"Stop! That! Train!" and "Leviticus"

 Here are two very different LGBT films from earlier in the year that you might have missed.

First, I want to highlight the very low budget comedy, "Stop! That! Train!"  It's essentially "Airplane" on a train, starring alumni of "RuPaul's Drag Race," with RuPaul Charles in the prominent role of President Judy Gagwell.  Our heroes are Tess (Ginger Minj) and  DeeDee (Jujubee), best friends and stewardesses employed by the lowly Stank Rail, who manage to sneak their way on to the fabulous Glamazonian Express.  Alas, they have to contend with the bitchy Glamazonian stewardesses, Amber (Brooke Lynn Hytes), Alli (Marcia Marcia Marcia), Ayshleiygh (Symone), train cars full of dramatic celebrities, and the impending doom of a massive "Stormaganza" headed their way.

Directed by Adam Shankman, this movie is a very shoestring affair, reportedly shot in only nineteen days with minimal sets.  Some of the exterior shots of the train and the storm were AI generated, which is unfortunate, but also weirdly fitting for a film where the schlockiness of the visuals is a vital component of the campy, low budget aesthetics.  This feels like a cross between the old "Naked Gun" parody movies, a Youtube fan film, and a "Drag Race" compilation special, and I mean that in a good way.  I admire the ambition on display here, where choreographed musical (Rusical?) numbers, ridiculous sight gags, and cameos galore are all crammed together for 90 minutes of silliness.   

Whether you enjoy the film or not will depend on your enjoyment of drag and spoof humor, and it turns out that "Stop! That! Train!" hits pretty dead on for me.  I'm missing a lot of the more recent references, and don't recognize most of the famous faces, but this is the kind of film where Rachel Bloom and Charo show up, just because, and someone shouts "Give it to me gay!" and then has to specify "Boy gay!"  Because of the gender politics involved, the humor is also extremely mild, even tamer than the content of "The Birdcage," which is thirty years old at this point.  This means it comes off as a toothless throwback at times, but also means it's very accessible to newcomers.  I appreciate this, as I have not been keeping up with "Drag Race."  But maybe I should.

On to "Leviticus," an Australian horror film written and directed by Adrian Chiarella.  This is an allegorical horror film about sexual identity and social ostracism with a lot of interesting little nuances.  A teenage boy named Naim (Joe Bird) and his overprotective mother Arlene (Mia Wasikowska) move to a remote town where some kids are being stalked and attacked by a supernatural force.  One of the victims is a boy named Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), whose parents put him through some kind of ritual because of his attraction to another boy, Ryan (Stacy Clausen).  As Naim and Ryan grow closer, they become the newest targets of the entity, which seems to become more violent and malevolent as their feelings grow.

 

I've seen a lot of comparisons between "Leviticus" and "It Follows," because of the mechanics of how the supernatural attacks happen.  However, the supernatural threats are a manifestation of the more concrete dangers that come with being LGBT in a hostile environment.  Naim and Ryan being together sparks opposition from those closest to them, even those who you'd expect to be sympathetic to their plight.  There's no reasoning with these well-meaning adversaries and no way to undo the persecution, leaving the boys with few options if they want to survive.  I appreciate that we never get much information as to the specifics of how the supernatural elements work, and the audience has to infer a lot about the adults' motives.  

I also like the portrayal of Naim, Ryan, and Hunter's relationships being very un-Hollywood in the way they develop.  It's clear that none of them really know what they're doing, and their attempts at affection usually involve a great deal of chaotic roughhousing before anything amorous happens.  The depiction of the religious community around them is also fairly restrained.  There are cult-like practices, but nothing so extreme as to be unbelievable.  The harms unleashed on the boys come with a considerable degree of deniability, which make them all the more insidious.  

Like "Stop! That! Train!" "Leviticus" is a small movie, one that doesn't offer anything exceptional in the way of horrific thrills or standout performances, but for its target audience it'll surely resonate.    

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