Skip to main content

Stop! That! Train!

Coming out of the same studio that gave us RuPaul's Drag Race, and stacked with a whole crew of former contestants, Stop! That! Train! plays like RuPaul basically taking a bow for the entire franchise she's built. It's not really a gay film in the traditional sense, but with so many drag stars from Ru's shows popping up alongside a few cameos from well known out gay actors, I figured it earns a spot on this blog anyway. The whole thing is completely over the top, packed with GenZ slang, loud flashy visuals, and humor that's constantly winking at you knowing how ridiculous it is. Going in you'd assume it's meant to be a laugh riot, and a lot of critics online seem to be eating it up, but I just couldn't get into it at all. I've never really been someone who vibes with campy silly stuff like this, so honestly my reaction doesn't surprise me one bit. The setup follows Tess and DeeDee, two low level stewardesses who sneak onto the fancy Glamazonian E...

Shut Up & Kiss Me

My days of bad movies are not over yet. Not even in the film festival. Here comes a bizzare story with an ending that leaves you saying WTF. And the fact that it is director's autobiographical doesn't help. I can empathize but thats no sorry excuse to make a lousy film. 

Ben is attractive, successful, and looking for love…in all the wrong places. Failed attempts with video dating, his uproarious friends setting him up, and bad gym run-ins have this perennially single 35-year-old ready to call it quits. He figures maybe romance is just not in the cards for him. Except there is this hot stud who runs by his house each morning as he waters his lawn. It takes a fair amount of courage for Ben to speak with Grey, well actually, he’s pushed into it by his best gal pal Callie, and the chemistry is instant. But here's a problem. Grey cant be monogamous. He likes to play around while Ben is a 1-man person. Neither of them hides this from the other but after a while Ben can't take it and they break up. His friend tries to hook him up with other men. Then one fine day Grey runs into Ben who doesn't talk to him too well except that he had to go see a therapist for his problem. The movie ends with Grey being that therapist and the fact that Ben has accepted his man's philandering ways of life. Yes, the movie ended exactly like that. After the movie finished, the director was present for QnA, and all I wanted to ask was 'What was the point of the movie? What is it that he wanted to tell us?' It was all so absurd. The characters had no chemistry and connection. They were overacting their parts to an extent. It was just weird. Oh! and the most annoying thing was a big giant green frame at Ben's house entrance which was there is like every frame. Probably the director forgot his pay his VFX team Don't go by some reviews. You will regret this one. (1.5/10)

Comments

GC from France said…
Bad acting and lame movie ; I just wasted time and had to fast forward some parts.
Golu said…
Told u so.. This one was just bad..
No two ways about it
ILHiker said…
This was a watch of mine from yesterday. I must agree with the review. There were some elements I liked, or could have liked--particularly in the relationships with the friends and the usual-plot-point of a guy returning to dating after a time off. Unfortunately it felt like someone relating the most superficial aspects of a point in their life rather than a movie with characters and a plot. I didn't really dislike anyone or anything included, just didn't get much from it. Part of me hates to say that because I appreciate the people making the movie and don't like to discourage people from going to movies, but it's hard to avoid in this case. I've never been to a film festival. I'm about three hours away from Reeling in Chicago, which is starting, but that's still a bit much for me I think, unless I had a friend to stay and go with up that way. Perhaps that's where I should start.
Golu said…
I am also all about people trying out to make films, but at least don't take the audience for granted. At least give us something substantial to watch and talk about.

Popular posts from this blog

Phor Lae Lukchai (Thai) [Father & Son]

I think the budget of this film was probably too small, but for that, the film definitely offers a different and unique storyline without over dramatizing anything. Yes, some scenes were a bit amateurish but in the bigger scheme of things, that can be overlooked. The film is both beautiful and sad in its own unique way. Aek is a gay dad, whose partner died right around the time their son Nueng was born through surrogacy in a road accident. The relationship between father and son is unpleasant and unstable. We are not really told why, but it seems the father has been unsuccessful in caring and loving his son because of his partner's death. Aek continues to hook up wit hookers. Also, Nueng is constantly bullied by everyone around him for having a gay dad. He has no friends, except Nat, a neighborhood boy, who also happens to be Nueng's boyfriend. In a sudden turn of events Nat is found murdered along with another boy naked. Saddened by the events, Nueng jumps from roof and k...

Gaya Sa Pelikula (Filipino Series) [Like In The Movies]

Pinoy BL series seem to be catching up to the popularity of the Thai shows. And I must say that they are doing a pretty good job at it. Where Thai series started to get repetitive with so many shows based in a college setting with seemingly similar storylines, Pinoy series are offering the viewers with new and interesting stories and some really good sets and surroundings. This series was 8 episodes of about 25-20 minutes each. Karl, a 19-year old introvert architecture student is in the middle of an identity crisis. Prior to the start of the second semester in college and forced by his parents, he moves into his uncle's condominium unit so that he can learn to be financially independent. Karl takes on odd jobs online to do so. But when one of his major clients suddenly goes MIA, he is left short on funds and without a means to pay for his utilities. An opportunity presents itself when his cocky neighbor Vlad has to hide from his family and proposes to share Karl's space for th...

The Tuxedo (Thai Series)

When I saw this series with 8 episodes of about 20-25 minutes each, I thought, good: Finally someone has come to senses and made a show which is not stretched out and they have tried to squeeze in a decent storyline in a good small episode format. But unfortunately, despite a decent premise on hand, the clunky writing, bad screenplay and an extreme tasteless portrayal of mental illness makes this show, not a fun watch. By the time it finishes, you just want to laugh off at the entire absurdity of it all. Aioun is talented tuxedo designer and very much in demand but he has handful of clients and he builds suits only for people who he feels a connection to. One night when his younger brother is about to get mugged, he is helped by a total stranger named Sichol. Since he tears his suit in the fight and has an interview the next day, Aioun gifts him a suit form his design as an expression of thanks. Sichol's interview is for. Personal assistant of a man named Nawee, a wealthy heir to h...