Cory Michael Smith's "1985" - Who Saw or Liked This?

This is a film about a darling gay man who comes home to the suburbs of Fort Worth, Texas, for one last Christmas with his family. He's an educated gay living in New York City in 1985, so surprise-surprise, he's dying of AIDS. But he won't tell his family this. They don't even know he's gay. The film shows his stony, hick-adjacent parents as being deeply religious Reaganites who simply wouldn't understand. He does a lot to bond with his younger brother, a swishy drama geek who loves Madonna and The Smiths, and is obviously destined for gayhood himself. Smith brings a gentle dignity to his character, tying up a few loose ends but leaving most as they were. He gives strong monologues about the AIDS Era, and losing all of his friends and his lover.

It's gritty and odd, even by oddball indie standards. It's shot in black-and-white, and edited rather choppily. Had it had a bigger budget, it might've been a longer and brighter film, but Hollywood would've tacked on their typical "AIDS Drama" ending, which this one thankfully lacks.

Who saw it?