Skip to main content

Stop! That! Train!

By Golu
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...
Post a Comment

Straight Up

By Golu
A brainy screwball comedy film would the best way to describe this film. The dialogues in this are spoken so soft that its really easy to lose track of what exactly is being discussed here. Stories like these are a new brand of cinema, which may not be everyone's cup of tea. It all depends on how well the treatment of the film. Interestingly, the director of the film is also the lead actor, which, I only realized after I finished watching the film.

The story is about Todd, a good looking Asian American software, with buttoned up shirts. He is gay, his friends know that and even his therapist knows that but for some odd reason Todd doesn't want to be gay. He has OCD and any kind of any bodily fluids disgust him to the core. He’s lonely and longs for a partner, but he can’t begin to deal with sex. It’s just…too messy. A chance meeting with Rory, a struggling actress changes everything. She is also a brainiac and witty girl. they form the kind of communion where you could say that they finish each other’s sentences, except in this case it sounds like one long sentence. Neither is too keen on sex or kids but social pressure makes them want to try sex. A failed attempt makes them change their mind. Rory suspects something is off and maybe Todd is really gay, so she makes the bold decision of leaving him and moving to Seattle. Todd is heartbroken because he will now never find his soulmate (gender doesn't matter). Todd tries but eventually gives in, goes to Seattle and convinces Rory to be with him because no matter what, neither of them will find a person who is so like the two of them.

My biggest problem with the film is it's ending. It feels like it retreated into its own bubble. As human beings, we get caught up in our own ideologies and thoughts and create our very own psychological prison. Even though Todd is not really having a sexual-identity crisis, but he totally convinces himself of that, despite being in therapy. Maybe the real problem is something all the way deep down there. Todd does a good job both as an actor and director. We do not relate to Todd because he is a sensitive, bi-racial, guy with OCD. We relate to him because he wants to love and be loved, and because his story is told with skill and humor. And his chemistry with Rory, who shows his range of skills in the improv classes she attends, is also pretty good. There is often reference to Kinsey scale, which I found was very interesting. Personally, I quite enjoyed the first half of the film but after a film, I felt there was way too much just back and forth, non stop dialogues and no breathing space at all for any other character or situation. Nott hat those scenes were serious because everything has been done with a lightness so that its easy to connect with audience but for me, it failed to do after a while.

Today's people do not believe in labels. This film really about a generation of people who have discovered a new way to connect through their detachment. (6/10)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Phor Lae Lukchai (Thai) [Father & Son]

By Golu
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...
1 comment
Read more

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

By Golu
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...
23 comments
Read more

The Tuxedo (Thai Series)

By Golu
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...
25 comments
Read more