it was time for another movie review, non?

[floatingleaf]

Watched an amazing film last night. Shortbus by John Cameron Mitchell. Supposedly "the most sexually graphic American narrative feature made outside of the porn industry" - as proclaimed by the trailer. And it certainly looked like it.:P But that's not what I loved about it. In fact, that's the only aspect of the movie I wasn't too crazy about - some of the scenes were indeed graphic enough to sorta gross me out. What I did love about it was that it wasn't actually about sex at all - it was about all the different things that sex represents to different people. The things that people are really looking for when they think they are just looking for sex. Intimacy being one of them, obviously. But the film goes even deeper than that. It's incredibly raw and honest, heartbreakingly sad and startlingly funny all at the same time. In other words, it's exactly the kind of movie that "hits the spot" for me.;) The characters represent a pretty wide range of sexual predilections - and they also deal with a variety of psychological issues. Btw, the cast is comprised mostly of first-time actors, who "play themselves". Basically the director sent out a call for audition tapes from people who were ready to "bare it all" (both physically and emotionally) on camera - and then developed the story and the characters over the next few years, in cooperation with a group of the most promising candidates. The result is fascinating. I mean, you can't help wondering if it's really so much raw talent, or if some of them are simply not "acting" at all. And I'm not talking about the sex scenes.:P To me, there is always an element of shock in watching really exhibitionistic stuff (again, both physically and emotionally) in movies - because I get utterly petrified at the very thought of letting someone (let alone a bunch of random strangers) see me naked/exposed/vulnerable in any way. I am probably one of the most self-conscious people on the planet - the very notion that someone would willingly have sex in front of the camera, or just totally lose it and scream in anger/sob in despair etc. for the world to see, puzzles me to no end. I mean, from my point of view it takes an incomprehensible amount of heroism to do it. Which probably explains why I am so in awe of actors. The really good ones, anyway. The ones who don't fake anything. I know there is probably an element of narcissism/exhibitionism to their courage - I mean, you HAVE to enjoy being watched, or you wouldn't become an actor - but still... I don't quite understand how they can make themselves do it. And so, to me, it's magic. No fight choreography or other purely physical stunts impress me half as much as showing vulnerability by exposing the body and/or the soul. Even if seeing them exposed actually makes me uncomfortable. There is plenty of group sex going on in the film - and that, to me, is like watching a nature documentary about the mating habits of some exotic animals.:P In all honesty, group sex creeps me out. I can understand a threesome/foursome among people who actually know each other and have some sort of emotional connection - but a random orgy at an underground sex club?... Ummm... no thanks. I mean... WHY??? The funny thing is, most people who love this movie probably found those particular scenes very stimulating - while I found myself resisting the urge to fast-forward through them. And to think I actually used to watch porn... *amused headshake* It was more out of curiosity than anything else, though. And it never really did much for me, unless I imagined some profound spiritual connection between the two people screwing each other.;P And with group sex, that doesn't really work... so bummer.

But those are just tangential remarks of a demisexual.;) The film was awesome, and I am going to watch it again with the director and cast commentary, because I want to know how people actually go about filming stuff like that. I mean, I can't even imagine the sum of money someone would have to offer me before I agreed to grope a bunch of random strangers. *shudder* I don't know what's more mind-boggling: the fact that some people can make it look like they're having fun, or the possibility that they actually ARE having fun. *LOL*

There was other stuff I wanted to talk about... but it's getting late again, and if I start another topic, I will likely be sitting here typing till dawn. Which is not something my body or brain responds to very favorably these days, thank you very much. *sigh*