By Allen Street
For The Express
I absolutely guarantee that you have never seen a movie like “Dancing On the Dark Side of the Moon.”
Yes, you have seen the complicated stories that Steven Vasquez has put together. Indeed, you have seen some of the actors in “Dancing.” But I dare you to put it into a category or genre. Horror? There’s some of that. Sex and skin? Plenty. Comedy? Here and there. Psychodrama? Intense. Let me tell you, I have now watched this film three times, and only now have I come to follow the story fully.
Mr. Vasquez has really upped his game in this one. The photography is sure, the scenery is first-rate, the writing and the acting are a notch above anything he has done before. I urge you to buy this film rather than rent a stream, because you’re going to want to watch it more than once.
Pay close attention at the start. We meet Alexi, (Grayson Lange), a person not yet born, Micha (Luke Allen), described as “a motherless soul,” and Pacey (Taylor Caldwell), their guardian spirit. Alexi wants Pacey to show him his future, which he does.
We also meet a character identified as “The Boss” (Darren Capozzi), who is to a certain extent in control of things. The Boss introduces us to his sister Asariel, who is Evil with a capital E. The Boss is guiding the life of Makayla (Riley Ferris), who, as it turns out, is destined to become Alexi’s mother.
I don’t think I should outline any more of Mr. Vasquez’s story; you need to see it for yourself. But I need to commend him for all kinds of things: his musical talent (Mr. Vasquez is credited with writing and performing some of the music…joining, among others, Mozart), and his artistic sensibilities. I have to admire the casting, including Kory Anders, a trans actor, as Jessie, a principal character.
The acting is very strong. When two of the characters recite a romantic poem (by Richard LeGallienne), I believe them when they say they like it. I believe the love scenes.
Mostly, I love the fact that there’s a story here. The people onscreen don’t just have sex (although they do!), they have lives, and stories. The sex isn’t what you might see in a porn film; it’s motivated by what has come before and what will come after.
“Dancing On the Dark Side of the Moon” is Steven Vasquez’s best work so far for Babaloo Studios. And I can only imagine what will come next!
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