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Loin (2001)
The Wild Reeds character revisited
The main character is Serge from The Wild Reeds. The main character from that movie, Francois, is also in this movie. There doesn't really appear to be any relation to the first movie, though. There is mention that they were in school together, but they don't have any significant interaction, and Francois doesn't really serve a lot of purpose in the movie, and there is no reference to his being gay, which was of great importance to the character in the first movie.
Setting that aside, though it is puzzling, this is a movie about a young truck driver who takes on the dangerous work of transporting illegal drugs while also trying to connect with an old (or perhaps on-again, off-again) girlfriend. She is deciding where she wants to go next in her life. Her friend Said is desperate to illegally immigrate to Europe. It's a decent movie, though I'm just puzzled why it uses the two characters from The Wild Reeds but doesn't seem to reference any of the themes from that movie.
Undetectable (2016)
Great, Brief Series
I found this very nicely done. The main character was at a point in his life when he was going to return to dating following his HIV diagnosis some 6 months back and was on the verge of coming out to persons other than his brother. He has a good work friend, a promising date, supports a friend through an HIV scare, has a really pleasant hookup and visits his brother in preparation to visit his parents. Everything's done very nicely. The characters are all well-played and interesting. I checked here at IMDB in hopes there would be much more of the series but no such luck. Still, I would recommend.
Kuntergrau (2015)
Life and Friendship
Three excellent seasons. The core of the show is three best friends, young gay men. Around them are family of varying degrees of supportiveness, job and career aspirations, and of course love and/or sex. A relationship (ultimately two) don't work out due to sexual incompatibility. One of the friends leads a sexually free lifestyle, while one remains a virgin until he falls in love. Another falls into prostitution and promiscuity after the breakup of his two-year relationship. One deals with being HIV+ and how it impacts his relationships. The third season features an act of homophobic violence and is absolutely heart-wrenching. Make sure to say after the credits of the last episode to finish on a happier, hopeful note.
The three main actors do a good job. Their affection and compassion for each other is very believable. The rest of the core cast also make you care about their characters. The conflicts between the characters make sense and don't feel contrived, and do not lapse into melodrama. The music is good. Recommend.
Better Half (2015)
Meditation on the meaning of family
Early in the film, Leo proposes to Tony, who refuses. Tony says he knows Leo's doing it because Tony wants to get married, and he can wait until Leo's really wants it too. Both men are very involved in their careers, Leo in financial management and Tony in social work. Tony gets very involved in the lives of his clients to the point of putting his life at risk at times. One of those clients is a premature baby Tony gets Leo to agree to adopt. Leo describes his own family as "not nice people" and is very uncomfortable with the thought of trying to be a decent parent himself and takes a back seat to Tony.
Tony is murdered by a client. Leo is faced with a lot of publicity, which costs him much of his business due to homophobia. He is pressured by the County to return the child. He pushes away Tony's coworkers, their circle of gay friends, volunteer legal counsel to help him retain custody, doesn't like Tony's mother and is finds difficulty bonding with the child.
The film is a journey for Leo opening up to who is his real family. He bonds with the child and realizes the support that is available all around him. Despite the tragedy and the grief, there is some sense of optimism at the end of the film. Recommend.
The Support Group (2010)
Charming
This is a really pleasant short film to watch. A rather straitlaced young man is driving his friend to a location. His friend is a bit goofy...he gave up chew so he's putting gum under his lip and spitting into an empty water bottle. His friend is also hungry and hoping he's being taken to brunch despite it being 5:30 at night.
The two friends join a group of unique individuals, and the goofy friend manages to innocently insult just about everyone. It finally sinks in that he's at a gay support group. A little bit later on, it finally sinks in that his friend brought him there to tell him he was gay. He takes it pretty well.
It's an amusing film with good characters and feels very positive. Recommend.
Thirsty (2016)
Underpinnings of a Drag Queen
I liked this movie. It wasn't what I expected. It's not a flashy, sassy, comedic film full of drag queen performances. It does include some performance and humor, but not all upbeat, though all are well done. It's a drama of a gay kid growing up in a rough neighborhood with an alcoholic mother, told with three different actors playing different stages of his life. It has a vignette feel, moving back and forth through the different timeframes, delivering a satisfying narrative about learning who you are and celebrating that.
Bi (2014)
Well written, well balanced
This series is available free on Youtube, at least in America. The central character is a Black man who is bisexual, dealing with the usual challenges of relationships plus the "bi" factor which people react to in different ways. In the first season he has three close friends - a straight man, gay man, and bisexual woman, who are all working their own way through their romantic and sexual lives. The characters are generally likeable and interesting, the drama feels very natural and flowing out of the situation, there is humor as well. The second season is shorter and has a narrative focused on a somewhat difficult relationship. Though low-budget, and writing is excellent as are the performance from the lead actors. Recommend.
Bömmer (2020)
Friendship in Flux
This is an excellent web series about two childhood friends whose lives begin to diverge. They are in high school working on a rap song together. Fannar is focused on the technical side and Kristjan on writing and performing. One has a crush on Klara, a classmate. Kristjan becomes angry with Fannar about the rap song, saying he'll be made fun of for doing it. He withdraws from contact with Fannar and at home has his first panic attack. Fannar continues to work on the song and is approached by Klara, who is interested in the song and begins dating Fannar. Fannar continues to develop his relationship with Klara while Kristjan goes to counseling to learn how to deal with his anxiety. Unfortunately Fannar ultimately reestablishes contact and invites him to a party but does not tell him in advance that he is now dating Kristjan's crush.
The series does a good job of telling the story of Kristjan's anxiety disorder. It is heartbreaking to see him suffering and to see his inability to connect with a girl at the party with whom he clearly has a lot in common. The portrayal is realistic, which is very refreshing, when mental illness can sometimes be portrayed as either hopeless or magically resolved. The two male leads do an excellent job and are very believable in their performances.
Iceland Is Best (2020)
Sweet road-ish movie
This is a sweet movie. The backdrop is the beautiful landscape of Iceland along with the bond between Sigga and her three friends. She has chosen to go to California and her friends take her to the airport to be her protectors, one with his canoe. Though it doesn't appear to be a great distance, they have adventures and meet different characters and perhaps find some degrees of love. It was sort of a reverse Wizard of Oz, with Sigga being aware of how fortunate she is at home, but wanting to try a new thing. At first she has perhaps not thought it fully through and thus hesitates until she learns what it is she wants from the journey, which is not a departure but an adventure. Her friends also come to an understanding of things they want as well. Though it has some of the tropes of a coming of age movie, it felt like it was reaching more towards myth than angst.
The Horizon (2009)
It keeps getting better
In some ways it's a typical story--rural boy goes to the big city to meet in person his Internet romance only to be let down. He's taken in by a drag queen and begins to build a life. There's a circle of guys who intersect as they work their way through their relationships and joys and challenges. Though the episodes seem to go by in a flash, they are well written and as you go along you realize a lot has happened and you've learned a lot about the various characters. There is a strong HIV-prevention message and the use of condoms and PrEP figure prominently.
For me, there are things to like about all the characters. They are well rounded. The relationship between Jake and Mickie is one of my all time favorite positive portrayals of a gay romance. The challenges in their relationship arise very organically and they deal with them with a good measure of honesty and compassion. It is very satisfying to see them together and continuing to grow as a couple. It was really nice to find a series that I liked from the start and just kept getting better.
BoysTown (2008)
Pleasant characters to pass some time with
This is a half hour comedy drama series about a group of good looking, mostly 20-30 year old white gay male friends in Los Angeles. At various points they find themselves dissatisfied with relationships, personal lives and careers. The difficulties range from death, grief and violence to lighter topics such as getting lost in fantasies, accidentally participating in porn, mis-timed romantic attraction and back story revelations. We get to see likeable qualities in all the characters and their interactions are enjoyable. The pacing and quality of the series is consistent and it does not drag. I found it a good way to spend some tv time.
Prairie Dog (2015)
Creatures disturbed by man
This is currently on Amazon Prime as "Fang" with a release date of 2016. It's one of those movies where man is disturbing nature and displaces some dangerous animals/creatures and a small town sheriff and educated specialist deal with the issue. It's nicely done-I enjoyed the Canadian setting and accents. There is some wit in the script and lovely scenery. The movie leaves one with a sense of mystery--there are at least three varieties of creatures, one almost human. There is more to the kids and their backstory, I have a feeling. All in all, if you enjoy these kinds of movies I think you'll enjoy this one as well.
1985 (2018)
A Study in Compassion
It was the darkest of times to be gay, and compassion for those ill with and killed by AIDS was rarely to be found. We had a president who wouldn't even speak about it and speculated the plague was god's will. There was a lot of fear and misinformation about how the virus was transmitted.
I found it a rather healing thing to see a movie about compassion and not anger. A closeted son with AIDS returns after several years to visit his conservative hometown, following the death from AIDS of his partner. He lost his job because someone found out and maxed out his credit cards to buy nice and thoughtful gifts for his family. He is in effect saying goodbye and struggling with whether to tell them the truth of who he is.
He never does. It turns out his father knew, and though not able to accept it, still establishes that he will be there for his son. It turns out his mother knew in the way that mother's know, and hopes she will handle it well when it comes out into the open between them. His high school friend/girlfriend didn't know, but he finally tells her in the hopes his younger brother will eventually know the truth about him. His younger brother is too young for us to know if he may or may not be gay, but it is clear that his interests in drama and pop music are not the norm for his conservative area.
For me, the most powerful moment in the film was when the son was packing to leave and tosses the nice bible his father gave him for christmas into his suitcase. He hears his father arguing with his mother about putting on the fancy coat the son bought the father for christmas. The mother asks him to put it on for her, if he won't put it on for their son, just to make the son feel good. The father doesn't. The son, saying goodbye to his father (who once again makes the point that he will be there for his son), does his own version of "putting on the coat" and says he read the bible the father had given to him and was going to try to be a better person.
I found it healing to be able to look at the era from a perspective other than rage. Thank you to all involved for your work on the film.
Seat in Shadow (2016)
Fun Jung
I enjoyed this movie. At its core, it's a story about a young man who is depressed, trying to find his way in life and troubled by his unsatisfying relationship with his boyfriend. That said, the core is buried very deep and we are taken on a wild journey of imagination. Albert, the boy's therapist, is the guide into Jungian Active Imagination, leads him on his journey, guides him, and follows him. We visit the jungle, the city, the garden, the nightclub, the intermingling of bodies, the desert, and the apartment. Ultimately, the therapy leads Albert into confronting his own Shadow, which he does with grace. The music is very effective throughout the movie.
Správce statku (2004)
Love Letter
This is a relaxed, slow-paced movie. The director filmed it over two summers on his own farm and with his own family, with the exception of the young man. To me it seemed a love letter to farm life and the rural, small-town environment.
There is a plot: a mother lives on a farm with her sons and daughters. The farm has seen better days, but they enjoy their life there. The father they rarely see as he is off working in the big city. He wanted to make the farm a financial success but that did not work out. The father returns home to tell the family they will have to sell the farm and move to the city because they can't afford it.
A young man comes to the farm and asks to work there. He comes from "far away," and that is intentionally left to the imagination. He sleeps in a tent on a plot of ground which, legend has it, will change your life if you sleep there over night--maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. He begins by helping out, then over time starts repairing things long broken, reintroducing the family to some of the other things they love about the area (swimming and boating) and then doing some things that will become a draw for people to come to the farm so it can financially support itself.
The movie takes its time with nice music and beautiful cinematography. It's not a movie if you're in the mood for lots of things to happen or intense drama. It's a good movie to relax into and enjoy though, and it will leave you feeling good. The cast does a good job as well.
You & I (2014)
Scenic Movie
Jonas is a photographer, ignoring messages from his girlfriend. He picks up his friend Philip at the airport for a planned trip. Philip is gay and Jonas is quite comfortable with that. The two lived together for 11 months in England, but haven't seen each other since. Philip is not sure what he wants to do with his life. Jonas asks him to move from England to Germany and live with him. He tells Philip that he needs him in his life.
They pick up a hitchhiker. Boris is Polish and both think of him as a little wild. Initially Philip seems jealous of how well Boris and Jonas get along. When Philip tells Boris that he is gay, Boris seems uncomfortable. Over the next few days Boris becomes intrigued and "hooks up" with Philip. The two become affectionate, to the jealousy of Jonas. This culminates in Jonas going into the shower and kissing a puzzled Philip and then walking away. When the three are having breakfast the next day Jonas tries to speak to Boris but can't get out what he wants to say. Philip says it for him: Boris, it is time for you to leave. Boris' reaction runs a large gamut of emotions...thinking it's a joke, letting it soak in, sudden tears, staring into Philip's eyes, looking several times at Jonas and finally understanding he is the odd man out. My perception is that this was Boris' first gay sex and it had become emotional for him.
The movie ends with Jonas and Philip setting up photographs for an exhibition, with Jonas rejecting several photos of Philip and Boris together. There is clearly affection between them. Whether that affection is romantic and sexual was not clear to me.
I found this a rather serene movie, with beautiful landscapes and locations such as an old building, beautiful manor, an impressive van. I think some descriptions of the movie may lead people to expect something more erotic or titillating, but it seems more a movie about friendship. It's much more about relationships that plot, though we learn quite a bit about everyone.
Horrid (2009)
Guys from Wisconsin
I saw this a few years ago and just watched it again. I enjoyed it both times. The story is a couple of guys taking their friend for a bachelor party. They go to a couple of bars and flirt with girls and have conflict with one of the girls' brothers. They then go up to a cabin, drink beer, fool around and hunt. This is all done with good humor, a very Wisconsin feel, and the guys are cute and charming and the girls are fun as well.
In the midst of this a virus from a government facility is getting out and turning people into zombies. This is gory, and people we come to like get infected and/or killed, but it retains its humor.
The music is good and feels local. My rating takes into account the low budget, b-movie nature of the film.
Jess & James (2015)
On a journey
I liked this movie a lot. A couple of things I would note first: the music throughout was great and really added to the movie; also, the movie was beautifully shot, with lovely rural scenes and interior spaces made real and interesting.
This movie made me think of older narrative styles, back to Don Quixote. It's in chapters, and each chapter is it's own little story. I liked that there wasn't a plot sense of going from a definite A to a definite B, but that the feeling is that there will be episode after episode in their lives going forward well beyond the end of the movie.
That said, Jess does have a story arc which goes through the film, from refusing to kiss and insisting on being the top when he first meets James, to gradually becoming able to express a little bit of affection, to owning his gayness and acknowledging to his brother that he is "with James." The lead actors are excellent and make their relationship consistently intriguing and interesting.
The rural setting was fantastic--living in a small town in Illinois, I enjoyed the lack of urban locale.
Velociraptor (2014)
Apocalypse and Friendship
I really enjoyed this movie. The two lead actors are excellent in their roles. One friend is gay and one is straight, both seem to have genuine affection for each other, and they spend the day together as the end of the world approaches. There is a current of sexual tension as they talk about blowjobs and finally the gay friend asks the straight friend to take his virginity in a certain way (despite being rather promiscuous, there is something he's never felt comfortable with any of his partners to do). There are flashback of their respective sexual/romantic lives. Amid a sense that people in general are giving up on their ties to each other, these two young men demonstrate a deep friendship. The movie doesn't resolve itself in any trite or obvious way, though there is resolution to the film. The straight friend is bemused by the day and thinking about getting to be with his girlfriend as things come to an end; the gay guy is feeling great warmth towards his friend but doesn't lapse into that unrequited love thing, which is refreshing. I felt really sad at the end of the movie and then I felt really good.