hddu10-819-37458 For a low-budget psychological horror film, this one really hit the mark. It was a mix of teen angst, horror and adolescent hormones (i.e. the "crush"). There were many elements that made this film creepy and set the tone to be unsettling; chiefly among them was the town itself which gave off a remote, backwards "anything could happen here" feel. And was accomplished with some very creative photography, such as the scenes where all the dialogue is heard within the car, but the focus is on the scenery/drive. The horror in the climactic scene is unfortunately a bit anti-climactic; we get the sense that the main character is being violated physically, that he has been coerced into doing something he now regrets. And there are subtle hints at a sexual nature....but that doesn't really resolve the "riddle" here. It almost seemed like the director ran out of money and simply cut the film short there, when another scene was needed. Worth a watch for the creep factor and good acting.

dan-800 Look, nihilistic films aren't all bad. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the great films of the 70s. The difference is it actually had something to say - or at least felt like it did. This short was engaging, and decently acted, but the utter pointlessness and meanness of it was uncalled for. Basically, because he's attracted to guys and makes a bad decision to hang out with the white-trash school hottie, a young kid is tortured and (presumably) executed - for no apparent reason. Wow, talk about a fun time at the movies!I agree with those who felt this was an anti-drug PSA. The ironic thing is that I wouldn't berate anyone who, after watching, felt the need to toke up, down some pills, or go on a bender. I felt the same way after watching "Requiem For a Dream", and not because it was depressing, only because people actually liked it.

rimac-1 I saw Bugcrush this evening as a part of the Palm Springs Short Film Festival. It was the final movie in the series of gay shorts, with the other movies (for the most part) being funny & interesting. This was the last movie - and was dark, disturbing, grotesque, and bizarre. Perhaps if I was prepared for a creepy, scary movie I would have enjoyed it - but I gasped in all the same parts that the rest of the sold-out gay crowd did. When the Q&A's came at the end, more than half the crowd got up and left, saying things like "Let's get out of here, so I don't have to hear anything about Bugcrush." Of the eight movies shown, Bugcrush was the most memorable - but not in a good way. If that was the point of the movie - it succeeded.

Mark O'Connell I'm on the short subject selection committee for a film festival and just screened this with the committee last night. When the film was over there was silence in the room... What can you say about a film that is so thoroughly sickening and disturbing? This was NOT a condemnation of date rape--if it had been, it might have had a reason to exist. But, no... not only did the filmmaker choose to depict gay date rape between minors, he lovingly reveled in the acts of the rapist. All you people who loved the film watch it again and pay attention to the director's choices... every shot is meant to make the viewer identify with the rapist. You can say all you want about the directorial style and the technical proficiency of the film, it doesn't matter. What kind of person wakes up one day and says, "I really NEED to make a film about the sickest, most perverted sexual crime I can imagine?" This film is completely vile.