Winner Takes All

Difficult to not like this short film . A correct dark comedy , it offers a very simple , fantastic and realistic in same measure, defining with bitter irony, the homosexual relations, the vulnerability of beauty, with some smart uses drops of The portrait of Dorian Gray.

Sure, not the most clever dialogue and the feeling about a too aesthetic demonstration. But few images are little more than beautiful, the not bad acting covers some sins of film and the moral works pretty nice.

In essence, a beautiful young guy proposes to his admirers a box match , he being the prize. But the things are not exacly the imaginated ones by him.

So, pretty nice.

Ryker (Gavyn Michaels) is in love with two men--Brian (Hunter Lee Hughes who also wrote this) and Ernesto (Adrian Quinonez). He can't choose either one so he sets it up so they'll box each other and the winner takes all--which is him.

OK the guys are hot and in good shape--Michaels is introduced shirtless and Quinonez is ridiculously pumped up--but that's about the only good thing here. The main problem is the script. I had trouble understanding what Ryker was talking about and the dialogue didn't make much sense. Even worse is the character Ryker. He comes across as such an obnoxious jerk you're wondering why either guy wants him. I don't blame the actor--I blame the writing. Even as a short this is too long.

Thank God not another coming out story or about how oppressive being gay can be. This is a straightforward short that tackles gay relationships with dark humor. This goes beyond seeing a bunch of hot guys on the screen...though there is that too. The boxers in this are hot but don't think this is about getting sweaty for the sake of sexy shots. They're fighting for a reason--their ex has arranged it. The cinematography is amazing without being too obvious. Great performances by everyone involved. We all know Alec Mapa and love him but it's hard not to love him more after this film. It's clear the writer knows the psychology of gay relationships.