Another Gay Movie: 15-Year Anniversary Director's Cut

By: Amos Lassen

"ANOTHER GAY MOVIE"

"The Gayest Movie Ever Made"

Amos Lassen

There has been a lot of hype about "Another Gay Movie" (TLA Releasing) and it has all been favorable and deservedly so. It is not just "another" movie about gays, it is a movie in which we laugh at ourselves I have wanted to see this movie ever since the buzz about it started. I figured it would not make it to Arkansas and it hasn't yet and won't get to Little Rock until the second week of October. Market Street Cinema is going to show it then and this is one movie you do not want to miss. When my review copy came I could not wait to get through the day so I could relax and watch it and I have only good things to say about it.

When four high school friends make a pact to lose their anal virginity, the plot gets going. Directed by Todd Stevens, who also wrote the script, has assembled a cast who will keep you laughing for an hour and a half. The cameo roles alone make this movie worth seeing-Mink Stole ("Pink Flamingos") as Sloppy Seconds, foul mouthed comedian Graham Norton as Mr. Puckov, Richard Hatch (incarcerated "Survivor" winner and naked here too) as Richard Hatch, Lypsinka as Mrs. Wilson, Scott Campbell ("Boys in the Hall") as Mr. Wilson, James Getzlaff (from Bravo's "Boy Meets Boy") as Beau, and porn star Matthew Rush (who bares it all and is a dancing machine) as Ryder.

The four young leads of the film are wonderful as they pursue their goal to be anally used before college. Michael Carbonaro as Andy has an amazing scene which opens the movie. When his mother cannot find the ingredients she needs to make a salad, she bursts into his room to find him using all of the vegetables in a wild self abuse episode, His three best friends, also are anxious to use their rears for something other than sitting. Jarrod, the jock hunk played by Jonathan Chase, is dismayed about the size of his penis and his interaction with a penis pump will not be forgotten easily. Griff (Mitch Morris), horse hung and a nerd, has a scene at a gay bar that will have you holding your sides and Nico (Jonah Blechman) is the alternative club kid with multiple piercing, wild outfits and a serious problem with flatulence.
Many have compared this movie to the "There's Something About Mary" and "American Pie" precursors. I supposed there is something in that as the plot does not ever get serious. Yet I think this movie is in a different class altogether. Most of us will identify to degree with one or more of the wacky happenings here. In effect, we are not only laughing at the movie but at ourselves as well. In fact the movie is an out and out satire on gay movies in general. There is a deeper message here as well. The friendship of the four main characters is beautiful to watch and the loss of innocence is ribald. The journey that spans from youth to adulthood is never been seen quite like this before and beneath the comedy is a wonderful story of growing up gay which shows four guys accepting their gayness openly and not having the hang-ups usually seen in movies that deal with the issue/ In "Another Gay Movie" being gay is depicted naturally and with great humor. Director Stephens says that he wanted to make "the gayest film ever made" and that is exactly what he has done.

From the moment the movie starts you know that this is a tres gay film. The garish colors, the wild credits where everything is in rainbow colors, the wonderful soundtrack all contribute to the vision of the director. This has got to be "the gayest story ever told." When Nancy Sinatra sings "Another Gay Sunshine Day" you just want to get up and cheer.

All of the stereotypes are in the film-fat hairy bears, overly made up drag queens, muscular he men jock types, nerdy book worms, butch and lipstick lesbians, Abercrombie twinks, and rich grandpas. Stephens has done a great credit to the gay community by showing all of the elements that make it up and reemphasizing that we are, indeed, like the rainbow, coming in different colors with different goals. When taken together we are a community-something we see in the movie and do not always see in our day to day existence.

The high school, Sano Torum High, is one like we have never seen before. Being gay is quite acceptable there and evidently there has been some hanky panky going on at the school for quite a long times. At the graduation party at Muffler's (Ashlie Atkinson) everyone is having sex with each other except for our four heroes. It is than that they make the pact to lose their virginity, to do the big "A" before the summer is over.

It is what happens along the way to that goal that keeps us laughing. I love this movie. *I love it all the more when I realize that it is a parody and a satirical look at the way we live. Sometimes we have a hard time laughing at ourselves but in this case it was a great release. Indeed there are parts of this movie that are exaggerated-the SM scene with Andy trying to get comfortable in a sling while Mr. Puckov enters the room wearing a most impressive strap on borders on absurdity and the scene when Jarrod prepares for his first anal encounter borders on the gross out, but, Hey, it is all meant in fun. Good taste does not have a lot to do with this movie. If you want to see good taste, watch a Merchant-Ivory production. For a good time, watch "Another Gay Movie". And-remember this movie the next time you feel like ordering a Belgian waffle or decide that it is time to give yourself a good interior cleaning.