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Showing posts from May, 2010

Boy Crazy (Collection of short films)

Fairies Timothy is bullied by homophobic classmates at his all boys high school. While studying A Midsummer Night's Dream, he imagines a world where he isn't so different. This original short was the inspiration for the smash hit feature, Were The World Mine. (6/10) Dish Kids Israel and Louie walk around their East Los Angeles neighborhood dishing about their high school classmates. After listening to Louie boast about his sexual escapades, Israel decides he has some catching up to do with a guy that he likes but it doesn't turn out what he expected. (3/10) Teddy Tony visits his ex-boyfriend in New Zealand in hope of rekindling old romance. Their meeting is also with a teddy bear that they used to share. (4/10) Frequent Traveler A traveler has a crush on security guard. He travels frequently in hope of getting searched by him but the guard has some other plans for him. (4.5/10) The Back Room Just before closing, a bookstore manager helps a mysterious stranger find informat

Sagwan (Filipino)

I can see this film as being highly controversial. An independent film, this has loads of hot dudes with good bodies. Not that just this, they have ample male and female nudity and it is not just for the sake of it but this is one case where script and the settings completely demand it. Although I must admit that after a while it becomes a little too much.  The movie tackles about the life story of Bangkeros (Boatmat) with a side line of selling their bodies to gays and matronas. The film's central character is Andrew who prides himself as the only boatman who hasn’t engaged to prostitution that his friends have grown accustomed to. He has a girlfriend who stopped speaking ever since she witnessed her mother's death. Rumor is that her father killed her. Now she devotes her entire time in taking care of Andrew and her father. The movie goes along an how all the men deal with various clients. Andrew's best friend Eman also tries to convince him to get into prostitution to mak

Whirlwind

Of late we have seen a lot of movies that show us lives of gay friends in big cities and how they cope up with some of the challenges that life offers them. This film also falls in a similar category except that these queens are more uptight and muscled rather than your regular gay guy (or maybe regular gay guys are all muscled these days)  5 close friends always hang out. Desmond is your usual one night stand guy who is scared of relationships. Bobby and Sean are a couple who have been together for few years and are now in the process of looking for an aptt to buy. Mick is a famous chef who is still mourning the death of his lover for a long time and lastly JD who is insecure about pretty much everything in his life. Enter Drake, a hottie to whom everyone in the group gets instantly attracted to as a person because he is smart, handsome, confident and fun. Soon we realize that Drake is after all these individuals to break their love and friendship. We find out later the reason is beca

Gay Short Films : 02

In The Closet (USA) On a night almost like any other, a shy, awkward young man has his first ever sexual encounter with an older, experienced, but a bit jaded, trick. The passion is shared, souls are exposed and secrets are ultimately revealed but at a cost. (3/10) The Tears of AIDS  (France) A married man falls in love with an another man whom he meets on a beach. He describes this sudden passion in simples words. A nice heart warming film. James (UK) Young James struggles as the outsider kid at his school. His teacher is the only person he feels he can connect with. When James finally puts a voice to his feelings, Mr. Sutherland's response isn't what James had hoped for. Majorettes in Space  (France)  Dimitri, a Soviet cosmonaut of Soyouz 27 likes majorettes. Catherine and Laurent like making love. Jean-Paul II loves airports. Vincent loves boys. Total random and abstract. Amor Crudo (Argentina) [Raw Love] A portrait of the last days of high school. Two friends

El cielo dividido (Mexico - Spanish) [Broken Sky]

On paper it did sound like a decent idea to have minimal dialogues in a film and focus more on relationships just through scenes and emotions but Gosh! what a failed attempt this one was. We're examining a gay love affair and nothing else.  Gerardo picks up Jonas in a playing field at the university and the passionate kisses and embraces and the sex begin right away. Then Jonas starts averting his face when Gerardo tries to caress or kiss him. And yet they're still regularly sleeping together. Sergio, a slightly older man, a tall, dark, brooding fellow, even easier on the eyes than the other two enters the scene now. He has already watched the pair play hide and seek in the library stacks when he was installing a light bulb. Jnas takes up liking for Sergio but can't get his attention. Sergio on the other hand has wanted Gerardo for a long time. Gerardo and Jonas are falling apart. Gerardo and Sergio become a couple and then again Jonas begins to long for Gerardo again.  Li

Infamous

"Infamous" is based on George Plimpton's book in which he really tries to capture Truman Capote. The film explores Capote's bizarre relationship with Perry Smith. The sexual tension between the two is palpable, but we continue to question if Capote is merely manipulating Smith for the story or if, in fact, there is real substance to the attraction. We will never know if his reaction on death row is heartbreak or guilt. The mystery adds to the power of the story.  Truman Capote is a loved socialite who loves to gossip with high profile women. Hi short height and a strange voice always sets him apart from everyone else in the group and needless to say that his flamboyant gay nature make him not so popular in other parts of the country. On November 16, 1959, Truman Capote reads about the murder of a Kansas family. There are no suspects. With Harper Lee, he visits the town: he wants to write about their response. First he must get locals to talk, then, after arrests, he m

The Sensei

This martial art film also is about sexual prejudice, hypocrisy, intolerance and violence. Rather than shying away, the film deals with all these issues head on. You get to see some really touching moments.  Living in 80's in COlorado, McClain's life is a nightmare from every minute that town found out he was gay. Everyone despises him, hits him and no one talks to him. He is weak and gets beaten in school. He has tried to join a martial art school but they always make excuse to not take him. The school is run by an asian immigrant family. Their daughter Karen comes back to the town after 5 years. She had left the town because of the discrimination that she faced wherein every member of the family got black belt except her because she was girl. When McClain's mother approaches her to train her son, she accepts the challenge and one day the truth comes out when suddenly a college guy tries to bully McClain and he hits back. This does not go down well with Karen's family

Tout contre Léo (French) [Close To Leo]

This was such a good film to watch. It has been along time since I saw the family bond, interactions and closeness amongst members of the family and how they are so protective of each other. It was very very heartening to see pure brotherly love without any sexual tension or anything despite the amount of nudity involved. It was all very pure. The movie basically is through eyes of Marcel. Marcel 11 is the youngest of 4 brothers Leo, Tristan and Pierrot. The parents are also young and they are all a very close knit family. Each is fairly open and accepting of Leo’s homosexuality and one night they learn that Leo is HIV positive. Worried that Marcel is too young to deal with this devastating news, he’s omitted from the family discussions of Leo’s HIV status. But one night after dinner Marcel overhears talk about Leo’s health, and the news comes as a bombshell. Family continues to pretend everything is fine but Marcel knows and wants the truth to come out but no one is able to do this. L

Gay Short Films : 01

Twilight Of The Gods (Maori/English) It's the story of a native hunter who nurses a wounded western soldier back to health. The two characters don't share a language or culture, but they form a bond. The hunter nurses the soldier back to life & love but eventually gets killed. (4/10) Sidste Kys (Danish) [The Last Kiss] A man is talking to his lover who is leaving him to go because he thinks it is not working. The guy is losing it as he cannot understand what has gone wrong. At the end of 4 minute film you find that the dude was not talking to his love, rather his cock. The end shocks you. (6/10) Baije-me Se For Capaz (Portuguese) [Kiss Me If You Can] Set in Sao Paolo, two friends wonder when will they ever find true love. They both ultimately find love. One through his dreams and other through a guy following him and then ultimately falling for him. (5.5/10) A Boy Named Cocoy (Philippines) Young man arrives to Manila to find a work. There he meets another boy wh

Fresa Y Chocolate (Spanish-Cuba) [Strawberry and Chocolate]

This movie is set in Havana. This movie is about accepting difference and learning to appreciate other points of view and other ways of life. It's not really a movie about gay men. Its about friendship that takes you beyond sexuality. Diego, a gay activist has huge crush on David, a young Communist party member who is very straight. He lures him into going to his apartment for some pictures but nothing materializes. David realizes that Diego is gay and leaves soon. On his room mates insistence that he might find something with Diego which could hep them in communism, David reluctantly go back there. He makes it very clear that he does not want sex and rather just wants to have friendship with him. Diego accepts it. Diego is smart, knows a lot about art and culture, and teaches these things to his friend. The friendship between David and Nancy, one of Diego's friends, grows as well and they make love at the end of the movie. But, Diego is in trouble after sending a letter that r

Juste une Question d'Amour (French) [Just a Question of Love]

I saw this movie again primarily for 2 reasons. First of course I had to put it on my blog, second because I remembered that it was one of the best movies I had seen. After having seen so many of gay movies over past few years, I still like it; maybe not as much as I did the first time but still one of the very good films made. Laurent lives with his parents. His cousin recently died of HIV and he was gay. His uncle's family totally despised him and that is the reason Laurent is afraid to come out to his parents. He lives with his girlfriend Carole who is happy to pose as her girlfriend for the parents sake. Because of all this , his grade in school is getting low. They are so poor that e is instructed to do an internship in field agriculture to raise his academic standing under his tutor Cédric. He lives an openly gay life with his warmly understanding and loving mother Emma in a garden setting that also serves as Cédric's agricultural research lab. Though instantly attracted