Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.0

Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie Review

This disc swings both ways.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 11, 2011

Another Gay Movie

Perhaps feeling “American Pie” was having too much heterosexual fun, writer/director Todd Stephens (“Edge of Seventeen”) concocted his own parody picture in “Another Gay Movie,” a 2006 effort that mirrors the 1999 blockbuster down to the pie-humping and insatiable teen lust. Of course, the spin here is homosexuality, with the helmer plowing full steam ahead on this unapologetic ode to the carnal delight of men seeking men, making a deranged farce that abuses a love of movies to buffer against the broadly staged madness of gross-out humor. Rarely funny but always willing to distribute unabashedly provocative humor, “Another Gay Movie” is best appreciated as a purging of mischief from an unspeakably blunt filmmaker, resulting in a Looney Tunes cartoon that features lot more anal play and exposed penises. At least 75% more if we’re talking Pepe Le Pew.

Graduating from San Torum High School, friends Andy (Michael Carbonaro), Jarod (Jonathan Chase), Griff (Mitch Morris), and Nico (Jonah Blechman) are ready for the college adventure, yet feel intimidated by the sexual pressures of campus life. Vowing to lose their “anal virginity” over the summer, the gang sets off on numerous adventures with hopes to entice the right partner. Cheered on by their aggressive lesbian friend Muffler (Ashlie Atkinson), the boys find little love and lots of lust on the road to bottom glory, encountering a teacher into S&M (Graham Norton), a randy “Survivor” winner (Richard Hatch), and numerous bedroom humiliations, helping to cement their friendship along the way.

Although debuting a full seven years after the release of “American Pie,” “Another Gay Movie” is surprising faithful to the plot and careening tone of the beloved teen comedy, reworking famous scenes to fit into Stephens’s forceful comedic vision. There’s the pie (Quiche Lorraine here, simulating anal penetration), web cam misadventures of pure mortification, embarrassing bedroom interruptions from oblivious parents (including Scott Thompson), and a plot that concerns horny dudes on the hunt for forbidden fruit. It’s a stale framework, yet Stephens commits to the parody in full, only coloring outside the lines to work in a “Carrie” tribute, while shifting every heterosexual impulse of “Pie” over to a homosexual explosion in “Another Gay Movie.” The situations are familiar, but the filmmaker is hungry to slap his own full-frontal stamp on the genre, making the movie more than just a simple act of mimicry. In fact, the feature is so heroically vulgar, it makes “American Pie” look like a “VeggieTales” production.

With butt plugs, engorged nipples, slappy dildos, broad gay stereotypes, drag artists (Lypsinka appears as Andy’s mom), and more sniffed fingers than one needs to see during their lifetime, the picture goes for the throat in terms of outlandish comic hijinks, always eager to rile up the viewer with campy explosions of mugging and color. It’s a bold production, utterly ferocious in its most heated moments of disconnected shtick, but rarely does it translate to laughs. “Another Gay Movie” is more of a trainwreck viewing experience, asking audiences to observe unbridled humor pitched at top speed, without much caution or interest in wit. With much of the feature’s third act devoted to fart jokes, Stephens eventually gives up altogether, hoping unremitting tastelessness will be enough to sate the viewer. It merely encourages a swifter dismissal.

There’s a fearlessness about the movie in the manner it displays gay sex and male nudity, revealing itself to be the least modest picture of the last 25 years. The film’s audacious display is almost worth a recommendation, at least for those well aware of the insanity that’s about to unfold. However, I would trade all the swinging genitals, naked Richard Hatch shots, and shower cams for a single bellylaugh. Stephens works much too hard for “Another Gay Movie” to simply land a few scattered titters.

Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild

Any film that opens with a comical beheading and electrocution deserves at least some praise, however faint it may be. A follow-up to the unleashed lunacy of 2006’s “Another Gay Movie,” “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild” takes this improbable franchise even further into comedic dementia, eager to top the original picture in pure knockout vulgarity. I’d say it’s a photo finish.

Off to Ft. Lauderdale for a Spring Break blowout vacation, Andy (Jake Mosser), Nico (Jonah Blechman), Jarod (Jimmy Clabots), and Griff (Aaron Michael Davies) are at a loss for words when they arrive at their resort. Confronted with available men as far as the eye can see, the boys are tickled when a “Gays Gone Wild” contest commences, awarding points for sexual encounters and assorted mischief. Pushed into the madness of the week’s festivities, the men are forced to consider matters of the heart before indulging their carnal desires, leading to serious questions of self-acceptance in the middle of a sun-kissed orgy of sexual possibilities.

“Another Gay Movie” was a daring production, allowing director Todd Stephens to unleash his pent-up frustrations with Hollywood and gay cinema, triggering a comedic machine gun that rarely paused to reload and absolutely relished audience discomfort. It certainly was an experience to behold, even when the jokes were sprayed over the audience with runaway firehose-like subtlety.

“Gays Gone Wild” inches further across the already entirely smudged line of taste. Confronted with fresh cast members (the abrupt transition is handled with a wink via an opening dream sequence) and assuming new confidence after his original creation scored big with the intended demographic, Stephens heads right back to the deafening pitch of comedy that has come to define this newly minted franchise. In short: “Gays Gone Wild” is a berserk, wince-inducing, carefree spit-take on the mating rituals of our heroes, who would like nothing more than to explore the boundaries of their sexual appetites with the miraculously-muscled galaxy of partners surrounding them.

Opening with an eventful trip aboard the “TransAmerica” airlines, “Gays Gone Wild” takes off like a rocket through a twisted series of set pieces that involve pranks with lube, games of human shuffleboard, fountains of vomit, blue-balled mishaps, misplaced lust, and musical numbers serenading the joy of golden showers, and second one performed by animated pubic lice. Yes, Stephens is going for broke here, bejeweling the production further with cameos from Scott Thompson, Amanda Lepore, RuPaul, Lady Bunny, and a few porn stars, one of whom looks litigiously like Zac Efron (Brent Corrigan), here playing a bare-assed Merman.

Oh, and there’s a supporting role saved for Perez Hilton.

The Perez idea is indicative of Stephen’s inability to judge material for true comic potential. Sure, there’s some wit laid out with nods toward “Heathers,” “Showgirls,” “10,” “Dawn of the Dead,” and the Hawaiian “Brady Bunch” episode arc. However, Stephens also makes time to showcase Perez, piggybacking on his questionable pop culture visibility, only to find himself stuck with the celebrity blogger’s amateurish acting skills. Portraying a religious zealot (a personality alteration instigated during a rocky bathroom oral sex session with a priest -- the film shows little shame), Perez is so sloppy he can’t even manage to convincingly play himself. I give the performance one MS Paint semen dribble trickling down from a slack-jawed celebrity mouth out of five.

Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Both "Another Gay Movie" (1.92:1 aspect ratio) and "Another Gay Sequel" (2.40:1 aspect ratio) arrive on BD with AVC encoded image presentations, and the reach of color is impressive. While "Sequel" looks brightened a touch too far, "Movie" offers a crisp, vibrant arrangement of hues, accentuating the camp appeal of the movies with a candied viewing experience that's rich with explosive blues and reds. The disc preserves the blinding visual appeal of "Movie," providing a clean look at the primitive HD cinematography (softness and focal issues are inherent), with ripe skintones and a satisfactory view of the picture's hyper set design detail and rubbery facial responses. "Sequel" runs more tropical, with slightly less nuclear hues, but clarity is acceptable, preserving the beach party theme with minimal instances of banding. Both films battle with minor crush issues, losing some texture on the wild costuming and furniture.

Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both films offer 5.1 DTS-HD MA audio tracks, and they maintain a similar aural personality, eager to hit the listener with a frontal push of gags and crisp dialogue exchanges. Minor surround action is engaged with group sequences, allowing each character their distinct verbal presence. Atmospherics are generally more intricate on "Sequel," which focuses on outdoor activites, providing a broader, open sense of beach life and distances. Sound effects are pronounced, but retain a firm cartoonish quality, some squishy gags adding a little directional activity when called upon. Music is hot but never obtrusive, with soundtrack cuts sounding full, while scoring runs a little thinner. Low-end is minimal, only keeping up with thumpy dance music and a few of the more vigorous gags. These are comfortable, supportive tracks for two unruly movies, but they contain little beyond the expected.

Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

ANOTHER GAY MOVIE

• Audio commentary with writer/director Todd Stephens and producer Jesse Adams is a fluid, informative discussion of the creation and implementation of the picture, discussing the short shooting time and overall accelerated tone of the piece. The duo is honest about producer demands and filmmaking challenges, and they seem quite proud of their work, setting out to make "the gayest movie of all time." Mission accomplished, gentlemen.

• Deleted Scenes (16:50, SD) extend the monkey business by lengthening the "Carrie" tribute, revealing more dating trials, and providing an excised cameo by a wildly unhinged Mink Stole.

• "Unscripted" (7:55, SD) is a conversation between Stephens and Carbonaro, recorded for the Tribeca Film Festival.

• Stage Screenplay Reading (7:10, SD) is a performance of the script nearly a year before production began, used to acquire funding.

• Making of "Another Gay Sunshine Day" (3:03, SD) steps into the recording booth with Nancy Sinatra and Stephens as they hash out the movie's theme song.

• Original Audition Tapes (10:43, SD) collects early character interpretations and professional desperation from the main cast.

• Michael Carbonaro Interview (3:54, SD) is a brief conversation shot on-set with the lead actor, who explores his history with the script and his interpretation of the character.

• "Gay God" Fan Video (5:19, SD) is a tremendously low-fi clip of a superfan prancing around in tiny shorts, lip-synching to the theme song.

• "Pillow Talk with Grampa Muffler" (7:02) is a collection of audio-only outtakes that highlight an intense sexual encounter between Rico and his elderly conquest.

• Photo Gallery (15:03, SD) collects snapshots from the production and its premiere.

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:15, HD) is included.

ANOTHER GAY SEQUEL

• Audio Commentary with director Todd Stephens and producer Derek Curl is an unexpectedly informative feature on the "Gays Gone Wild" BD. Judging from the film, I was expecting Stephens to be complete goof, but he's a funny, concentrated guide to the picture, carefully exploring production history and the Ft. Lauderdale shoot. It's also nice to hear the director divulge why 75% of the original cast failed to return for the sequel. Granted, I was stunned to hear the kudos launched toward Perez Hilton (perhaps Stephens has poor eyesight?), but the rest of the talk goes a long way to explaining just what sort of mindset this movie was born from.

• "'Becoming Stan the Merman' with Brent Corrigan" (5:19, SD) showcases the young actor as he's tirelessly run through the special effects department to become a fishy object of desire. The finished look is actually quite convincing.

• "Greetings from Sunny Fort Lauderdale!" (5:03, SD) is a travel guide/commercial for the Florida spring break hotspot, narrated by Stephens in an uncomfortable way that suggests contractual obligation.

• "It's a Pukefest" (6:55, SD) breaks down the rehearsal and shooting of just one of the picture's many bodily function highlights. The secret formula of fake vomit? Apple cinnamon oatmeal!

• "Under the Golden Sea" (7:19, SD) details the poolside choreography efforts of another smutty set-piece, this time dealing with the magic of urine. The secret formula of fake pee? Red Bull!

• "The Clap" (4:21, SD) is a music video of sorts from Perez Hilton, and the clap he's singing about isn't the celebratory kind.

• "Deleted Scenes" (6:54, SD) offer only minor additions, showcasing more carnage, sex, and slapstick wisely cut out of the finished film.

• Photo Gallery (12:22) gathers publicity and production pictures.

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:01, HD) is included.

Another Gay Blu-ray Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Gays Gone Wild" can dash from a nightmare to a hoot in a nanosecond, but extending this picture over 90 minutes was a cruel mistake on Stephens's part. In shorter, controlled form, this smothering experience would be easily tolerable, or at least digestible. Instead, the sequel only clicks when it serves a basic function to provoke and comedically spasm, and any extended exposure to these elements is bound to irritate in a hurry. There's a promise made at the conclusion of "Gays Gone Wild" to send the boys into space. Let's hope Stephens can snatch a more judicious editor for the next round.