Reviews
Get Real (1998)
Makes You Wish Life Is Like It Is In The Movies!
For young gay people who believe love can never happen to them, this movie is a godsend. So much of this film seems familiar to my own experience going through adolescence in the closet. The overwhelming fear of discovery that every young gay person experiences is dealt with very successfully, here -- as is the secret attraction one inevitably feels for special friends. The difference, here, is that the object of Steve's affection is likewise gay. If it weren't for the difficulties these two young lovers face simply loving one another, I would be tempted to say that the fact of their mutual attraction is almost too good to be true. But there ARE difficulties and these are what bring the film back to earth. The difficultly of gay adolescence is captured perfectly. This would be a wonderful film for anyone who cares about someone gay to watch. If you're really interested in knowing what your young gay son or lesbian daughter or friend is going through, this is the film for you!
Captains Courageous (1937)
First Spencer Tracy Oscar
I saw this for the first time, just last night, on American Movie Classics. After watching the film, I couldn't help but wonder where it's been all my life. What a beautiful film! Robert Osborne made a few opening remarks to the film, as he usually does on this channel. I didn't know that Spencer Tracy won his first Oscar for this film, but it was certainly well deserved. His portrayal of Manuel is really pivotal to the success of the film, I think. I'm not too sure about his accent, but it wasn't really distracting or anything. If you haven't seen this, watch it! You won't be disappointed -- especially if you enjoy pictures where ships and the sea are the setting for the action.