Amber Benson races you to the movie theater

Amber Benson (who occupies a tender, broken place in every lesbian and/or Buffy fan's heart) is back in the pictures with the new gay-themed romantic dramedy Race You to the Bottom, which premiered last weekend.

Since her untimely departure from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Amber has kept busy with a series of projects, from writing and directing her own movies to acting in other independent films and writing comics and novels.

On film, Amber seems to have carved out a niche as the straight gal pal in a series of gay romantic comedies. Besides her current project, these roles include Latter Days (2003) and her upcoming film Kiss the Bride with Tori Spelling.

Race You to the Bottom follows the "heated love affair between two lascivious 20-somethings: a straight woman and her randy counterpart, a gay man." Two guesses which character Amber plays. For her efforts, Amber took home best actress honors at L.A.'s Outfest film festival. From the two clips posted online, the movie looks like an earnest exploration of the fluidity between gay men and their straight girlfriends. But story, schmory — with pictures like these, who needs a plot? As Willow would say, "Gosh, look at those."