Artist turned Director Henry Coombes’ debut film, ‘Seat In Shadow‘ offers a wildly unhinged view of gay life in Scotland with an equal mix of humor, poignancy and eroticism.
Category: Comedy
New This Week – 12/8/17
Based upon controversial author Bret Easton Ellis’ best-selling book, this highly-underrated jet-black comedy is one to revisit. Notorious for its bedroom scene of drop-dead gorgeous Ian Somerhalder and Russell Sams dancing in their underwear, this highly-homoerotic, acerbic college-set film has gained a well-deserved cult following over the years. Featuring bitterly-funny cameos by Swoosie Kurtz and Faye Dunaway along with a pulse-pounding soundtrack, it’s time for you to learn the “Rules.” Watch ‘The Rules of Attraction’ now on Dekkoo.com!
Eddie’s fascination with his older, sexier neighbor, Chad, heightens after he spies on him in the bathroom measuring his manhood. ’33 Teeth’ is now available to stream on Dekkoo.com!
This indie series set in Atlanta GA follows an ensemble cast that is catapulted into chaos after a brutal attack divides the city. Separate lives quickly become entwined forcing each person to face their own prejudices. Binge season 1 of ‘Skin Deep: The Series’ now available on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A witty, perceptive study of social mores, sexual excess and the bizarre symbiotic relationship between doctor and patient, teacher and pupil; artist and muse.
DEKKOO DISPATCH 048 – ‘THE RULES OF ATTRACTION’
Title – ‘The Rules of Attraction‘
Director – Roger Avary
Starring – James Van Der Beek, Ian Somerhalder, Shannyn Sossamon, Jessica Biel, Kip Pardue
Release Date – 2002
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On Dekkoo we’re turning our gaze to the glorious year 2002 with ‘The Rules of Attraction‘. While Ben Affleck was soaking up his Sexiest Man of the Year award from People Magazine there was another kind of sexy happening in cinemas. One involving James van der Beek from the legendary ‘Dawson’s Creek’ in an on-screen gay kiss with the smoking hot Ian Somerhalder. The film based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis (who also wrote ‘American Psycho’ and ‘Less Than Zero’ – both of which were also made into movies) follows the lives of 3 students as they make their way through the sexual angst of college.
Unlike ‘American Psycho’ and ‘Less Than Zero’, Roger Avary’s adaptation of the book actually tries to follow Ellis’ crazy narrative structures and wildly explicit views of sex and drugs. The film’s use of slow-mo, reverse motion, split-screen, and intense montage all call to mind the frenetic energy of Ellis’ visionary 1987 novel. The movie focuses on three main characters:
Paul Denton – The gay one. The defiantly gay one I should say. Paul’s attitude towards his queerness is refreshing even to this day. He’s confident in being himself completely even if it ends in being shoved or spit on by a guy he makes a move on. Paul’s love interest in this movie is Sean Bateman who’s in love with Lauren Hynde. Oh did I not mention this was a love triangle movie?? Ah my bad. Yeah it’s a love triangle movie. Paul falls head over heels for Paul’s rugged looks, his ‘slutty’ attitude, and his devil-may-cry attitude towards almost everyone. Personally I think Paul (played by Ian Somerhalder) is the hottest character in the film. He’s constantly wearing the tightest outfits and has permanent pouty-lip syndrome. The shirtless dance scene with his friend ‘Dick’ is easily one of the highlights of the film and worth the price of admission!
Sean Bateman – Enter the psychotic (or is he just a troubled genius?) straight character of the film. Funnily enough Sean is supposed to be Patrick Bateman’s (‘American Psycho’) little brother so it all makes sense why he’s a little unhinged. Sean’s religious views consist of sex, drugs, and more sex. Honestly he’s probably a dream boyfriend for a lot of people. Sean starts getting mysterious love letters from someone just around the time he first runs into Lauren Hynde. The two circumstances align in such a way that trigger a burst of longing and perhaps even love which he chases throughout the film. Oh and there’s a plot line involving him having to pay his drug supplier that honestly I could’ve done without. But c’est la vie!
Lauren Hynde – Ok so Lauren is basically the sweeter version of Daria if Daria did cocaine. Lauren is probably the most grounded character of the film. She’s very much a good girl when it comes to sex, even going so far as to study venereal disease textbooks before parties to discourage hooking up. Perhaps that’s what makes the connection between Sean and Lauren so intense. Her desire to hook up with someone who has so much sex and tame him and his desire to settle down with someone so virginal.
Besides those three adorable human beings you can also look forward to:
-Early career cameos by Jay Baruchel & Kate Bosworth.
-An appearance by the legendary musician Paul Williams as a crazy doctor.
-Legendary actresses Faye Dunaway & Swoosie Kurtz in a hilariously awkward dinner scene.
-Jessica Biel!
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Watch it with: Two friends that you’re in a love triangle with
Mix it with: Beer and cocaine
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DEKKOO DISPATCH 046 – ‘EATING OUT 2: SLOPPY SECONDS’
Title – ‘Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds‘
Director – Phillip J. Bartell
Starring – Jim Verraros, Emily Brooke Hands, Rebekah Kochan, Marco Dapper
Release Date – 2006
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Heya Dekkoo-ers! Happy post-Thanksgiving! I hope you had a great time with your loved ones or that random hot guy that wouldn’t leave the next day because he was using you for your Dekkoo subscription (a gay cinema nerd fantasy…). Everyone knows that the best part of Thanksgiving isn’t the actual dinner, but the countless meals you can make out of the leftovers. This train of thought led me to re-watch one of my favorite gay films of all time: ‘Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds‘. Get it? Oh lord I hope so…
Way back when in Dekkoo Dispatch Number 2 I talked up ‘Eating Out‘ – the first in a series of five films conceived by Q. Allan Brocka. The popularity of the first resulted in a sequel just two years later that exceeds the first in so many ways. The original will always have the charm of razor-sharp writing in a very low-budget production, but the second film obviously benefited from a larger budget and a new eye behind the camera, Phillip J. Bartell, a prolific movie editor and director of ‘L.T.R.’ (probably the best short film on ‘Boys Life 4’). Phillip later went on to co-write every subsequent Eating Out installment.
Our story continues a few months after the events of the first film with two breakups happening in quick succession. Gwen (Marc’s fag hag who loves to date gay guys) can’t hold onto her boyfriend because he’s tired of pretending to get it on with guys and Kyle (our insecure but cute protagonist) gets dumped by Marc (hottt!) for not being confident enough in himself and their relationship. Oh and in case you’re confused about the character of Marc looking a little different, you’re not crazy, there was a casting change that in my opinion is for the better. Brett Chukerman now works for HSN and I’m truly jealous of all the housewives that get to drool over him during the day.
All these single people need someone to lust over right?? Enter Troy (from Troy, Illinois!) a ridiculously chiseled and tan fellow college student who happens to be a nude model for the art classes as a side-hustle. After Troy drops his robe for the class (btw yes you do see ‘it’) Gwen comes up with a scheme to pretend Kyle is an ex-gay to impress Troy who is slightly ashamed of his attraction to guys. Of course Marc notices the irresistible Troy as well and tries to seduce him using gay-bro tactics. It’s a race to the finish line to see who can sleep with him first!
There are some great new characters in the sequel including Mink Stole, (a John Waters regular who goes on to have a supporting lead in the other Eating Out films) Scott Vickaryous, (who plays the leader of the ex-gays), & Adrián Quiñonez (the sexy Octavio). In usual Eating Out style there are a couple of signature long sexy scenes plus plenty of full frontal nudity to whet your palate. The lines are endlessly quotable and it’s a great gay party movie. What are you waiting for?!?! Watch it!
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Watch it with: A gaggle of horny gays!
Mix it with: Beers for the ex-gays and white wine for the proud gays
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New This Week – 11/10/17
Hard partying and wild love affairs lead to some serious soul-searching when a group of close-knit friends are forced to come to terms with the unexpected death of a loved one. Sort of like a pansexual version of ‘The Big Chill’, ‘Even Lovers Get the Blues‘ offers a sexually explicit portrait of a group of young Belgian friends.
In this gay short, an intense “bromance” between a gay football player and a straight military solider confronts the meaning of friendship and masculinity. Watch ‘Forces’ now on Dekkoo.com!
Thomas is blindsided when his estranged brother, Seth, shows up unannounced to the annual family vacation… with his boyfriend. Despite a well meaning attempt to surprise everyone, things do not go as planned, throwing Thomas and the family into an awkward week long vacation where everyone has problems and no one wants to talk about them. ‘An Ordinary Family’ is available now on Dekkoo.com!
Take a peek at the brand new, behind-the-scenes Dekkoo-exclusive video from photographer Marco Ovando. This time, Marco trains his lens on the absolutely gorgeous Andrew Vecchio. We guarantee it will have your blood racing within the first 5 seconds!
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Coming next week: “Had Fassbinder shot a documentary about Viennese prostitutes, it would look like this” – Filmstarts
DEKKOO DISPATCH 043 – ‘COFFEE HOUSE CHRONICLES’
Title – ‘Coffee House Chronicles‘
Director – Stewart Wade
Starring – Chris Salvatore, Drew Droege, Max Emerson, Darryl Stephens
Release Date – 2016
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It’s movie madness at the moment in most of the big cities. Studios are starting to hype us up for awards season by pumping out their hit films into major markets. Of course the ‘big’ gay film this year is ‘Call Me By Your Name’, but I’d also highly recommend ‘BPM’ which won the Grand Prix (essentially 2nd place) at the Cannes Film Festival this year. It’s an incredibly touching and intimate look at the ACT UP movement in France in the early 90s and does a fantastic job as both a study of activism and a portrait of the tragedy of AIDS itself.
Because I’m being exhausted by all these grand Hollywood showstoppers, I decided to focus on a film that I think is a bit like chicken soup for the soul. It’s an adorable little film called ‘Coffee House Chronicles‘. It follows a cast of diverse characters looking for love, sex, and everything in between as they live their lives in the city of Los Angeles.
Originally penned as a YouTube series, the version presented on Dekkoo is a smartly edited movie version that switches back and forth between the various vignettes making it feel much grander and sophisticated than the separated counterparts. Running just over 75 minutes I found it perfect for a relaxing evening at home and was charmed time and time again by the smart writing and hilarious situations. If you’re a Dekkoo binger then you’ll also love how many familiar faces you’ll encounter in it: Drew Droege (‘Big Gay Love‘, ‘We Are Animals‘), Darryl Stephens (‘Boy Culture‘), & Chris Salvatore (‘Eating Out: All You Can Eat‘) to name a few.
Among the vignettes my favorites were:
1. A cute white boy goes to hook-up with a guy who he thinks is Latino, but ends up being Asian once he takes off his sunglasses (I was fooled too, no lie!!).
2. For their 25th wedding anniversary one guy has the idea to get a famous porn star to sleep with them.
3. A man sees his dead boyfriend as a talking imaginary friend and it’s up to his best friend to get him to leave behind the past.
Check the film out tonight and comment with your favorite story from the film!
Oh and don’t forget that if you want queer cinema to keep getting made go support them this awards season by watching them in the theaters! Then go home and watch Dekkoo 😉
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Watch it with: A couple of your romantic friends.
Mix it with: White wine!
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New This Week – 11/2/17
‘Coffee House Chronicles: The Movie‘ is a comedy that explores the many ways LGBT people connect in the world of the Internet, social media, and of course coffee houses. The movie, based on the successful web series from writer-director Stewart Wade, covers two days and one night of love, hookups, heartbreaks, and hopes in gay Los Angeles.
Set one evening in present-day Moscow, 16 year-old Pyotr is baited by an ultra-nationalist group known for their violent abductions and attacks bolstered by Russia’s LGBT propaganda law, but Pyotr has a dangerous secret. Watch ‘Pyotr495’ on Dekkoo now!
While not a gay-centric comedian, Colin Quinn’s ‘Unconstitutional’ is a poignant (and hilarious) stand-up special that deserves a look due the current political environment. Quinn offers an analysis of the creation of the United States Constitution and its effect on the American psyche how the three branches of government are similar to people in a bar, why most U.S. presidents are unattractive, and how the Kardashians reflect on our country. Watch ‘Colin Quinn: Unconstitutional’ on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A contemporary pansexual drama that can best be described as the darker, equally sexy Belgian versions of John Cameron Mitchell’s ‘Shortbus’.
New This Week – 10/27/17
Lily meets an attractive young man named Finn and invites him to her rich family’s summer home. When Lily’s jealous younger brother Jamie finds out that Finn is not who he claims to be, Jamie decides to play a sinister game to get rid of him – and blackmail him into performing some “favors.” A stylish and sexy sun-soaked thriller, ‘Palace of Fun‘ is a throwback to European art-house thrillers of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Think of it like Roman Polanski’s ‘Knife in the Water’, but with more gay kissing.
‘Grind‘ is a musical short film that explores a damaged man’s search for a connection in an interconnected world.
After his Emmy winning turn playing a woman in the FX show ‘Baskets’, stand-up comedian and actor Louie Anderson is entering a third act of his long career. This stand-up special, filmed in 2014, shows Louie’s unconventional and jovial humor as he tackles his bad habits, pesky family members (the inspiration of his ‘Baskets’ character) and his aging body. Watch ‘Louie Anderson: Big Baby Boomer’ now on Dekkoo!
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Coming next week: A comedy that explores the many ways LGBT people connect in the world of the Internet, social media, and of course coffee houses.
DEKKOO DISPATCH 040 – ‘A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE’
Title – ‘A Closer Walk With Thee‘
Director – John C. Clark, Brie Williams
Starring – Aj Knight, Gregory Shelby, Kelsey Boze, Megan Hensley
Release Date – 2017
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Lordy, lordy look what just turned 40! The Dekkoo Dispatch! We’re officially into daddy territory now and couldn’t be happier… We’re still butt deep in Halloween season so it’s time for another blood-curdling gay horror film to spice up your week courtesy of your friends at Dekkoo 😉
Last week we took you to Spain and into the minds of queer killers with ‘In A Glass Cage‘. This week we’re heading to Los Angeles where four Evangelical missionaries live together and work to convert the agnostic (that means they’re heathens sweetie) neighborhood they’ve set up shop in. Dubbed as a ‘Homoerotic Evangelical Exorcism Film’ – ‘A Closer Walk With Thee‘ is a devious piece of low-budget horror filmmaking with some great acting and some very lusty set pieces.
Aj Knight stars as Jordan, a simple missionary trying to do God’s work, but unfortunately gets distracted by Eli, the handsome pastor leading the mission. When Jordan is caught masturbating to Eli’s naked self in the shower the group gradually starts exploring the theory that his homosexual urges could be the work of a demon possessing his body and soul. The movie is full of awesome sexual awkwardness between the two and once it gets to the exorcism scenes you’ll definitely be enjoying yourself.
The directors (a gay and a lesbian! super awesome!) explain why they made the film: “We began ‘A Closer Walk With Thee‘ with a basic idea: a religious horror film depicting ‘gay-conversion’ exorcisms, a fringe practice within the Evangelical community that has been growing steadily in recent years. We wanted to take the already emotionally charged experience of coming out of the closet and place it in an even more heightened environment — amidst a group of fundamentalist young people living together in a house church performing exorcisms on their fledgling congregation.
As the story began to take shape, it became the story of one character, Jordan, experiencing a struggle that so many people face: being in a deadlocked battle between desire and religious conviction. The journey of the film is his journey — at first quietly uncomfortable, increasingly disorienting, guilt drenched, and ultimately madness-inducing. What started off as an idea to make a fun, weird religious horror had developed into a more complex drama/genre film, and it was one that we were excited to explore.”
Whenever I can invite a guest analyst to take a more academic approach to a film on Dekkoo I make sure to and this week I managed to snag one of the biggest contributors (both in filmmaking and with wild appreciation) to the world of Queer Horror, Michael Varrati who has this take on the film: “Amid lingering shots of male physicality and heightened sequences of youthful lust, ‘A Closer Walk With Thee‘ expertly threads an ever encroaching sense of unease throughout its narrative. By showcasing the schism caused when rigid ideology and primal desire clash under the same roof, the film exponentially magnifies that sense of unease felt by queer individuals forced into situations wherein they are not able to be their true and authentic selves.
More so, the film never goes out of its way to directly condemn the actions of the missionaries, and a gruesome, supernatural third act lends itself to a morally gray read of the movie overall. Perhaps though, this is A Closer Walk With Thee’s greatest strength as a horror film. Rather than visit the terror onto one individual, none are entirely absolved from the evil inhabiting their world. Shocking, thoughtful, and subversively sexy, ‘A Closer Walk With Thee‘ is the kind of movie that makes you want to free yourself from sin…if only so you may sin again.”
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Watch it with: Friends that love sexy men and scary movies
Mix it with: Sacramental wine blessed by your local sexy priest
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New This Week – 10/13/17
A hilarious dark comedy about the deep, loving bond that exists between brothers…even ones who despise one another. ‘Elijah’s Ashes‘ follows Lawrence, a somewhat lost gay man, who embarks on an unexpected family road trip with his gruff, homophobic older brother to scatter their father’s ashes.
An apartment renter lusts after his doorman, a father comes to realize that his son is attracted to other boys, two horny men find themselves literally just beyond one another’s reach, a guy declares his attraction to his best friend and two young lovers go to great length to prove their affection in this stunning and supremely sexy new collection – featuring five award-winning short films that deals with the topic of desire in various forms. Watch ‘Furious Desires’ now on Dekkoo!
In the aftermath of WWII, a former Nazi doctor and child molester finds himself confined to an iron lung following a failed suicide attempt. Things get even worse when a mysterious, handsome young man, hired to be his caretaker, is discovered to be hellbent on revenge. An uncompromising psychosexual drama that’s erotic, painful and terrifying in equal measure, ‘In a Glass Cage‘ is a highly controversial classic.
When Andreas’ close friend Samuel meets Philippe, a highly respected colleague, Andreas finds himself in the awkward and uncomfortable position of watching his best friend fall in love…again. Watch ‘Alle Werden’ now on Dekkoo.com!
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Coming next week: A homoerotic Evangelical exorcism film. Need we say more?
Discover great gay stories. 