‘Skirts Queer Convention, Aims for Timelessness. Pure Joy.’

‘Skirts Queer Convention, Aims for Timelessness. Pure Joy.’ – Men of Color Blog

UPDATED AUGUST 23 with addendum from Men of Color blog and links to video from San Diego Q&A.

“A metaphysical rumination on lost opportunities, Judas Kiss uses magical realism to convey its message. To that end, the film is pure joy,” writes queer culture blogger Victor Hoff on his Men of Color blog.

Hoff, who also blogs for the Huffington Post, reviewed the screening at FilmOut San Diego on August 20. His blog is NSFW, so a safe-for-work version of his review can be viewed here:

Read Victor Hoff’s review of Judas Kiss (safe for work) »

CINEMATOGRAPHY AND ART DIRECTION Hoff’s review especially praises David Berry’s cinematography and Rodrigo De Medeiros’ production design and art direction:

Berry and Madeiros invoke a sort of quasi-alternate universe (think Were The World Mine). To that end, the film is pure joy. The hyperstylized sets and mystical transitions, for example, between Wells’ dorm room and a camping site with a lunarscape straight out of Georges Méliès’ “A Trip To The Moon” were beautifully rendered.

Hoff also praises the acting in the film: Charlie David’s “square-jawed earnestness,” “a very charming Timo Descamps as the arrogant, manipulative campus senior,” and the “brooding Richard Harmon, who commands the screen from his first scene. This is one young man to keep your eye on.”

The review also compliments the screenplay by Carlos Pedraza, describing it as “unrelenting ball of fire. Mr. Pedraza weaves the various plots and subplots together into a coherent and eminently watchable film.”

In an addendum to his review (also included in the safe-for-work version), Hoff also notes the singular contribution to the film by visual effects supervisor Joël Bellucci:

His contributions … made, for me at least, what was one of the singular most important contributions to the film: its look.

The addendum also includes links to YouTube videos of the cast and crew Q&A session at FilmOut San Diego following the screening there last Saturday. Links to those videos are below.

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