FILM AND TV
Guide to New LGBTQ Films in April
“Shiva Baby,” director’s cut of “Mapplethorpe” among options
BY GARY M. KRAMER
More queer fi lms are
rolling out just in
time to get in the
swing of spring.
Here is a rundown of some LGBTQ
fi lms coming out in April.
“Shiva Baby”
Releasing in select theaters and
on demand April 2, “Shiva Baby”
has the bisexual college student,
Danielle (Rachel Sennott), arriving
at a Shiva only to have a series
of horrifi c encounters that
make her envy the deceased. She
is constantly questioned about her
weight, her lack of a boyfriend, and
her lack of a job — or even plans
post-graduation. She is also taunted
by both her former girlfriend
Maya (Molly Gordon) — they went
to the prom together in high school
— and Max (Danny Deferrari),
whom Danielle had sex with that
morning for money.
Emma Seligman, the writer/
director of “Shiva Baby,” delights
in making viewers as uncomfortable
as Danielle, often employing
music that is right out of a horror
fi lm for comic effect. The fi lm
does generate some laughs with
Danielle’s mom (Polly Draper) delivering
some amusing one-liners,
but most of the tension in the fi lm
stems from Danielle struggling to
extricate herself from a bad situation.
It is almost a relief when she
leaves the claustrophobic house
and steals a kiss from Maya. Sennott
gives a noble performance,
and it is hard not to feel for her
when she is put in a bad situation,
but she is also her own worst enemy.
Director’s Cut of “Mapplethorpe”
Also available on demand on
April 2 is the director’s cut of Ondi
Timoner’s ambitious 2018 biopic
starring Matt Smith as the controversial
gay artist. This version of
the fi lm is about 12 minutes longer
and opens with a new scene of
Mapplethorpe, as a child, taking
photographs in a church. A later
fl ashback sequence shows the artist’s
father, Harry (Mark Moses),
shaming his young son when a
Matt Smith stars as Robert Mapplethorpe in the director’s cut of “Mapplethorpe.”
sexualized image of Christ develops
in the darkroom. These added
bits are meant to create a deeper
sense of Mapplethorpe’s character
and his work that pushed boundaries.
In addition, there are additional
scenes of his interpersonal
relationships with his friend and
coconspirator, Patti Smith (Marianne
Rendón). Starring as Mapplethorpe’s
lover, Sam Wagstaff,
out actor John Benjamin Hickey
gives arguably the fi lm’s best performance.
This director’s cut provides
some greater context for its
subject and may prompt folks to
(re)-visit it.
“Luz”
Available on DVD and Digital
April 6, “Luz” is an amateur but
watchable low-budget romance
about Ruben (Ernesto Reyes) and
Carlos (Jesse Tayeh), two Latinx
men who meet in jail when they
are forced to share a cell. Carlos
is initially hostile towards Ruben,
but before long, the two men are
bonding. Eventually, they become
lovers. However, their relationship
is tested when Carlos is released
— much to Ruben’s surprise.
Three years later, Ruben gets out
of jail and tracks Carlos down.
Can the men pick up where they
left off? Ruben certainly hopes so.
But things are confusing for both
guys.
Written and directed by Jon
Garcia (“The Falls” trilogy), “Luz”
shoehorns a few too many elements
into his feature. A storyline
involving Jamie (Eduardo Reyes),
a prisoner who tries to befriend
Ruben, goes nowhere. Likewise,
a fl ashback that depicts Ruben’s
relationship with Adriana (Evie
Riojas), a trans character, also
feels underdeveloped. But the romance
that develops between the
male leads — and this includes a
slightly explicit sex scene — will
hold viewers’ attention. The best
scenes feature the men being affectionate
with each other. (A kiss
they share in front of a customer
is especially notable). But the story
gets a little strained as Ruben plots
to reunite with his deaf daughter,
Marisa (Alba Larsen) by breaking
into his mafi a cousin Julio’s (Rega
Lupo) home. Viewers will either be
all in to see if love wins out, or they
will have turned “LUZ” off long before
then.
“Stone Fruit”
Out April 20 on DVD, “Stone
Fruit” has viewers accompanying
Manny (Matt Palazzolo) and
Russ (Rob Warner) as they travel
through wine country. The trip is
REUTERS/STEFAN WERMUTH
the couple’s last weekend together;
they are fi ling for divorce after
seven years together, fi ve of them
married. Russ is a bit of a stick in
the mud, correcting Manny on his
grammar and sticking to a schedule.
In contrast, Manny is unfi ltered,
saying what often comes to
mind — especially when it comes
to issues of race. Their interactions
lead viewers to want them to work
things out, but the addition of Byron
(Thomas Hobson), who joins
them for a day (and a threesome)
suggests that there are some unreconcilable
differences. “Stone
Fruit” is a talky fi lm, but hearing
Manny and Russ speak about falling
in and out of love, airing their
grievances, and communicating
openly and honesty is mostly compelling.
Palazzolo is wonderful and charismatic
as Manny, and Warner
makes a Russ a good foil. They do
have a certain chemistry together.
In support, Hobson is charming in
his handful of scenes. Yet, “Stone
Fruit” is a wistful drama, both in
terms of subject matter and because,
sadly, actor Matt Palazzolo
died after fi lming. The fi lm is
worth seeing because it provides a
terrifi c showcase for the late actor’s
talents.
MARCH 25 - APRIL 7 , 2 28 021 | GayCityNews.com
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