Jay Bell Books

Big Gay Movie Review: Judas Kiss

When Andreas and I went to a gay film festival last year, there was only one movie on the docket that sounded interesting: Judas Kiss. I wasn’t clear on the plot, but I caught the words “time travel.” I couldn’t imagine how that would play out in a gay movie. A pink police box? Or a DeLorean blaring Lady Gaga at 88 decibels to break through the time barrier? The man who introduced the film at the festival said: “Here’s a film about very unusual events … uh … Just watch it and see what you think.” At the time, it seemed a lousy intro. Now I find myself agreeing with the guy. You really should just watch it, preferably a few times, and see what you think.

But you probably want to know more, so here we go. First the basics. Judas Kiss does have elements of science-fiction, but only in a Twilight Zone kind of way. There are indeed unusual events, namely the main character meeting his younger self. There’s no cheesy plot device or tiresome explanation of how this happens. Instead, the main character Zachary Wells takes a trip back to the university where his career as a filmmaker hit its peak. Once there, things get a little surreal when he meets his younger self, Danny Reyes (who hasn’t yet changed his name to Zachary Wells), and gets caught up in the very events he feels ruined his life. Sound convoluted? It is, but that journey of discovery makes the fist viewing of Judas Kiss such a joy.

Zachary tries to stop his younger self from making the same mistakes, which is hopeless since Danny is on top of the world and still at that age where he feels invincible. Plus he has problems of his own. The most influential guy on campus, Shane Lyons, has taken a shine to Danny and has the power to make or break him. And then there’s adorable doe-eyed Chris, Shane’s former pet project, who knows first hand how Danny will be used and discarded. Chris wants to protect Danny while stealing his heart away from Shane. Oh, the wonderful drama of it all!

That there’s so much happening in Judas Kiss makes it delightfully rewatchable. Aside from the ninety minutes stuffed with plot and the complex relationships of the major players, the secondary and sometimes silent characters also have their stories to tell if you pay attention. And while your mind is enraptured, your nether regions will be just as pleased, since the boys of Judas Kiss are very hot. Best of all, they aren’t the muscle bound clones that infest many gay films. They each have character and charm that makes them delicious to the eye. Charlie David (Zachary) is hunky, Richard Harmon (Danny) is haunting, Sean Paul Lockhart (Chris) is notoriously attractive, and then there’s Timo Descamps (Shane) who plays the bad boy to perfection. Not only do they look good, but each is a competent actor as well.

Judas Kiss has got it going on and deserves the praise it’s been getting. If you’re put off by the sci-fi elements, don’t be. There is plenty of love and romance in this film to keep you satisfied. There’s also much that is new and fresh, which I feel is long overdue in gay cinema. Give Judas Kiss a shot—really give it your full attention—and I think you’ll discover an exciting new movie that promises a successful future for the creators of the film, and many more delights for us in the audience.

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Something Like Summer – The Movie!

Yes, it’s true! Something Like Summer is becoming a movie. Producer Tom Ly approached me a few months back, smoothed talked me into giving him the film rights and then wrangled up some of the best talent in gay cinema. I had the honor of speaking with many amazing directors, and like puppies, I wanted to take them all home with me. Choosing felt impossible, so I watched and rewatched their films. There was one—Judas Kiss—that to me feels like the future of gay cinema. Not only is Judas Kiss fresh and new, but the cinematography and quality of directing is worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. I’m absolutely thrilled that the talent behind Judas Kiss has agreed to transform Something Like Summer from ye olde fashioned text to glorious moving pictures! The road from script to screen is a long one, but if you want a hint of what Something Like Summer will be like as a film, I urge you to check out Judas Kiss. I know I’ll be celebrating this news by watching it again tonight!

Here’s the official Something Like Summer movie press release:

‘Judas Kiss’ Director, Producer Re-Team for ‘Something Like Summer’ Adaptation

SEATTLE — The makers of this year’s acclaimed scifi fantasy, “Judas Kiss,” are teaming with Seattle-based Jade Knight Productions to adapt the bestselling coming-of-age love story, “Something Like Summer,” for the screen.

The new project will be helmed by director J.T. Tepnapa, with screenwriter Carlos Pedraza penning the screenplay, based on the book by author Jay Bell. Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s Los Angeles-based company, Blue Seraph Productions is a co-production partner.

“I’m honored that Jay Bell and producer Tom Ly have asked Blue Seraph Productions to turn the critically acclaimed novel into a movie,” Tepnapa said. “The life of the main character, Ben, mirrors so many moments in my own life, I cannot help but want to treat his own journey with care. I love this story, and I want to see it come to life.”

“Something Like Summer” traces the tumultuous relationship of Ben and Tim, secret high school sweethearts who grow over the years into both adulthood enemies and complicated friends.

The novel is Bell’s second and most acclaimed, earning a spot in Amazon’s Best Books of 2011 list, with a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5, and outstanding reader reviews on the popular literary site Goodreads.

Queer Magazine Online said the novel “not only has lots of passion, humor, angst and twists and turns, it also takes an in-depth look at how the choices we make in life affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us.” The Alpha Reader review commented: “Jay Bell has written one of the most heartfelt and sincere romances I have ever encountered.”

The book was optioned by Jade Knight Productions of Seattle and producer Tom Ly. With Blue Seraph Productions on board, the project moves into development immediately.

“We are on track to have the screenplay ready by Spring 2012,” screenwriter and co-producer Pedraza said. “J.T. and I are looking forward to translating the magic of this story from page to screen.”

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with J.T. and Carlos,” Ly said. “I was so impressed by what they accomplished with ‘Judas Kiss.’ I know they’ll take us to the next level with ‘Something Like Summer.’”

Author Bell had similar praise for “Judas Kiss”: “I was blown away after seeing the film in Germany this year. My heart was pounding when I left the theatre and I knew that this was the right creative team for a ‘Something Like Summer’ movie. Ben, Tim, and Jace are in very safe hands, and I can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”

“Something Like Summer” will be Tepnapa’s and Pedraza’s second feature film, following quickly on the heels of their debut, “Judas Kiss,” the genre-bending scifi fantasy released in 2011, garnering critical acclaim and multiple awards from film festivals around the world. The film is in distribution worldwide, and continues at the top of the sales charts in its genre.

Blue Seraph Productions is a Los Angeles company headed by Tepnapa and Pedraza. Their work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, The Advocate, Edge Magazine, ATV Network, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

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*updated* Big Gay Movie Review: Were the World Mine

Were the World Mine is a difficult movie to define. It’s often touted as a musical, but there aren’t quite enough songs to match the expectations this conjures up. Instead the film is more of a strange fantasy that occasionally feels inspired to break into song. Based on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Director Tom Gustafson does a fine job of creating a dream-like aura, but does the film live up to the hype?

The story centers around Timothy (played by openly gay Tanner Cohen) who suffers the usual amount of teasing and bullying from his peers because of his sexuality. With the encouragement of puckish drama teacher Ms. Tebbit, Timothy discovers his love for singing and acting, and more importantly, a magical flower that can turn anyone gay. Not only does he use it to convert Jonathan, the athletic object of his desires, but the majority of the town as well. Occasionally the barriers of reality become even more blurred by musical numbers performed on beautiful and elaborately arranged stage sets.

All of this sounds like a recipe for success, and it comes so very close, but there’s something missing. The songs are passable and the visuals are stunning, but there is a lack of depth to the characters. The town is generically homophobic and too much time is given to Timothy’s mother and her own struggles with her boss; a rich, superficial, martini sipping diva who would undoubtedly be a fag hag but is oddly portrayed as a religious conservative. The tone of the film tends to meander as well. It’s not quite funny enough to be called a comedy, and doesn’t delve deep enough into its own concept to be thought provoking. Luckily there is plenty of eye candy to detract from these flaws, as the students of an entire boys school pair up and start making out.

Had more time been given to Timothy and Jonathan, and some of the extraneous characters trimmed, Were the World Mine could have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it is still worthy of seeing, if only for the set designs and the Pierre and Gilles inspired imagery. Average though it might be, I plan on watching it again someday in the hopes that my appreciation for it grows.

*update* This film was unique enough that I decided to buy it, even though the first viewing left me somewhat cold. I’m glad I gave it another chance because I enjoyed it much more the second time around. I understand now why the main gay couple is more in the background, since the point of the plot is for the straight townsfolk to experience the ups and downs of being gay, including unreciprocated feelings.

The songs are also much better than I remembered, namely because I discovered that the 5.1 soundtrack is ineptly mixed. The songs sound flat and muddled, even on a sound system that can handle six channels. I’ve had this problem with both the German and UK release, and assume the same is true for the US release as well. If you watch this film, make sure to choose the 2.0 stereo soundtrack. This isn’t the default setting but it sounds much better, at least where the music is concerned. Hopefully this film will receive better treatment if a blu-ray release comes out, since the picture quality could be improved too. Despite all the technical problems, I found this film absolutely charming when giving it a second chance. Check it out!

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Thanks for the money, you filthy thief!

When popping in disc one of Back to the Future on Blu-ray, the giddy waves of excitement coursing through me were so intense that I almost missed something different. Universal was thanking me for buying their product instead of lecturing me on the evils of piracy. We’ve all been subjected to horrible ads that show SWAT teams hunting down bootleggers or commercials that equate downloading a Jonas Brothers concert to stealing a car. In Germany there was a terrible ad in cinemas of a nerd refusing to go to bed with his super sexy girlfriend because he was too busy burning DVDs.

The irony is that these condescending messages are only seen by those who spend money on a film, no matter if it’s buying or renting. Anyone who has watched a pirated film knows these stern lectures aren’t included. Fifty megs of that Avatar download isn’t dedicated to a public service announcement. No, only those who legally access films are harassed by studios for being potential thieves.

The simple “Thank You!” that’s showing up on Universal releases is accompanied by a cheerful voiceover over saying that buying stuff helps support local film and television industries. I can dig that. The standard text screen of copyright notice is still there, but those actually serve a purpose and are subdued enough to be tolerable. So big props to Universal for losing the attitude and making with the gratitude. You make me feel awesome for spending money.

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Big Gay Movie Review: Make the Yuletide Gay

Has there been a gay Christmas movie before? None spring to mind, and I really liked the idea of cuddling up with Andreas on the couch, our recently decorated tree glowing to one side of the room while we watched Make the Yuletide Gay. The results were mixed.

Like most holiday films, Make the Yuletide Gay is a comedy. College student Gunn (played by Keith Jordan) returns home to his wacky parents who are, surprise-surprise, unaware that their son is gay. Not a problem. All he has to do is smooth his hair down and put on clothing from the GAP and no one is the wiser… until his boyfriend Nathan (Adamo Ruggiero) shows up! Yes, the premise is that cheesy, and what follows is a predictable parade of close calls and innuendo powered humor.

The film can be a bumpy ride when first getting used to the humor and occasionally amateur performances from the cast. Some of the stereotypes feel dated, such as gay people being obsessed with clothing and hair, but this is redeemed by the lack of vulgar, shock humor that the American Pie franchise has made so trendy.

The stellar music and directing helps ease the film through some rough patches until the movie hits its pace and takes a welcome dive into drama. There’s real chemistry between Gunn and Nathan, and they get plenty of screen time together, something many gay movies fail to provide. The cheap laughs never cease, but they feel more balanced among a few tears.

The eccentricity of Gunn’s parents is a major selling point, as is the dual personality of Gunn’s ex-girlfriend. The execution of these characters could have been reined in a bit, but the good nature behind their unusual behavior makes it hard not to warm to them. This reflects the hopelessly optimistic spirit of the movie, something highly appropriate for a holiday flick.

Make the Yuletide Gay is more of a homemade Christmas card than a polished movie gem. It’s the sort of film Hollywood still doesn’t have the balls (or heart) to put out, so its imperfections are easily forgiven. That Adamo Ruggiero is both openly gay and absolutely adorable is worth some major bonus points as well. A gay holiday themed movie is cause enough for celebration, and anyone looking to enhance their festivities with a little light-hearted fun won’t go wrong with this film.

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Big Gay Movie Review: L.I.E.

L.I.E., short for Long Island Expressway, is the story of a 15 year-old boy who finds himself drowning in a brutal and ignorant world. The first half hour focuses on Howie Blitzer ( played by Paul Dano) coming to terms with his affections for petty thief and hustler Gary (Billy Kay). Howie is unable to resist Gary’s allure, joining him on his destructive path. It’s while burglarizing a house with Gary that Howie comes into contact with Big John(Brian Cox).





Gary eventually leaves Howie behind to run away to California. The remaining bulk of the film is the strange relationship between Howie and Big John, a well respected war veteran that is also a pedophile. John’s intentions are transparent, but Howie’s intelligence and sensitivity take him by surprise. John soon finds himself filling the parental role so absent in Howie’s life.





Pros:
-Slices of all walks of life are well presented; rich and poor, the influential and the powerless.
-Great performances from the entire cast.

Cons:
-The story repeatedly loses it’s way. The ending especially seemed an act of desperation when simply letting it end quietly would have been better.
-A romantic scene between Gary and Howie would have been nice.





L.I.E.’s greatest strength is in its originality. It has an opportunity to be a story with heart, but ultimately fails to successfully find its voice. Regardless, L.I.E. is a film worth seeing, especially if you are searching for a gay film outside of the boy-meets-boy genre.

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