An Englishman in New York
Starring John Hurt, Swoozie Kurtz and Cynthia Nixon
Dir: Richard Laxton
UK, 2009, 74mins.
John Hurt in An Englishman in New York
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The Naked Civil Servant thirty five years ago - also starring Hurt, in a bravura performance that came to define his career - had heaps to tell us about social mores, history, eccentricity, individualism and what it is to be a minority within a minority. Despite an immaculate performance by John Hurt as the unique Quentin Crisp this sequel feels like an epilogue, and a slim one at that.
An Englishman In New York covers the ageing Crisp's later, languorous life. His fashionable eccentricity, and subsequent unfashionable stances on HIV and gay liberation, are all there and yet somehow the viewer is left unmoved. The proclamations are many and varied but the bon mots are few and far between and there is an emotional void the heart of An Englishman and its characters.
Most of the problem is the uninspired script which does little more than show us Crisp getting old and introspective before he dies. Part of the problem is Hurt's performance. Immaculate yes, but somehow strangely unmoving. Rather like watching a slightly battered old Morris Minor slowly running out of oomph and sputtering off to the scrap heap.
The recreations of seedy 1970s New York are nicely done but An Englishman in New York lacks heart, passion, message, entertainment and, unforgivably, connection with its audience.
- Jay Bennie
Gayby
Starring: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas
Dir: Jonathan Lisecki
USA, 2008, 12mins.
Jenn Harris & Matthew Wilkas in Gayby
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The small but beautifully formed Gayby is an almost claustrophobically tight exposition of an earnest but sexually mismatched couple going through the emotional minefield and physical mechanics of making a baby.
It's nicely acted and tidily directed with no tricks or artifice. The sweet humour interspersed with laugh out loud moments of intense awkwardness comes from its audience identifying with either or both of characters and with their engaging mix of determination and unease. Gayby is worth the price of admission all by itself.
- Jay Bennie
And Then Came Lola
Starring Ashley Sumner and Jill Bennett
Dir: Ellen Seidler, Megan Siler
US, 2009, 70 mins
It's pretty safe to point out the obvious here - And Then Came Lola is the lesbian Run Lola Run.
Heavily inspired by the 1998 cult German thriller, where that Lola has 20 minutes to get across town to save her boyfriend's life, this Lola has an hour to get across San Francisco to save her relationship with her girlfriend Casey.
Obstacles the lesbian Lola meets along the way include an irritable parking warden, an angry lesbian with a huge dog, her ex-girlfriend and a Middle American tourist who is looking for a little lesbian action. Oh and of course there's also the incredibly sexy, buff Italian ex-girlfriend who is trying to woo her lady over dinner under the guise of landing her a major business deal.
In Run Lola Run style, Lola has multiple attempts to get across the city. Each new time she speeds up and learns a little bit more about the way to really get to her girlfriend's heart.
I can't help but wish I had three chances to get it right in my last relationship.
That aside, what works incredibly well are montages of the characters on a therapist's couch, which is are where some of the best lines such as 'you said you were immune to lesbian bed death', are delivered.
It's funny. It's cute. There are hot women and there is hot action. However, And Then Came Lola lives up to its marketing as a 'lesbian hit comedy', or 'sexy lesbian romp' – that's all there really is to it. Take your girlfriends along for a laugh and a look at some eye candy; just don't expect to think too much.
- Jacqui Stanford
The Sheep and The Ranch Hand
Starring: Dyan McBride
Dir: Loretta Hintz
USA, 2009, 12 mins
From the opening shot of a woman, Baaaaarbara, lying on the couch surrounded by pizza boxes and masturbating while flicking her TV over to a sheep documentary, The Sheep and The Ranch Hand is a 12 minute bundle of stunning weirdness.
The woman then falls asleep and has a fantastical dream that she is part-woman part-sheep and in the care of a randy ranch hand. You'll laugh as much as you'll cringe.
- Jacqui Stanford
