My favorite thing about exploring Dekkoo, the LGBTQ-themed streaming service, is that the length of the films is featured prominently. A series of short films on a summer night can be very entertaining. This week, the films that caught my eye were TICKING BOXES, EYESHADOW, and LET'S MEET AGAIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD.
The 9-minute film TICKING BOXES is surprisingly complex and well done. Matt and his wife have a perfect life, with their own endearing catchphrase. But when Ryan enters his life, Matt's landscape shifts. Director Robert Metson Deolis adds stylish polish. Sometimes he offers time-traveling fast edits. Other times the dialogue is muted, leaving only sound effects which add tension. It is a surprisingly gratifying offering.
Todd Flaherty wrote, directed, and stars in the 12-minute film, LET'S MEET AGAIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD, which is similarly stylish. Flaherty plays Adam, a man living on the beach, teaching classes on Zoom. The past impedes Ben's forward motion when his ex, Ben (Joey Taranto), appears by chance. The stars are handsome, and the film is authentically sexual and romantic. Adam's voiceover adds a poetic sheen.
EYESHADOW (SOMBRA DE OJES) runs shy of 20 minutes, and while the theme is familiar, the performances elevate it to a memorable achievement. Set in Chile in the 1990s, Mirna is a person who carries sorrow and love beneath a painted face. Pablo has been emotionally devasted by recent news, and as the film opens is saved by an act of kindness. From writer-director Manu Morales Contreras, EYESHADOW is a story about fellowship inspired by the literary works of Pedro Lemebel.