Flight of the Cardinal

I saw this as the closing film of QFest (which is the LGBT film festival in Philadelphia). The film is a disappointment. It's a thriller set in the mountains of North Carolina. I think this was a first time director which you would normally excuse but QFest also showed Undertow which was shot by a first time director as well that won 2 awards at QFest (including audience favorite) in addition to an award at Sundance. It's like a Porsche trying to drag race a Neon. QFest was extremely stupid for showing this as a closing night film instead of Undertow. I think the actors tried their best at what they were given but the movie didn't flow or fully explain Beattle and why he did what he did. I am not sure why Robert Gaston used Matthew Montgomery in the film given he is simply a mediocre actor and his facial expressions and acting made me want to laugh in the serious parts. This film is not worth paying full price or matinée at all. If you have to see it, get it on Netflix. Don't rent the DVD or else you will be wasting your money.

Robert Gaston's feature is one fun ride. Having screened it in NC I found it a good grab on the slice of life that might be in a town like Ashville. Not a truly gay film it is more a thriller that happens to have gay characters. While not exploited to the max, the scenery is wonderful, anyone who lives or has grown up in the NC area will appreciate the out of doors images. Gaston refuses to give into conventional gay themed movie formula and uses his stars to his advantage. I hope to see this film play around the film festival circuit. It deserved viewing by as many eyes as possible. Will keep you guessing until the end. Fun all around!

Robert Gaston's latest film is one of the best movies I have seen on the festival circuit for quite some time. An amazing character study and very tense thriller where everyone has an agenda and none of them are good.

A stand out cast led by David J. Bonner and Ross Beschler immediately draw you into an an intriguing story full of mistrust, backstabbing, and perhaps even murder.

The protagonist, Beetle, drives the story and the hero, Grady, into a space I have never seen on film but have witnessed in real life. Everyone I know has a "Beetle".

See this film.

"Flight of the Cardinal" was one of the best movies I have seen in the film festival circuit in awhile complete with all the pickings of a great, suspenseful plot wrapped up nicely with an important message. Robert Gaston creates a thrilling, suspenseful world that had me gripping for more by the time it reached its third act. There is something for everyone in this film: suspense, drama, and even some comedy. People in my theater were gasping and laughing throughout the film, which, to me, speaks to the breadth of talent showcased by the actors in the film, especially in regards to David J Bonner. It also features some great shots of the beautiful North Carolina scenery that personally made me want to go see the area for myself. It was also refreshing to see some new actors in a gay film, regardless of what their sexuality may actually be, which brings up another great point about this film.

Despite not being completely concerned with the sexuality of the main character (Grady), I think that this is a film that gay film festival circuit goers (including myself) found refreshing; it's rare to see a film in that circuit these days with the strong potential of going mainstream. I believe that those involved with this film deserve some applause for taking the risk of doing this and succeeding at it wildly.

Another really pleasing thing about the film is its great use of dramatic irony - something that we really don't see much of these days. Despite the fact that we, the audience, are greatly aware of Beetle's (played by Bonner) foul intentions, we are forced to watch Grady (played by Beschler) and the rest of his friends at the lodge continue to place themselves in harm's way as they are led down a dangerous path due to Beetle's powerful charisma. All of this is creatively played out throughout the first two acts until we reach the high-pitched climax at the end of an exciting story.

I highly recommend watching this film if you have the opportunity to! I'm personally looking forward to seeing it again at an upcoming festival and hope to see it available to purchase soon! I also can't wait to see more from the writer and the entire cast!!!!

Bravo!!

I was recently viewed this film at the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in North Carolina, and I am still scratching my head why this movie was even screened for the GLBTQ festival. The main character, Grady, and his ex-partner, Andy, are the only gay characters of the story. The plot does not revolve around issues important to homosexuals. In addition, there is an unnecessary frontal nude scene of Beetle that makes lesbians rejoice for their life choices and gays question their sexuality. This movie was shot in the mountains of North Carolina, which sounds as if it would have great cinematic views, but, again, this movie disappoints. Rarely are scene shot outside the log cabin, and when outdoor shots were filmed, they were taken from the dash of a moving vehicle that induced vertigo. Not to harangue this movie further, but I feel it is critical to talk about the plot. In concept, this plot has great potential, but sadly wan't fully realized during production. I feel that the actors tried their best to make the film palatable, but the dialog is odd. The best evidence for this is when audience members laughed at the film when the director is clearly trying to be have a serious moment. Beetle is clearly a manipulator of the gathering of friends that have collected in Grady's lodge. The actor did an OK job, but the audience is left wondering why Beetle has chosen these people and what he ultimately plans to gain from these events. I have to wonder if even the actor that played Beetle knew. I am extremely confused from people exclaiming the brilliance of this movie. Perhaps these are relatives of the director or persons that stand to gain money from the success of this movie. When I saw the first review that gave 9 out of 10 stars, I felt the review was misplaced for some other movie. Simply put, this movie should not be viewed by anyone who does not wish to waste several hours of your day.