As a longtime fan of Gregg Araki, I'm pretty sure I'd have mentioned the acclaimed director's name even if The Other John writer/director Ryan Spahn hadn't mentioned it hiimself in describing this found footage short film that explores the hook-up culture on gay men's connections. 

The Other John is a unique film, most certainly not for everyone, in which the narrative unfolds in a way that entices, seduces really, and yet it's a seduction that drives home Spahn's message sublimely and more than a little jarringly. The film picked up  the Audience Award, Best Short at  Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival in 2023 and is currently available for streaming on GagaOOLala, a Taiwan-based streamer specializing in LGBTQ cinema. 

Spahn's approach here is quietly bold. We're introduced to two men as they enter an apartment. They chat. They kiss. There's a certain comfort that lulls us into expecting one thing before Spahn introduces another. Spahn presents the film as four distinct framed shots on-screen at all times. Each shot tells us something about the story unfolding, though Spahn's story unfolds slowly as we're drawn to each frame trying to put together the puzzle we think we've already solved in our minds. 

It's perhaps not surprising that Spahn detours away from our expectations, telling a story that is both rich in its honesty and disturbing in its reality. This is a film that explores the ways, sometimes violent, that hook-up culture serves as an obstacle to honest, genuine connections. It's a meaningful story told creatively and quite effectively throughout the film's seven-minute running time. 

For those who prefer a more traditional cinematic experience, The Other John may be an even difficult view. Spahn's way of drawing us in demands commitment and that commitment leads to an undeniable emotional response as the story unfolds. The Other John may not necessarily be easy filmmaking, however, it's intelligent, powerfully realized filmmaking that lingers in the psyche' long after the closing credits. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic