bajmba Reviews

Swallowed (2022)

Very Good Speciality Movie

[8/10 · 19 March 2023]

I've watched almost every "gay" genre specialty movie available over the past thirty years, which means I have a general understanding of what to expect when a new one in this category comes out. There were good ones from years ago (Jeffrey, To Wong Foo) and good ones that have surprised me recently (God's Own Country).

What happens with most low budget movies is they often feel low budget and the acting is often stilted. Worse yet, nudity is treated as gratuitous, as if it is expected and included just to increase viewership.

Yet the most effective, and engaging movies, are those with heart and an emotional center. We hesitated at first about renting this movie, yet the preview left us intrigued. (We also happen to be horror movie buffs.)

I'll start out by saying that the body horror really isn't the point of the movie, yet the way it is done is superb, and terrifying. This is a slow burn type of movie that brings on the dread as well. But the writing is really impressive for a low budget movie. It deals with the complex relationship between two men, especially when they are dealing with feelings which cannot be expressed. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. And yes, there was nudity. But it was not for excitement. It was a natural part of the script, as it should be in any movie.

Overall, I commend the filmmaker and actors for making a beautiful and terrifying movie.

The Exorcism of God (2021)

Surprisingly Very Good Movie

[10/10 · 20 March 2022]

There has been no end to the number of exorcism movies made lately it would seem. Sadly few are notable. The exceptions include the excellent television series The Exorcist, Season One.

Now comes along this movie. The trailer looked promising. The reviews seemed positive for the most part. So we rented it.

Wow. What a surprise. It was an homage to the OG of exorcism movies, but didn't stop there. It contributed something new as well. Very surprising and unexpected.

Overall: We wound up purchasing it for our limited horror movie collection.

Complete Strangers (2020)

Honest Review: Please Read (Spoiler Free)

[7/10 · 26 December 2020]

I have seen almost all movies made for the gay audience, from low budget to the well-produced better quality movies. If a movie has a good script and a message to convey, a lower budget can be overcome. For this movie, it appears to have been fairly well-made. The trailer looked appealing enough and we gave it a change. For the first half of the movie we can several moments where we had to suspend disbelief and just go along with the journey. Surprisingly enough, despite the flaws, we were entertained. And the second half of the movie even surprised us, making us glad we stayed with it to the end. Will it win any awards? Unlikely. But was it suspenseful and worth a watch? Absolutely. Just turn of the thinking or logical part of your mind for a bit and enjoy a thrilling ride.

Never Hike Alone (2017)

Excellent Fan Film

[8/10 · 1 November 2020]

I have to admit I never cared for fan films, until I saw this one. I could not believe how well it was done and the attention to detail. It was a fresh new idea, gave us the full Camp Crystal Lake experience, and Jason was back as ever before. What really impressed me as well, Drew can act. He really helped carry the movie. Most fan films are cringe inducing, like Voorhees. Not this one! Drew has real talent. Good job!

Voorhees (2020 Video)

Interesting Plot, Poor Acting

[3/10 · 1 November 2020]

First, I understand this is a fan film. But when you see Never Hike fan films bring in people who have more than an ounce of acting talent, and help a Jason movie succeed, you understand why this was so cringe inducing. The only good was seeing Jason, when finally arrived. By then, I wanted him to put me out of my misery!

Follow Me (2020)

This is a Very Good Horror Movie: Give it a Shot

[8/10 · 20 September 2020]

We are avid horror movie buffs and have been since the 80s. (We are in our 50s). We rarely take a chance on VOD movies because of the cost. When we do, we look for reviews from the popular horror movie websites. What we look for are production value, acting, and escapism. Yes, we enjoy campy horror, gore, and don't mind predictability. This movie checked all the boxes and there were twists we did not see coming. It was definitely worth the rental for hard core horror movie buffs. If you want anything else, like Oscar winning material, look somewhere else. This is dedicated to horror movie fans like us.

Queen of the South (2016–2021)

One of My All Time Favorite Shows

[10/10 · 13 June 2020]

I rarely write a review of television shows but I had to for Queen of the South. This is simply an outstanding show. Why Alice Braga has not won awards, along with this show, is beyond me. Her performance as Teresa Mendoza is utterly engaging and captivating. From Day One my husband and I (yes a gay couple) were captivated. She has become our queen. The action is top notch, along with the writing. All actors are top notch as well. The pool of talent is so believable you never doubt their authenticity as the characters they are portraying. From season to season the intrigue grows and the writers continue to develop new and engaging growth in the journey of Teresa Mendoza. Our hope for Season Five is to see her in her full reign as the Queen of the South. This show has never let us down.

God's Own Country (2017)

One of the Best in a Long Time

[9/10 · 17 March 2018]

I had to write a review as this movie was surprising in the best way possible. And for those of you who are looking for a great movie, without the cliches and typical troupes used in gay movies, this is the one for you.

As a point of reference, we watched this after viewing Call Me By Your Name. That movie received a great deal of acclaim in the United States and there is a heartfelt element to it; however, the story of a young man struggling with his identity is all too familiar. And you have to put up with the gay/straight aspect. I won't give away the end of that movie, but the way it ended only further served to deny it from being a true gay classic romance.

But not this movie. This had a heart, it was grounded in reality, and it wasn't afraid to give us sex or nudity. But it wasn't gratuitous sex or nudity, like most gay movies. It wasn't necessary to drive the movie or put in to gain viewers. It unfolded as part of the story, and it felt organic and real. More importantly, it was beautiful, romantic, and sexy. Yes, a gay movie which is sexy and romantic.

Even though this is set in a county outside of the U.S., many gay men will understand and relate to it - those who do not live in or near the gay community, the outsiders. There are many like myself who choose to live in the suburbs, or further out, and finding others we can relate to can be difficult.

Yes, this movie had a turning point and it was necessary for good storytelling. I did not want the movie to end. Everyone was on a journey, the parents and the main characters. It was organic and real. I would love to see a Part Two and see the next chapter.

After seeing this movie as a rental, we had to purchase it. It is goes in with our collection of a very few classics. It was that moving.

Life on the Line (I) (2015)

Beyond Bad: Were Writers on Strike?

[1/10 · 3 May 2017]

I cannot believe how bad this movie was and to think that John Travolta would ever agree to be in such an obviously cliché ridden movie is beyond me. And what was Sharon Stone during in such a horrible movie? Is she in need of movie? For her sake she would be better off going on a Kickstarter campaign to raise money than tarnish her name in this manner.

Where to begin. John Travolta's bad / fake accent. His terrible acting. His bad looks. Then the bad script. The awful clichés. The predictable script with the over emotive music. I cannot believe anyone in this movie could even pretend to act with a straight face.

This was an embarrassment beyond anything I've seen in quite some time. I could understand if this was a low-budget movie with no-name actors. But not for this movie. There was nothing, and I mean nothing, redeeming about the movie.

I Am Michael (2015)

I Am Not Good

[3/10 · 5 February 2017]

First, why is James Franco showing up in gay movies time and time again? Is he trying to tell us something? Or is he trying to gain credibility by tackling what he thinks are complex characters? The problem with casting Franco is that he doesn't live the role. He plays a character but he doesn't embrace it. If he really wanted us to believe he was playing a gay character he would embrace it fully. He would act like he enjoys being with men, he can act like a gay man, and not just be a man playing a character.

As to the rest of the movie, it was developed from a magazine article and never gave a fully fleshed out idea. If you see the preview, you know everything. There is no real explanation for what caused the switch, or even what happened to the real person after his so called conversion. (Just conduct an internet search and what you'll read may convince you he has a mental instability issue) Overall, not worth the cost of a rental. It sat on the shelf for two years and with good reason. It isn't that controversial or interesting.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

A Surprisingly Fitting End to the Series

[7/10 · 27 January 2017]

I have to admit that I went into the theater today with low expectations because of the negativity posted on this site. However, what I am finding out about this movie database is that there are two common scenarios. First, a new release will have a 9 out of 10 or something else that is obviously over-inflated. That means fake reviews are easy to post. The other scenario is people who post reviews and give a rating before they have even seen the movie. It is getting to the point that trying to find a reliable rating is hard to do. But I digress.

For this movie, I was pleasantly surprised. Of course Milla Jovovich is a strong female lead and she seems to jump from one movie to the next without falling out of character. I liked how the monsters evolved and there was more involved than running from zombies throughout a city for the entire movie. This movie was made for fans and provided a thoughtful wrap up to the series. Overall, I did enjoy it and had a fun time. One additional note: I've seen complaints about the editing of the movie and I actually liked it as it gave a game show feel.

Pitchfork (2016)

This Movie Won 7 Awards?

[2/10 · 15 January 2017]

When you look at the trailer for this movie, and see the notation on this page, we are to believe this is a good horror movie. I mean it won seven awards, right? Don't be fooled. Poor writing. Terrible acting.

Buried somewhere in this pile of garbage is an interesting idea, or at least the idea to start a new form of killer. But it is so poorly written, acted, and executed - there is virtually nothing redeeming about it.

We decided to give it a chance, and boy what a waste of time and money.

Terrible. Absolutely cringe worthy.

Avoid at all costs.

Kiss Me, Kill Me (2015)

Somebody Kill This Movie

[1/10 · 15 January 2017]

Wow. What a terrible movie.

First, what is Gale Harold doing in this movie? You know the movie is D grade when Jai Rodriguez plays a police detective.

What made this movie so awful were the leaps in logic and the clichés.

Consider a scene near the end: A man pleasures himself and wipes it up with a shirt. I said wipe, as in the matter is wiped up and absorbed into the shirt - especially an hour later. And we are to believe a woman can get pregnant from the matter on the shirt? The clichés about the gay community are so 1980. We are so past all of this nonsense.

Worst of all, there were supposed to twists and it just added insult to injury.

If you are thinking about watching this movie, make it a hard pass.

Pet (I) (2016)

Worth Watching!!

[6/10 · 3 December 2016]

I have to say that this movie took me by surprise.

I was intrigued by preview and decided to give it a chance.

I have to say that we were all pleasantly surprised.

The movie played out differently than you would expect it to. That means there are a couple of twists that help make this a cut above many of the recent horror releases.

We were also happy because the ending wasn't expected either.

It's good to see some decent horror movies being released. Week after week we try to find something that is worth recommending. This week it was Pet.

The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

A Lot of Hype, Fairly Fulfilling

[4/10 · 3 December 2016]

The horror movie websites have been hyping this movie.

The previews indicated this movie won awards.

Even the reviews here on this website made it seem as if it was going to be the horror movie of the year.

There is a very good idea here.

For us, the movie didn't go far enough with the ideas.

It was strong in places but didn't go all out as to the horror element.

The ending was abrupt. It didn't flow well at that point. I felt as if they ran out of ideas or didn't know how to end the movie.

Overall, it was a cut above many recent releases.

Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

Stupid, Lame, Awful

[1/10 · 23 October 2016]

This movie is awful.

I don't understand why such a homophobic man would think it would be fun to dress up in women's clothes and make movies.

This movie is lame.

Why this earned 27 million at the box office the first weekend is beyond me.

Well I know - it is one of only a few Halloween movies. This is a terrible state for the movie industry to be in if this and the Ouija movie are the major choices for Halloween.

This movie is awful.

I cannot begin to imagine that anyone would sit through this movie. There are terrible jokes and awful dialogue.

Bottom line: Avoid at all cost.

Boo: See it and you have been tricked.

King Cobra (2016)

Barely Worth Watching

[3/10 · 23 October 2016]

I saw the preview for this movie and thought it might be worth watching since it was based upon a true story.

Be warned: the trailer basically gives you the entire movie plot. There is really nothing else learned other than whodunit.

Let's talk about the nudity aspect, which seems to have gotten a lot of attention.

Most basic cable channels show a lot of male nudity and it so commonplace now that it is no longer shocking. Of course we could factor in foreign films but that wouldn't be fair as male nudity in many other countries isn't viewed with such prudishness. I'll never understand why women can be completely naked and then it is a big deal to show a man naked, but I digress.

For this movie there is no full frontal male nudity, as if to state that the movie makers valued substance over gratuitous nudity. They didn't but never the less, a movie about gay porn has most men running around in their underwear.

To me, that isn't a big deal as I was hoping for fully really characters. But there again, I was disappointed. The characters were never fully fleshed out and from what the real Brent Corrigan stated, there is a key person who wasn't even written into the script. The real Brent Corrigan was invited to join the movie and didn't - not even agreeing to the use of his name and finally leasing it to the movie makers.

Then there is the issue of the vibrant colors you see in the posters. That is not a representation of the actual movie. This movie appears to have been filmed in a couple of suburban homes with very basic lighting.

Overall, there is an indication that this movie was critically praised yet after actually viewing it - there was nothing new learned and it was so sanitized that you would think it was a Lifetime movie.

In conclusion, James Franco - if you think anyone believes you are actually straight, keep trying because no one believes it. And that doesn't mean you are a good representation of the LGBTQ community because you aren't.

You're Killing Me (2015)

This Movie is Killing Me

[3/10 · 10 March 2016]

Someone had a clever idea but could follow through with their idea.

We have been looking for a new gay-themed movie to watch on Amazon Fire TV and found this title. The trailer looked interesting so we decided to invest in a rental. I wish we could get our money back.

The primary problem is that the writers could not decide if this was going to be a campy comedy or a true thriller, and in the end it wasn't either one.

I wouldn't call this a gay-themed movie even though it has gay characters. The only reason to add it to this genre is the gratuitous male nudity shot, which wasn't even that interesting.

There wasn't anyone to really root for in the movie. The two "actors" who play YouTube stars were given a role that added no value or interest to the movie.

There was potential here with a new idea for the genre but sadly it all fell flat.

Fourth Man Out (2015)

Simply Amazing - Touching & Heartfelt

[8/10 · 8 February 2016]

I was taken by surprise with this movie. I know that it is classified as a "gay" movie but in truth it is a "human" movie. It is a story of acceptance and finding our way in life. I could relate to this movie on so many different levels.

It was touching, heartfelt,romantic, and had some truly funny moments.

This dealt with an average guy who had an awakening in his life and he decided to share it with his friends.

It then became a journey for everyone around him - some who accepted and others who did not.

There needs to be more movies like this as the script was well-developed, the actors truly cared about their roles, the production quality was top-notch, and there was a genuine heart to the movie.

Yossi (2012)

A Wonderful and Romantic Follow Up

[8/10 · 29 January 2016]

I rarely write reviews but this movie had quite an effect on me because I could relate to it on different levels.

But first, I've read the positive and negative reviews of the movie and I understand that it can be misunderstood if you are looking for quick "action" and a predictable story.

You need to first see the first movie, Yossi and Jagger, to understand this movie and the nature of gay rights in Israel then and now. Then it was more restrictive and had a direct impact on how Yossi viewed the world, especially given what happened to Jagger.

Now in the movie Yossi, he is experiencing the loss and still feels the restrictive nature of Israel while he was a soldier. But then he meets someone and awakens from his current life when he meets someone. This is what I was able to relate to - meeting someone who wakes you up to life and shows you a new side to life. And more importantly, accepts and loves you despite of (or because of) your imperfections. In other words, you don't need six pack abs to be loved in the gay world.

The movie ended where it should - with hope for a new future.