Curtain Call: Belated May

Curtain Call is a monthly roundup column pulling together favorites from film, fashion, culture, and more. Take a gander!

1. Blue Film (2025) - A nasty yet sweet debut from writer-director Elliot Tuttle. This one-night-only gay-for-pay situation becomes much deeper when cam boy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) goes to the LA Airbnb to discover his middle school teacher, Hank (Reed Birney), has requested his services. Somehow, Moore makes his braggadocious persona endearing without veering into caricature. An Edward Albee take on Dennis Cooper with some Mid90s camera work, Blue Film is still showing at IFC Center this week for those who want to catch a screening.

   

2. Print Media! - Film anthology Film East is a wonderful publication, and they did me the honor of taking my piece on fashion and female identity in Lynch’s Lost Highway. I had the pleasure of meeting fellow authors Taylor Hunsberger, Phil Ginley, and Duane Ebesu. You can check out their work as well as mine in Film East’s latest publication, Art/Film, which is available both in print and digitally

3. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island - Now THIS is what we need. Cheating scandals. Accent work. Mob connections. The mothers we never had. I don’t know a better franchise at the moment and could not be more grateful to get in on the ground floor.

   

4. Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses - I had the pleasure of seeing this exhibition during a member preview at the Brooklyn Museum, and it’s truly astounding how this young, technically mid-career designer has both produced so much work and innovated every step of the way. When I went back a week later to take my mom, the bioluminescent dress was sweating due to condensation from algae. Who else would think to make a dress out of that raw material?

   

5. Isamaya Ffrench color correctors - I don’t always want to wear makeup, but dealing with no sleep/rosacea / too much screentime can leave me feeling a little grey. These are easy and super effective—green to calm, purple to brighten—I’ll end up doing a little paint-by-number across my cheeks and chin and already look like I’ve slept a good 8 hours.

6. Cannes Red Carpet - After a decidedly sexless MET, Cannes had some distinct appeal. It’s at the top of both the sexiness and importance axes, so the looks should deliver. My personal favorites were Cate Blanchett in Sarah Burton’s Givenchy, Chloe Zhao serving alien dominatrix in Schiaparelli, Taylor Russell in a full leather Crimes of the Future getup also in Schiap. Women! Looking! Offputting! And! Gorgeous!

   

7. Cherry Lime Rickey’s - I am deeply late to this, but this drink is phenomenal. Could be virgin or with a bit of vodka but it tastes like a hot summer day by the pool with no plans. A true diner delight.

That’s all for now! I’ll be sure to be more timely with June faves Xx