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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

March 12, 2010

www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

One gem shines, one lacks luster

STRAND RELEASING

Imogene and Anora

by Anthony Glassman

In the interests of egalitarianism, great effort has been made to review both a gay male film (easy) and a lesbian film (not so easy).

For some odd reason, it seems like for every woman film that gets released, at least seven man films are issued.

That's really a shame on a couple of different levels. First, of course, is the fact that women make up 51% of the population, so you would think the numbers would exhibit more parity.

Secondly, at least five out of those seven gay male films probably shouldn't be made, because they really are quite often atrocious.

Is the LGBT community so starved for representation that we'll watch anything with two dudes kissing, even if it is a vampire and a werewolf who get a loft together in Chelsea but have to "straighten" it up when Mummy comes to visit?

(Damn, I hope nobody steals that idea now.) Anyway, what society needs is more decent lesbian films, especially ones with good senses of humor. Take, for instance, Drool, out on DVD on March 23 from Strand Releasing.

Writer-director Nancy Kissam won the 2006 Slamdance Screenwriting Award for the film, which was released last year. It's told from the point of view of young Tabby, a high-schooler with a filthy mouth who loves some big, blond doofus in her class.

Despite an older Tabby narrating the film, it's as much about her mother Anora as it is about her.

Anora is a typical southern housewife, trying to please her racist husband Cheb, whose idea of sex is completely mechanical rutting in the missionary position.

Amazingly, Oded Fehr plays Cheb, so there's an Israeli Jew who often plays Arabs impersonating a redneck. That has to be comedy gold in and of itself.

The trouble really starts when a new neighbor, Imogene, starts getting Anora to come out of her shell. The problem, you see, is that Imogene is... well, black. Of course, that's not the word that Cheb uses, but good people don't use the word that Cheb uses.

Imogene slowly starts replacing Cheb in Anora's fantasies, which is difficult, since fantasy-Cheb is actually a sweet, attentive, loving man as opposed to reality-Cheb, who's aschmuck.

And when Cheb walks in on Anora and Imogene's make-out session, the feces really hits the fan. Don't worry though; everything will turn out for the best.

Of course, any film that includes the line, "Yeah, decking your best friend for screwing your boyfriend makes you feel like a fucking rock star," has to be seen. It's the law.

On the other hand, TLA Releasing's Redwoods is, well, okay. Boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy gets boy back, boy decides to stick with his boyfriend instead of running off with boy, boy bores the pants off of everyone watching the movie unless they're completely romantic saps who cry at Hugh Grant rom-coms.

Everett and Miles are in a dry, dull, soulless,

unimaginative relationship. They take care of their severely autistic son Billy, they work, they sleep. That seems to be about it. The beauty of Humboldt County, California, and its massive redwood forests is lost on them.

When Miles takes Billy to his parents' house for a week, Everett decides to stay home and get work done. He's an accountant, an occupation as thrilling as his relationship. While he's home, Miles wants him to fix the sprinkler and get rid of the mold in the bathroom. Scintillating, isn't it?

But then there is a knock on the door. Shane, an aspiring writer, has booked a room at the Humboldt Bed and Breakfast, where he hopes to finish his novel. However, he's directionally impaired, and turned on Humboldt Lane instead of Humboldt Street. Everett gives him directions and thinks no more of it, until, while antique shopping with his mother, he spots Shane in the

store.

The two men start hanging out, and Everett shows him around the area. Sparks fly, and Everett has to decide between his cozy, dully domesticated life and the possibilities that lie in Shane's arms.

Without ruining the ending, one can say that it's at once dark, smarmy, safe and relatively morbid.

It's not a bad film by any means. The writing isn't horrid, the actors know their craft, the direction even works. It's just so lackluster. It's just about as close as TLA comes to a misstep, which should mean something to anyone who is familiar with their output.

TLA RELEASING

Shane and Everett