Venturing out of my usual realm of slasher and psychological horror and diving into a series of short films that are not what I usually watch. This will be a review of a compilation of dark themed gay short films. It’s always good to be adventurous every once in a while. Isn’t it?
SPRING: Two gentlemen Joe (Chris O'Donnell) and Tim (Jonathan Keane) who meet up in a coffee shop to talk and go back to Tim’s place for some action. This is more of an S&M bondage film than real horror. Although a dark film, not scary at all more of drama and at the same time is sick and twisted. An experience Tim will remember for the rest of his life. Barking like a dog, hanging almost choking. This movie was awful. It really did not make sense at all. The ending was worse than the actual story line was, and I did not think that was possible.
REMISSION: Sam (Michael Fitzpatrick) just getting back from his oncology appointment is sitting and talking to his boyfriend about the results. Sam is in a log cabin home in the woods that is quiet, secluded and miles away from any civilization. Having a normal day just him and his dog he senses he is being stalked. A bloody figure appears to him throughout the day and night. Upon letting his dog out the next morning Sam notices a bloody gauze pad on the floor with a string pulling it towards the basement. You will have to find out for yourself what happens next.
WINNER TAKES ALL: Ryker (Gavyn Michaels) cancels his theater performance for the night and invites the two most important men in his life to the theater, Brian (Hunter Lee Evans) and Ernesto (Adrian Quinonez). Ryker confesses to both Brian and Ernesto that he is having a relationship with both of them and has been dishonest to them. To decide who he wants to be with Ryker wants them to box each other in a “winner take all” fight. Brian a skinny not so tough guy and Ernesto a former boxer who was 21-3. The odds are stacked in the favor of Ernesto, but you have to watch out for the scrawny guys they can be the ones to surprise ya.
PROMISE: Waking up from a drunken night at a male strip club, Stu (Korken Alexander) starts to remember what happened the night before. Stu and his lover Chris (Rick Cornette) have an argument about Stu’s drinking and drunken behavior. The argument continues at home as well with Chris pointing out Stu’s email account with an interaction with a guy they were both with only Stu continued the relationship on his own. Stu and Chris are to be married the next day and this puts a large kink in their plans. The cheating sends Chris into a rage and things suddenly turn very physical.
VIDEO NIGHT: Three men (Jessie Rice), (Jack Plotnick) and (Jim Hansen) and a woman named Kali (Kali Rocha) are having a session of recording what seems to be a comedy or more of just goofing off in front of the camera. They finish their skit and retreat to the kitchen to drink wine and have a few laughs. Kali goes upstairs to the bathroom leaving the three men in the kitchen. The three men got to the den to view their recorded skit on the computer. They notice as the camera panned at the end of the skit there was someone outside in the window watching them. Two of the men venture out of the room realizing they did not know were Kali was. One man staying back realizes the camera never stopped rolling and someone has picked it up and is one their way up to the bathroom.
COMMUNICATION: Returning from his time in Israel Jacob (Rudi Vodanovich) finds that his former teacher Andrew (Alexander Campbell) has left him all of his property and possessions. Jacob goes to Andrew’s house and starts to reminisce about the relationship he had with Andrew which was much more than teacher and student.
All of the films in this set are well written and directed. If you are a horror lover wanting a collection of gruesome guts and people being hacked into pieces you have stumbled upon the wrong set of short films. I am not a really big fan of drama so saying I liked all of the films would be a lie. When the title line of the dvd reads “dark themed films” I expect it to be just that. Not a bunch of romance laced with just a touch of blood, betrayal, bondage and rape. Remission was the only film in this set to even come close to being suspenseful and horror. I really did like that entry and at the end of the film it left me wanting more to see what could happen next. To answer the question from my opening statement on it being good to be adventurous every once in a while, this time I would have to give that a big fat NO.
Reviewed by: J.R. Watkins
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