission unless he goes to meet the son that he fathered years earlier. The opening seems a bit contrived, but it's the only part of the film that hit a false note.
Once the main character and his (well, her) son meet, the film takes off. The bizarre relationship that they develop as they drive cross country is full of unexpected twists and turns, and is absolutely gripping to watch.
It's so nice to see a movie that isn't playing by the numbers, that just sort of flows along at it's own pace, and yet totally succeeds on its own terms.
It also had some of the best performances that I've seen in a long time.