Kaboom

Cast:  Thomas Dekker, Haley Bennett, Chris Zylka, Roxane Mesquida, Juno Temple, Andy Fischer-Price, Nicole LaLiberte, Jason Olive, James Duval, Brennan Mejia, Kelly Lynch

Director:  Gregg Araki

2010


This is a bizarre but fun, sexually charged thriller from Gregg Araki, mixing his typical style with bits of horror and drama.  Not scary but mysterious and definitely worth a watch, especially if you enjoy Araki's other films.  Despite all the sex, there is a real plot, so don't be thinking softcore horror porn, there's nothing overly explicit here.  Full frontal nudity from Thomas Dekker but at an extreme distance that doesn't really show anything; full frontal nudity from Chris Zylka, but it's literally split second quick.  Otherwise, a couple shots of Chris Zylka's ass, some girl's tits, guy's chests.  Most of the sex isn't actually shown, but still very sexy! 

Story:  A group of college students on the verge of their sexual awakenings but amidst it all, Smith begins having haunting dreams, almost like premonitions, and finds himself being stalked by a weird cult that wears animal masks.  His best friend calls it an acid trip, meanwhile she finds herself involved in a Fatal Attraction type love affair.

Gay Factors:  It won the Queer Palm Award at the Cannes Films Festival for contributions to gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered issues.  Nearly everyone in this film is either bisexual or gay.  There's bisexual males, bisexual females, lesbian, gay males, straight characters; a mix of everything.

The lead character, Smith, is an "undeclared" bisexual male.  He jerks off to gay porn and jerks off to fantasies of his hunky, surfer roommate, Thor.  He hooksup for casual sex with a guy,Hunter, twice (although the second time gets interupted), he hooksup for casual sex a couple times with a girl, London, then a threesome with London and Rex (Thor's best friend), and finally attempts dating a male classmate, Oliver.

Stella, Smith's best friend, hooksup with another girl, Lorelei, and they remained involved most of the film.

Even Thor, the "straight" roommate seems questionable.  Smith walks in on Thor trying to suck his own dick and then Thor starts asking if Smith has ever tasted his own cum.  Later, Smith walks in on Thor and Rex wrestling in their underwear while they playfully call each other fag (later, Rex is involed in the 3way with Smith and at a minimum kisses Smith, anything else is off camera). 

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