Boston [Bostonist]- About halfway through Good Vibrations’s third annual Amateur Erotic Film Festival, Bostonist realized that there was no way we were going to be able to produce a traditional review of the entries. This is because, of course, one person’s kink is another’s boner-killer. Over the course of the eight short films, we were by turns amused, turned-on, wigged-out, baffled, and impressed.
On the whole, the evening was a rollicking good time, thanks to the adventurous sold-out crowd at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and hostesses Carol Queen (noted sexologist and Good Vibrations co-owner) and drag performer extraordinaire Kris Knievil, who provided commentary after each entry that was often more entertaining than the films themselves. After Queen called one film “arty,” Knievil responded, “That’s what you say when you have no idea what the fuck they meant, right?”
Bostonist particularly enjoyed two entries that brought a playful twist to their erotica. First was Narcissister’s Self-Gratifier, where masked protagonist Narcissister (described by Kris Knievil as “the lovechild of Richard Simmons and Rick James”) used a workout machine with a few unique features. Let’s just say you’re never going to see it at HealthWorks. Unsurprisingly, the film took the Best Use of a Sex Toy award.
Then there was Phil Loves San Francisco, where good-natured Phil toured some of the City By the Bay’s landmarks and, well, loved them. The peppy music, cheerful voiceover, and Phil’s willingness to do things like hump the exterior of a local lesbian bar made the film a shoe-in for both Most Creative and the audience-voted Viewer’s Choice.
Other entries included Superior Filmmaking winner Ghostbustanut, featuring cranky, kinky ghosts and a really confused heroine, and Color Sex Cook, which contrasted cooking and sex in a jump-cut filled few minutes.
Actually, Bostonist’s main issue was the number of jump cuts in nearly all the entries. It was difficult to focus on a film’s action, such as it was, when there were cuts away from the actors to things like apples (Placeres) or a blindfolded cello player (Suck My Crutch). It sometimes seemed like the amateur filmmaker part of the competition overwhelmed the erotic aspect.
We also would have really appreciated a subject matter heads-up before the animated film featuring hentai (Future O). Surprise tentacle rape is just not our thing.
Bostonist was disappointed that none of this year’s entries were from Boston-area filmmakers, but we were happy to learn that Phil Loves San Francisco’s namesake has moved to the Bay State and promised a sequel for next year: Phil Loves Boston.
