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Dreamlover wrote on 02/18/2010:

The three shorts that compile "Like a moth to a Flame" are indeed different. Let me jump in first and say that the third one was the one that earned this review the 4 stars I gave it. It was the most entertaining, clocking at 22 minutes it moves like a tornado. As I am moving backwards the second one directed by Joe Rubin (in the darkness softly) and as the credit claim shot on 16 mm is the artiest...clocking at 20 minutes it is also the bloodiest. It is interesting to experience the difference between film and video as one moves from the first sequence to the second one. The one shot on film reminds of the exploitation films from the 70's The first one is the longest clocking at 40 minutes could afford to lose about 5 minutes. Still a fascination look into the life of a horny closet case who has been engulfed and destroyed by his own web of deceit. I liked, but especially the third sequence, it is a gem with the Nancy Grace look alike on the evening news, more campy then scary.

Mark P. wrote on 12/17/2009:

Who says serial killers, goofy gags, and a bunch of hot naked guys don't make a great combination? Well, for any naysayers, Toby Ross has concocted a perfect mixture of sex and violence, topped off with loads of belly laughs. LIKE A MOTH TO A FLAME is a composite of three short films about closeted gay men embroiled in webs of deception and sometimes murder.
The first and only traditionally narrative segment, "In Our Darkest Moments," involves a hunky married guy who cruises peep shows and starts meeting a young man whose intention seems to be to destroy the married man's life. This is the longest of the three segments, clocking in at 40 minutes, and it's also the most fully developed; characters and subplots are fleshed out. This is a realistic relationship drama and is supported by good writing and some fine acting on the parts of the husband and wife. I was a bit confused by boy's motives for wanting to destroy the husband but it seems that he's simply a sadistic ass who enjoys humiliating older professionals and that's certainly motive enough. Joe Rubin who, who plays the boy, is probably the most irrational erotica actor I have ever seen, but is someone you love to hate and at the same time want to ---- but will never admit.
The second segment, "In the Darkness Softly" was not directed by Ross, but rather Joe Rubin. It's radically different looking than the other two and was shot on film, which gives it a very cinematic quality. It's also more artsy than the other ones and features no on-screen dialogue, but rather monologues and diary voice overs. It's about a young man who sees a murder being committed and then begins obsessing over the killer, who he keeps on running into. The ending offers a rather strange twist and seems to be a metaphor of sorts about gay relationships? Maybe? In any case, the stellar visuals and attractive cast make this moody short thriller very enjoyable.
The third segment, "In Deep," is the most over-the-top of the three and, unlike the other two, where humor takes a back seat to drama, is a sleazy riot. This segment has a basic plot, but is more so a series of scenes involving a serial killer who is picking up guys and than chocking them to death with his big appendage! Yes, you read that right. The filmmakers realized the outrageousness of the premise and dispensed with any serious vibe, though a few of the scenes are still rather tense and suspenseful, in a bizarre and surreal way. The out-of-left-field twist ending is a hoot, but the best part of this extremely strange piece is a scene in which the killer dresses in drag (think Little Bo Peep meets Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz) and pretends to be a hooker, stealing away a client from two Asian transvestitie hookers! You can't make this stuff up.
The one thing I've neglected to mention is the nudity and sex, but before I do, I'd like to stress that this movie works as a movie, not just as "erotica," and ought to be appreciated as such. That said, there's also a ton of large penises and a few really hot sex scenes, which tastefully avoid penetration close-ups, making them even more erotic. The nicely hung Jonny Carvajal is the married man in the first segment and there's an incredible scene which he has to crawl naked on a floor, while the villainous buy promises him a sexual reward at the end of the "tunnel." The guys in the second segment have an alt/indie/rocker look and both have cute scruffy faces. The lead, Daniel Fox, looks like an art student, a bit nerdy but still ruggedly masculine. A sex scene between him and his girlfriend shows off his nicely formed butt. The hottie of the third segment is actually the supporting actor, who is in the role of a cop. We see him cruising toilets, exposing his muscular chest, and even as the sub in a short bondage fantasy. The lead/killer is a dangerous nerd type, which isn't my taste (though Ross clearly loves these), but the size of his ---- more than makes up for it.
Overall, LIKE A MOTH TO A FLAME is a thoroughly entertaining collection of clever and unique featurettes which will not only keep you glued to your seat, but turn you on in the process by tapping into the darker side of gay/bi male fantasy, a corner usually overlooked by the traditional gay film makers, but we're hardly talking traditional here.

Amos Lassen wrote on 12/08/2009:

“Like a Moth to a Flame”

Three Erotic Pieces

Amos Lassen

I sat down to watch Toby Ross’s new film “Like A Moth to a Flame” and I found it to be intensely erotic. It is composed of three short films that deal with gay sexuality in a new way and Ross gives us the grittiness that is sometimes associated with the gay lifestyle but it is seldom seen on the screen.
The first of the three, “In Our Darkest Moments” could have been very, very depressing had it not had a sensitivity and wry humor. All of us know someone like the hero—a good looking, well-hung married male who chooses to find sex in the seediest of places—adult book stores and dens where sex is freely available. I found myself rooting for his wife at one point when I saw the depths to which he had fallen but I also accepted that he had to be who he was and it was not pretty. His affair with a young and dangerous teen will have disastrous results for him and his life and our married man seems either unaware of them or just doesn’t care.
Joe Rubin directed the second short, “In The dark Softly” and it is quite gritty. A serial killer has been visiting a local cruising spot and doing away with gay men by strangling them with a rosary. Here we have a young man who is involved with a female but is mesmerized by the murderer and looks for him.
The third film, “In Deep” is perhaps the most intense of the three. In it the police are not having much luck catching a murderer who targets lonely men. First he uses them and then disposes of them with his own personal weapon of destruction. It will keep you guessing for a while.
The musical score is haunting and totally adds to the films. Ross is always fortunate in finding just the right people to play his roles. Another thing that I like about Toby Ross’s films is that dialog is not always necessary. The actions of his characters seem to say everything and words tend to take away from the overall effect. Ross gives a look at a world that many of us have never seen and that few of us will ever want to and he does so in a way that keeps the viewer glued to his seat. There is full frontal nudity and erections in all three of the shorts.