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Reviews
Lilies - Les feluettes (1996)
An excellent, disturbing film, about love, revenge, and justice.
We find ourselves in Quebec, in 1952. The local Roman Catholic bishop has come to a local prison to hear the confession of a dying man, a man he knew in his childhood, that had been in prison for 40 years for committing some heinous crime.
When he gets there, the inmates, local chaplain, and prison guards imprison him, and force him to watch his former school-mate, who is not terminally ill, put on a play that re-creates the events that led to his imprisonment. This movie moves between the crude props and costumes made from scraps and rags and the elegant, wealthy past with flawless precision.
It's a story of a love gone awry, of twisted values, self loathing and lust, jealousy, murder, and vengeance.
Many may be put off by its overtly gay cast and story line, or the fact that male and female roles are played by men (as they were years ago, and still are in all-male schools overseas).
If one can get by these prejudices, and prejudices regarding what "gay behavior" is supposed to be (this movie has feminine and masculine acting men, in both gay and straight roles), this movie will keep you riveted to your seat.
Clerks (1994)
Great independent film about life as a store clerk
Working on a remarkably low budget, this film company managed to produce a damn good film. The story is about the lives of two clerks, in minimum wage dead-end jobs, who have to deal with a rather warped public.
The banter that goes back and forth between these friends is what makes the movie great, it's fast paced, similar to movies like "Get Shorty" or "Pulp Fiction".
Anyone that has worked in a convenience store or gas station will instantly recognise the customers and characters in this movie, it really does capture what its like.
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Oscar worthy performances in a complex story line
Ian McKellen, and Lynn Redgrave gave performances worthy of an Oscar, and Brendan Fraser gave one of the best performances of his career.
The story takes place in the 1950s. McKellen plays a director called "James Whale", who was in vogue in the 1930s, but has since retired, and lives with his old German housekeeper. Hanna (Lynn Redgrave) hires Clayton, (Brendan Fraser), a
drifter, to do lawn work, but McKellen has other things in mind for the good looking Fraser.
What he has in mind though isn't the obvious thing though, although that's certainly on his mind. The relationship between them is far more complex than one of simple lust, and they each end up filling an important part in each other's lives, and find they are a lot more alike than different.
This movie shows that when two people really care about each other, or need each other, that the lines we clearly think delineate us from each other, such as sexual orientation, just don't mean as much.
This is a very well done movie that didn't fall into any of the traps and cliches most movies of this type fall into.
Some people may find this movie hits too close to home, and be disturbed by it.
Get Real (1998)
The best movie I've ever seen on "coming out".
What a great movie, one of the first I've ever seen about a gay relationship that wasn't stereotyped. Steven is a young man attending a private school in England, that isn't out, but isn't really hiding his orientation either. One day, he's at a park that's known to be frequented by "dodgy" guys, and he runs into the high school superjock, who's there for the same reason. Their relationship, with each other and their classmates, is extremely well done, with very believable characters. This is a great movie to let kids watch, or to see with people that might otherwise be intolerant of gays.
Trick (1999)
A fairly lame comedy, that really doesn't quite fly.
This is one of the lamer "gay films" that I've seen. It's 1950s straight approach to sex would have even been out-dated in the 50s anyplace but in America. The story is supposed to be a comedy about a young gay guy who isn't completely comfortable with his sexuality (although he wouldn't really pass as straight anyway), who sees the man of his dreams at a gay strip club. While riding the subway, the two lock eyes, and the stripper makes a play for this guy. In real life, they would have found someplace to "do it", a car, a park, the subway... But for some reason, they just can't quite seem to get it on. Even when they're alone in an apartment together, the timid one breaks out in a piano musical rather than have sex with the man of his dreams. It just wasn't at all believable, and their naive attitudes never really did exist in this country, except in the movies and on T.V.
Defying Gravity (1997)
A good independent film on coming out in an American college
Griff and Pete are two regular guys going to college someplace in the Western U.S., that enjoy rough housing with their friends, partying, going to sporting events, all the typical "guy" things, except dating in public, since they're gay. Pete is proud of his relationship with Griff, Griff however, is afraid that he'll have to choose between his lover, and his frat house friends.
When Pete gets attacked after they have an argument, Griff has the difficult choice to make of helping catch Pete's assailants and being 'out-ed', or letting his partner's assailants possibly get away.
This movie is not nearly as light hearted as "Get Real", and most of the characters aren't developed as fully as they could have been. I gave it a higher rating than I normally would have, since it was a really good effort by independent film makers.
The Sound of Music (1965)
The pinnacle of American "Musicals"
Almost 30 years after seeing this movie for the first time, it still captures my heart. The choreography, the music, the panoramic scenery, just about everything you could want in a movie of its era is in this film. One of those movies that really makes me proud of my ethnic heritage.