RATING: A-

Yellow Veil Pictures present a Glowing Tree Films production in association with Rustic Films. Written and directed by Addison Heimann. Produced by John Humber, David Lawson Jr., and Addison Heimann, Cinematography by Dustin Supencheck. Edited by Jess Weber.

Stars Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jordan Gavanis, and Marlene Forte,

From the director of Hypochondriac comes this out of this world sci-fi-horror-comedy that is wild and loads of fun amidst the chaos! 

Joey is a young woman who has recently had an out of world experience…literally. She met Brian, a mysterious fellow who claimed to be an alien from outer space. However, when she tells her therapist about her consummation of her night with Brian, she knows now that Brian is the real deal. When Brian invites Joey for a weekend at his home, she decides to bring in her gay roommate Craig with her so she doesn’t feel awkward.

Upon their arrival, Brian immediately takes a liking to not just Joey again, but finds himself attracted to Craig as well. Brian discovers the truth about himself, his weaknesses, and his love of dancing. He invites the duo to the “crystal room”, where they can let out their feelings. When Brian invites both Joey and Craig to have “cross species intercourse”, both are in shock as Brian unleashes tentacles during the consummation. However, despite the shocking revelations, they discover Brian’s true intentions and they have a choice: join him or be killed by him, 

After watching Hypochondriac and watching his collaboration with Sam Fox, The Blue Diamond, it is great to see Addison Heimann back in the director’s chair with this film, whose inspirations come from LGBTQ cinema to modern Japanese horror with its insane use of gore-ific effects with shades of Rocky Horror Picture Show in a fantastic out of this world film!

Olivia Taylor Dudley and Jordan Gavanis are funny together as roommates Joey and Craig, who may be different on the surface (she, a straight woman and he, a flamboyant gay man), but underneath they soon learn they may have more in common than they think. And that doesn’t include the crazy long haired, beaded man who is a manchild alien, played by an excellent Lou Taylor Pucci. Pucci’s Brian is this generation’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter without the creation of a new figure, but instead, finds himself attracted to both Joey and Craig, which during consummation breakout tentacles out of his body that allow the victims to engage in total pleasure. 

Kudos has to go to Marlene Forte as Laura, Brian’s servant who can be compared to Nell Campbell’s Columbia in terms of her emotions when it comes to her boss. There is a great scene where Joey sees Craig, Brian, and Laura of all people dancing to hip hop and for an actress in her early 60s, Forte moves like she’s an 80s breakdancer. 

However, the insane parts come in the consummation sequences as they are shown in bright neon purple lights with as mentioned, the shocking twist of Brian’s tentacles and a flashback that reveals what would happen should anyone defy Brian…and it’s not good at all. 

Touch Me is excellent with its references to Rocky Horror, Japanese horror, and arthouse LGBTQ films. Olivia Taylor Dudley and Jordan Gavanis are great as the roommates with an excellent Lou Taylor Pucci as the alien manchild and Marlene Forte as the suffering servant of said alien manchild. It’s wild, erotic, chaotic, and fun all in one little package.

The film will be released in NY theaters on March 20, followed by a limited theatrical release on March 27, followed by a VOD/Digital release on April 3.