Tag: Lukas Gage

PARACHUTE (2023)

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Directed By: Brittany Snow 

Written By: Brittany Snow and Becca Gleason 

Editor: Henry Hayes and Matthew L. Weiss 

Cast: Courtney Eaton, Thomas Mann, Francesca Reale, Kid Cudi, Dave Bautista, Joel McHale, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Westfeldt, Kathryn Gallagher, Lukas Gage 

Follows Riley, who has recently been released from rehab after struggling with addictions to food and body image. She meets Ethan and finds herself navigating the line between love and a new addiction.

This film is the directorial debut of actress Brittany Snow and it’s a very accomplished debut as you think it’s going to be a typical twenty-something romance, It reveals itself to be much more.

As there is a romance, it’s also a character piece. That deals with damaged characters throughout and the person who chooses to be with this character and it helps, but it’s not the healthiest relationship for either.

As the film goes along, we see what might have helped to cause Riley the female lead character  problems, and issues, and throughout we see her getting better, but also how she kind of sabotages herself and how the man who is in love with her might actually be hurting her and himself by enabling her

It seems like they might be good for each other, but at the wrong time and in helping each other, they’re only digging themselves deeper into their own problems as their romance is never defined though obvious to all.

We also see how her problems affect those around her friends, family, and even associates.

As what starts off as typical slowly reveals its depths and though it might only offer sketches of certain side characters, it does offer a reality and a look at all of their lives and how they affect one another 

The film is more nourishing than one might expect as you come for something lighthearted, and you get something quite heavy, and the performances of the leads are just so devastating Eaton. This is the first time that I remember her in a leading role and quite strong and affecting and Thomas Mann , who I remember from many teenage or of age films really steps into his own as an actor and his lead in the leading role of the suitor who buries his own misery, trying to help others, but only sinks himself, and the others even lower by not truly allowing himself to be happy. Teaching the power of letting go.

This is definitely a film to check out and really live with as it’s not typical even the ending isn’t typical, but it feels true and Its Own Way, Earnest with ambiguity and hope.

Grade: B+

HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE (2023)

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Directed By: Daniel Goldhaber 

Written By: Daniel Goldhaber, Ariela Barer and Jordan Sjol

Based On The Book By: Andreas Malm

Cinematography: Tehillah De Castro

Editor: Daniel Garber 

Cast Sasha Lane, Ariela Barer, Forrest Goodluck, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Jake Weary, Irene Bedard 

A crew of environmental activists plot a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline.

This is an interesting little thriller. As it starts off so anonymously. Then turns into an ecological heist movie. It lives up to its title but the strength is in the storytelling 

We see how the plan is all coming together and what everyone’s duties and responsibilities are.

Meanwhile, we get glimpses into the characters’ reasons origins, and what brought them here.

Only in pivotal moments of the storyline. This also shows how the group all came together in the first place. As characters sometimes overlap in these moments.

The film provides plenty of drama, but also plenty of twists, turns, and double-crosses. Even when you think you know what’s going to happen, the film throws either a monkey wrench or what you think will happen but in a different way that you weren’t expecting.

The film is loosely based on the book of the same name which talks about the dilemma and the history of the problem. it is more dramatized and focused on this group of characters and their individual reasons as to why they came together to do this.

The ensemble works as each one is definitely passionate and works well with one another and you are on the edge of your seat plenty of times as this plan goes into effect. Even the aftermath is fascinating. As there is more to tell even during the credits as to the character’s fates. There is still the question was it all worth it?

This film is definitely worth watching even if you’re not necessarily into the politics of the character it works as a heist, film, and as a thriller and a film that examines the issues they are protesting against. Wow, the film provides plenty of suspense.

The film does feel like you are a fly on the wall, including your access to the information as a lot of times the film feels shot on the fly and feels as organic do it yourself and homemade the characters in their plan are. 

Oh, the MVP of the film  is Ariela Barer as she is the producer, writer, and one of the stars of the film. The film is an ensemble actor and character gets their moments to shine.

Grace: B

DOWN LOW (2023)

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Directed By: Rightor Doyle

Written By: Phoebe Fisher and Lukas Gage

Cinematography: Nate Hurtsellers

Editor: David Moritz and Mike S. Smith 

Cast: Zachary Quinto, Lukas Gage, Simon Rex Judith Light, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Arroyo, Christopher Reed Brown, Dominique Lawson, Joseph Bessette 

A deeply repressed man, the uninhibited young man that gives him a happy ending, and all the lives they ruin along the way.

This is a single-location comedy feature around a premise that is a few scenes in a movie like Goodfellas with having to get rid of a body.

Only here more LGBTQ plus things less gangster world related.  As they both involved getting rid of a dead body, someone might or might not be the reason for this unfortunate accident.

Luckily, for the audience, this film ends up being a witty, screwball comedy, essentially about acceptance and being comfortable in your own skin.

It’s nice to see Zachary Quinto cut loose throughout his career, especially in the beginning, he always played a villain in the show, heroes, and other rules he has always looked or acted so deadly, serious, dramatic, and imposing. That here it’s nice to see him play in a comedy. He still repressed, but allows himself to let loose in character and is clearly having fun. Pardon the pun of the street man throughout this film who is gay.

The film does stereotypes, or at least cliché, likely terminally ill gay man, but it takes a sharp and offers a more than one-dimensional portrait. I’m not only that character of other characters that afford more than just the main characters in its own way. It feels universal no one is left as a caricature and still manages to surprise. 

The film is refreshing as it manages to be emotional, but still allows for it to be dark.

Co-written and co-starring  Lukas Gage, in the more flamboyant, outrageous, and physical comedic masseuse. 

As Lukas Gage definitely has drawn, not only a showpiece for himself, but one that allows everyone else to have their moments as what could’ve easily become a farce gets into some real emotional territory.

Simon Rex makes a smash as he plays a nightmare version of what you can find on the dark web, but still manages to be funny, and  Judith Light comes in as a character who could’ve been purely used for comedic relief but gives the film a poignant moment and character.

It’s not vivid, nor is it really that big or too visual but it’s fun. Want to stick around and be with these characters and route for them throughout 

Grade: B