Smut Capital of America is an (NSFW) award-winning documentary short about the ‘sexual gold rush’ of late ’60s and early ’70s San Francisco after a landmark ruling from the state’s supreme court permitted the viewing of hardcore pornography in private, leading to the opening up of adult movie theaters.
It was boom-time for the porn biz, both gay and straight, and the film collects anecdotes from models, filmmakers and theater owners from the era, including John Waters.
(Dir. Kim St. Leon. US, 2010. 97 mins).
This watchable, ambitious thriller provides something a little different in a gay movie market crammed with fluffy rom-coms and coming-out dramas.
Lost Everything takes as its starting point a closeted gay movie star and spins a tale of deceit, lust, ambition, surveillance and revenge. Brian Brecht (played by Mark Whittington) is a Hollywood star in the Tom Cruise mould: square-jaw handsome, publicly charming and desired by both men and women. He pitches up in Miami for some location shooting on his latest film and immediately clocks sexy, young hotel bartender David. All it takes is some cigar innuendo and a slip of Brian’s room number and David is there like a shot.
(Dir. Benjamin Cantu. Germany, 2011. 88 mins).
Harvest is a beautiful, raw tale of blossoming young love in the picturesque German countryside and a very strong feature debut from writer/director Benjamin Cantu.
Troubled teen Marko is trying to keep his head above water as he nears the end of a farming apprenticeship course which, if he passes, will secure him a job and a place to stay. Despite mixed feelings about a career on the farm and pressures from his course mates to drink and party, quiet Marko digs in and concentrates on work and passing his exams. His world is turned upside down, however, when more confident gay teen Jacob joins the course and is instantly attracted to brooding Marko.
Meet ‘Adam’, your next generation denial-bot. He’s at the centre of a new gay short which aims to promote self-acceptance regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Young, Brit filmmaker Mike Buonaiuto had this to say about his project: “I wanted to shoot something engaging, with a universal message about self-acceptance and homophobia. News reports of homophobic abuse and the devastating effects it has on families are becoming ever too common. I hope the film will inspire young people struggling with accepting their sexuality due to bullying or fear to find confidence within themselves. We are not machines, we are human and we cannot be controlled, suppressed or silenced.”
(Dir. Mark Bessenger. US, 2011. 84 mins).
This toothy gay horror comedy could use more bite, but a committed cast run, shriek and peer into the dark for all their worth and the movie puts its money where its fangs are.
Ladies man and unreconstructed country boy Brewster reluctantly takes over his brother’s road haulage shift after ‘bro’ fails to turn up for work. The delivery is five coffins to a funeral parlour in nowheresville, so off Brewster sets in his truck, right after hopping out of bed with his brother’s wife.
Along the way Brewster (who’s been suffering a flagging libido of late) picks up a pair of gay hitchhikers. Boyfriends Cary and Vogel are trying to reconnect over a backpacking vacation, but slutty, young Vogel is more interested in getting into macho Brewster’s pants than into sensitive lover Carey’s affections.
