Reviews of selected films screening during Reeling 2005: The 24th Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Summer Storm

Forcefeeding is not the best way to get a message across.

Intolerance is bad. Lying is bad. Being true to yourself and others is good. All laudable sentiments no? What’s that? You don’t understand? Well perhaps you’d like to have those themes jackhammered into your skull. If that’s the case then one really must see Summer Storm, an exercise in didacticism that would make the Revolutionary Communist Party shudder at the lack of subtlety.

Tobi (Robert Stadlober) and Achim (Kostja Ullman) are best friends who wrestle naked and jerk off together. Pretty standard really for a couple of youngsters. It just might be though, that Tobi has a “different” kind of affection for Achim (hint: Tobi is gay). Achim doesn’t know of course because of the extreme subtlety of Tobi’s desire, like when he makes a pass at him while bowling or straddles him with an erection in the locker room. They and the rest of their Bavarian hillbilly team are off to a coed rowing camp for some summertime recreation. Also at the camp will be Achim’s girlfriend Sandra (Miriam Morgenstern) and Tobi’s supposed love interest Anke (played by Poland’s Britney Spears, Alicja Bachleda-Curus). But wait, that’s not all. There is also a team of openly gay Berlin rowers called the Queerstrokes.

Confronted with his homosexual urges and Achim’s alternating obliviousness and disinterest, Tobi begins to sink under the weight of his illusory heterosexuality. How do we know this? Because Toby sinks in the water in an illustrative scene. After accusations of Tobi’s gayness go public, a barrier seems to form between him and his teammates. What gives us this insight? Maybe it’s the gigantic pine tree that falls between him and his teammates.

The scenery is often breathtaking and the acting is as good as the script will allow. The film has it’s moments of comedy, sometimes unintentional, but it needs a lot of work to make it enjoyable. Lost underneath the preaching is a coming-of-age story about homosexual athletes. Potentially there are many interesting angles to approach this subject from but Summer Storm prefers to take it head-on with a Mack truck. The road that truck takes is paved with good intentions. Anybody wanna guess where it goes?

Summer Storm is playing at the Music Box Theatre Thursday, November 3 at 7:30pm. The screening will be followed by an afterparty next door at Strega Nona

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Cold as Summer

Puts other made-for-TV movies to shame

The most chilling aspect of any villain is his or her normalcy. The more aberrant the behavior, the easier it is to dismiss their villainy. Normal folks doing bad things though is a bit more unsettling. We see their ordinariness reflected in the mirror. One such antihero is Rachel (Sarah Grappin) in Jacques Maillot’s superb Cold as Summer.

Rachel is a single mother raising a child she doesn’t really have the temperament for. She gets Rohypnol from her doctor not only to help her sleep, but to keep the baby from crying at night as well. In any scene where she’s with the kid it’s clear that she has absolutely no idea what to do in any given situation. Her life is not where she wants it to be but she doesn’t know or cannot do what it takes to properly get someplace else. She finds an alternative route that has consequences beyond anything she intended.

Rachel is contrasted with Claire (Nathalie Richard). She’s a cop struggling with child issues of her own. Events take her towards Rachel, a woman she is appalled by even as she grows more sympathetic. Both Richard and Grappin put in excellent performances. Maillot and Pierre Chosson’s script manages to move the story towards a level of sympathy one wouldn’t think to feel for Rachel but it’s Grappin’s accomplishment that it works so well. One can’t help but hope she succeeds while reviling her at the same time.

So much of the effectiveness of this film is predicated on not knowing much about the story line. Suffice to say, it is an excellent movie. All too often made-for-TV films are artistic toilets overflowing with cinematic waste. Cold as Summer is a plunger that makes all that nastiness head down the drain leaving only pristine porcelain perfection to contemplate. Ok, the metaphor sucks but you get the point.

Cold as Summer will be screening at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema Saturday, November 5 at 2:15pm.

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Guys and Balls

"Why don't we go see the gay firefighters?"

The protagonists are a lovable but geeky batch of characters. The antagonists are a group of generally unlikable bully sorts. The underdogs inevitably win in some symbolic battle to prove they’re not losers after all. That’s the Slobs vs. Snobs picture in a nutshell. They’re generally light on character development and focus overwhelmingly on letting the audience know that it’s okay to be geeky/ugly/fat/skinny/smelly/some other unpopular characteristic. While those messages rarely reach those that could use the lesson the films can often be a bit of fun with heroes that are easy to root for and bad guys just as easy to hate. Shelly Horman’s new Guys and Balls (Männer wie wir) is a decent one. The slobs are a group of homosexual soccer players and the snobs are a team of rude, homophobic Fußballspielers in this screwball comedy.

Ecki (Maximilian Brückner) is the goalie for a small German town’s soccer team. Already in the doghouse for a controversial play at the end of the last game he’s totally ostracized when he makes a drunken pass at a decidedly heterosexual teammate. His longtime nemesis Udo (Carlo Lubjek) takes charge and get him kicked off the team and his parents are shocked by the news of their son’s sexual orientation. Parting words between the team and their ex-goalie bring a challenge; for Ecki to field a team of homosexual for a match against his old team. He heads to the big city to find his sister in the hopes that she can help him find some gay footballers. Wouldn’t ya’ know it he finds a group of unlikely heroes. The group includes a trio of leather-clad bikers, a very feminine Turkish deli worker, an extremely masculine lesbian, a closet construction worker and a couple of Brazilians as no soccer film would be complete without them. The broad spectrum of gay personality types, including stereotypes, could come off as amateur caricatures in lesser hands but Horman & crew do a fine job of compensating for the characters’ lack of depth. The biker trio especially is shown with a light humor that comes at the expense of common perceptions of lifestyle leather queens rather than at the expense of the characters themselves. The dearth of character development isn’t normally that big of a problem. Only when unnecessary melodrama is introduced does it intrude. Scenes between Rudolf (Christian Berkel) and his son tend to ring a bit false because we don’t know enough about either of them and the sudden conflict between Ecki’s parents seems a bit forced.

In the city Ecki finds not only his sister (Lisa Pothoff) but also Sven (David Rott), a handsome hospital worker with looks and soccer skills to spare. As Ecki, with the help of a drunken former soccer star for a coach, works to make the team ready for the match he also must work to put his relationship with his parents back together. Will the team be better than everyone expected? Will Ecki’s parents be able to transcend their prejudices? The answers are never really in doubt just as in any film of this type.

That a film is a predictable by-the-numbers formula doesn’t necessarily mean it’s no good. There is a reason that formula exist, they sometimes work. A fun, light comedy that’s a bit stupid and a little romantic, Guys and Balls is an example of one that does.

Guys and Balls will be screening at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema Saturday, November 6 at 7:30pm.

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Made in Secret: The Story of the East Van Porn Collective

“We must become the change we wish to see in the world.” - Ghandi

What happens when you want to make a documentary about an anarcho-feminist pornography collective but can’t seem to find a subject? If you’re the makers of Made In Secret you go out and start your own just so you can film it. The result isn’t exactly a documentary. After all, it’s far more contrived than than Nanook of the North. Yet it’s too factual to be called a feature film. It’s somewhere between in a previously unrecognized gray area. Though the genre may be uncertain, the entertainment isn’t. The film isn’t perfect, but it’s quite good.

The film opens with Monster reading a delightful performance piece. Lamenting the current state of porn, she longs for “a story so far from dumb that I’ll sit in the wet spot after I cum, just to see how it ends.” Clearly it’s time for a “grassroots pervert revolution.” This becomes the launching point for the EVPC. The film leaps forward a few years to Godfrey documenting Hugh Jorgen finishing of the editing on the EVPC’s latest cinematic triumph. A short bike ride later and the entire collective is seated in front of a TV to watch a little porn of its own making. It’s a good time watching the group try to front nonchalant while watching themselves act out their fantasies. Some make it through with only blushing while other being made to squirm.

Where things really get moving is with the production of the next film, JD Superstar’s BikeSexual, a “pansexual romp” that means to put the ass in Critical Mass. The structure of the group is likely as interesting, if less erotic, than any product it produces. With rotating facilitators, directors and crew the group is certainly recognizable as an anarchist collective. They require consensus decision making, a process for which the films makes an excellent case, and they have rules for on-set behavior that were developed from a remarkably insightful critique of the critiquing of pornstar’s bodies. The members are dedicated to helping each other make films that they would find truly erotic instead of “shot after shot, of slot after slot.” If that means two straight men like Mr. Pants and Professor University have to do a scene in the bottom of a skate park’s halfpipe then they’ll certainly go for it. It “fundamentally challenges parts of myself,” Prof. University says of the experience.

The making of BikeSexual ends up including an impressive array of on-location shoots. In the shower, garage (for the “lesbian bike repair scene”) and forest the collective toils until finally hitting a ferry to shoot a little “guerilla porn.” Their enthusiasm is infectious and it helps the rather amateur camera work and low quality video seem intimate rather than cheap. One ends up rooting strongly for their goal "to become the Fugazi of porn." Where the films fails is in some of the contrived drama around the filming of the documentary itself. Though the filmmakers openly acknowledge that the film isn’t entirely factual, some parts feel made up when they shouldn’t.

All of this could be little more than an entertaining yarn were it not for the group’s dedication to wrestling control of porn away from corporate control. Quality, community-based grassroots erotica. It’s a novel idea made more compelling by the demand that it be watchable for reasons beyond the skin. That doesn’t sound like too shabby a “revolution to watch with one fist in the air and one in” the crotch.

Made in Secret will be screening at Chicago Filmmakers on Saturday, November 5 at 7:15pm.

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Keep not Silent

“Fear takes a lot of energy.”

Fundamentalism, of the Judeo-Christian varieties, and homosexuality have not been the best of buddies over the years. Tossing around labels like “sin” and “abomination” the religious community has been at best, hostile to the LGBT community. Generally, the more religious the community is, the more opposed to homosexuality it is. Orthodox Judaism is certainly no exception. The general absence of lynchings and beatings might welcome but there’s nothing encouraging about gay teenagers having suicide rates three to four times higher than hetero teens. Nor is there anything positive to say about the communal humiliation and marginalization that homosexuals and their families face in orthodox communities. Homosexual Orthodox Jews are certainly in a tight spot. It would seem that embracing one might force relinquishing the other. When both are vital to one’s identity that choice is impossible to make. In the excellent documentary Keep not Silent, Ilil Alexander follows three members of a lesbian Orthodox support group in Jerusalem, “the Ortho-dykes.”

The three women have wildly different ways of reconciling their two lives. “Miriam” is a married mother of ten who lives totally in the closet. She fears outing herself and living openly as a lesbian would bring terrible harm to her children stating that no one in the community would allow any contact with them. Talking with the Alexander via a blurred webcam, Miriam discusses a bit about the Orthodykes and how she gets along while missing a most fulfilling part of her life. Noting that “fear takes a lot of energy” Miriam seems weary of her struggle, if still resolute in continuing it. The other participants have had similar experiences moving through periods of denial, self-hatred and acceptance. “Ruti” is married with children as well but her solution is a very different one. Her husband “Boaz” caught her en flagrante delicto, a situation that led to a most unusual compromise. Making a family is a most important mitzvah and Ruti is not willing to sacrifice it. She loves Boaz, though she’s not attracted to him, and loves her children. Thus she spends a certain amount of time with her girlfriend and a certain amount of time with Boaz, a set of circumstances that all seem to embrace with remarkable happiness. The third participant is Yehudit, an Orthodox woman living openly as a lesbian. Yehudit is in a constant debate with a rabbi over her sexuality. The rabbi claims she comes to him wanting “legitimacy for a weakness.” She’s certain that G-d created her the way she is and that she should not be ashamed of it. It’s a conclusion that all involve share though they deal with it in differently.

Keep not Silent is a very strong debut documentary. Alexander guides the film along at a perfect pace and captures touching moments such as when Yehudit and her partner both stomp the glass at a commitment ceremony. There are few moments more satisfactory though than when Miriam puts her hair up in a rainbow snood. It’s a tiny yet significant “out” from the woman that is most “in”. Would only that other fundamentalists accept her as much as she accepts herself.

Keep not Silent will be showing at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema on Sunday, November 6 at 12:00pm. It will be paired with Say Amen!

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Say Amen!

9 siblings. 22 nieces and nephews. What's wrong with David?

David is one of ten children from Aize and Masud Deri. Those ten children thus far have 22 grandchildren and those 22 grandchildren have produced 10 great-grandchildren. As the children and grandchildren age it will get even more confusing. This is diagrammed to great effect with a family tree. But, why isn’t David’s branch growing? The answer to this question at the center of his family in the winning documentary Say Amen!

David Deri lives in Tel Aviv, much to the chagrin of his small town and very traditional family. His parents, along with most of his siblings, are continually harassing him about his wedding plans. His mother tells everyone that she wants David to find a nice girl that will bring him back to religion. His brother Shlomi is continually trying to set him up with a friend but when confronted with David’s homosexuality he insists that David should have left it, “like Israel leaves the nuclear question.”

For a first person documentary Say Amen! remarkably lacks a sense of self-indulgence. It’s mostly Deri filming other people talking about him while he starts to come out of the closet to his family. His camera occasionally annoys those would prefer to not be filmed but after his sister insists that “he’s doing it for posterity” all relent.

Settler vs. native is not the only conflict in Israel. There are also the many conflicts that have arisen from having settlers from many parts of the world living in one place. Say Amen! documents one particular type, that of traditional Teimanim with the more urbane influences of Western Ashkenazim. As David does his best to convince his siblings that it’s ok to be gay, and ok to tell mom and dad, they react in ways that reflect different aspects of Israeli society. One wishes that all intra-communal conflicts could be resolved to as touching and humorous an end as that of David Deri and his family, not that it’s going to stop them from insisting that he make a family.

Say Amen! will be showing at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema on Sunday, November 6 at 12:00pm. It will be paired with Keep not Silent

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

When I’m 64

"We've never been a mug household."

It’s never too late for love. That’s the theme behind essentially every senior romance film. The same questions tend to come up in most of them. Will s/he be able to move on from the loss of the previous partner? Will the adult children accept dad/mom’s new love? Will a grandchild do something adorable? All these questions are answered in the winning comedy When I’m 64. Though a formula film if there ever was one, it’s formula terrifically executed.

Opening with a soccer brawl we are introduced to Ray (Paul Freeman), a working class “geriatric hooligan.” His semiretirement is spent whiling away the hours at the pub and driving his taxi. The routine is punctuated by the occasional very public soccer brawl, much to the chagrin of his adult children. At 64, his children think he might have better things to do with his time. Ray tends to agree but as a widower, he’s reluctant to try to find a new love now that the love of his life is gone. Jim (Alun Armstrong) has spent his entire life at one school. First as a student, Jim stayed on at various faculty positions eventually becoming the headmaster. A lifetime bachelor he’s now reached the UK’s retirement age and is set to leave the school, essentially for the first time. After spending his entire life in a regimented institution, he’s ready for a change. His plan is now “to not have a plan”. Without a plan his two remaining goals in life might seem a little lofty but perhaps a plan is not needed to; 1. See the world and, 2. Fall in love. First things first though, Jim has to fix the reason he’s been called “Beaky” for more than a half-century.

Coincidences keep Jim and Ray bumping into each other. Jim’s plans for travel are upset when his elderly father falls ill. Knowing that his son is 65, the hospitalized father suggest that perhaps, “we should ask for a double room.” With Ray offering support for Jim their friendship grows and begins to test the boundaries of Ray’s lifetime heterosexuality. Funny and touching events ensue leading to a somewhat corny, though totally satisfactory punch line.

The path followed by Ray brings up some interesting family issues that often appear in gay cinema. The main one is, how great is the need for family support? Ray is faced with the fact that one of his children is abhorred by the idea of homosexuality. In many films there’s a struggle of some sort that ends up with one of the parties hurt or both sides happily rid of previous prejudices. It’s refreshing to see a film where the protagonist doesn’t have to justify himself to others in order to justify himself to himself.

When I’m 64 will screen at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema on Sunday, November 6 at 7:45pm.

Reeling 2005: Film reviews

Scab

The quality dried up with the blood.

There are many excellent stories that use vampires as metaphors for social ills. There are others that use them for superficial entertainment value. Scab will provide little to no entertainment nor enlightenment. Though by and large having solid acting, minus a dreadful lead with Sean Galuszka as Ajay, the film is sunk by poor direction, editing and an unbelievably stupid script. Clocking in at a reasonable 101 minutes, the film still feels like it’s never going to end with each moment waiting spent in agony.

Ajay is a waiter from West Hollywood with a history of making one poor hookup after another. The film opens with his most unfortunate choice, a vampire rapist. Ajay slowly figures what has happened to him when he begins to crave blood, grows fangs and his anus seals shut. After he drops out of sight for a few days his buddies Teague (Richard Alan Brown) and Floor (Dan Glenn) come looking for him. For some reason Ajay wants to take a trip to Vegas and his friends go along with him. They check into a hotel run by Briar (Natalie Avital), a cynical girl with a knack for spouting imbecilic one-liners. It’s not an uncommon talent in this film. Teague pines for Ajay, Ajay waxes “philosophically” and Floor screws any girl within reach. Through a cycle of events too stupid to recount, more people die, more assholes are sealed and a couple of poorly contrived romances are thwarted.

The terrible script is only one problem with the film. The changes between scenes are anything but smooth. It seems like a rough cut almost. Halfway decent editing could have gone a long ways towards making a bad film at least watchable but alas, not here.

One would like to think that the film is warning that unsafe sex can make you a walking dead man and that it could lead to the death of your sex life. That all the unprotected penetration in this film comes not as sex, but as rape makes the idea dubious at best. When writer/director Thomas Jason Davis’ awful drivel is taken into consideration it becomes even less probable. If all you want is a little non-erotic softcore (hetero or homo) and a little gore then Scab will do the trick. If you’re looking for anything more, look elsewhere.

Scab will be defiling a screen at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema on Sunday, November 6 at 9:30pm.