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| SIFF's Gay films, an enormous range |
by Istvan -
Special to the SGN
Captive, Humpday, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzel
Each year SIFF shows enough Gay, semi-Gay and Lesbian films to rival even our own annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Who would have thought even a few years ago that there would be such a proliferation of films, regardless of quality, showing the enormous range of Gay and Gay-friendly subject matter from almost every country on the planet?
Captive, a Russian drama set during the continuing fighting in Chechnya, is an example of such a film: unthinkable during Soviet times, it treats the attraction between a Russian soldier and his young teenage captive as a natural outgrowth of their time and place in an unemotional yet poignant manner. The Russian is unable to admit his attraction to the boy that is obvious to his fellow grunts to the point of making him the butt of bitchy but good-natured joshing. The boy, who gives a moving performance with hardly a word of dialogue, finally succumbs to his overwhelming feelings barely before it is too late. Hopefully this excellent film will encourage other filmmakers to tackle an almost untouched subject: Gay men in war.
Set in Seattle, Humpday raises so many profound issues for men (straight and Gay) that it is a must-see for anyone who wants to know where the exposure of the population at large to the possibility of guilt-free Gay sex is leading. Loosely based on The Stranger's porno film contest of a few years ago, it concerns the exploration of two straight dudes' fascination with their attraction to each other. If this sounds contradictory, I'll be the first to admit I had trouble accepting the basic premise: that two straight men would agree to fuck, on camera, for a contest. Yet the film grew on me in spite of myself. First of all, the characters are believable; the complacent yuppie husband (Mark Duplass) who's realized his boring "American Dream," and his hippie college roommate (Joshua Leonard) who chucked it all to join a cliché commune in Mexico. It's obvious these guys genuinely love each other in that buddy-buddy way straight men do. The sincerity of the actors and the skill of writer/director Lynn Shelton make the film work and more than sustain interest.
What the film dealt with very successfully for this Gay man was the way that each of the two, at different points, realize that they could actually make love and, in a way, have been. There is an especially moving scene after the yuppie wife has found out about their plans and exiled her hubby to share a bed with his buddy. The husband talks with great candor about his attraction to other men and the look his friend then gives him is full of such love that words are unnecessary. But let me not forget to mention that the film is very, very funny; the final "shoot-out," when the two are preparing to do the "dirty deed" as though it was an athletic test of strength and endurance, is a standout.
Another must-see comedy written and directed and starring more talent from Seattle than we have any right to expect is the impossibly (but appropriately) titled The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzel. One thing that will always win me over is wit - a talent too rare in entertainment these days. But David Russo exhibits more talent in this film than a hundred other so-called comedies we've had to grit our teeth through, even at SIFF. To tell too much of the plot would rob you of the sheer unadulterated pleasure of discovering this really hilarious, continuously surprising and outrageous film for yourself. It is without doubt the funniest laugh-out-loud piece of work this viewer has seen in many years (not since Being John Malkovich to be precise) with a great mixture of the sublime and the ridiculous.
The sublime is the talented young Marshall Allman, a very cute and endearing 20-something who plays the lead role with great presence and an adorable body exhibited to great effect in a shower scene (photographed from above and below) that would turn Michelangelo's head and is well worth the price of admission alone. The ridiculous is the star-making performance of Vince Vieluf as a so-called artist, cleaning toilets while waiting for his next grant to pay for his unmentionable art. Not since Michael Keaton's scenery-chewing debut in Night Shift has an actor stolen scenes with such self-confidence, elan and panache.
Oh! And the film even has a haunting Transsexual supporting character (Richard Lefebvre) as an Iraqi war veteran. Now, how about telling us her story!
Lastly, I heartily recommend the exquisitely photographed Newcastle, currently playing locally at the Metro Cinemas in the U-District for its irresistible Aussie nudity, shower scenes, onscreen masturbation and fucking and even a "tasteful" Gay love affair. It's inspiring to see gorgeous tanned young male physiques muscled by nature for a change instead of the artificially sculpted gym bodies with their chicken legs that pass for male beauty in our community.
Captive
May 23, 11 a.m., The Egyptian
May 31, 9:30 p.m., The Egyptian
Humpday
June 5, 7 p.m., The Egyptian
June 7, 8:30 p.m., The Egyptian
Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzel
May 23, 4 p.m., SIFF Cinema
May 24, 9:30 p.m., The Egyptian
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2009 Film Fest's Gay highlights
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Grease, high energy is the word at the 5th Avenue
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NFFTY nurtures young filmmakers
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Disconnected Picasso misses timing
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Pulitzer-winning Rabbit Hole in Seattle
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Freak Show: See what's behind the curtain
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Maria/Stuart a gutsy production
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Ben Folds a madman on the piano
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What was the Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court decision?
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Art that will inspire you
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SIFF's Gay films, an enormous range
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Pop Star on Ice is an interesting vanity piece
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Little Ashes' fictional twists dull its impact
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Q-Scopes by Jack Fertig
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Taking Back Sunday's Matt Rubano rocks out
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Northwest News
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Activist confrontations
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Deep Inside Hollywood - Romeo San Vicente
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Book Marks
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The news we use
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Sensuous, sassy, provocative dancing
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Icelandic artist performs in EMP restroom
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A Dyke About Town: Progress for "significant otters"
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The Sisters have money to give away!!!
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