Indie Film Review: Accidental Texan

Though mostly shot in or near Austin, Accidental Texan takes place in New Orleans and Abilene, Texas, but mostly in Buffalo Gap, Texas. I was born in New Orleans and spent a lot of time there, lived in Abilene for two years, and visited Buffalo Gap several times. All of that caught my interest in this indie film, which I came across on Hulu. It also didn’t hurt that the cast includes Rudy Pankow (Outer Banks), Thomas Haden Church (Wings), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Maz Dugan (the NBC version of Friday Night Lights), and Bruce Dern (Nebraska).

Erwin (Rudy Pankow) sabotages his acting career with a careless error that shuts down an action movie set in New Orleans. During Erwin’s attempt to drive home, his car later breaks down in Buffalo Gap, where he meets Merle, who initially comes across as possibly unhinged, a conman, or both. However, Merle and some of the other quirky characters in Buffalo Gap soon turn out to be much more complicated and emotionally engaging than Erwin might expect.

The story takes some surprising and not-so-surprising twists, resulting in a charming small-town tale. I hope to see Rudy Pankow in more lead roles and look forward to seeing where his career takes him. Hopefully, it turns out better than his character’s acting career at the beginning of Accidental Texan. Also, he’ll hopefully keep surrounding himself with talented co-stars like in Outer Banks and in this movie.

Austin’s Mark Bristol produced and directed Accidental Texan. Besides directing the horror/comedy The Monster Hunter, Bristol worked as a a storyboard artist for directors Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, Spike Jonze, Terrence Malick, and Christopher McQuarrie. Julie B. Denny cowrote Accidental Texan’s screenplay with Bristol, adapting it from Chocolate Lizards, the debut novel of West Texas author Cole Thompson.

Read more about Mark Bristol’s work via IMBD or SquareSpace.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Please read about my small-town fiction collection The Acorn Stories and my free eBook Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

For Your 2025 Dystopian Reading List

If you’re building a 2025 dystopian reading list, please download Degranon for free via B&N, Kobo, or many other online bookstores.

In an alternate reality, the Iroquois scientist Taldra questions her world’s ban on space travel and free speech, but that world funds her research. One of her sons becomes trapped on the other side of a time portal while the other loses himself to the religious cult Degranon. Can they find their way back to each other before the Degrans destroy Valchondria?

Gay Movie Review: Longhorns (revised repost)

Summary:

The writer/director of Redwoods and Rock Haven switches to outrageous comedy. During 1982, a Texas college student meets a man who makes him confront his gay feelings.

Watch the Longhorns trailer on YouTube. NSFW.

Text:

Set in 1982, Longhorns draws its laughs from several intertwining lives. Stage and short film actor Jacob Newton plays Kevin, a young Texas college student who lives in denial about his gay identity, even while constantly acting upon his feelings. Derek Villanueva—from the upcoming web series Fabulous High—plays Cesar, a gay man who is decidedly open about his orientation, which makes Kevin both interested and uncomfortable. Kevin flirts with Cesar, while telling himself that Cesar makes all the advances.

Kevin’s college buddy Justin (Kevin Held) clashes with Cesar while pursuing Cesar’s best friend, Marsha (Bonnie Marion). The tangled lives of the four characters provide humor and occasionally touching scenes.

It all becomes even more complicated when Kevin flees his budding relationship with Cesar for a getaway weekend with his two best friends. Dylan Vox (from The Lair, Homewrecker, and Vampire Boys) plays Steve, who enables Kevin’s closet games by taking advantage of him. Writer/actor Stephen Matzke plays Daniel, not Danny. Matzke’s facial expressions and adorable awkwardness give the film even more heart and humor.

When plans with their girlfriends collapse, Kevin finds himself alone with his buddies and his thoughts. The entire film leans toward raciness and silliness, but always with an affectionate look at the characters, making it funny and charming.

Writer/director David Lewis previously made the dramas Rock Haven and Redwoods. Producer H.P. Mendoza also directed the musical Fruit Fly; he provided original music for Longhorns and several other films.

Producer Lewis Tice also worked as a producer for Bear City, helped market numerous TLA Releasing films, and worked at numerous film festivals. Lewis passed away in April 1, 2014. Though we never met in person, I enjoyed our email correspondence about upcoming LGBTQ movies and his enthusiasm for supporting independent films. The image below is one of his publicity pictures; you might have seen him at a film festival.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Please also read about the Texas comedy, drama, and closet cases in The Acorn Stories.

Science Fiction TV: Resident Alien. #ResidentAlien #series #SyFy

I loved Alan Tudyk’s performances on Firefly/Serenity, Dollhouse, and A Knight’s Tale, to name some favorites. He can say a lot without saying anything, thanks to an expressive face, comic timing, and just a willingness to try anything to make his role memorable. I’d never read the Dark Horse Comic Resident Alien, but the description made Tudyk sound perfect for the title role.

Not only has he delivered on those expectations during the first three seasons, but the show surrounds him with a great array of quirky characters and odd situations. It’s bizarre, funny, exciting, and surprisingly touching. In a recurring role, a very serious Linda Hamilton brings more conflicts and surprises.

The upcoming fourth season will apparently air on SyFy’s sister station USA. SyFy seemed a more logical place for a science fiction series, kind of like keeping music on MTV Music Television, but at least the move doesn’t mean adding yet another channel or steaming app. I haven’t seen a definitive premiere date yet, just probably well into 2025. I’m looking forward to it and also recommend SyFy’s outer space series The Ark.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Please read about my free eBook Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

2025 Reading List

📚🪐 SciFi fans, give yourself a free eBook for Christmas and your 2025 reading list. A First Nation family gets caught between two worlds in the science fiction adventure Degranon. Read the eBook for free via Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or many other online bookstores.

Gay Short Film Review: Battersea Power Station

L. T. Hewitt served as writer, director, producer, editor, and composer of this short film, while also starring as Peter, a young man who just moved in with his boyfriend, Lloyd. Vaslov Goom plays Lloyd as loving, supportive, and extremely understanding. Peter’s not coming out to his mother or siblings makes their visit awkward and funny.

Battersea Power Station succeeds as a comedy, but it also captures a range of emotions and suggests much more. It looks at how some secrets can divide us, keeping us from truly knowing or seeing our loved ones. It also explores how even places that many see as forgettable or even hideous can become important places in our hearts. While many short films feel like random fragments or like a puzzle with most of its pieces missing, this one successfully captures a pivotal moment in the lives of its characters.

Not surprisingly, this 2019 film has won awards and has received (at this writing) 72,841 YouTube views. I’m glad I came across one of Hewitt’s posts about it on social media and took the time to become one of those viewers. I suggest it for fans of gay films or anyone who likes an entertaining story. Even the names of the characters are funny.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Please read about my books The Acorn Stories and Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure.

Free SciFi! Free eBook!

Degranon: A Science Fiction Adventure. An Iroquois family gets caught in a battle between two oppressive worlds. Free eBook! * Both Taldra Novels in One Book * We’re Glad Our Son Is Gay * The Maintainers Arrive * Reading Group Questions * Glossary

Featured Author: David P. Perlmutter.

David P. Perlmutter wrote the thriller Write To Kill - He's Putting The Dead In Deadline. David is also an actor and producer, recently starting an Indiegogo Campaign to turn Write to Kill into a movie. Besides two more novels in that series, he has written several other books, including true stories and looks at book marketing.

Write To Kill Book description:

An aspiring author, cursed with writer's block and ridden with debt, is offered a huge amount of money to commit a heinous crime. Caught up in the machinations of the underworld and at the mercy of a gangland boss, Mad Dog, will this budding writer accept the money, commit the crime and leave his innocence behind him?

And will real life turn to fiction, as events inspire him to write what he dreams will be an international bestseller?

From some of the reviews:

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thrilling edgy writing, character driven story with the drama coming thick and fast.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ As I read Write To Kill, I could see the story line play out on the TV!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Superbly written, unique plot, fascinating characters which were so well developed, I had feelings for them.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ INSANELY good.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I've read Write to Kill, and I must say, some edgy, dark, thrilling writing, which I was completely engrossed.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am hooked and on edge. A gripping and ever so different crime fiction series.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David P Perlmutter - Author - Actor (@davidpperlmutter)

Follow on X.

Follow on Instagram.

Linktree.

Add Write to Kill to Your Goodreads list.

Thanks for visiting my blog and reading about one of the amazing creatives I follow in social media! Please also read about my book The Acorn Stories. “A lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.” -Kirkus Reviews.

Gay Movie Review: The Men Next Door.

This is a repost of a review I wrote for ThisWeekInTexas in 2012.

Summary:

A gay man finds himself with two romantic interests, not realizing those men are father and son. Writer/director/producer Rob Williams returns with a comical look at intergenerational romance.

Text:

Doug (Eric Dean, star of Arizona Sky and Nine Lives) wants to celebrate his 40th birthday, but none of his friends show up. He listens to a string of excuses as we slowly meet more of the cast.

Unfortunately, Doug made no plans with Jacob (Michael Nicklin), the handsome fifty-year-old he recently started dating. After sending away a female stripper, Doug mistakes his new neighbor Colton (Benjamin Lutz) for a male stripper. Doug also finds him attractive. It turns out they also have a ten-year difference in ages, with Colton being the younger man this time.

Unfortunately, Jacob and Colton happen to be father and son, and Doug falls in love with them both. In the DVD extras, writer/director/producer Rob Williams explains that he wanted to explore the common tendency of May/December romances among gay men, but decided to add an unusual twist.

As with his other movies, Williams turns low-budget filmmaking into an interesting exploration of gay relationships. He also looks at relationships in general this time, and how we might keep various ones separated, such as coworkers, lovers, family, and friends.

The cast also includes Heidi Rhodes, Mark Cirillo, Christopher Schram, Rachel Alig, Devon Michael Jones, and David Alanson. Fans of independent and/or gay film will recognize most of the actors here. They all look like they’re having fun with the script’s funny lines and unpredictable plot twists.

Rodney Johnson co-produced this feature from Guest House Films. He previously collaborated with Williams on several films, including one of my holiday favorites, Make The Yuletide Gay.

Thanks for visiting my blog! My comical story FAT DIARY is now available as a free eBook.

Book Review of Dark Eyes by Nina Romano

Dark Eyes by Nina Romano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nina Romano, author of The Girl Who Loved Cayo Bradley and many other historical novels, combines her love of travel, history, and storytelling to create an exciting thriller set in Leningrad during the 1950s.

Anya, an unwed mother and former ballerina, crosses paths with Andrei, a police photography with ambitions that bring him into treacherous company. Two murders draw the two characters together while also drawing them into the corruption and betrayal of Russian bureaucracy. In their lives, danger unfairly targets those who hold less power than others.

While keeping an emphasis on the romance, mystery, and action, Romano also captures the gritty life of Russia’s everyday people during a turbulent era. Anyone who offers hope also faces threats or maybe poses a threat. It seems hard for Anya to trust anyone, understandably.

The narrative allows readers to see everything through Anya’s perspective. Though she seems judgmental or harsh at times, we learn about the events and people who hardened her. Still, we see her love and devotion for her daughter. Will she also dare to love the possibly duplicitous Andrei? Read this intriguing and sometimes disturbing novel to find out.

In addition to her research and interviews, Romano even traveled to Russia. Romano’s richly descriptive narrative benefits from her devotion to craft and will leave readers happy they read about Anya’s struggles.


View all my Goodreads reviews