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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2004)
Mfi 18.2004» <> > Cultural divide Both men note that many of the lead char acter’s actions on his mission would be very dif ficult, if not imposible. “A s 1 watched the film— and 1 served a two-year mission— I kept repeating the phrase ‘possible but unlikely,’ ” continues Giles, who says Aaron would not “have been alone with [the character) Christ ian again and again— missionaries have rules about being together with their companions.” Absolutely, agrees Fales. “ Having served ven with being excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Mormon missions, there were some very implausible scenarios Steven Fales thinks C. Jay Cox’s depiction there.. .some chance * meetings I don’t think of the religion in his new film Latter Days is harsh. would have happened... knowing how regulated “It didn’t represent the culture,” explains the gay the culture is.” Portland artist, whose one- Still, both men are glad man show Confessions of a Cox, who is a former Mor mon, made Latter Days. Mormon Boy will enjoy a run next month at Holly Fales points out that Jewish wood Theatre. playwright Tony Kushner (who represents Mormon- “Having been excom ism in Angels m America) municated,” he continues, “took a whole culture [and] “his church court and my did whatever he wanted to church court did not look —Steven Fales make his political points.” the same at all. He really Cox, he says, “was brought up LDS; he did do a vilified the Mormon culture.” mission. I think it’s really great that Mormon His sentiments are echoed by Jason Lloyd writers are telling our story.” Giles, member of the Portland gay Mormon “1 really did like it overall, and I’m glad it social and support group Affirmation. “There would have been much more sadness and com was made,” says Giles. “It certainly brings to passion on the faces of the brethren, and they light.. .the struggles that gay Mormons face still i would have talked a lot about repenting and today.... Plus, the two leads were hot.” working to one day get rebaptized.” — LB J R Portlanders disappointed with Mormon depiction in L atter Days E Having been excommunicated, his church court and m y church court did not look the same at all. He really vilified the Mormon culture.” i mssmi one-night stands, what possibilities lie here. get about him— focusing instead on the maudlin Christian, who is finding himself with, of course, What a bummer so few of them materialize. a wise-beyond-his-years AIDS patient (ER’s Erik We can’t blame the actors, who also include Palladino, who really does give his all). a well-cast Jacqueline Bisset as the restaurant owner and Mary Kay Place as Aaron’s mom. The artifice just piles up from there, culmi It’s all about the script and the directing— or nating in a sudden surreal shot of Aaron hav the lack thereof. It’s all about C. Jay Cox. ing visions of himself crucified and bleeding Having been a Mormon missionary himself down onto himself in bed & la the rehab scene from Trainspotting — which actually would have before he left the church, the director says he wanted to put his two lives— his former and his I been effective had the film given us any pre current self— in the same room and see what cursor to this kind of imagery and not simply they would say to each other. One wonders, seem to have injected it in a “This is so cool then, if C ox’s life is made up of silly, impulsive | just like in Trainspotting' kind of way. dialogue, contrived “miracles” and confusing Cox does apply a beautifully spiritual mean changes of style. ing to Aaron’s theory that the closer you are to a situation, the more difficult it can be to com Despite the chemistry and some genuinely amusing exchanges— as when Christian, refer prehend, but he fails to illustrate the very real encing the other Mormons’ negative reactions conflict within the Mormon church over to catching him and Aaron kissing, laments homosexuality and changing generational atti “We didn’t even get to use our tongues”— not a tu d e s. He also fails to give Christian more than a Band-Aid approach to healing and change. one of the characters in Latter Days is frilly real ized. Aaron comes the closest to real character The gixxJ news and the real success of Latter Days is the introduction of Sandvoss to the movie development, but he is found out, shuttled industry. It’s hard to believe this is his first film, home, excommunicated and placed into repara and I can’t wait to see him onscreen again. J H tive therapy so quickly, the movie seems to for I V I E I M .tale responsibility for their o n erotic éducation. Learn about making up and sustaining erotic energy, giving and receiving pleasure, and «pressing your desires. c e le b r a t in g B o d y E r o t ic Portland • April 24- Call Al, 503-493-9421 l Bodij Electric School www.bodyelectric.org ers son t e r ' s brother hers keeper I am I am my father. "3 4 m ..... that is h Brother to Brother is a support and advocacy organization for African American gay and bisexual males and their families living in the Portland metro area. FOR MORE INFORMATION: 503 . 417.7991 P.O. 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