Kaboom (film)
Encyclopedia
Kaboom is a 2010 film, written and directed by Gregg Araki
. The film stars Roxane Mesquida
, Thomas Dekker
, Juno Temple
, Haley Bennett
, and James Duval
. It premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
, where it was awarded the first ever Queer Palm for its contribution to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender issues.
Kaboom is a science fiction
story centered on the sexual awakening of a group of college students.
) is an 18-year-old film student who identifies sexually as "undeclared" with a strong sexual appetite. He has been having strange dreams about people he knows, and others he doesn't. He is going to college with his best friend, Stella (Haley Bennett
), whom he has known since at least junior high. Smith finds a note saying that he is the chosen son.
He has a roommate, Thor, whom he lusts after, regretting that Thor is straight.
Stella goes to a party with Smith, but hooks up with another girl, Lorelei. He recognizes Lorelei as one of the people in his dream. Smith notices a guy, but he is distracted when a red-haired girl from his dream vomits on his shoe. The guy vanishes, but Smith gets picked up by a girl named London. They have sex, but to Smith's regret she does not want to be with him except during the sex.
Smith visits a nude beach, and meets a man named Hunter. They start to have sex, but Smith is disappointed to hear that Hunter is married.
Stella discovers that Lorelei is not only insatiable, but also a witch with rejection issues. Stella keeps trying to dump her, but has difficulty as the witch takes over Smith's body, and later tries to strangle her in the washroom. Stella saves herself by spraying water on the witch, causing her to burn up.
During this time, Smith continues to dream about the red-haired girl. In his dreams, they are both pursued by people wearing animal masks. Smith finds out that the girl was killed, and her head was cut off. He later meets her twin sister, who says that she was kidnapped many years ago by men wearing animal masks. He also meets the guy from the earlier party, and learns his name is Oliver. He is gay and wants to go on a date with Smith.
Smith walks in on Thor, and his best friend Rex wrestling in their underwear. Though they are calling each other gay, Stella explains that only straight guys can get away with that. London seduces Rex, and convinces him to have a three-way with Smith for his 19th birthday.
The animal-masked people finally capture Smith, London, and Smith's mom. They are bundled into a van to be driven to meet the head of a secret sect. Smith finds out that it is his father (although he was always told that his father died when he was young), and London is his half-sister.
Meanwhile, Stella, Oliver, and the perpetually stoned "Messiah" hook up to pursue the van. Oliver has powers like Lorelei's, but uses them for good. It turns out that meeting Oliver wasn't chance. He was looking for Smith to protect him. The Messiah was only acting stoned. He's also there to protect Smith.
The animal-masked people turn out to be Thor, Rex, and Hunter. They must get London and Smith to a secret underground shelter to survive the explosion of dozens of nuclear bombs. Anyone not in the sect will be annihilated. The Messiah tries to run the van off the road, and both vehicles scream towards a bridge that is out.
Gregg Araki
Gregg Araki is an American independent filmmaker. He is involved in New Queer Cinema.-Early life:Araki was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Santa Barbara, California...
. The film stars Roxane Mesquida
Roxane Mesquida
Roxane Mesquida is a French actress and model based in Los Angeles.Mesquida grew up in Le Pradet, a little town located in South of France. Her mother, writer Françoise Mesquida, is French/Spanish and her father is Italian/American but Mesquida never got to know him...
, Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker (actor)
Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach...
, Juno Temple
Juno Temple
-Early life:Juno Temple was born in London, and is the daughter of producer Amanda Pirie and film director Julien Temple. She grew up in Somerset, England and attended Enmore Primary School, Bedales School, and King's College, Taunton...
, Haley Bennett
Haley Bennett
Haley Bennett is an American singer and actress.She will star in the new FX series Outlaw Country with Luke Grimes and Mary Steenburgen.-Life and career:...
, and James Duval
James Duval
James Edward Duval is an American actor, who is most famous for his roles in the Gregg Araki trilogy—Totally Fucked Up, The Doom Generation, and Nowhere—in addition to Frank in Donnie Darko, Blank in May, Miguel in Independence Day and Singh in Go.-Personal life:Duval was born in Detroit, Michigan...
. It premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
2010 Cannes Film Festival
The 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 12 to May 23, 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films screened in and out of competition during the...
, where it was awarded the first ever Queer Palm for its contribution to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender issues.
Kaboom is a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
story centered on the sexual awakening of a group of college students.
Plot
Smith (Thomas DekkerThomas Dekker (actor)
Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach...
) is an 18-year-old film student who identifies sexually as "undeclared" with a strong sexual appetite. He has been having strange dreams about people he knows, and others he doesn't. He is going to college with his best friend, Stella (Haley Bennett
Haley Bennett
Haley Bennett is an American singer and actress.She will star in the new FX series Outlaw Country with Luke Grimes and Mary Steenburgen.-Life and career:...
), whom he has known since at least junior high. Smith finds a note saying that he is the chosen son.
He has a roommate, Thor, whom he lusts after, regretting that Thor is straight.
Stella goes to a party with Smith, but hooks up with another girl, Lorelei. He recognizes Lorelei as one of the people in his dream. Smith notices a guy, but he is distracted when a red-haired girl from his dream vomits on his shoe. The guy vanishes, but Smith gets picked up by a girl named London. They have sex, but to Smith's regret she does not want to be with him except during the sex.
Smith visits a nude beach, and meets a man named Hunter. They start to have sex, but Smith is disappointed to hear that Hunter is married.
Stella discovers that Lorelei is not only insatiable, but also a witch with rejection issues. Stella keeps trying to dump her, but has difficulty as the witch takes over Smith's body, and later tries to strangle her in the washroom. Stella saves herself by spraying water on the witch, causing her to burn up.
During this time, Smith continues to dream about the red-haired girl. In his dreams, they are both pursued by people wearing animal masks. Smith finds out that the girl was killed, and her head was cut off. He later meets her twin sister, who says that she was kidnapped many years ago by men wearing animal masks. He also meets the guy from the earlier party, and learns his name is Oliver. He is gay and wants to go on a date with Smith.
Smith walks in on Thor, and his best friend Rex wrestling in their underwear. Though they are calling each other gay, Stella explains that only straight guys can get away with that. London seduces Rex, and convinces him to have a three-way with Smith for his 19th birthday.
The animal-masked people finally capture Smith, London, and Smith's mom. They are bundled into a van to be driven to meet the head of a secret sect. Smith finds out that it is his father (although he was always told that his father died when he was young), and London is his half-sister.
Meanwhile, Stella, Oliver, and the perpetually stoned "Messiah" hook up to pursue the van. Oliver has powers like Lorelei's, but uses them for good. It turns out that meeting Oliver wasn't chance. He was looking for Smith to protect him. The Messiah was only acting stoned. He's also there to protect Smith.
The animal-masked people turn out to be Thor, Rex, and Hunter. They must get London and Smith to a secret underground shelter to survive the explosion of dozens of nuclear bombs. Anyone not in the sect will be annihilated. The Messiah tries to run the van off the road, and both vehicles scream towards a bridge that is out.
Cast
- Thomas DekkerThomas Dekker (actor)Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach...
as Smith - Haley BennettHaley BennettHaley Bennett is an American singer and actress.She will star in the new FX series Outlaw Country with Luke Grimes and Mary Steenburgen.-Life and career:...
as Stella - Juno TempleJuno Temple-Early life:Juno Temple was born in London, and is the daughter of producer Amanda Pirie and film director Julien Temple. She grew up in Somerset, England and attended Enmore Primary School, Bedales School, and King's College, Taunton...
as London - Kelly LynchKelly LynchKelly Lynch is an American actress. Once a model for the Elite modeling agency, Lynch appeared in the film Drugstore Cowboy which starred Matt Dillon, and the film Road House which starred Patrick Swayze....
as Smith's mother - James DuvalJames DuvalJames Edward Duval is an American actor, who is most famous for his roles in the Gregg Araki trilogy—Totally Fucked Up, The Doom Generation, and Nowhere—in addition to Frank in Donnie Darko, Blank in May, Miguel in Independence Day and Singh in Go.-Personal life:Duval was born in Detroit, Michigan...
as The Messiah - Chris ZylkaChris ZylkaChris Zylka is an American actor and model.Zylka was born Chris Settlemire in Warren, Ohio. He took his mother's maiden name as a stage name. Zylka began his career with a guest appearance on 90210 in 2008...
as Thor - Roxane MesquidaRoxane MesquidaRoxane Mesquida is a French actress and model based in Los Angeles.Mesquida grew up in Le Pradet, a little town located in South of France. Her mother, writer Françoise Mesquida, is French/Spanish and her father is Italian/American but Mesquida never got to know him...
as Lorelei - Nicole LaLiberte as Madeleine O'Hara/ Rebecca Novak
- Andy Fischer-Price as Rex
- Brennan Mejia as Oliver
- Jason Olive as Hunter
- Carlo Mendez as Milo
- Brandy Futch as Drug Fairy Nymph