Saturday, December 31, 2011

Man From Earth




I hesitated to show the preview for this film--one of my faves from the last
ten years, and probably ever--specifically because it gives so much away
of the nuance and mystery of the story. But the trailer showcases the
incredible talent of the ensemble cast--one of the best I've ever seen
assembled!

This was the final work of Jerome Bixby, and it's a phenomenally
engaging piece that explores so many different sociological aspects and
theories in a captivating fashion. It's akin to a closed-room murder
mystery in that it's nearly a done-in-one production, and the riveting
nature of the plot does make the tension keeping everyone in the
room palpable and exciting.

Expertly written, acted, filmed, and edited, this is truly an example
of the best of what the industry can offer.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Parting Glances



One of the earliest and better 'positive gay films' as well as
one of the earliest and best screen representations of HIV/AIDS.

"Parting Glances" is the simple love story of 2 gay men in 1980s
New york City; their struggles, their friends, and the community
they live in. It's also, primarily, the story of friendship and
becoming mature in the face of loss and tragedy.
 It's a beautiful, moving story that
has warmth and vulnerability; sadly the only film made by
Bill Sherwood before his death from AIDS. A great
and lasting memory, to be sure.

This film has a tremendous cast, whose easy fit with the
naturalistic dialogue works well. Of special note are
Richard Ganoung (later of "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss",)
John Bolger (super sexy "One Life To Live" and film/TV star,)
Kathy Kinny (Mimi of "The Drew Carey Show",)
and a young Steve Buscemi (his first major film role!)


A wonderfully human film full of pathos and
real friendship. It plays like a fantasy, or a love story.
I guess the difference is whether you're jaded or not.




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