The most apt commentary on the Breaking Glass Pictures DVD of the 2018 drama "Sex Weather"  relates to a "technical difficulties." This insight into the mating habits of a hipster Millennial is good enough to have held attention up to the DVD freezing roughly 15 minutes before the conclusion. Interest as to whether the "crazy kids" would make it was strong enough to try to get the disc to play in the current player; it was not adequately high to try to use an alternate machine. 

In this case, the fault lies within the stars. Leading man Al'Jaleel McGhee has the looks and the charm to pull off the role of filmmaker Darrel; he simply lacks chemistry with strange bedfellow/former crew member Sydney (Amber Stonebreaker). Sydney (and presumably Stonebreaker) is a typical BORING hipster Millennial down to her t-shirt with a photo of the "Friends" cast. 

The fact that Amber lives in a funky basement studio apartment in Portland, Oregon (aka Brooklyn West) says a great deal about both her character in both senses of that word. A scene in which Darrel and Sydney (who are channeling John and Yoko by spending the entire day in bed) make origami swans says a great deal about "Weather."

Filmmaker Jon Garcia sticks to a tried-and-true formula in telling the tale of his quasi star-crossed lovers. Our story begins with the couple waking up the "morning after" the premieres of the latest film of Darrel and of the carnal aspect of his relationship with his former employee. This sticking to what works continues with using scenes of Portland at different hours to communicate the passing of time.

A touch of irony enters this less-than-perfect film in a scene in which Sydney requires a less-than-enthusiastic Darrel to listen to her read less-than-glowing reviews of his latest work. 

The Monday morning quarterbacking of the night-in-question begins with committee member Amber making it clear that it was not good for her. Darrel, who clearly has the right tool for the job, offering a do-over may play a role as to whether Amber ever goes back. 

This unmet expectation relates to false advertising in the form of the desirable person on the movie set not being the same individual in bed. This is comparable to the well-known phenomenon of both persons in a marriage not revealing his or her "crazy" until the "man" puts a ring on it.

Related insight is in the context of love, Darrel speaks for many people in stating that he does not want to go on any more first dates. In other words, finding Ms. Good Enough would provide adequate bliss.

The aptly analogous second bite at the apple smooths the waters; this leads to an essential "kiss my grits" moment. A discussion of moving to LA reflects both the honeymoon stage of a relationship and vacation euphoria in the form of wanting to relocate to a place that you are thoroughly enjoying. 

The inarguably best scene involves a delivery guy having awkward intercourse with the couple. The analogy this time is being the only sober person in the room.

The bigger "Weather" picture relates to a hazard of casual sex; not really knowing someone before making the beast with two backs enhances the risk of discovering the truth as to the Chinese proverb regarding being careful as to that for which you wish.

BGP supplements this with a "Behind the Scenes" special feature.​

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2017 drama "Martyr" has the live-stage vibe that separates the wheat from the chaff. This tale of an aimless failure-to-launch 20-something additionally can be considered a neo-modern fable, 

The official accolades for "Martyr" include "Best Artistic Achievement" for writer/director Mazen Khaled at  the 2018 Alexandria International Film Festival. 

This wonderfully surreal film begins with titular post-adolescent Hassane dreaming about drowning and other things to come. His literal and figurative awakening from his slumber on a mattress in the dining area of his parents' apartment comes on his mother demanding that he get up and find gainful employment. This also involves a few of the most telling moments in the film. Suffice it to say that Hassane has virtually no shame and is very reluctant to engage in employment that is appropriate for his background. 

Breaking the Fifth Commandment, Hassane heads out for an afternoon by the sea with his band of beach brothers. This turns out to be more fatal than being welcomed to the working week.

This leads to a procession that evokes Christ being taken down off the cross. The aforementioned friends bring Hassane home, and we witness both the rituals associated with preparing the body and the funeral itself, 

All of this provides a glimpse of the global mind of a Millennial who lacks a bright future. We further learn more about the nature of the titular sacrifice.

Breaking supplements this with the Khaled short film "A Very Dangerous Man" about intrigue in 2012 Beirut.

Breaking Glass Pictures detours from its typically more edgy fare to release the 2019 horror film "Exit O' on DVD.  This teen-friendly indie horror flick sticks to the basics,

The 17 festival wins, which include two top honors at the 2019 Los Angeles Film Awards,  for "Exit" supports the principle of not fixing what is not broken. It also shows that you cannot go wrong stranding a young (or youngish) couple literally and figuratively outside their comfort zone. 

The following Breaking trailer for "Exit" highlights the indie and the horror aspects that provide solid art-house style entertainment. 

Our textbook (not that there is anything wrong with that) story opens with stereotypical Brooklyn hipsters Billy and Lisa (Angie Duke) driving toward the titular off ramp. Their (perhaps final) destination is a 150 year-old inn that was a regular vacation spot for Billy and his family during his childhood, It is clear from the outset that Billy, who neither is a hero nor a fool with his life, already is on edge.

The figurative trip back in time goes relatively well until Billy starts experiencing creepy occurrences that likely are a mix of actual events and figments of his imagination.

The proverbial back-breaking straw is Billy discovering a textbook videotape in his hotel room. This home movie begins with a pair of good ole boys menacing a couple on the road; the horror hits closer to home when the video rednecks resume the party in the same room where Billy and Lisa are staying.

The factors that prevent the odds from forever being in the favor of Billy include the tape going missing before he can show it to the police, a perception that the "natives" stick together, and a profit motive to hush up any tormenting of tourists. It is equally predictable that  recovering the tape does not help the cause of Billy.

One of the best scenes in "Exit" has captive audience Billy and Lisa spending the night waiting for history to repeat itself.

All of this leads to the inevitable escalation of tension that minimally puts Billy on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

The broadest appeal of "Exit" is that it is relatable to folks who enjoy staying at historic inns; these places that remain true to their past  always have a least a minor creepy vibe in that they are dated (if not faded) and typically keep the lighting relatively low. This is not to mention any place that is at least 75 years old, has been home to inn keepers and employees, and has hosted guests for decades almost definitely has one or more tales of thing doing bump in the night in its halls.

Breaking supplements this with a cast and crew Q&A session that almost certainly follows a happy hour. We also get a bonus short film title "Harsh Light," 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 Hong Kong drama "I Miss You When I See You" follows the pattern of similar gay-themed Breaking films. The sad global truth is that teen (and older) boys who like other boys have it rough much more often than living a fairy tale (no pun intended) that precedes their (often) happy ending.

The following YouTube video of a highly stylized trailer for "Miss" showcases the art-house quality of this film about an "its complicated" relationship.

"Miss" opens in the 1999 school year of adolescents Jamie and Kevin. The former is a popular well-adjusted kid, and the latter is an awkward loner. The proper context for their character and friendship is a less extreme (and even more homoerotic) version of Zack Morris and Screech Powers, who have high-school sleepovers, of "Saved by the Bell" fame. 

Opening scenes revolve around Jamie sneaking out of class to meet Kevin in a boys' room stall apparently only to discuss the new book in a pulp fiction series. We also see that their classmate named Wong is a wang.

The action then moves ahead 12 years as Jamie travels to Australia to visit Kevin at the long-term residential facility where he lives due to his depression. This leads to a boys' night out that is a treat for both guys. 

Unbeknownst to Jamie, his visit prompts Kevin to follow his friend back to Hong Kong. The two become co-workers at the tutorial center that Jamie owns and operates with former classmates. They also become roommates at the apartment of Jamie. The especially creepy behavior of Jamie in the apartment shows that he has fond memories of a tender moment that experiences interruptus soon before his high-school-era move to Australia.

The rest of the story is that Jamie apparently is fully converted as his present-day relationship with girlfriend Elaine indicates. However, female intuition and a valid reason for asking Jamie to either fish or cut bait creates tension. One aspect of this is the price that giving the heart what the heart wants can cost.

History also is starting to repeat itself in the form of Kevin increasingly bonding with a troubled male student, who openly admits to being hot for teacher. This leads a a very bizarre and uncomfortable sitch for characters and audience alike dinner for Kevin, Jamie, Elaine, and the student. A more sweet aspect of this is that the boy feels real love, rather than merely lust, for his "daddy."

The artistry of "Miss" continues with a relatively anti-climatic climax. There are no tears and recriminations; Jamie, who is facing Kevin moving back to Australia, seemingly ends up with the one with whom he is fated to share his life until someone younger and cuter comes along.

Time constraints are behind not watching the almost-always included and always insightful and entertaining "making-of" featurette and cast and crew interviews in Breaking releases. The good folks at Breaking must determine if this warrants the still-used Chinese punishment of a bare-bottom caning. If so, it requires learning how to say  "please Sir, may I have another" in Mandarin.

Breaking Glass Pictures takes a break from international queer cinema DVD releases that range from the flirty to the filthy to offer the highly compelling stylized 2013 Italian drama "Naples in Veils." This sophisticated sibling of Lifetime fare centers around coroner Adriana being  a donna on the verge of a nervous breakdown. 
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Some of the numerous accolades for "Veils" include a "Best Cinematography" win at the 2018 David di Donatello awards and "Best Actress" at the 2018 Moscow International Film Festival. 

The following Breaking trailer for "Veils" tantalizes with glimpse of the intrigue and the award-winning cinematography. You also see that Breaking gives a breeder boy a chance to show that he more than qualifies to flaunt it. 

Early Euro drama commences with a flashback in which we see (presumably) Adriana as a child see (presumably) her mother (presumably) commit a (presumably) heinous act. This memory haunts Adriana as she watches a symbolism-dripping live sacrilegious performance of a bizarre variation on the Joan Rivers-Billy Crystal pregnant man '70s comedy film "Rabbit Test." 

In true Lifetime fashion. Adriana invites fellow audience member Andrea back to her place without any pretense as to showing him her etchings. This beginning of a beautiful friendship with benefits turns into a one-night stand when Andrea stands up Adriana. His (presumably) showing up on her slab the next provides a (presumably) good excuse for ghosting (pun intended) her. 

The first element of twin (pun intended) hysteria ensues on Adriana learning that the guy with whom she shares genuine intimacy after a brief conversation is not the guy whom she thought that he was. The follow-up is being convinced that she repeatedly thinks that she sees her short-time companion walking about after he shows up at her workplace. 

The latter is soon explained by the object of the obsession of Adriana identifying himself as Luca, the essentially separated-at-birth identical twin brother of Andrea. Two spoilers are that Luca lacks both a goatee and an eye patch.

Adriana harbors the brother from the same mother while seeking answers as to the alleged nefarious activity of Andrea and the reason for his (presumed) murder. The indications that Adriana may have possession of either a coveted possession or information further keep her embroiled in the plot.

The highly symbolic Euro drama continues as Adriana and Luca pursue their "its highly complicated" relationship while Adriana seeks closure as to her relationship with Luca. The fact that insanity does not run, it gallops, in the family of Adriana does not help matters. 

The strong quality of every aspect of "Veils" unambiguously is why it meets the high standards of Breaking; the incredible ambiguity and layers of meaning make it even more special.

​This is not to mention the uncertainty as to both the cause and the effect of virtually every event; this begins with Adriana possibly scoring with Andrea solely based on his believing that she is the girl with something extra.

Breaking supplements this with deleted scenes and a "Backstage with Cast & Crew" special feature. 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 drama "Drive Me Home" expands on a common theme in Breaking films. Many of the World Cinema indie flicks in the Breaking catalog are about gay teen boys or post-adolescents reuniting between 10 and 20 years after parting ways in a manner typically involving trauma and drama.

The following Breaking trailer for "Drive" showcases the edgy energy and the stylistic look of the film.

Early scenes center around Sicilian teens Antonio and Agostino dreaming of creating a Utopia (complete with a crocodile-laden moat) on the family farm of the former. Their paradise is lost when Agostino abruptly leaves literally without so much as a ciao to his BFF. 

The fast-forward this time is roughly 15 years. Antonio tracks down Agostino in his big rig at a truck stop. Whether Antonio provides some combination of ass, gas, or grass for the subsequent journey (including a night at a bathhouse) remains to be seen.

The pattern of the main part of the film remains largely true to form. The chums catch up, obtain closure, and gain a deeper understanding of the other person. Agostino being able to fully express himself to his friend is a highlight. 

Seeing Agostino play a (frequently exasperated) older brother role adds good charm to the film. This additionally verifies that he is the "adult" in the relationship. 

The rest of the story is that the motives of Antonio extend beyond wanting to reconnect with arguably the most stable influence in his life. His now-abandoned homestead is about to go on the auction block to pay back taxes, and he is hoping that Agostino will buy the farm. This is akin to high-school boys who jointly run a summer business dreaming of that becoming their vocation. 

The joy of this and the rest of "Drive" is that it keeps the realistic twists coming to the end, We further see how everything is connected and that life is a series of comprises.

The DVD extras include deleted scenes and a Sky TV interview with the director and the cast. 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 gay-themed drama "Marilyn" joins the long list of docu-dramas that prove that you cannot make up this stuff. A "making-of" DVD special feature fully explains how fact and fiction merge in this tale of a teen boy whose interest in cross-dressing contributes to the woes of his hard-knock life. 

The accolades for "Marilyn" include a "Best Feature Film" award at the 2018 Milan International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

The ways in which our titular teen (nee Marcos) is not like the other boys in his rural town begins with his caretaker father Carlos and his older brother doing most of the heavy lifting while Marcos spends much of time inside with his mother and dreams of taking computer classes. 

Extremely blatant cattle rustlers already are making the demanding life of Carlos even more challenging when the arguable climax of the film occurs. Marcos fulfills his grandest desire by taking advantage of the anything goes Carnival spirit by having the time of his life attending that event dressed in drag. He obtains his titular nickname courtesy of a song to which he particularly shakes his groove thing. 

The party fully ends with a foreshadowed confrontation by a local bully and his gang. Their brutal attack on Marcos is one of seemingly countless cases of boys who like boys being subject to unwarranted hostility, especially in small communities. Another sad aspect of this is that Marcos is relatively resigned to his fate until the pack fully asserts its dominance.

Marcos not returning home until the next morning further strains life back on the ranch, It also arguably sets up a downward spiral that leads to an extended reversal of fortune for the family.

The one bright spot for Marcos is mutual love at first sight regarding new friend with benefits and convenience Federico. Sadly, what should be a reasonable expectation for Marcos regarding the "meet the parents" moment does not go well. The arguable point here is that the timing of Marcos is not great regarding reminding his family about his not-so-embraced sexual orientation fresh off of that being a factor regarding the aforementioned stressful existence.

The final moments of "Marilyn" are very impactful and fully make the real story worthy of a film. It is tragic to see things get to the point that prompts Marcos to act as in the manner that he does, It truly should have been avoidable. 

The always special Breaking DVD extra this time is a 30-minute making-of feature. It begins with clips of the film and the thoughts of director Martin Rodriguez Redondo. Redondo discusses how he learns of the story, why he does not tell the story in pure documentary form, and his efforts at authenticity. 

We next hear from star Walter Rodriguez. An especially interesting aspect of that casting is Redondo commenting that he almost did not select Rodriguez to play Marcos because that actor gave an animated audition. A compelling aspect of the film is the numerous scenes in which a miserable Marcos and his equally unhappy family simply sit and stare without any expression on their faces.

The strongest endorsement of the film comes from the real Marilyn, who offers a wonderful perspective on the film.

All of this amounts to a well-produced and acted movie that speaks to most audience members either as a coming-of-age story, the tale of a rural gay teen having a very rough life, or a family on a fast ride to rock bottom.

Breaking Glass Pictures awesomely follows the trend of other theatrical and DVD studios regarding the DVD release of the 2018 indie drama "We Are Boats." These best friends to lovers of quality art-house films are further stepping up their game regarding making these hidden gems accessible to the general public. 

The following YouTube clip of a "Boats" trailer nicely conveys the surreal earthy of the film and introduces the heavenly cast. It is nice to see charming formerly teen goofball Boo Boo Stewart play a fun and compassionate adult.​

Our story begins with working girl Francesca being the victim of a type of harm that can befall members of the oldest profession in the world. This leads to her doing a walk without shame in the afterlife.

Writer/director James Bird of the (reviewed) fantabulous Breaking film "Honeyglue" puts his highly creative artistic talent to good use in making our not necessarily final destination look like Vermont in summer. 

The first afterlife lesson that Francesca learns is that the sweet relief of death does not include no longer enduring job interviews. She must go through the selection process for the position of a variation of a guardian angel. We also learn that having a personal horse in the race still can motivate seeking particular employment. In this case, Francesca is desperate for closure with her still-living daughter. 

This job entails returning to earth to help guide folks who are near death. One difference between this system and the more traditional one is that a death is not considered a loss. An even more cool aspect is the extent to which the presence of Francessca, who now is akin to a resident cat at a nursing home, is known to us mere mortals.

Francesca begins her first mission immediately on taking her quantum leap of faith back to earth. She very quickly hooks up in both senses of the word with Michael, who is a musician with an "its complicated" relationship with his wife. A more positive aspect of this is that Francesca helps ensure that Michael dies with a smile on his face. 

Francesca then boards an LA-bound bus to do her best to prevent the new widow from quickly joining her husband in Vermont. This journey connects her with fatally ill older man Cliff (Graham Greene). He is going to The City of Angels to make peace with his estranged daughter. Cliff also mentioning that he is estranged from his son for philosophical reasons is one of many indications that Bird supplies regarding things to come.

Our LA story begins with Stewart playing aptly named Taylor, who works at the vintage clothing store where the widow brings the duds of her late husband. Taylor also is the partner of a man who performs at anti-meat rallies with a female bartender who is engaged to Lucas. Luke Hemsworth (who is the Stephen, the Clint, or the Frank of the Hemsworth acting clan) plays Lucas. 

Lucas coerces a good friend from New York to assist with a plan that is designed to learn whether the bartender is keeping her no-charge dairy open in the days leading to the wedding.

Cliff showing up at the home of his daughter sets most of the action that provides the climax of "Boats" in motion. The ensuing trauma and drama validates the seven degrees of separation theory of life. This is not to mention the traditionally symbolic nature of the means by which those whose time has come move on to the next stage of existence. 

Breaking supplements all this with deleted scenes and 30 minutes of cast and crew interviews that show that those folks had as much fun making the film as we did watching it. 

Breaking Glass Pictures  amusingly is a good buddy to film reviewers regarding the DVD release of the 2018 Argentinian gayish-themed coming-of-age film "My Best Friend." Writing about movies that hold your interest and that include proper portions of humor and drama is a nice contrast to sometimes literally losing sleep over how to state something nice regarding films that you would not feed to a dog.

The big picture (pun intended) about this film by Martin Deus is that it follows the pattern of a correlation between the amount of nudity and other sexual content and the quality of the film. The most prurient element in "Friend" is brief full rear and very partial frontal nudity in a high-school locker room. 

The more narrow perspective is that "Friend" (and the similar (reviewed) "Speed Walking") indicate that Breaking is softening its awesome edge as it enters its mature stage. A negative aspect of this development is that these films and others like them may give gay teen boys false hopes about getting in both the hearts and the pants of their best friend. A related element is that lovers of the full spectrum of indie fare from Breaking hope that any embarrassment of riches does not deprive of us the good, the lewd, and the brutally honest that characterizes many films from that distributor.

The two wins for performances and additional awards for "Best Narrative" and "Best Screenplay" at the 2018 OUT at the Movies Int'l LGBT Film Fest perfectly reflect what makes "Friend" special. The following YouTube clip of a trailer for the film validates those honors.

Our central character is everyteen Lorenzo, who is living a comfortable middle-class life with his loving parents and his adorable little brother Lucas. Lorenzo also is well-liked by both girls and boys and gets to hit it and quit it with the female object of his affection.

Trouble comes a knockin' when Lorenzo arrives home one afternoon to find Caito waiting outside with an expectation of a long visit. The rest of the story is that the father of Caito is a former football (my people call it soccer) star/ex-con, who is a childhood friend of the father of Lorenzo. This presumed defensive midfielder had called a few days earlier to ask if Caito could stay with the other family for a while because the step-brother of Caito was recovering from a bad motorcycle accident. This conversation did not seal the deal regarding Caito essentially becoming a foster child.

Lorenzo and the 'rents accept the situation and have Caito literally bunk with Lucas, who is surprisingly chill regarding the matter. This response also includes asking Lorenzo to subtly keep an eye on his new bro. Said dude not taking long to show that he is a bad seed prompts more surprising understated reactions regarding this development.

The rest of this story is that Lorenzo is quiet and studious; Caito is a tattooed relatively tough and sullen guy who is into sports. The boys connecting over a few common interests supports the theory that opposites attract. 

A bonding scene that involves literal pillow talk creates high expectations for at least 10-percent of the male viewers; another tender scene creates ambiguity regarding whether Caito is demonstrating mercy or is playing for the same team as Lorenzo. These moments and others like them provide good context for the behavior of Caito. 

Another memorable scene is between Lorenzo and his mother; she puts most other reel (and real) moms to shame in gently inviting her son to come out the closet if he is in it. This awesomeness includes respecting his wishes and not pushing the matter. This conversation further is contrary to the theory that every gay man has "a mother." 

The most cute moment comes via the 'rents essentially telling Lorenzo that they are going to get rid of the bad puppy, whose misdeeds include running feral, unless Lorenzo agrees to take more responsibility for this pet. Watching the younger and smaller boy assume control over the willing older and larger guy is very amusing.

This warm-and-fuzzy film with an edge stays true to the spirit of the movie by ending with a whimper (and perhaps a bang) after a final round of trauma and drama. Mainstream Hollywood may not have presented the ending, but everyone at least is a little older and wiser. 

Breaking further outdoes itself regarding the extras of which it always is proud. The highlight is the 24-minute Deus film "The Prisoner." This tale of high school boys slightly notches up the homoerotic meter from "Friend."

"Prisoner" begins with two boy scouts waking up with a pup tent. One of the lads, who is breaking his back, consistently calling his mountain companion "Sir" seems to be insincere until we soon learn that the expression of military-style protocol is genuine. 

The action picks up on the boys finding a nearly naked younger guy tied up and leashed. This newcomer (no pun intended) literally plays for the other team in that he is on the side of two groups that are playing war games.

The pair becomes a trio as the new captors bring their prisoner along with them. This leads to additional adventures that relate both to trust and to the Stockholm Syndrome. An apparent betrayal of that trust concludes with scenes that show that boys will be boys. 

Breaking also includes interview with Deus and his cast; a "Behind the Music" extra pays homage to the great soundtrack of "Friend." ​

The broad appeal Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 gay-themed coming-of-age drama "Socrates" relates to it including several highly relatable themes. These include growing up rough, the pains of first love, and intense trauma related to the 'rents.

The back cover synopsis shares that "Socrates" is the first feature from the Quero Institute in Brazil. The rest of this story is that it is co-written, produced, and acted by at-risk teenagers from local low-income communities. 

The remarkable 16 wins for this sensitive but not saccharine tale reflect the exceptional nature of each aspect of this film. The accolades include Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor wins at the 2018 Festival Mix Brasil. 

The following Breaking trailer for "Socrates" expertly achieves its purpose of touching on each of the aforementioned themes that leaves the audience craving more. 

The trauma and drama begin with the opening scenes; our hero finds his mother dead. This discovery sets all of the events in "Socrates" in motion beginning with a social worker telling Socrates that he must live under adult supervision.

Already desperate times that include being behind with the rent lead to desperate measures that include Socrates taking over the job of his mother cleaning a bus station, His search for gainful employment also includes working at a construction site. It is loathe at first site there as to a young male co-worker who quickly becomes a friend with benefits.

That its complicated relationship, which likely is the first love of Socrates, includes highs and lows. On of the latter is a bashing while enjoying an otherwise enjoyable day at the beach, 

This ends with a rude awakening that involves Socrates discovering that he is the dirty little secret of his man.

The rest  of the life story of Socrates is an estranged relationship with his father. One of the more dramatic scenes in the film is a hard-to-watch confrontation between these two. 

As stated above, there are several big pictures here. Growing up almost always is difficult under even the best possible circumstances; having just about every odd stacked against you makes surviving adolescence almost impossible. "Socrates" stays very true to this by keeping things real in ways that include not having a last-minute miracle that allows the titular lad to live large,

Breaking supplements this with a few features on this successful inaugural outing. 

Breaking Glass Pictures timely gave the viewing public a New Year's gift by releasing the 2017 Israeli drama "Scaffolding" on January 1, 2019. The delay in sharing thoughts about this coming-of-age film is attributable to Breaking Glass and other indie-film studios keeping this site very busy with the regular awesome additions to their catalogs. 

The numerous accolades for "Scaffolding" include a well-deserved Israeli Film Academy Best Supporting Actor award for the man who portrays high-school literature teacher Rami. He represents the cultured side of the art versus commerce conflict with which excitable boy Asher is dealing. Tough and gruff dad Milo represents the other side.

The following YouTube clip of a "Scaffolding" trailer introduces the theme of the film and provides a strong sense of the characters. ​

Seventeen year-old Asher is the good son when "Scaffolding" opens; he is a strong and obedient offspring who happily is devoted to the titular company of his self-made man father, High school is a mutual nuisance regarding this highly disruptive presence and that educational institution.

The scales begin to tip in favor of book learning when Rami reaches Asher at a time that the boy also is facing his final finals. The conflict that is at the center of all films of this nature relates to Milo literally needing the help of his son more than ever. Milo directly stating that school is not very important creates more emotional turmoil.

The plot thickens on Asher experiencing the type of angst related to Rami that many of us feel when we view a high-school teacher as a parental figure. A blow to that relationship always hurts, and it is worse when we do not fully understand the cause. 

The search for answers causes Asher to fully go out of bounds; of course, this merely worsens his situation. 

The artistry of the "Scaffolding" relates to the understated manner in which this universal story unfolds. The actors who portray the three sides of the triangle all play their roles well. We are spared violently frenetic dancing in an empty warehouse and any other excessive demonstrations of teen angst. 

We also do not get any extreme displays of adult frustration or other strong feelings. This makes the pivotal act of desperation by Rami especially surprising.

The international vibe of "Scaffolding" continues with the special features. A 20-minute making-of short is in Hebrew without subtitles; the five-minute version has subtitles. 

The striking images and related spectacular cinematography in the Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 drama "Holiday" alone justify adding this film to your home-video collection. It also makes one wonder why Breaking does not spring for a Blu-ray release. 

The festival love for this entertaining tale of the trophy girlfriend of an abusive drug lord includes numerous top honors. These accolades include Best Picture at the 2018 Austin Fantastic Fest and Best Director at the 2018 Nordic International Film Festival, 

The following YouTube clip of a "Holiday" trailer does not do the style of the film justice but does provide a strong sense of the misogynistic elements and the counter-balancing theme of material girls with blonde ambition considering the boy with the cold hard cash to always be Mr. Right despite the cost of the relationship.

Early scenes have our heroine (pun intended) Sascha getting called out on a damsel-in-distress routine on the cusp of the extended titular vacation with aforementioned pusher Michael, This trip is to pimped-out villa in Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera, Their travel companions are the business associates of Michael and the significant others and children of those legitimate businessmen. 

Although lounging in the sun, playing games at the arcade, and clubbing is fun, Sascha soon learns the same lesson as her "sisters" that anyone who "marries" for money pays a high price for enjoying the lifestyles of the rich and loathsome. This includes having to put out on demand and dealing with a man whose temper (and temperament) essentially precludes finding someone to stick around out of love.

One of the best and most telling "Holiday" scenes has a bored Michael sitting in the bitch husband chair at a jewelry store while Sascha shops. This kept woman selecting emerald earrings aptly provides her a sense that she is not in Kansas anymore. Another way of looking at this is that it shows the intersection of her grasping greed and the combination of the lust of Michael and his desire to have a status symbol other than a tattoo on his arm. 

More drama enters the picture when Sascha strikes up an unsanctioned relationship with a yachting type. Handsome and kind sailor Thomas shares an intimate moment with Sascha, and both of them want more than a one evening stand. This prompts a jealous Michael to lure Thomas to the villa under false pretenses. The feral aspects of that evening show the true natures of both men.

The climax follows when Sascha plays a booty call gone wrong on Thomas; this leads to her becoming a girl interrupted who truly is dazed and confused. This adds to the morality tale aspect of this beautiful and compelling film. 

Breaking Glass Pictures fully lives up to its reputation for edgy dark fare as to its its February 18, 2020 DVD release of the 2019 grindhouse-light film "Feedbacck."

This tale of a night of terror for an aging Chav who can be considered the UK answer to Howard Stern, can be thought of as a Blumhouse remake of the '70s com "WKRP in Cincinnati" about the zany staff at a struggling AM radio station. On a related note, one can only hope that Blumhouse does recreate the "WKRP" episode that revolves around a belief that turkeys can fly.

Outspoken Jarvis Dolan arrives at work bloodied but undeterred in the wake of a beatdown inspired by his strong opinions; his glee on throwing around his star status is short-lived when it soon becomes apparent that tonight is not like every other night. For on this night, some people die and others wish for that fate.

The terror for Jarvis and delight for the warped viewers who enjoy his torture begins with learning that his show has been hijacked and that the culprits are at least one step ahead of him. Things follow the standard course of Jarvis being warned against trying to get any help. He also discovers that he is his own captive audience.

Learning that the current "night in question" involves an earlier "night in question" with heavy shades of "WKRP" is far from the end of the story. Virgin feature-film writer/director Pedro C. Alonso does an excellent job keeping the twists coming in a manner that validates the theory that all memories are subjective.

Jarvis and his sidekick being forced to graphically confess their sins under incredible duress and in a highly public manner greatly contributes to the perverse fun of this one. 

Alonso further shows his chops in the obligatory escape attempt scene. This one truly demonstrates sound and fury.

Of course, all this ends with the last men (if any) on both sides of the sadistic antics at the end of their ropes and thoroughly exhausted. The awesome thing this time is that all involved get exactly what they deserve,

The Breaking Glass Pictures January 21, 2020 DVD of the 2018 documentary "Church & State" provides a look at an early days of the campaign for marriage equality. It also reminds us that the religion of the Osmonds and Katherine Heigel is evil. 

The below trailer for "State" reveals the flaws that prevent loving it. Two of the biggest issues are that it does not break (pun intended) new ground and does address a (for now) moot point. A related observation is that the fight for marriage equality is so recent that the 10-percent have not forgotten the prelude to going to the chapel where they're gonna get married. 

Further, as the film points out, marriage advocate Mark Lawrence is not a very appealing spokesperson. He acknowledges this in the context of the literal poster boys whom he chooses as the face of the campaign. 

Additionally, directors Holly Tuckett and Kendall Wilcox provide PLENTY of talking heads and archival footage but no entertaining graphics or amusing clips from films and television shows. This does keep things dry. 

On a broad level, "State" focuses almost exclusively on the passage of an anti-marriage-equality law in Utah and the subsequent legal battles to overturn it. Some mention is made of Hawaii legalizing same-sex marriage, but nothing is said of the lawsuits in Massachusetts and other states. Further, Team Tuckett does not touch on the numerous valid reasons that civil unions are not an acceptable option to marriage.

"State" deserves more props for addressing the need for a rush to the altar (or city hall) on the Utah court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. A related issue is legitimate concern as to having those marriages declared illegal either pending the outcome of an appeal of the decision or a reversal of it.

Personal experience is being on alert in Massachusetts to attend a wedding within minutes of a favorable judgment in the state in that case. 

Discussing the principle of states' rights is another positive aspect of "State."

On a more narrow level, it is difficult to imagine anyone being surprised to hear either that the Mormon church is ant-gay or that it is controls the Utah legislature. This is reprehensible but is no different than any other "largest employer" in a state dictating the policy in that jurisdiction. 

A clip of the Mormon pope does nicely illustrate a main point of "Church,"  This latter day saint has a huge smile on his face and is laughing while telling the tale of a Mormon elder who is physically beaten for propositioning his partner during their missionary position. 

The mouth of the Mormon says no no regarding this punishment for the guy attempting to get into the magic underwear of his friend; conversely, the eyes of  that chosen one say yes yes. A very sad aspect of this is that the Mormon faith holds that that guy will go to Heaven. For the record, your not-so-humble reviewer wants his next existence either to be in Dog Heaven or to be a vengeful spirit. 

The bottom line is "so far, so good" regarding the Trump Administration not trying to undo marriage equality; as such, "State" is not so timely in any regard. 

Breaking Glass Pictures fully exhibits its love of perverse edge as to its DVD release of the twisted 2016 drama "Motel Mist." Although this tale of freaks and geeks at a "love motel" just outside Bangkok is adequate lurid, it being a variation of the Neil Simon "Love Boat" (complete with A and B List celebrities) '70s-era "Suite" films makes "Mist" that much more of a no-need-to-feel guilty pleasure. It also makes "Mist" more like BBC series "Hotel Babylon" than ABC '80s staple "Hotel." 

The following Breaking trailer for "Mist" highlights the atmospheric and kinky tone that makes it an entertaining walk on the wild side from the safety of your own home. 

Our rogue's gallery begins with typical outwardly respectable middle-aged Sopol, who maintains a lair at the titular hot-sheets Hilton; his current school girl who works in the oldest profession in the world is Laila. Their intercourse clearly shows that her pain provides his pleasure. 

This encounter taking an unexpected turn literally shows Sopol that karma is a bitch in a way that provides the audience particularly dark pleasure before the tables once again turn only to shift once more thanks to an even Stevens development. 

The partner-in-crime of Sopol is young hotel employee Tot, whose show business aspirations extend beyond his facilitating the real-life Bob Crane hobby of Sopol. Tot also is adequately unbalanced to fit right in with his guests. 

The fictional household name of the group is former child star Tul, whose personal path is textbook for former Disney Channel kidcom stars turned super freaks that you would never consider bringing home to mother. Tul is waiting for his alien friends to beam him up (and likely probe him). His adventures in coveted Room 5 include seeing a blue room and wanting to paint it black. This excitable boy going fully psycho near the end is a film highlight. 

Writer/director Prabda Yoon ends all this with an especially stylish sequence that shows that some dreams come true even for the not-so-pure at heart.

Breaking supplements this with a behind-the-scenes feature. 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2018 Buenos Aires-based drama "We Are Thr3e" aptly can be considered the non-missing link between the Breaking tradition of releasing (often artfully arousing) gay-themed films and more mainstream world cinema fare. "Thr3e" sensitively (and mildly arousingly)  explores the theme of a long-term loving male-male-female relationship. Minimally, it will give anyone near the middle of the Kinsey Scale something about which to think.

One spoiler is that any guy with an interest in having a broamce include benefits is encouraged to show his buddy this film and proceed according to his reaction. 

Breaking does an especially good job communicating the theme and the tone of the film in the following trailer. It clearly shows that the cast is well selected and that writer/director Marcelo Briem Stamm is a good spokesperson for relationships that further expand boundaries in an era in which gay couples receive widespread acceptance in much of the US and beyond. 

The depicted genesis of the relationship between Russian-born bartender/free-spirit Sebastian, conformist Argentinian Nacho, and divorced girl-next-door Ana reflects the truism that no one can predict when any form of relationship will develop while engaged any form of  activity. The rest of this story is that love more often stems from when you are not seeking it than from when you are searching for Mr. or Ms. Right (or Right Now).

Nacho and Ana meet cute at a party; Sebastian literally and figuratively enters the picture when the other two go in search of the bar. Sebastian soon subtly seduces (but does not abandon) the latest objects of his affection. Although Sebastian calls many of the shots and largely directs the course of the relationship, a morning after scene makes it clear that he is not one of the chosen people.

A pivotal (and particularly well-played) scene is a variation of a situation that is very relatable to any dude who has been on either side of this interaction. Sebastian takes an unauthorized break to catch up with a bonding Nacho and Ana. The sense of relatability continues with Sebastian orchestrating things so that Nacho faces the test of (presumably) having his first mano a mano kiss. The hesitancy of Nacho to take this step provides an early in a series of looks at the skill of Sebastian to proceed things at the pace that Nacho and Ana can handle. 

Thing fairly quickly proceed to Sebastian presenting logical arguments for the trois to form a long-term loving menage. The point of reference this time is feeling love for someone who is unable to fulfill all of your physical and/or emotional needs. All of this being out in the open at least as to the three willing participants arguably is worth trying. 

One thing on which Stamm does not directly touch is the desire for male intimacy that virtually every man directly or indirectly feels as evidenced by previously largely straight Nacho not displaying much resistance as to the advances of Sebastian. This often manifests itself in the form of at least curiosity as to sex with another man regarding whom there is adequate attraction and trust to deal with the physical and emotional aspect of crossing the final frontier. Some acts are enjoyable for some of us only when you love the one with whom you are with.

The theme of love conquering all continues with Nacho especially becoming emboldened as to sharing the nature of his current relationship. The analogy here from the early days of the campaign for equal rights for gay men essentially is that the friends and family of Nacho must process not only that he now likes men but also has someone special in his life.

Stamm and his cast do a good job keeping things seemingly realistic as to the early sense of Nacho and Ana that the absence of Sebastian creates a hole. The same is true regarding Nacho and Ana inadvertently making Sebastian jealous.

We further see the complications as to our trio already contending with the practical issues that arise in any romantic relationship that further are complicated as to the nature of their arrangement. Accountant Nacho raises many of the transactional considerations, such as the law and business institutions only recognizing one spouse in a relationship.

The bigger picture (no pun intended) is to the extent to which the vision of Stamm is prophetic, The next stage as to gay relationships may be the "straight" guys who traditionally use the anonymous cruising methods of the era to be more open by getting everything that he needs at home, including a willing "beard," who actively participates in her two men mutually enjoying intimacy.

Sebastian addresses the female perspective by offering Ana husband material in the form of Nacho and boyfriend material in the form of himself. Many modern women likely would enjoy having her cake and the hunky baker as well.

The DVD bonuses include what must be an insightful interview with the cast and crew. A time constraint when watching "Thr3e" requires delayed gratification as to that feature. 

Breaking Glass Pictures once more goes where many men fail to measure up as to supplementing its DVD release of the (reviewed) 2017 Gerald McCullouch documentary "All Male All Nude" with the recent DVD release of the "exclusive uncensored version" of the 2019 McCulloch documentary "All Male All Nude Johnsons." One spoiler regarding the sequel is that the Johnsons club in Fort Lauderdale adjacent Wilton Manors is all male but only mostly nude; McCulloch compensates with copious footage from "Nude" and with scenes that show some Johnsons boys completely out of their Levis. 

The following aptly named Breaking "teaser trailer" for "Johnsons" offers a glimpse of the nice boys who work hard for the money that dispel the stereotypes of male strippers; we also get several looks at the packages that they deliver. Not much may come between them and their Calvins, but many patrons make their best effort.

The common elements of "Nude" and "Johnsons" extend beyond the general subject matter. Both films center around professional bodybuilder Matt Colunga, who asserts that he requires a knee-high "sock" when required to stop just short of going Full Monty.

We meet male strip-club veteran Colunga in "Nude." This man who has done (and shown) it all at "Nude" subject Swinging Richards in Atlanta now is the owner/manager/public face/mentor of Johnsons. He truly looks out for the boys on the stage and in the audience. The former fully comes through in requiring dancers to pass a breathalyzer before leaving work. 

We hear from plenty of the performers as to their financial motivations to put their money makers to work; no one can argue that those who have it would rather make as much flaunting it for a few hours than earn the same amount in one week at a McJob.

The rude awakening as to the aforementioned spectators is that the boys are just doing their job. They only pretend to be interested in our lives in hopes of liberating our bills from our pants; folks who hope to pull something else from their jeans will be disappointed. An amusing aspect of this is a scene in which we see how a boy who looks as if he may have a roll of quarters in his working clothes uses that state as a "seduction" technique.

The real star of "Johnsons" is 26 year-old Alexander, who spends his days entertaining at children's parties dressed as fanboy characters and his nights entertaining the dads at Johnsons. It is highly likely that watching Alexander make superhero-style costume changes in parking lots in broad daylight and do back flips in a skintight Spider-man suit will cause some viewers to shoot a sticky white substance out of their personal web slingers. 

A more generally amusing aspect of this is the "Z Rock" pattern of some wannabe American Idols playing toddler events during the day and dive bars at night. Former Del Fuego (and Kitchenette) Dan Zanes now being a kiddie singer is a prime example of having the best of both worlds. 

We also get a look at the business end of things that include the bureaucratic battle that Colunga endures just to open his club. We also see that no good deed goes unpunished and that some people can be not-so swinging Richards. It is reasonable to speculate that some naysyaers have left Johnsons blue in a part of their anatomy other than their faces. 

"Nude" and "Johnsons" reflect the documentary ideal of being equally entertaining and educational; the nature of the subject makes it difficult for the insights to equal the prurient enjoyment. We do learn that many male strippers are nice guys who reasonably utilize their good looks and other blessings as a shortcut to a better life. The fun that they have along the way is a bonus for both them and their biggest and more average fans. 

The DVD bonus features include videos by Corey Tut. 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2017 Irish horror movie "Red Room" shows that former films about imprisoning 20-something women have barely broken the surface regarding the potential for the depth of depravity regarding this sub-genre. The essential theme is that the lasses who are guests of the state of terror stay chained up and brutalized as they await their close-up in the titular chamber. 

The accolades for this creative success include Best Independent Feature Film and Special Jury Prize honors at the 2017 Underground Cinema Film Festival Awards. 

"Room" centers around a single mother who pays a heavy price for a rare indulgence of her girls just wanna have fun side. This also relates to her learning that Mother does not always know best in that our future web star allows Gran to convince her to spend an evening at a club 10 minutes from their home.

Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, our new parent bends down to pick up an apparently lost mobile phone that is ringing on the ground in front of a white-panel van. This leads to the inevitable. 

On arriving, the new girl meets her chum. The orientation includes a recitation of "Fight Club" rules.Of course, each guideline gets violated during the film.

The audience soon leans both that this for-profit and perverse fun enterprise is a father-son operation with Father (and Mother) remotely calling the shots and Son running a small crew from the house that serves as an operations center. The rest of the story is that the dark webmaster is a slave to his work. 

An inventory control problem coinciding with an expansion of the business in a manner that should be a cautionary tale to every annoying toddler out there combine to make things a bad day at the office for father and son alike. One lesson here is that good help is hard to find. 

Much of the appeal of "Room" relates to perverse pleasure associated with seeing how deranged some seemingly average people are and discovering the callous viciousness regarding the behavior of folks who are willing to meet the need of that segment of the public.

The copious DVD special features include behind-the-scenes interviews and a deleted scene that is roughly the same length as a typical Bugs Bunny short. 

Breaking Glass Pictures provides horror fans a missing link regarding the recent DVD release of the 2016 film "Obsidian Curse." A fairly clever concept regarding an evil hex, adequate acting, and decent production values put this one many steps above the student-film quality of many lower-budget blood-and-gore movies. 

"Curse" begins with a bit of a non-sequitur. Party girls are living it up while a demon who looks like something out of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" television series is feasting on a sacrificial lamb.

The action quickly shifts "One Year Later." Ex-con Blair Jensen is freshly sprung from the big house after serving a sentence on a drug charge. Baby daddy Roberto picks her up. His bad news for her is that new wife Yvonne is taking care of their daughter.

Blair having to go beyond being clean-and-sober extends to requiring that she obtain gainful employment. Desperation regarding a need for a job leads to trying to join the underground economy. That results in her obtaining the titular stigmatism, which makes her a babe-eater magnet.

The scene in which Blair meets the first member of her new fan club does a good job with many tried-and-true horror film cliches. A creature reaching out from under the bed and a comforter and sheet being pulled off a sleeping woman provides some sense of this portion of "Curse."

Blair going on the run sets the stage for other creatures of the night trying to get a piece of her; this results in her becoming the captive of an unexpected monster. Good dark and gory humor enters the picture in the form of "for tat" revenge for a betrayal. 

All of this comes back somewhat full circle in that assistance comes from an unexpected source; this creates a sense of the lesser of two evils. 

The middle-ground approach throughout "Curse" makes it fun for the whole family; you are spared chessy effects and deplorable performances.

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the EXCLUSIVE unrated director's cut of the 2017 gay-themed romcomdram "Everything is Free" has so many relatabele themes to folks other than those at the far hetero end of the Kinsey Scale that knowing where to begin is tough. Further, giving everything its full due as to this film about an out-and-proud gay 20-something developing a friendship with benefits with the younger brother of his best friend is beyond the scope of this post. 

A full-frontal (and full arousal) shower scene in which writer-director-star Brian Jordan Alvarez of "Will and Grace" illustrates why Speedos are called banana hammocks illustrates a segment that apparently is exclusive to this unrated director's cut. This also dispels both clauses in the expression that there is no such thing as a small part, only small actors. 

Speaking of Alvarez, his wonderfully flaky and clearly ad libbed introduction to the film that Breaking includes as a DVD bonus is must see.

The following trailer for "Free" perfectly captures the themes and the tone of the film. We get plenty of scenes of our trio of 20-something AF model looking guys loving, laughing, and emoting. 

One of the nicest surprises as to "Free" is that it is an anomaly as the mostly universal truth that an inverse relationship exists between the amount of erotic content and the quality of the film. This one has plenty of adult themes but still has a talented successful cast tell an interesting story that stimulates the organ that is best equipped to guide men in their decision making.

An overall issue is the dynamic of a close platonic friendship between a gay man and a straight man. One aspect of this is the degree to which one or both of these guys want to be physically intimate. This can involve a mixture of love, lust, and curiosity. A related element is the extent to which the straight guy can accept his desire to expand his range of sexual activity.

The same genre of gay-themed films that heavily suggests that a hetero buddy is eager to see how the other half lives just as frequently suggest that the younger brother of that dude is just as available. The reality is that the friend/brother may have trouble accepting that his male sibling is gay or bi or may feel jealous that this relative is willing to act on feelings that run in the family or merely gets to bond with his friend in a way that is too scary to explore. 

The bigger (and more realistic) picture is that EVERY straight guy has a line that a gay guy often does not know about until he crosses it. The possibilities are too numerous to explore. A real-world example is an extremely liberal guy who is an active member of the Green Party getting upset on his gay friend clearly joking when saying at a wedding venue that the two of them are engaged. 

In true gayromcomdram style, American Ivan (Alvarez) is living the good life in Colombia before subsequent events fairly literally bring his world crashing down. He makes enough as an artist to have a nice home in Colombia and keep a second place in Los Angeles. He also seems to be a poster boy for the concept of happy-go-lucky.

The beginning of the end is when straight college buddy Christian (Peter Vack) visits and makes the arguably ill-fated decision to bring (presumably) straight little brother Cole (Morgan Krantz) along for the ride. 

Glances and an arguable "teasing" in the form of late-night bed hopping only to retreat when things heat up lead to a friendship with somewhat covert  benefits between Ivan and Cole. Meanwhile, Ivan has met a man who may be Mr. Right despite the presence of Cole affecting what is occurring right now. 

The next major development starts out as the fulfillment of what may be a fantasy for a combination of Ivan, Christian, and some audience members. Christian makes Ivan a well-received offer to take their close long-term friendship to the next level; this takes an unexpected term that also may be a fantasy to guys with issues. This intercourse ends with Christian angrily warning Ivan to stay away from Cole.

The heart (and other body parts) wanting what the heart (and other body parts) wants leads to Christian catching Ivan and Cole with their pants down. The ensuing trauma and drama leads to Christian and Ivan cutting their trip short. 

A heart-broken Ivan bonds with two new buddies; discovering that they also know "quirky" and androgynous Eli (Jason Greene) validates the theory that the gay world is a small one; it does not necessarily support the related belief that most of these guys have also had sex in various combinations. 

Ivan further follows the textbook for young idealistic guys all along the Kinsey scale and visiting LA with his new entourage. His optimistic belief is that Christian will accept his relationship with Cole and that Cole will realize that Ivan is his soulmate at least until someone younger and cuter comes along.

It is predicted that the course of true love is not that easy; suffice it to say that things do not end with Ivan and Cole tying the knot and Christian being the best man. 

The resolution of all this remains true to "Free" and the "queer as folk" reality that it depicts, 

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release of the 2017 film "Pinsky" provides a chance to see the best movie about a hipster Boston 20-something lesbian with a domineering Russian immigrant grandmother having a quarter-life crisis that you will see this year. The accolades for this quirky indiecom include the Best Narrative Feature at the 2017 Santa Fe Independent Film Festival.

Much of the appeal of this dysfunctional Jewish family film relates (pun intended) to it evoking thoughts of the Neil Simon semi-autobiopic "Brighton Beach Memoirs." That one tells the tale of an adolescent Simon living in a full house with his parents, his brother, and the rest.

"Pinsky" opens on a terrible, horrible, no good day for titular Millennial Sophia Pinsky (producer/writer Rebecca Karpovsky). Her grandfather drops dead in the street within hours of the live-in girlfriend of Sophia leaving her a Dear Jane letter. All of this is on top of Sophia still working at the Jewish grocery store that is her college-era employer. 

These worlds initially collide due to the death prompting Sophia to attending Shiva at the apartment of her grandmother (a.k.a. Bubbie). This is the first interaction of these women in several years after Bubbie cuts Sophia out of her life for moving in with her girlfriend. 

The rest of the story in this regarding is that family rabbi Bob Stern (Alan Blumenfeld of the Marion Ross Jewcom "Brooklyn Bridge"). We subsequently learn that Bob has a very personal interest in the activities of the Pinskys.

Bubbie first exerts her Yenta side in coercing newly single Sophia to move back into Temple Beth Pinksy. The fellow members of the congregation are Sophia's father, who is obsessed with his ballroom-dance partner, and aimless sibling Victor, who has delusions of qualifying for the Boston police force. One can give Victor credit for realizing that he lacks the right stuff for the BFD. 

The unavailability of an eligible Jewish doctor prompts Bubbie to aggressively promote the next best thing. She coerces Sophia into dating long-time family friend/medical researcher Trevor. Trevor agrees to play along despite having no romantic interest in Sophia and knowing that she prefers her phallic items to be of the plastic variety.

The final piece of the puzzle comes in the form of Sophia beginning a friendship that she apparently hopes reaps benefits. This object of her affection is Jessica Elliott, whose black skin is one of a few characteristics that distinguish her from the other patrons at the aforementioned Jewish market.

Jessica being an open-mic night regular introduces Sophia to the world; that leads to her aspiring to become a hipster lesbian version of Jerry Seinfeld; not that there is anything wrong with that. 

Families of every religion and nationality can relate to the developments in the wake (pun intended) of the death of the grandfather leading to comically extreme trauma and drama at a Shabbat (a.k.a. Friday Night) dinner. The Mogen David freely flowing may be a factor regarding the gefilte fish hitting the fan. 

Part of the gist of the listing of grievances is Bubbie laying the mother of all Jewish maternal figure guilt trips regarding her heavy sacrifices for her ungrateful family; we also learn that Trevor has his limits. 

The biggest picture is that "Pinsky" illustrates the truth of the expression that you can pick your friends but not your relatives. It also brings to mind a foreign film from a few years ago in which a nice young Parisian Jewish man is planning to move to Israel; his sister reminds him that his planned destination is full of people who are like their parents. A third perspective is the Seinfeld joke that Jewish men marry shiksas because they want a wife who does not remind them of their mother.

The always excellent Breaking DVD extras this time are an interview with Blumenfeld and a short clip of Karpovsky doing stand-up. 

Best friend of edgy off-beat films Breaking Glass Pictures embraces the spirit of the 2018 quirky indie comedy "Wobble Palace" by releasing the DVD of it on October 30, 2018. This praise relates to "Palace" occurring over the October 30-31, 2016 weekend just ahead of the presidential election that year. 

Breaking does another solid by providing a spot-on synopsis of "Palace" in the press materials. This makes life easier for over-worked reviewers everywhere who welcome any chance to half-ass it. This brilliant prose that aptly begins with the phrases "auteur-driven," "hyper-independent," and "Millennial anti-rom-com" is below.

"WOBBLE PALACE takes place on the eve of America's most traumatic election, where a couple on the verge of a nervous break-up decide to split their house up over the weekend. Desperate to make new connections, Jane and Eugene find themselves in a series of unpredictable misadventures, sexual escapades and emotional traumas. From this simple premise we delve into a manic and hilarious world of lust and mistrust, revealing the identity crises and narcissistic self-loathing at the core of the millennial experience."

This adventure begins with easily the most divisive narrative technique in modern film. A series of texts establish the context for Eugene (producer/director/writer Eugene Kotlyarenko) and Jane to divide their shared abode that artist Jane has decorated in early Pee Wee's Playhouse for the Halloween weekend. Folks who have good eyesight and embrace all innovations apparently love this popular exposition tool. Those of us whose eyes are less-than-perfect and who are less fond of copycat gimmicks do not embrace this method as much.

The real action begins on the morning of Saturday, October 30. This is the day that Eugene has the house. Seeing more of his morning routine than we need to includes watching him create the worst comb-over in a LONG history of cinematic bad efforts to hide a receding hairline,

The day of Eugene starts well before rapidly picking up momentum that leads to an epic crash-and-burn that deprives him of every last shred of dignity. This nottie surprisingly gets a hottie blonde photographer that he meets through a dating app. to come by. It is even more surprising that she sticks around after uncovering the truth about his relationship with his "roommate." 

Eugene soon putting himself in a literally and figuratively compromising position proves that all men are stupid. His learning the extent to which an angry woman hath fury provides the audience great entertainment and our boy intense anguish. His relationship with Jane being much closer to hate than love at this point does not help matters. 

The primary action then shifts to Jane, whom we join on Sunday morning after a wild Saturday night party. This starving artist trying to hold her own with one who lives in an expensive loft is very amusing. 

For her part, Jane is spending her day at the house with a member of the Millionaire Boys' Club who is a regular booty call. Watching this horny pair have a room but needing to wait for a bed is both relatable and hilarious. This two-pump chump making an ill-advised dump adds more comic drama to their intercourse.

Kotlyarenko augments this study of the mating habits of Millennials with apt flashbacks that establish how they get to where they are at the present of the film.  This includes the more traditional rom-com style segment that can be considered when Eugene met Jane. These scenes not only depict the joy of new (if not true) love but the cyclical nature of everything.

All of this wraps up with Jane and Eugene reuniting after their weekends of freedom. This leads to them determining if their flame is reignited, has burned out, or simply is a Hanukkah light that adequately is keeping the relationship going until they either fall back in love or experience enough hate to call it quits. Real and reel life allow accurately predicting which of these is the outcome. 

The special features include a separate audio commentary by Kotlyarenko and his entertaining four-minute introduction to 15 minutes of deleted scenes. The elan with which this aforementioned auteur describes his film, the support of Breaking, and the context of the footage that ends up on the editing room floor communicates his tremendous love for the art for which he bares all.

The breaking news regarding all this is that "Palace" presents a compelling portrait of a modern man-child clown who receives a harsh wake-up call on starting his day alone in bed. 

Breaking Glass Pictures goes wonderfully old school regarding the May 2019 DVD release of the 2019 thriller "Dark Sense." The well-executed tried-and-true premise is that 22 year-old Scottish psychic Simon is on the trail of a serial killer, who has extreme prejudice against folks with the sixth sense. "Sense" further shows that Breaking remains committed to making edgy films (be it thrillers or artfully erotic gay-themed movies) that makes it so awesome.

The reason that the concept of "Sense" seems familiar to some folks who still read books is that it is based on the best-seller First and Only by Peter Flannery. Flannery presumably discusses his book in his DVD audio commentary.

On a broad level, "Sense" evokes thoughts of the tried-and-true joke that someone who is psychic should have seen something coming. This applies both to the peers of Simon who run afoul of our villain and to Simon, who should have foreseen the negative response that he received on contacting MI-5 to join forces. 

The following YouTube clip of the "Sense" trailer offers a good glimpse of the story and the UK style narrative,

We meet Simon as an eight year-old lad trying to save the family priest/friend from a fate equal to death. Although Simon arrives in time and states the nature of the threat, he does not prevent the crime. The nature of the killing and of the presence of Simon is part of the copious religious symbolism in "Sense." We also see throughout the film that everything is relative, 

The action shifts 14 years into the future, Simon knows both that the killer is out there and that Simon has big bullseye on his back. He does not know the identity of that psycho.

The extreme extent to which Steve connects with both the killer and his victims sets "Sense" above less creative psychic amateur-detective films. This aspect also perfectly ties into the other themes of the film. 

Humor related to Simon making a senior MI5 official look foolish is a highlight of "Sense." Less humor relates to Simon first-hand learning that one of the three big lies is that I'm from the government; I'm here to help you. We do not learn if Simon has had experience with someone falsely telling him that the check is in the mail or asserting the third big lie.

Simon hiring a private contractor in the form of former soldier-of-little-fortune Steve also is very true to form regarding government activities. The job of Steve is to protect Simon from experiencing a fate equal to death. 

It is predictable that Steve and sympathetic MI5 agent Sonia Chatham team up to come to the rescue when Simon finds himself in a perilous situation. How things ultimately unfold provide wonderful twists that provide a nice bonus in the form of social commentary. 

The best part of all this is that "Sense" and SO MANY indie films prove time and time again that art and commerce need not be mutually exclusive. Hollywood MUST recognize that an audience exists for a film that is not part of a franchise, is not a vanity project that allows the inner-circle of an actor whose looks surpass his or her talent to play dress up, or that resorts to cheap thrills, gore, or broad humor to get butts in the seats at the multiplex.  

The Breaking Glass Pictures May 7, 2019 DVD release of the 2019 mockumentary "Strawberry Flavored Plastic" again shows the Breaking talent for finding art-house films with mainstream appeal. A combination of "Strawberry" broadly following the formula of "The Blair Witch Project" and being set in real-life upstate New York town Peekskill, which is the setting of the sitcom "The Facts of Life," allows dusting off the 20 year-old joke "The Blair Warner Project." That humor relates to the name of a "Facts" character.

"Facts" also inspires a joke that sums ups a theme of "Strawberry." Fictional documentarians Errol and Ells do not think of a their film subject as a serial killer; they think of their film subject as Noel.

The following YouTube clip of the Breaking trailer for "Strawberry" shows how well that the mockumentary genre can succeed in the right hands. 

Errol and Ellis initially think that Noel is a one-trick-pony as to a murder of passion for which his debt to society is paid. By the time that they realize that their subject is a natural-born serial killer who still actively pursues his hobby, they are in very deep. They ultimately put both art and commerce forefront by continuing to make the movie.

Aidan Bristow does a wonderful job playing Noel as a guy who seems a little off but adequately harmless. This performance partially makes it believable that Errol and Ellis continue to hang around even after learning the awful truth. 

A "bad dog" moment is a game-changer in that the filming of the show goes on in a revised manner. This rude awakening also increases tension that real-life writer/director Colin Bemis portrays so well that digging up his basement and checking out his refrigerator is not entirely unwarranted. 

In true 21st-century film style, the beginning of the end is relatively anti-climatic. The best is yet to come in the final few scenes. This reinforces the "peace, love, and understanding" principle that everyone has something to offer and touches the lives of everyone with whom he or she makes a connection. We also get a sense of imitation being the most sincere form of flattery.

The special features include deleted scenes.

The Breaking Glass Pictures June 18, 2019 DVD release of the 2018 "coming-of-age age war musical" period piece "Kanarie" fully demonstrates the regard of Breaking for the spirits of both Pride and the '80s. The film also shows that not learning the lessons of apartheid and government-condoned homophobia back them are condemning us to repeat aspects of both 35 years later. 

The following YouTube clip of a "Kanarie" trailer does just as well highlighting all of the three seemingly incompatible elements of the film as writer/director Christiaan Olwagen does blending them.

"Kanarie" opens on a high note; 18 year-old Johan is having great fun wearing a wedding gown and clowning around with his sister. This glee leads to a dare for Johan to walk down the street of his small conservative town in that garb. The rest of the story is that the parents of that excitable boy/fan of Boy George and Depeche Mode are prominent pillars of the community. 

All starts out well and leads to one of a few fantasy musical numbers that are straight out of the MTV of the era. Things come crashing down in a way to which all of us who have shed off our repressions and expressed pure joy only to have the real world provide an abrupt rude awakening can relate. 

The expression "out the frying pan, into the fire" is very apt regarding the news that awaits Johan on his return from his walk-of-shame. He learns that his number has come up and that he must enter the South African army for his two years of service. The rest of the story is that this is an era in which the actual battle regarding apartheid is at a peak. 

Johan receives less-than-anticipated relief when his musical talents earn him a spot in the titular South African Defense Forces Church Choir. That group travels around performing for the folks back home. The rude awakening this time is that the military is very effective at reminding the songbirds that they still are soldiers.

The next scenes evoke strong thoughts of the 1988 Neil Simon semi-autobiographical non-musical war movie "Biloxi Blues." That film has Brooklyn draftee Jerome (Matthew Broderick) traveling to the titular Southern city for basic training before being shipped off to show Mr. Hitler that the nephews of Uncle Sam have something to say about how The Little Corporal is running things. 

Like Jerome, Johan boards a train for his first military home away from home. Both boys also travel with those who at least will be near (if not dear) to them for the foreseeable future. In the case of Jerome, this is rotund high-voiced hyper-active (queen?) Ludolf and their (not-so-little) corporal, whose behavior screams for him to become a victim of friendly fire. 

One difference is that Johan and his band (pun intended) of brothers is headed to the Valhalla Air Force Base in Swartkop.

Beyond that, the similarities between "Biloxi" and "Kanarie" are so strong that one must think about whether come elements are from the former or the latter. An example of this is a white soldier in "Biloxi" concealing that one of his parents is black. Another "Biloxi" scene has two gay soldiers getting caught in the act prompting a witch hunt. 

Johan and Ludolf soon meet and bond with Wolfgang Muller, who shares the enthusiasm of Johan for the pop music of the day.

Much of the good humor of "Kanarie" comes courtesy of scenes with the stereotypical host families with whom they stay while on tour. These include a motherly type and a Mrs. Robinson who clumsily tries to seduce the lads.

It is during this period that Johan and Wolfgang truly become brothers at arms. The problem is that Johan is uncomfortable about even accepting (let alone embracing) that he is gay. He puts this in the context that Boy George is keeping at least one foot in the closet. 

Of course, all this leads to final act drama as Johan faces the dual pressures of being in the military and singing in a church choir. The means by which he receives at least a quantum of solace shows that there was more enlightenment than generally considered in the mid-80s. 

The bigger (and highly relatable) picture this time is that virtually all of us experience a first or second coming-of-age on concluding our high-school career. We experience the larger world by entering college, enlisting in the military, or immediately becoming a wage slave. The common lessons that come with these experiences is that we must adapt or perish and that that does not always come with the luxury of to thine own selves be true. 
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Olwagen nicely expresses the times that are a changing in the South African in the '70s and '80s and what makes his characters from that era tick in an insightful DVD extra, This feature also provides good behind-the-scenes secrets.