| The features at this year’s Fairy Tales should offer up a mixed bag for everyone. They include Canadian filmmaker John Palmer’s Sugar, based on short stories by the legendary Bruce LaBruce and starring indie favourite Sarah Polley, Argentine director Diego Lerman’s lesbian road flick Suddenly, the less-inspired romantic comedy Mango Kiss, and the gay Mormon (yep, gay Mormon) love story Latter Days, the debut film of Sweet Home Alabama screenwriter C. Jay Cox. Here are a few highlights:
THE MUDGE BOY (U.S., 2003)
Directed by Michael Burke
Saturday, June 5, 5 p.m., Globe
Actor Stanley Tucci executive-produced this 2003 Sundance favourite about Duncan Mudge (The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys’ Emile Hirsch), a teenage farm misfit who, traumatized by the death of his mother, befriends her favourite chicken and can’t stop wearing mom’s clothes. Increasingly attracted to his friend Perry (Thomas Guiry) and driving his father (Six Feet Under’s Richard Jenkins) to the edge, Duncan’s behaviour gets him in serious hot water all around.
Fishbelly White director Michael Burke has turned an otherwise simple storyline into an in-depth, emotionally gripping character study about a grieving father and son. The performances and photography are all top-notch and the real gem here is the award-winning screenplay, which never detours into the superficial or clichéd. Preceded by episodes nine and 10 of J.J Sedelmaier’s successful Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoon series. Not to be missed.
EATING OUT (U.S., 2003)
Written and directed by Allan Brocka
Friday, June 4, 9 p.m., Globe
Allan Brocka has become a festival favourite for years at Fairy Tales with his animation comedy series Rick and Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple In the World. This year he makes his feature debut with Eating Out, a metrosexual-style, campy comedy about Caleb (Scott Lunsford), a straight guy who pretends to be gay to win the affections of fag-hag Gwen (Emily Stiles in a role made for Tori Spelling). When Gwen sets him up with her gay roommate Marc (Ryan Carnes), Caleb gets the full meal deal, while Caleb’s gay roommate Kyle (American Idol’s Jim Verraros) gets his heart broken.
OK, so it’s a bit of a stretch in storyline (Caleb’s mullet and shoes are a dead giveaway for straight), but Brocka knows how to play with clichés. Eating Out has enough comic moments to muddle through, including the over-the-top artistry of Caleb’s dildo-loving stalker Tiffany (Rebekah Kochan), the spitting image of the Legally Blonde franchise’s Jennifer Coolidge. Most of the women in this film (save mom) are treated like idiotic sluts, but there’s an appealing quality to their homophobic absurdity as they chase after Mr. Right. Brocka has a way to go with reality, but he’s a potential John Hughes for young metrosexuals and gay boyz looking for flicks with cute twinks should get their money’s worth.
ONE DYKE WORE WHITE (Canada, 2004)
Written and directed by Michelle Wong
Saturday, June 5, 2:30 p.m., Globe
Part home movie, part lesbian road trip, local filmmaker Michelle Wong’s (Pieces of A Dream) latest is another intimate, real-life documentary video about same-sex marriage while on a B.C. road trip with her Albertan friends and brides-to-be Morag Misselbrook (a.k.a. "Femmus Sarcasticus") and Kam Wong (a.k.a. "Butchitus Notsomuchatis"). Along for the ride are flower girl Christine and ring bearer Kate, and after grabbing the marriage licence and heading towards Vancouver, the road junkies spend much of their time talking about, preparing for and celebrating their B.C.-recognized wedding. Oh yeah, and one of them wears the dress.
Wong has a particular mastery at up-front interviews and editing and while One Dyke Wore White verges on home video, it’s an important journey, particularly for Albertans still waiting for their wedding parade. There are some hilarious discussions that make you want to jump in the car with these real-life characters as they discover the emotional gaffaw of "I Do" and, at just the right length, there’s even enough time to squeeze in the Seattle honeymoon. |
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