PEYOTE (2013)

Simplicity is the backbone of this short, sweet tale of discovery called Peyote.  Essentially a two-character film, we're first introduced to Mexican teenager Pablo (Joe Diazzi) over breakfast, bored at home and using food to make a monster movie with his handheld video camera.  Heading out later, he finds himself filming at random until a guy in the local park - Marco - catches Pablo secretly recording him.  But instead of anger a friendship is born, and with his parents away for the summer it's easy work for Pablo to be talked into a road trip to the Mexican desert by Marco, in search of naturally-growing peyote for the naive teenager to try; a journey that not only opens the young men's eyes to each other, but also causes each of them to look at himself in a whole new way.  Wonderfully filmed showcasing the beauty of its Mexican landscape, Peyote sneaks up on you with its simplicity ... but in the end proves a profound film about friendship and first crushes, lovingly made. (not rated)  A