Ganymede

This film feels like something shot in the early 1980s, then put on a shelf and forgotten about until now.

Back then it might have been sort of edgy, but today it just feels dated and melodramatic. The characters are either creepy or corny (with the notable exception of Kyle's mother), and the relationship between Lee and Kyle feels very rushed. Letting the audience know that the now high school seniors met as freshmen was a very ineffective shortcut.

Overall, the subject matter was quite relevant, but the writing and execution lacked any real substance. Lastly, the laughable "horror" effects (costumes by Spirit Halloween?) should have been nixed completely. If you don't have the budget for effects, don't do them.

With its uninspired storyline, clichéd horror elements, and lackluster acting, "Ganymede" is a disappointingly mediocre and outdated addition to this year's LGBT film collection.

The film centers on Lee Fletcher, a sensitive high school athlete grappling with his conservative, Evangelical parents who impose traditional gender roles on him. Lee's poorly developed and rushed crush on his openly gay classmate, Kyle, is depicted through the bizarre and uninspired appearance of a literal gay demon. This attempt at incorporating "creepy" horror elements into an otherwise dull coming-of-age drama occasionally resembles a low-budget, cheesy Christian film. The predictable plot, shallow characterization, and awkward dialogue make the movie more cringeworthy than campy.

While films like Sam H. Freeman's intense gay thriller "Femme (2023)" suggest that higher standards for homoerotic cinema are emerging, "Ganymede" stands as a regrettable and, despite its surprisingly favorable reviews, overrated step backward.

One would think that with releases like Sam H. Freeman's harrowing gay thriller "Femme- (2023)", directors have sought to set a higher standard for homoerotic movies, but this film proves to be an unfortunate, and based on its suspiciously well-received reviews, an overrated setback.

This movie does what a lot of coming out stories do not. It really highlights the struggle a lot of kids from religious families will go through when discovering their sexual identity. You will often see in these films the fear, betrayal, and hatred of others, but the self hatred, self doubt, and inner demons are so much more powerful than outside hatred. Even when the outside love and support is so vocal, the inner monologue can really drown these loving voices out. Great way to tell the story of kids that are so often forgotten about when we say things like "coming out isn't even a big deal anymore".

All this being said, the movie also has a lot of loving and light moments to it. Even some comedic aspects are thrown in, which are very much needed for such a sensitive topic.

The actors also understood their assignments. From super serious to very bubbly personalities, you get to see it all, and see how these types of people react to the gossip of someone coming out. Something for everyone to relate to in this movie.

Still the premise and basic story and concept aren't awful.

One could almost simply go down the cast list and realize just how this movie was doomed to rate.

Its a long list of D list or one hit wonders and so on or never were's.

It even has cliched obligatory shots for some reason that are purely cinematic but anything but realistic in the least.

There are even fairly obvious technical details that id pick at if i had any prior expectations of such detail being addressed well.

Frankly im amazed at how not awful tv movie it managed to be while still rating overall in the same field.

Still there are some good bits. Frankly this could have been cut into a short form short film and be amazing cutting all the padding and dead weight out to make it reach feature length if not feature worth.

Still don't let me mislead you from not seeing if it might be for you at the right time and place because i watched more than my share of 4's and 5's in my own youth for anything but reasons like taste or sophistication.

Often quite the opposite i was more engaged by simple or low brow entertainment action violence and of course every teen boys favorite accessible nudity to some degree in the distant days before free internet access to such things was so pervasive and mainstream.

The great thing about bad movies and bad times is sometimes you need them if only for the contrast to appreciate similar content done to a much better overall quality.

How would we know a far superior version of the gay sexual awakening trope versus family complications traditions or sometimes strict religious fundamentalism if we didn't have something terrible thrown into the average of such genres?

Ganymede seems somehow necessarily bad. When you are content to invest less and make less as long as you can line up profits overall.

I almost think the worst part about it is the unfortunate name choice.

To me it doesn't make a lot of sense despite a minimal attempt to explain it in the film. After trying to understand the choice there are so many seemingly superior options of other mythical characters that would surely fit so much better than this story.

When you don't have all day and endless resources this is what you get when you just have a job to get done.

It plays like a crossover between episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? And The Hard Times of RJ Berger.

The one wrestling guy was my favorite while I didn't like his dad at all. And the mom, Deadpool's sister-in-law, her characterization and backstory were pivotal to the success of the film. She made pie.

Also, Champ Kind - he is neither a champ or kind in this movie. In fact, his role is quite a departure from anything you have seen David Koechner do. He is a menacing force on the poster for a reason.

I think the biggest disservice is marketing this movie as a thriller or even horror in any traditional sense of those genres. I would call it an unconventional gay coming-of-age drama with hints of other (psychological/mystical) influences - much of which are left ambiguous as I see it.

Pitch in and put trash in its place, people.