Out and About

Wow, the Lincoln Theater is nice. No, no, not the Ford Theater, which is quite close to the E Street Landmark. The Lincoln Theater, which is on U Street and somewhere between 12th and 13th. Normally, Metro stops a few blocks from where you want to be. After all, it can't drop you off everywhere you want to go. And, yet, I stopped at the U Street Cardozo stop, which is the same stop to go to the 9:30 club, or the Black Cat, or the Studio Theater, each of which is a few blocks from the Metro stop.

Not the Lincoln Theater. Just get up on the 13th street exit, walk across the street, and you are there.

This was the 15th year of Reel Affirmations, what has to be the worst name for a Gay & Lesbian film festival (I suppose there are bisexual films--tonight's file might qualify, and aren't too many transgendered films either). Tonight I went to watch Race You To The Bottom. To be honest, I hadn't heard of any of the films at the festival, which isn't so surprising, since gay & lesbian films form a small (though vibrant) niche.

What's difficult about such films, at least, gay films, is coming up with stories that aren't weak gay versions of bad straight stories. Although they were able to get some (ok, one) star in Eating Out, the story line and the acting were weak. Those films tend to get audiences to watch it because you see skin.

Actually, there were two films on. Let me talk about the first film, which was Room Service, which, as it turns out, I had heard of from a bulletin board I read. This was a short film about a guy who lusted after a porn star. He discovers that the porn star has since become a hustler, and decides to arrange to meet him. Bringing his camera along, he wants to film his fantasy man.

Fortunately, it turns out a little better than the story line sounds. The guy who's filming it is a geek, who, although he's had a boyfriend, hasn't really been in a relationship. The porn star has washed out and his life is spent trying to eke out a living, since he no longer can do movies. There's a bit of humor, because the kid is completely awkward, and yet, by the end, they have a small connection. While the kid's background is a bit contrived, it's a nice effort.

The nice thing about twenty minute shorts is that it's unnecessary to do a lot of character development. You try to get in a few humorous moments, work in a little backstory, and don't go in too obvious a direction. I wish shorts were more common. Unfortunately, the only way to watch shorts are at film festivals. Personally, I'd like to see shorts prior to main features all the time.

Race You To The Bottom is primarily relationship driven. It's a road picture with the structure of a romantic comedy. Unlike a romantic comedy, the two main characters are well-established. He's a gay writer for a travel magazine. She's a temp. She's been tagging along his travel stories, and this time, they're headed to Napa to report on wineries. Of course, with a road trip, it's really about discussing their relationships.

To get a sense of this film, I can compare it to several other films. I recently saw Andrew Bujalski's Funny Ha-Ha. The acting and cinematography were much better in this film. Funny Ha-ha is all about the interactions of several guys to this girl, who is attractive, but awkward. The whole film is centered around awkward interactions. On the other hand, the characters in Russell Brown's film are confident, sassy, fun. Maggie and Nathan like each other because they're fun for each other.

Nathan is gay, but he likes her enough, so he fools around with her. You can see how she's eventually going to fall for him. What's remarkable about the film is how it establishes the history between the two characters. They like each other. They hate each other. He gives a hand job to a guy she pines after. She flirts with a guy he went to high school with. It's a tenuous relationship. He's willing to fool around, but he can't really fall in love, even though they get along great. She has feelings for him, and can't deal with his cruelty.

When I haven't heard of a film, and I hear it's independent, I tend to think it won't be very good. There are far more people who want to make films than those who have talent to make them well. So it's surprising when I find that it's an excellent movie. It's not as auspicious a start as Steven Soderbergh or even Shane Carruth, but it deals with an established relationships with remarkable realism.

Clearly, the film is aided by strong acting jobs by Amber Benson and Cole Williams. If I were a Buffy fan, I would have known she was in Buffy, but I'm not. She reminded me of a perky Scarlet Johanssen. As it turns out, I had seen Amber before. She was in a bit role as a waitress in Latter Days. Cole Williams comes across like Leo DiCaprio. Long hair, with a wisp of facial hair, he exudes a confidence, and yet, can't really commit.

As it progresses to its end, there's the problem of tying up loose ends. This isn't a comedy, so it would seem a bit sappy to make them get together, especially since he's supposed to be gay. The ending resembles Chasing Amy. Their lives move on. They have something great together, but it can only go so far.

Even if the story idea isn't so novel (although it is a little unusual to do a road trip with a gay guy and a straight gal), a film like this is all about execution and acting. It's much like Before Sunrise, except these two have history, and therefore know how to hurt each other.

Russell Brown also attended to do a Q&A session, but there were very few questions. I couldn't think of a good question either. I did briefly talk to him afterwards, but it seems directors aren't all that outgoing. I suppose these things are awkward enough. Kevin Smith, for example, can stretch an answer for ten minutes, if he has to.

Still, I'm impressed enough to want to see what he does next. Apparently, it's already been made, or at least, significant parts. However, he was very quiet.

This film is expected to go in general release next year.