(2014, 99 min)
Country: U.S.
Director: Steven Vasquez
Studio: Babaloo Studios
Language: English
SYNOPSIS: Angels with Tethered Wings is an unusual, quirky and erotic three-part drama - a back-from-the-grave revenge flick about hope and forgiveness! The film follows what happens when a good man does a bad thing for a good reason. He tries to right a wrong by freeing two young lovers but instead forever entraps them to their mortal coils. In the end their collective love for each other will give an almost perfect stranger the wings to fly.
REVIEW:
I thought I had seen and read enough about zombies but then along came a new film from Babaloo Studios and directed, written and edited by Steven Vasquez (who always has something interesting to say or to see in his films). Angels with Tethered Wings is a zombie movie so to speak (it has zombies in it) but is totally fresh and lots of fun. It also has some very good-looking young gay men who bare it all for the camera and for us. I found it interesting that this film came when it did because on the same day I read an article professing the mainstreaming of porn. Now I would not say that Angels is porn because what we see is integral to the story; the film is an erotic drama and so nudity is important to the plot. Without it, I am not sure that we would understand what is being shown us.
The story comes to us in three parts and they all share the theme of hope and forgiveness. Grant Gleason (Cory Tyndall) does something wrong but for the right reason (Remember Robin Hood?). This is quite a dark film about living and loosing and it is full of twists and turns. So you may wonder from where the zombies—from where else than beyond the grave? Grant tries to right by wrong but it backfires and the lovers that he helped to become free become trapped. It gets a bit more involved but for that you will have to either see or get a copy of the film. By the end of the film we are certainly aware of all the double-dealings and double crossing. The cast is quite cute and clever
Aside from the already mentioned Cory, there are the following: Brandon Rife (Timothy), an ex porn star on the run, very hot Addison Graham as Jessie, Timothy’s lover, Trip Langley as Cody who is both Timothy’s number one fan and number one tormentor, Naiia Lajoie is Vanessa, a conniving woman, Robby Valls is Chewy, Andrew Vega is Nicky, Cameron Ellis is Lewis, the hard of hearing wannabe thug and Ivan Bohman is Lawrence, a down on his luck man with a dream.
I would not say that the acting is of the caliber of the Academy Awards but the idea for the film is smart. We have, of late, seen a myriad of movies about LGBT life and while many are very good, there have not been many fresh and new ideas. Perhaps this is the reason that I enjoyed Angels so much. It is unlike anything we have seen before and the cast seemed to have enjoyed themselves making this film. Their feelings are felt by the viewer who becomes part of the film as he watches and tries to analyze the crazy goings-on. This is one of those films to be simply enjoyed and anything more is, as we say in Louisiana, lagniappe. I do not know when the film will be available for everyone so keep your eyes and ears open for it.
-- Review by Amos Lassen, Reviews by Amos Lassen (http://www.reviewsbyamoslassen.com)
