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 Boy's Life 5
Each of the four films in the latest compilation from Strand
Releasing, Boys Life 5, focuses on self-discovery. While
rehearsing lines for the high school play, Dare brings two
boys together poolside to admit their lack of "experience." In
this short, it seems inexperienced waters run deep. The films
best line: "All I need is a bong hit and a blow job
and I'd be perfect!" In Fishbelly White, a nerdy young
farm boy with a pet chicken is taken under the wing of the
local hunk. The conclusion to their union lays an unexpected
egg. My personal favorite is David Ottenhouse's Late Summer,
which takes the viewer through a poignant exploration of
nubile attraction. The film's finish leaves a lasting and
impressive picture. And in Time Off director Eytan Fox takes
an appealing look at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in
this military story. It is an obvious prequel to his international
hit, Yossi and Jagger. -- Jim Holmes
The Busby Berkeley Collection
Busby Berkeley's name is synonymous with eye-popping, kaleidoscopic
choreography. Five musicals showcasing his best work are
available in the six-disc boxed set The Busby Berkeley Collection,
plus a bonus disc with a nearly three-hour sampling of his
signature extravaganzas. 42nd Street, the granddaddy of all
backstage musicals, is probably the most familiar to contemporary
audiences. Though not directed by Berkeley, his choreography
of classic songs like "Shuffle off to Buffalo," "You're
Getting to Be a Habit with Me," and the title tune confirmed
his place in the Hollywood firmament. Ginger Rogers and a
line of leggy chorus girls singing "We're In the Money" --
and a verse of it in pig Latin -- delighted Depression audiences
in Gold Diggers of 1933, which also features Berkeley's eyebrow-raising
production number "Pettin' in the Park." Famed
for his rat-a-tat-tat movies, former vaudevillian James Cagney
made his filmic song-and-dance debut in Footlight Parade,
notable for some of Berkeley's most dazzling work, particularly
in "By a Waterfall." Dames and Gold Diggers of
1935 round out the set. Bonus features: Each disc features
a bonanza of vintage cartoons and featurettes, trailers,
plus new documentaries in which filmmakers like John Landis
and John Waters and film historians put Berkeley's legacy
in perspective. -- Jeremy Kinser
The Dying Gaul
Out writer Craig Lucas , eternally beloved for his Longtime
Companion screenplay, made his directorial debut with an
adaptation of his own play The Dying Gaul. In this Hollywood
cautionary tale, Peter Sarsgaard does his patented quietly
brooding turn as a grief-stricken screenwriter who begins
an affair with a married studio executive (Campbell Scott)
and is eventually mindfucked by his lover's vengeful wife
(the always interesting Patricia Clarkson). Lucas' insight
into his characters sustains viewer interest -- even when
forced to suspend disbelief -- right up until the tragic
ending. Bonus features: Deleted scenes and an alternate ending.
-- Jeremy Kinser
FAQS
What starts out as a queer bashing for young street hustler
India (Joe Lia) sets the stage for drag desperado Destiny
(Allan Louis), because "saving people is what she's
all about." With her fierce brand of bandit, she has
a "special trick" to make asshole straight boys
cry. And as the self-proclaimed "minister of truth," she
takes hustler India off the streets of Hollywood and into
her home. Along with a boyish lesbian named Lester (Minerva
Vier), she doles out streetwise advise about crystal and
condoms as she helps the two street kids handle their hate
for straight. FAQS is laced with unmistakable life lessons
and an obvious display of gay, as boy meets boy, boy dresses
like girl, girl dresses like boy, straight becomes gay, killer
becomes kind and cock gets served with the morning coffee.
Bonus features: Audio commentary with writer/director Everett
Lewis and star Lia in a question and answer session from
the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.-- Jim Holmes
The Flying Nun: The Complete First Season
When Gidget, the '60s TV series about a female surfer,
became a surprise summertime hit after being canceled by
its network, producers cast star Sally Field in a new series,
The Flying Nun. As the title character, Field plays Sister
Bertrille, an unorthodox young postulant who lands at San
Juan's Convent San Tanco to begin a life doing the "Lord's
work." Through season one, the 90-pound postulant sours
and sings while wrangling with trade winds and timely topical
issues. The shows supporting cast includes, Madeleine Sherwood
(Sister Woman from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) as a curt albeit
kind Reverend Mother, along with a very young Shelley Morrison
(Rosario from TV's Will & Grace). Throughout the show,
there are obvious nods to popular films like The Singing
Nun and The Sound of Music. Bonus Features: A candid and
endearing interview with Field, as she takes the viewer back
to life in 1967, where she discusses her status as the "laughing
stock of the nation," her struggle for acceptance from
her peers, her respect for her ensemble cast, and a few humorous
flying secrets. Watch this first and you will soar through
each episode differently, due to Fields' genuine commentary
and observations. -- Jim Holmes
The Judy Garland Show
It's like Christmukkah in March for fans of Judy Garland.
Two new DVDs, each containing two episodes of her famed variety
series, The Judy Garland Show, are now available. Dorothy
is paired with friends like her Wizard of Oz co-star Ray
Bolger and the two reminisce about the making of the film
prior to launching into a medley of songs from the classic
musical. Other guest include top vocalists of the day Mel
Torme, Vic Damone, Jack Jones, Diahann Carroll, and Jane
Powell. -- Jeremy Kinser
Show Me
When Jenna and Jackson, two grungy street kids carjack
Sarah, a yuppie woman struggling with an unsatisfying anniversary,
it fuels the ride for this tedious thriller. Show Me begins
with a short drive at gunpoint, and quite early in the film,
takes a wrong turn towards a very long and destructive visit
to a cottage set deep in the woods. There are numerous "climactic" twists
and turns, including several with a knife. The films mantra: "There
are two kinds of people in life: There are the people who
rescue and there are people who need to be rescued." Once
viewed, I chose the later. Bonus Features: Commentary from
the director and a behind the scenes featurette. -- Jim Holmes
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