By Roger Costa
SEBASTIAN
Get yourself ready for rising star Ruaridh Mollica. As the title protagonist of this incredibly touching and steamy erotic thriller, he delivers one of the boldest queer-identity performances in years. Having appeared in many shorts and TV productions, the Italian-born young breakthrough star is ready to take higher flights. He proves his charisma and sex-symbol status conceiving a complex, ambiguous, immersive character impossible to resist. You just can’t take your eyes away. You just want to take him under the wings- or under your sheets if that matters.
He plays Max, a 25-year-old foreign writer living in London, who begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel. Seeking for lust and resources at the same place, Max becomes involved with some of his clients, mostly much older men, blurring the limits between reality and fiction.
Finnish-British Writer/Director Mikko Mäkelä’s sophomore project is richly engaging, provocative and very, very hot. He masterly depicts the story with accuracy, exploring identity, self-discovery and emotional displacement in a hypnotizing conception. For instance, there’s an imminent sense of danger, risk and sensuality all over it: Max is so mysterious and unpredictable, he could easily be a vampire or a serial killer. But we learn those are just the way he finds to protect and defend himself from judgement. The sumptuous cinematography approaches him with this subtle uncertainty, causing a thrilling emotion with the same intensity that it devours him during the beautifully raw sex scenes.
A sensation at this year’s Sundance, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, this is the most accomplished and hottest queer film of the year.
(Kino Lorber. 8/2. IFC Center. Director in person for Q&A.)
CHUCK CHUCK BABY
In this funny, poignant and sincere take on friendship, loyalty and unrequited love, a factory-worker woman is about to go on a life-changing journey. Hopeless and unhappy, she lives with her ex-husband, his new family and his ailing mother, whom she fondly cares for. She only finds comfort at work, the chicken-factory, where, along with her co-workers she enjoys enthusiastic moments of laughter and sing-a-long pop performances. When a longtime crush returns to their small town for a family emergency, Helen sees a light at the end of the tunnel- a chance to reconnect with the past and having something to look forward to. Fueled by a pop-dancing, electrifying soundtrack and uplifting, glorious musical numbers, writer/director Janis Pugh’s sensitive and endearing feminist saga is fabulously entertaining and deeply humane.
Actress Louise Brealey gives all of herself in the role of Helen, crafting a charming and very relatable character. We go through her dilemmas and challenges, discovering the virtues of a woman who’s been rejected and humiliated but won’t give up. The same goes for Annabel Scholey who plays her love-interest, Joanne- she is enlightening and intimidating at equal levels. Both actresses, as well as the entire cast, give a big boost to the film with their ability to develop an immidiate connection to the audience, creating a joyous, tender and feel-good atmosphere.
An official selection at Toronto Film Festival and nominated for the Audience Prize at Sunny Bunny LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, crafted by an almost all-female team, this is a celebration of love, female friendship and new beginnings that must be seen with all of your besties. It’ll easily make it a special, fun-packed and very musical ladies night!
(Dark Star Pictures. 8/2. Cinema Village NYC.)
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