Religion

Ash Wednesday was really triggering this year.

The parade of people still celebrating the rites of the Catholic Church astonished me. Everywhere I turned, there were smudged foreheads, often accompanied by beatific, seemingly superior smiles.

“What is up with all this pompous pretentiousness? Do you not know the stats of the children abused by your institution??”, I indignantly wondered.

“Its sure to be millions. Several million even!”

But then a thought, as they always seem to do, crept up on me. I didn’t really know the exact stats myself.

So, I dug in and, after a few hours, here’s what I discovered

Between 1950 – 2020, there were 330,000 confirmed cases of child sexual abuse committed by priests in the Catholic Church in the United States. Further investigating revealed that there have also been thousands of cases reported in other countries. Ireland, the UK, the Philippines, Germany, Australia, France (and others) have reported significant abuses. Some of those areas have actually confirmed over 4000 incidents throughout a period of years.

These numbers, of course, do not include the unreported and the claims denied upon “investigation”. There is nothing concrete about the decades before 1950 either..

But, I would hope that only those in deep denial would think there weren’t massive wrongdoings happening in the many decades before that starting off point.

So, if we assume that from 1880 to 1950 that there were also 330,000 cases and that from 1810 to 1880 that there were 333,000 more, that already puts us at a million.

But even if we keep our focus solely on the calculated facts – 330,000 cases, in of of themselves, should be more than enough for any truly humane person of faith to turn their back on the Catholic Church.

Lest we forget, all those cases involved lies and cover-ups from the church, They involved nuns walking in on their students being raped and doing nothing.

The fish rots from the head down and if you still believe that there is any sort of true shine in that festering crown, then you are just as culpable as those who have gone to their graves with the mark of pedophile upon them.

So, let’s all burn the Catholic Church to the ground!

That’s the kind of smoky stain that I could truly get behind.

Deviance-poster

Deviance is probably not the gay themed horror film that the community wants right now. With our liberties in danger and the powers-that-be convinced that we are less than deserving of normal rights, a movie about a queer hustler and a possible homosexual serial killer is probably not the shining beacon of positivity that activists are looking for. Even in ordinary circumstances, writer-director James Hennigan’s dark look at perverted lust and unsavory life choices may have earned a raised glance or two. But art is not supposed to be politically correct or follow conscionable trends. Thus, this is an often brave and revealing piece of celluloid.

High school student Connor (Hennigan) is living with his drunk, abusive father (Greg Thompson) and his concerned sister (Tracey Allyn). When he is caught kissing another boy, he is thrown out of the house and takes to the streets. Meanwhile, the shy, sheltered Milton (Tim Torre) is under the sway of his extremely religious mother (Melissa B. Robinson). His obsession with a handsome jock soon takes a twisted turn, though, and, as a result, his family life is completely blown apart. Years later, Milton is still struggling with his violent impulses while Connor’s continued reliance on prostitution to make ends meet collides with a moment of murderous rage, as well. The two outsiders are eventually drawn together and, as the movie races to a close, only one may make it out alive.

Deviance-main Filled with strong performances and a look at homosexual sensuality that owes much to the grisly novels of alternative queer icon Dennis Cooper, Deviance also deals honestly with how bad parenting and the extreme tenets of hypocritical faith can destroy the souls of the young, no matter their orientation. Hennigan, Thompson, Allyn and Robinson shine in their various scenes, committing fully to their roles, whether sympathetic or not. But this is Torre’s show. He physically embodies all the awkwardness of Milton’s desires with a concise neediness and skilled precision. It’s a powerful, multi-leveled performance.

Hennigan, meanwhile, directs with a taut understanding of his two troubled protagonists. In a minor misstep, has take on the surprise ending is more in keeping with the slasher motif and seems at odds with the film’s layered and dramatic tension. But, if it means more films with Torre as Milton, then it is a forgivable offense. It is about time that we have a gay monster to march up the body strewn paths previously occupied by Michael, Freddy and Jason and this character just may be the one to do it.

Deviance is available for viewing on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Deviance-Tim-Torre/dp/B06WP55DN5

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

Big Gay Horror Fan

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Review: Deviance