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THE HUNGER 1983 FILM

November 25th, 2009 | Add a Comment

THE HUNGER

THE HUNGER

The Hunger opens with Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie Picking up a very hot looking couple at a club, driving them out to a place in the burbs and having their way with them. Doing to them what vampires do to folks, drink their blood of course. David Bowie is a companion vampire to Catherine, David begins to wither and he does it very quickly and so Catherine must get a new companion. Enter Susan Sarandon Catherine’s next victim, or is she. In this film, genetic material (similar to a virus or prion) is passed from true vampires (a different species) to create temporary vampires (a few centuries or so) from humans. The human vampires act as companions until they eventually wither. Unfortunately for the human vampires, they never die (unless burned) and remain in a conscious, desiccated state (a form of living hell). The lineage of the true vampires begins in ancient times, passes through the Egyptian dynasties, and into the present. This film is heavy on atmosphere. The flirting and seduction scene between Catherine and Susan is smoldering. And there are lesbian sex scenes between Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon that is as hot as anything ever filmed, in my humble opinion. The beauty of Catherine and Susan together is absolutely breathtaking. A film that is not easy to forget, nor should it be. I give “THE HUNGER” 5*****Stars.

Filed under: Movies

CHASING AMY 1997 FILM

November 25th, 2009 | Add a Comment

CHASING AMY

CHASING AMY

I have a “love-hate” relationship with Romantic Comedies. I really enjoy a decent one – and a couple of examples I’d consider “decent” are “While You Were Sleeping” and “When Harry Met Sally”. I also recognize that there is probably no other movie genre that is as suitable for “date night”: It’s where men and women’s interests overlap.

Bad Romantic Comedies can be really tedious things, and many of my pet peeves about movies come from this genre. For example, my LEAST favorite romantic comedy cliche is the moment 10 minutes before the end of the movie where our loving couple has THE “big fight” (often over nothing or something completely stupid or forgettable), followed by one of the characters tearing off to the airport just so that the OTHER partner will have the sudden revelation that they’ve *made a big mistake* and go tearing off for the airport as well – usually arriving only moments late. (With an equally cliche-filled smooching reunion that follows minutes later, before the end credits roll.)

But I digress. NONE of these horrid cliche’s fill this movie, which is full of almost believable characters and completely believable heartache.

Kevin Smith has now created a half-dozen films, and while I would classify all of them somewhere between “watchable” and “excellent”, “Chasing Amy” remains his masterpiece to date.

Holden (Ben Affleck) and Banky (Jason Lee) are 30ish buds-since-High-School who have grown into the guy fantasy job of writing a hit comic book. They get to alternate working on “Bluntman and Chronic” with making personal appearances at fan conventions where they get paid to sign autographs.

At one of these conventions they hook up with another “graphic novelist”, Dwight Ewell’s Hooper X – who is constantly educating Holden and Banky about being black and being gay. Ewell steals all of his scenes because Hooper is a perfect mix of bravado and angst which sufficiently masks his inner conflict for being black and gay.

Hooper introduces our heroes to Alyssa Jones, portrayed in a career-making performance by Joey Lauren Adams. Alyssa is cute, funny, talented, witty and Affleck’s Holden falls for her in a big way. He interrupts his usual routine with Banky just to meet up with Alyssa before finding out at the end of the first act that Alyssa is a lesbian.

A moment to discuss the language, themes and realism of the movie. Like the Kevin Smith films that preceded it, Chasing Amy uses language that is frank and honest and uses raw street vernacular to describe many things, in particular sex. I have heard many criticisms about the story contained in Chasing Amy. Joey Lauren Adams doesn’t fit lesbian stereotypes, and among those who seem to know, it is ridiculous to consider that a lesbian might be interested in a man – even if (perhaps especially if) the man is Ben Affleck. These things must be accepted to follow the movie. Smith makes it easy. In truth, the language and the issue of homosexuality are side issues in what is essentially a truly unique Romantic Comedy.

Like Smith’s first feature “Clerks” the central conflict in “Amy” concerns one character’s difficulties accepting the “history” of the other romantic interest. To say more would spoil the pleasure you would derive from enjoying the flick yourself, but it has to be stated that Smith’s resolution involves heartbreak, plenty of humor, no cliches and no airports.

If you think you might enjoy an honest romantic comedy that includes street language, frank discussions about sex and gay characters, “Chasing Amy” fills the bill exactly.

REVIEWER: MARK J FOWLER..AMAZON.COM

Filed under: Lesbian Films, Movies

ANGELS IN AMERICA 2003 TV MINI SERIES

November 25th, 2009 | Add a Comment

JEFFREY WRIGHT

JEFFREY WRIGHT

Set in 1980s New York and subtitled “A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” the six-hour ANGELS IN America concerns a group of largely gay men who find themselves caught up in series of disasters that range from love to religion and from politics to philosophy–and most specifically caught between the rising tide of AIDS and a generally unsympathetic society.

In the midst of this, AIDS patient Prior Walter begins to have a series of visions, which may be fever dreams, medicine-induced hallucinations… or, most unnerving of all, real. His long dead ancestors rise to speak to him, the floor cracks open to reveal a burning book–and at the conclusion of the play’s first half a beautiful woman with majestic wings crashes through his roof. She is the Angel of America. He is, she tells him, a prophet, and she has come to bring him a message for mankind.

Intertwined with Prior’s other-earthly experiences are oddly parallel lives. Joe and Harper Pitt are a deeply dysfunctional couple doubting their faith in the Mormon Church, Joe a closeted homosexual, Harper a Valium-addicted and mildly psychotic woman given to visions as strange as those of Prior Walter’s. And as further counterpoint historical figure Roy Cohn (1927-1986), among the most sinister figures of 20th Century America, finds himself taunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg as he drifts toward his own AIDS-induced death. The characters swirl in and out of each other’s lives and dreams, playing to stereotypes and yet defying them, arguing politics and philosophy and love and death–and it is fascinating stuff.

Although the play stunned 1990s audiences, most considered it utterly unfilmable due to both length and content. But this HBO-produced, Mike Nichols-directed version not only captures the power of the original, in some ways it improves upon it. Playwright Tony Kushner has adapted his work to the screen, rearranging certain problematic scenes and bits of dialogue to better effect, and certainly no one could argue with the cast, which is absolutely stunning in a series of multiple roles.

With a mad swirl of irony, intense drama, outrageous humor, and unexpected twists and turns, ANGELS IN America is almost sure to hold your attention–particularly if you recall the Ronald Reagan years well enough to recognize the truly bitter allegory the film offers on what many consider his largely absentee second term. Truly a must have, multi-layered, bearing repeated viewings, beautifully directed, performed, and filmed.

Filed under: Movies, TV SERIES

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