Station to Station

I thought this was a comedy b/c I'd only seen a funny clip before and got the wrong impression, but this movie blew my mind with how good a drama this is. It's so good! The acting, the writing, the way it looks, and the beautiful messages it sends to the audience. The main character and actor who plays him are really interesting.

I saw this film at the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Festival on the first night. Like most of the films at these festivals, I hadn't heard of it before and I found the description was intriguing, but vague (intentionally so, when you think about it afterward).

But I am glad I didn't know anything going in. I don't really think any description could describe it, but if I had had it described to me, I might have watched it in with some preconceved notions and assumptions, which as it turns out, is the entire point of the film, or at least a big part of it.

All I know is I spent the next day thinking about it, about the characters, and some of the convos they have with each other. This film is really well acted and the best work is in the quiet back and dorths with each other, which happen in a way that starts the wheels turning in your head It got me thinking about a lot of the ways movies don't do that now and that made me realize how hungry I was for the kind of conversations and characters we see in the film, which is a modest attempt at making a blockbuster Hollywood film, but an A attempt at making an indie like this.

Everybody in this entire film are full of drama and not able to act it out. The dialogue is plodding. They must have fired the editors to keep the budget low, because there is so much dead space you could collapse a black hole in it. I love gay friendly films, but this is viewer unfriendly. If I wanted to see something sad and depressing, I would just look in the mirror. I watched "High School Musical" today, and it was insipid and silly. Still, it was leagues beyond this tragic, self-absorbed, snooze fest. If you want to paint a sad picture of gay porn websites, you could probably do a documentary that would be better, and more worth watching.

This movie was unexpectedly moving for me. It's weird, because I don't actually know why. I keep coming back to it in my head and thinking about different characters and scenes (they are almost like little short films with the Las Vegas "Boy Bunker" setting and main character "Major Tom" as the common elements). It's this really adult, conversations-based film where you learn about these characters from all these different walks of life and circumstances and each of them either really resonated with me personally or helped me see other people in those circumstances in a different light. I liked that a lot. There was a really good mix of "show" and "tell" and the dialogue was really, really good. I like that the lessons and that experiences are the journey, not a contrived beginning, middle, and end. Like you spent this time with these people and then it's time to go home, but you know there's more still to come for everyone.

This movie also "gets" a lot about being young and male in 2022, with the freedom in many ways to do what you want, act how you want, sleep with who you want, and do a lot of it online, but really crave a sense of family or "real" connections and how forgetting how to really do those things, or that the responsibilities that come with being in a "family" (even one you pick) or friend group are important, can hold you back.

I don't know how to describe or even review this film, but I think its worth seeing. It's definitely got the sex and nudity and big dramatic stuff it builds up to in the end (the intense end is so different from the way it starts, you realize you were really taken on a journey and surprised at the end. Thats another thing I liked, not being able to predict anything) and if you don't like longer, character driven scenes maybe not good for you?

But I really recommend it. Enough to come here and write a review to encourage other people to watch it, since I don't think it had a huge advertising budget. It just really sticks with you.

Set against the backdrop of Las Vegas, the film follows a young man named Major Tom Ryan (that's his legal name; it's explained in the film) as he navigates a complex time of self-discovery. The movie is deliberate and very compelling, and told through a series of extended conversations, full of genuine philosophical insights, that Tom has with various people he meets - ironically - through his association with the malevolently charismatic owner of a Vegas adult entertainment enterprise named Jordan.

Tom is a kid from Long Island on the run from his very real, but decidedly first-world problems, and through these conversations, he learns a lot about how the real world looks, gains perspective, and moves a little closer to being a fully realized adult. And, yes, in the meantime, he gets caught up in a lot of fun hijinks, faces some (often literally) naked truths, and has some interesting, and frankly entertaining, sexual encounters (all of which, believe it or not, are 100% story and character relevant).

There's a pretty intense series of tragic events in the last part of the film, and that's good because it feels necessary to bring the stories full circle, get Tom (and a couple of other characters) across the finish line, and I think that works well to balance out the tone of the film, making even its most indulgent and hedonistic elements justified building blocks in the film's narrative. The best part, though, is that all of these events are rooted in the psychological issues and concerns of the characters, not their alternative orientations or work in adult entertainment. The film is very modern and non-judgmental in this way, which I really appreciated. The folks who'd be messed up in any profession or situation are messed up here, and the folks who are decent and good are the same.

Notably, the film balances emotional depth with physical appeal. The diverse male characters are portrayed in ways that will absolutely cater to scopophilic pleasures (the female and gay male gaze), with instances of nudity and physicality that are not only justified within the narrative but necessary to telling the story, with its moral insights and ethical messages. This approach integrates a physical representation within the larger narrative, ensuring that characters are seen as complete individuals, even when they aren't wearing very much.

I want to mention, too, that the emphasis on emotional depth challenges traditional narratives and portrayals of men in films, offering a more nuanced and introspective view. The film succeeds in providing empathy and understanding for its characters.

I'm giving the film a 9, not a 10, because there are a few elements that could have made this film revelatory and near-perfect, but I agree with an online critic who noted the few weaknesses in this film probably result (either directly and directly) from the film's limited budget and the fact that it was shot during the COVID quarantiine. The film's American-auteur style, reminiscent early Linklater, Burns, or Anderson may not align with all viewer preferences, but it's a film worth seeing and I highly recommend it! And if long conversational scenes aren't your thing, the youthful hijinks, plentiful flesh (the eye-popping frontal nude scene from the star is probably best known, but it's just the start) and diverse hook-ups just might be. This balance means "Station to Station" has a little something for everyone, from those who like to analyze movies to those who just want to ogle them.

In conclusion, "Station to Station" is a significant step forward in the evolution of the female and gay male gaze in cinema. Its thoughtful integration of physical appeal with emotional depth and narrative complexity offers a more inclusive and empathetic cinematic experience. Whether one appreciates its literary qualities or focuses on the visually-driven scenes, the film stands as a meaningful contribution to diverse perspectives in film.