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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...
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Fallen Fruit

By Golu
A tender yet flawed coming of age story by a first time director, this film feels more like an ode to the city of Miami than anything else. A lot of young film makers these days are trying to capture the uncertainty, restlessness and disorientation of today's youth using various subject. This film encapsulates the grounded, down-to-earth reality of making amends with the city that built you up, broke you down, and made you who you are, using a young 23 Latin protagonist who just broken up with his ex-boyfriend. It exposes the inherent need to cling to someone to feel loved and supported when you haven’t even learned how to do that yourself.

Alex, a young man, moves back to Miami with his family after breaking up with his ex boyfriend in New York. Though it's early, he is a bit aimless and can't find a job or purpose in Miami. He feels lonely and c complains about traffic, almost hitting rock bottom and depression. He finds his father's camcorder from his childhood and starts filming random vignettes of the city and life. He eventually finds a job in the LGBTQ center. He also meets Chris online, they hook up and have a great chemistry. Alex thinks that is love again but meanwhile Chris realizes that Alex is a mess and wants to be his friend during his lonely times and support him in every way possible. Second half of the film is set against the backdrop of an impending hurricane, a clear but unassuming metaphor for the storm of Alex’s inner conflict—the whirlwind of life—upending without any sense of direction along with the onslaught of feelings that come with it.

IMO, the film is trying to make a comment on growing up, facing adulthood, and possibility of life getting messy, using Alex as its protagonist; but at the same time as a subject int feels like its just going in circles. The film starts with Alex bored to death and looking (or not) for ways to get out of Miami but even by the end of the film. it does not appear that he has grown or changed in any significant way. Maybe the film makers heart was in the right place but the final product seems clunky. The actors are all good looking, but somewhere this indie film feels like a half-baked cake. At various places, we find awkward pauses and the lead actors dialogue delivery leaves a lot to be desired for anyone to take this film seriously. Alex’s personal epiphanies, inner turmoils, and feelings of loneliness could have more of their intended impact if we aren’t told directly in every scene how much he’s bothered by them and how torturous it is for him to be in Miami. A lack of subtle and nuanced evolution in Alex’s character is what keeps Fallen Fruit from succeeding. Maybe we will see a better second feature form this budding filmmaker. (4.5/10)
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