Lost in LustBy John Esther
Far busier than Eytan Fox's The Bubble, yet without that film's political cognizance, Yari Hochner's (Good Boys) latest film follows several non-gay characters as they etch out their days in the seemingly, increasingly a la Israeli cinema, all-gay world of Tel Aviv.
Using quick opening montage and split screens, Antarctica immediately announces its sexually charged stance. Like many cosmopolitans in their 20s Omer (Tomer Ilan), searches for identities in the forms of books and one night stands, although the film concentrates almost solely on the latter with one sexual scene after another.
During one of these numerous encounters, Omer is caught off guard when he meets a younger man, Danny (Yiftach Mizrahi). There is an attraction between the two but fears and loathing of commitment and Danny's immaturity threaten any lasting relationship. Omer is also attracted to a journalist, Romen (Guy Zo-Artez). The two pique each other's mind slightly more than sexual curiosity. Coincidentally, similar to Omer and Danny's situation, Romen dates the younger, vapid Miki (Yuval Raz). Why is monogamy good?
Then there is Omer's sister, Shirley (Lucy Dubinchik), who pursues a relationship with her boss, Michal (Liat Akta), who works at a coffee shop where Romen interviews Matlda Rose (Rivka Neuman), an author with kooky ideas about alien kidnappers ("Bite off your tongue, swallow it whole/ Before it wags, betrays us all"). Michal's best friend, Eitan (Oshri Sahar), sporadically encounters the "sitting champ" Omer in bed. Meanwhile, Shoshana (Noam Huberman) meddles in the lives of her children Omer and Shirley.
As more characters come into the picture, and storyline increasingly intertwine past the point of credulity, the frank gay sex (lesbian sex is kept to a bare minimum) oozes across the screen. Gorgeous guys swap fluids and pose before the camera for open minded audiences like Russ Meyer's (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls) movies used to do for people who thought they were hip as they praised that reactionary filmmaker.
However, Hochner is no radical. Thin on ideas and thick on sex, Antarctica will more likely have its audiences rushing toward the bedroom or local cruising bastion rather than heading toward a salon, library or bookstore.
