In this week\u2019s minor VOD releases, kids journey to an ersatz fantasy world, a psychologist confronts a serial killer, and a non-binary musician navigates romance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All Man: The International Male Story<\/em><\/strong> (VOD June 6):<\/strong> For a certain generation of gay men, the International Male catalog was a coming-of-age touchstone, a glimpse into a world of toned, often scantily clad male models ostensibly selling fashionable attire. Directors Bryan Darling and Jesse Finley Reed explore the origins and cultural impact of International Male in this straightforward but engaging documentary, featuring interviews with many of the company\u2019s key players, as well as celebrity commentators like Queer Eye<\/em>\u2019s Carson Kressley and Scissor Sisters\u2019 Jake Shears. The history of International Male, founded in 1970 in Southern California, is intertwined with the history of gay culture in the U.S., and Darling and Reed make a case for its importance in terms of representation and acceptance. All Man<\/em> glosses over some of its thornier issues, including the catalog\u2019s lack of racial diversity and the marginalization of gay employees after a sale to a major mail-order conglomerate, but it succeeds as a celebration of an unlikely vehicle for gay liberation. Grade: B<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Under My Skin<\/em><\/strong> (VOD June 6):<\/strong> It\u2019s not entirely clear what writer-director David O\u2019Donnell means to say about non-binary identity by casting four different actors in the main role of this romantic drama. The portrayal is also lopsided, since one performer (Yellowjackets<\/em>\u2019 Liv Hewson) overshadows the other three, in screen time, talent, fame, and chemistry with co-star Alex Russell. Russell\u2019s straitlaced lawyer Ryan falls for Hewson\u2019s moody singer-songwriter Denny and attempts to be supportive as Denny struggles with gender identity, eventually coming out as non-binary. Chloe Freeman, Lex Ryan, and Bobbi Salv\u00f6r Menuez play Denny at various other times, and while their performances are solid, they undermine the connection between Denny and Ryan and create a distancing effect for a character whose portrayal is meant to be empathetic. There are other half-formed subplots and themes that never come together, and the sweet central romance gets lost in the muddled messaging. Grade: C+<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Secret Kingdom<\/em><\/strong> (VOD and select theaters June 9):<\/strong> Australian filmmaker Matt Drummond cobbles together elements from a variety of fantasy classics for this chintzy adventure into a green-screened realm of questionable special effects and even more questionable character arcs. Carrying his golden compass, 12-year-old Peter (Sam Everingham) follows his younger sister Verity (Alyla Browne) into a, well, secret kingdom via a portal under a bed in the mysterious old house their family has inherited. There, they encounter the requisite grand prophecies, delivered as excruciating rhymes by off-putting, stiffly rendered creatures. There\u2019s far more exposition than action, without a primary villain to balance out the cloying kid protagonists. Everingham and Browne are stranded in the CGI muck without any other human actors to interact with, and they\u2019re not up to carrying both the narrative and emotional weight. A final reveal aims for inspiring sentiment but just comes across as sappy and manipulative, turning the previous 90 minutes into an elaborate, pointless metaphor. Grade: D<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n