Starcrossed

Starcrossed stretches the outer limits between social acceptability and love in its purest form. Writer/Director James Burkhammer tells a moving story of two brothers and the close sexual relationship that develops between them. Burkammer's film follows the boys growing up from their early prepubescent years to their teens, and is able to effectively capture, in a non judgmental manner, the intense emotional connection the two brothers have for each other. At times you forget that the two boys are brothers, and instead enjoy the true beauty of their love for each other.

J.B. Ghuman, who plays the protective older brother Darren, performed his part flawlessly and convincingly, with passion that resonated on the screen. Equally, Marshall Allman put in a solid performance as the younger brother Connor. Together both actors brought the perfect chemistry to their roles that made their relationship convincing and realistic. The turmoil and tragedy that ensues when their parents become aware of the relationship is captivating and unforgiving.

The cinematography was average and probably could have been done better, although this did not take away from the effectiveness of this film.

Regardless of where you stand morally on the subject of this film (incest), Starcrossed captures well the true beauty of unconditional love between two people. Not to be missed.

delicate, impressive, touching. a story like many others. but, in a strange manner, very different. for idea. for acting. and for its flavor. it can be a version of Romeo and Juliet and, in same time, a common story. it is credible. and poetic. fragile. and provocative. it is that case of short movie who remains seed for long time emotions. not for images or script but for flavor. a love story. and a risky message. two men. a circle. a image. an option. nothing comfortable. nothing easy to be tolerated. but this is its secret. to broke rules. to open new vision to dark page. to seduce. and the work rolls. like silence behind a poem words.

I love the way people delude themselves. And I wonder slightly, just slightly, if it is not incest that drives people delude themselves, I mean into investing some kind of interest in this soft corn short. A bad dad supposedly and since their oppressive childhood under his military demeanor towards all things perfectly executed, forces two brothers into love for each other, love that takes a deviant turn, but we never have a quasi-sexual acting out that would heat things up and draw the line we want or not to transgress. As it is, Marshall, the younger actor, cannot but resemble some kind of Brent Corrigan's amanuensis. Both brothers are so athletic that it's a pity they don't tease us directly with all the incestuous potential. And it's a pity people draw themselves into a tender delusion of incest acting like, but not out, into the common light of our world, some alibi for tenderness. It is not even that tenderness has some incestuous alibi. Or maybe this is the point. For this film is not alone in such matters. Can we please have some kind of ultimatum concerning matters of star-crossed tenderness, not crossing over into quasi - and queasy - incest?

Psychoanalysis claims that incest is impossible AND it has to be prohibited. And it is simply like this guys. Otherwise one's sentimental crossbreed runs the risk of being impossible and prohibited. Tenderness can change the world. It does not need an incestuous alibi. Why, would that heat up the crime of affection?

I had the pleasure of seeing this short film at the Miami film festival this past Saturday and let me just say I was astounded. It was the only film out of the whole program that I loved. It is beautifully shot, composed, edited, acted and written. After the screening I saw the director at a party and asked him what he was doing next. He said that he was working on finding financing for the feature version of the short. He described some scenes to me. It sounded like the kind of first film that launches the greats into the industry. If you ever get a chance to see this short I highly recommend taking it. Hats off to star crossed.

This film goes beyond what people may want to see and face a topic that can actually happen!