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Showing posts from August, 2009

The Ode

The film is actually based on the book 'An Ode To Lata'. I saw it in recent I-View festival in New York. Apparently the film is still in work (post production stage, I guess). Overall I was not very impressed by the film. I doubt whether the book actually got all the rave reviews that everyone kept talking about. The movie is about this South Asian (Indian/Pakistani, dunno) boy Shiraz grown up in Kenya and who now lives in LA. A successful banker during the day, his night life is totally different. He is deep down in world of sex, drugs and all typical gay-ism. He has just broken up with his boyfriend Richard whom he cant forget for some reason. He is slowly going deep in drugs and depression and looks for Richard in every man he meets. He is visited soon by his mother. The film keeps going in flash back showing his troubled childhood, the fighting parents (who were actually not married) and how his childhood was always with people fighting with beating each other. This still

Amores Possíveis (Portugese) [Possible Loves]

Films with 'what if' scenarios are always interesting. This film takes a step further in which they show three possibilities in a man's life based on one incident in his life. Each of the 3 possibilities are triggered by one incident. Is one of the story his true identity and others his wannbe scenarios, its left for the viewers to decide. Carlos went for cinema 15 years ago to meet his girlfriend Julia but she never showed up. This incident is the main trigger point and hence the movie goes parallel in 3 different tracks. In the first version, Carlos is married to Maria but they dont have a successful married life. Its loveless. He meets Julia and they start an affair. The second version has Carlos divorced to Julia and has a son. He now lives with his gay partner Pedro, his soccer buddy whom he now loves. Third version has a carefree Carlos, never married living with his possessive mother hoping to find his perfect love and bang he meets Julia. The 3 stories keep moving p

Antique (Korean)

This was a surprisingly good movie. It is s hard to categorize it as a comedy, thriller or feel good cinema. It had bits of everything and hold the audience attention throughout. Although the lead character is straight and the chef is gay, it is refreshing to see homosexuality being played with flirtatious sweetness all through out with a dash of magic. After Jin-Hyuk rejected Sun-Woo in high school, Sun-Woo has become the opposite of his stuttering past: a Prada-snug love magnet that no man, gay or straight, could resist. He also becomes the best baker in business. Years later, Jin-Hyuk puts up a patisserie called Antique and hires Sun-Woo to be his pastry chef. The rest of his staff, a retired boxing champ and Jin-Hyuk's childhood friend and bodyguard---are all bewildered why he opened Antique when cakes in particular make him vomit. The viewer doesn't know why Jin-Hyuk doesn't like any cake until later when the secret is revealed. As a kid, he was kidnapped for 2 mont

Eighteen (Canada)

After having read mostly positive reviews about this film, I had a little bit expectations from this movie but I must say that I found this film very boring and totally out of context at various places. A lot of actions of various people have no justifications. Pip leaves home after his brother dies in a car accident because of his father who was mad since his brother came out of closet and confessed he is gay. He hates his father ow. On his eighteenth birthday he receives his grandfather's Second World War memoirs on audio cassette, a gift that awakens the ghost of the long lost world. His grandfather relates the story of the day he turned eighteen, fleeing German forces through the woods of France with a dying comrade hanging on for life. In Pip's own and contemporary way, he begins to live the parallel life of his grandfather, both lost in their environments and generations. Along Pip's path he stumbles into an unlikely alliance with Clark, a gay street hustler on the

3 garçons, 1 fille, 2 mariages (French) [3 Guys, 1 Girl, 2 Weddings]

One more of those movies which I had to watch again so that I could blog about it and make really sure that I have seen it. I must admit that by writing this bog, at least I can make sure that I dont repeat movies, unless I really want to. Another hilarious take on gay man falling for his straight friend but in a funny hilarious manner is what this film is about. Dan and Laurent are best friends and room mates. Laurent is gay and madly in love with Dan who is straight but of course Dan has no idea about it. Dan runs a sex talk show on radio and Laurent along with his 3 other friends is fighting for gay rights. Wen Dan finally meets the girl of his dreams Camille, Laurent's dreams take the shape of fear that he wont ever be turn their friendship to love. Laurent tries every trick to derail Dan's relationship and when Dan plans marriage and moves out, Laurent takes on lesbian roommate Sam who is very supportive to Laurent, even to the extent that hey both end up having sex just t

Tenue de soirée (French) [Ménage/Evening Dress]

What d you write about a film, which you enjoyed, but you are still not sure of what exactly happened and you have to consult internet for that. Is it god or bad? I can't decide. I liked the film but after reading a little bit online about it , it seems hat lo of people have their own interpretations of the film. Bob, a burglar mets a fighting couple Monique and Antoine at a bar where Monique is fighting with Antoine for not giving her a good decent life. Bob has instant liking for Antoine and makes friends with the couple. They start burglary in various rich houses. The couple realizes that Bob fancies Antoine which freaks him out. But by then Monique is so used to money that she doesn't mind her husband to sleep with another man. Ultimately under constant pressure and for Monique, Antoine gives in and sleeps with Bob. Slowly his feelings start getting stronger for Bob and less towards Monique but he still cares for her. The movie is then suddenly is in what I think Phase 2 wh

Diverso da chi? (Italian) [Different from whom?]

Now this was a truly different gay film. It was funny, it had message, it was wonderful, well acted, nothing stereotypical. In short I loved it. Mainly because it was very different. After a series of unexpected events, politician Piere is running for Mayor elections. He has lived with his boyfriend Remo for 14 years and is very open about it. Since he is gay, the party wants someone more family focussed to run with him for deputy position. They select Adele for this. She hates Piere because she thinks she should have gotten the opportunity to run for Mayor. They make a team but are constantly fighting. Thats when Remo comes up with a suggestion to Piere that rather than fighting, he should get to know her. So they hang out and get to know each other a little better. They hit off well and their popularity ratings increase in the city. Meanwhile, Remo and Adele become very close friends. Adele is divorced and has very little chance of having kids. Piere and Remo both love kids. One even

Amor de hombre (Spanish) [The Love Of a Man]

One of te numerous films where the relationship between a gay man and his fg hag is explored. It is funny how sometims whether you liked a film or not depends on the fact when you saw the film compared to the other films. By now I have seen so many films on similar theme, that I did nt find anything novel about this film. Granted it was made much before these other films that I saw. Ramón is a handsome, successful lawyer in Madrid who happens to be gay and unlike most of his friends has not settled into a partnership. His closest friend is Esperanza who is a divorced school teacher, just turned 40, who love Ramón and constantly tries to help him find the 'right man' while Ramón tries to help her find her 'right man'. They party together with all of Ramón's professional friends - doctors, businessmen, teachers - and Ramón is hedonistic enough to have a different be partner every evening. After an automobile accident in which Ramón is injured, Esperanza moves in to ca

Crutch

Sometimes, films are made for genuine interest and for creative satisfaction but do the viewers like it. Depends on many things. Made on low budget, this film aims to deliver a statement about the dangers of drug abuse and how to conquer it. David, a 16 year old boy is trying to hold together his fragile family of adulterous father, an alcoholic self-destructive mother, and brother and sister. The father leaves the family for another woman, mother is hospitalized for rehab after an injurious fall, the other siblings are fed up of all this and dont want to deal with any of this shit. Looking for escape David joins acting classes where his teacher is Kenny, who has acted in a few films. He goes there with his close friend and confidant. Kenny encourages David's young ability ultimately starts falling for David's charm and boyishness. Out of need for order in his life David opens up his sexuality and becomes bonded with Kenny. Kenny's hidden drug addiction is uncovered by Dav

Comme des voleurs (French-Polish) [Stealth]

An interesting film set in Switzerland. It will be wrong to categorize this film under gay category or maybe it wont be. The lead protagonist is gay and has a boyfriend but the film for a change is not about him being gay or anything but about trying to discover what his roots are. Lionel lives with his boyfriend Serge. One day he finds out that his grandfather came from Poland. Suddenly he starts liking everything Polish. To the extent that he meets a Polish illegal immigrant Ewa. He breaks up with his boyfriend and decides to marry Ewa so she won't be deported from Switzerland. Lionel's sister Lucie is more practical. She wants everyone to see and realize that Lionel is gay and he needs to get out this dream of being fascinated with Poland but his parents are more than happy to see him getting married and all. in a spur of moment on day she drives her brother to Poland and thats when their adventure begins. They have various encounters on the way including getting getting bea