Film Reviews by None

This is a story of tangled relationships and, to some extent, obsession and is based on true events set in the 1920’s. Paul is in love with Hilde who is currently enjoying sex with the ex boyfriend of her brother (Gunther). Gunther, of course, is still in love with his ex which all leads to a complex and emotional battle of wills. The movie unfolds slowly and some people might find the pace too slow. It is however beautifully shot with atmospheric lighting and excellent performances all round. The score adds to the atmosphere and highlights an underlying tension and eroticism between the four main characters. There is also a constant feeling of sadness throughout the whole of the film. Not one for action lovers….more for lovers of deep, sophisticated and moody European films.

Like most people I was hooked on Season 1 with it's mysterious plot. Each week would reveal another piece of the jigsaw. I went into Season 2 with low expectation as I had heard on the grapevine that it wasn't all that good. However i only found it slightly less enjoyable. Season 2 still has the same format and surprises and enough to keep me hooked for the somewhat shorter season. If i was to be overly critical, some of the effects weren't as good (especially the flying sequences) and the whole story of Hiro ancient Japan seemed a little drawn out and unnecessary. Otherwise just as compelling as Season 1.

Within the first 15 minutes of this film I began to think…not another low budget, coming of age drama with some questionable acting but by the end I was pleasantly surprised. The sexual identity conflicting with religious beliefs felt a bit familiar but was sensitively handled. It raised a few interesting points but could have gone further in exploring the conflict between teachings and hypocrisies of religion and the universal nature of love. On the whole I found this film sexy and romantic with a degree of charm that left me satisfied despite the unconventional down beat ending.

Four short stories centred around black men who sleep with other men. As with most gay themed movies the production values aren’t brilliant however I found three of the four stories interesting and entertaining. The acting is adequate and very sensitive and touching at times, namely in the second story which centres around Robert. The short “playlets” deal with some important issues but the writing doesn’t go far or deep enough to make much of an impact. The sex scenes, which resemble the old nineties erotic thrillers, are done as montages in soft focus and are therefore a little sickening and clichéd, but this can be forgiven for the unconventionally normal portrayal of gay lives (not a drug or dance floor in sight). Definitely worth a look.

This is one of those movies that is visually attractive with a good looking cast. Characters spend a lot of time lounging around in the nude, sulking, dawdling, brooding, lost in thought. It’s as though the director is trying to convey a feeling of eroticism and sexual tension, but, unfortunately, it doesn’t succeed as the story (based on true events), script and performances failed to hold my attention. It is generally a slow and quiet film and I found myself not caring much about the characters or interested in who had murdered Lucie’s brother. The style of the film also doesn’t aid it’s coherence as the events do not occur in chronological order which leads to some confusion about what the purpose of the film is.

There are so many sides to this movie that it’s hard not to get completely drawn in. Part thai gangster movie, part gay love story, part family drama I was completely satisfied by the rather downbeat (or upbeat depending on how you view the movie) ending. The one and only gay sex scene is tender, erotic and stylishly shot. The muted colours and camera angles give it a stylish quality the highlights the love story while other camera techniques bring out the excitement and rawness of the gangster scenes. The whole cast of actors are excellent and the chemistry between the two leads is completely believable.

I have to confess, I rented this movie for two reasons. The gay connection and the casting of Olivia Newton John, however I was disappointed on both counts. Not that Olivia is bad, she is, in fact, surprisingly good. The problem is she only appears very briefly. Most of the other characters are loud, grotesque and played over the top. Towards the end of the film these characterisation started to grate. The best character, and funniest, has to be Leslie Jordan's cross-dressing Brother Boy, especially in the asylum where he tries, unenthusiastically, to lose his homosexuality.

Most of the reviews that I’ve read have been favourable but I just didn’t get it. It reminded me of a really bad American sitcom with very little plot.

The film had a decent script in parts but was so dull and slow in it's direction that it actually put me to sleep. The acting is the usual typical bad gay acting and there is no chemistry between the, so called, close knit group of friends, it was hard to believe they were friends at all. Not even the appearance of Jay Brannan could heat things up on screen.

Somewhat depressing drama that deals with two estranged brothers - one gay, one straight - who become close when one contracts a rare blood disease and begins the process of dying. Both performances are terrific, very underplayed but with a sense of melancholy and underlying tension but the film as a whole does little to lift the viewer above the dark subject matter. A few touches of light relief would have been welcome. Over all it’s a two-hander of intense intimacy and anyone who has ever lost someone close will feel it the deepest.

Like a Brother is the tale of Zack, a pretty blonde lad who has come to Paris to explore his sexuality, however it is quickly discovered that he has left something behind in his past. That something is his best friend who he pines over. The flashback scenes are touching and at times a little erotic as the sexual tension between the two begins to show through. However the story is hardly original. Young men with unrequited crushes on their best friends have been around in movies for a long time and Like A Brother has nothing new to say on the subject. The performances are generally good, and for the gay men out there, there is enough naked flesh and erotic moments to keep our interest. However at a running time of just under an hour and a rather abrupt inconclusive ending some viewers may feel slightly cheated.

A bold attempt to make a film about an obviously sexually repressed guy who uses a junkie’s addiction and dependence to force him to carry out his sexual fantasies. The film is obviously low budget filmed in grainy black and white which gives it a certain atmosphere and the story is interesting if a little disturbing. The problem with this film is that it doesn’t stimulate any emotion which is due to the fact that the two main characters are unsympathetic and the acting is not great. It lacked reality especially from the victims point of view. I watched this film not really knowing what to expect. I was under the impression it was a gay film however this didn’t come across at all. In fact I found the main character’s constant denial that he wasn’t a “fag” rather annoying and offensive. Why do all gay films have to involve psychologically disturbed characters, drug taking or sexual deviancy. Surely there must be some straight forward gay love stories out there.

The best way to describe Dante’s Cove is a gay version of Charmed. However anyone wishing to watch this series should know a few things. Firstly you will need to watch Series 1 and 2 as this is a continuation. Secondly I’m surprised that a Series 2 was ever made let alone a Series 3. Charmed it isn’t. It is generally badly acted and the plot is preposterous. So why did I watch Series 2 & Series 3. Because the only thing this series has going for it are the handsome and physically fit men. If you’re into smooth, muscular, oiled up bodies and tasteful sex scenes every 10 minutes with the occasional full frontal then this is the series for you. But don’t expect too much more.

If you want a good movie about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn this is not the one to watch. In this version Hollywood takes the usual liberties with British history and it is full of inaccuracies, which is surprising considering it is co produced by BBC films. The problem is fifteen years of history are compressed into two hours but there is nothing to indicate this. The last 30 minutes especially feel rushed in order to get all the facts in. I wouldn’t say I hated it, my feelings were more of indifference. The story is interesting, the performances reasonable but there was little emotion and because of some bad editing and lack of direction it comes across as a TV melodrama.

Thirty minutes into this film and I really didn’t know what to think. At first I thought the acting was pretty bad and as a result it left the premise of the aftermath of 9/11 poorly represented. But as the film unfolded I began to notice subtle changes in characters attitudes towards the tragedy. Whenever anyone came over to view the room the emotional change could be seen as soon as they approached and looked out of the window and I found this very affecting. We know what they are looking at without ever seeing it. And each character has their own story to tell. The most interesting reaction comes from Alex, as someone who was actually in the tower when the plane hit, and this is where the emotional centre of the story actually hits home.

Obviously a stage play, this low budget film sometimes feels slow and gloomy but stick with it. The main character’s gradual descent into fear, paranoia and anxiety is especially well realised. On the whole a brave attempt at drawing on the different emotions brought on by an event which changed the world forever.

This is a moody film told mainly in flashbacks which slowly pieces together, not only the murder of one of the main characters, but also the sexual coming out experiences of a successful civil engineer in a family run business. I was surprised to learn that it is also loosely based on true events. This is not a "feel good"/"coming out" movie but rather more complex issues with relationships as well as the underlying accusation of murder. It was a shame that the plot was not more complex or focused, or had more dynamic characters. This is one of those films where the acting is great, but basically the actors did not have much to work with. The ease at which Peter’s emotional journey takes place is a little unconvincing as he seems to take the abandonment of his fiancé and the rejection of his family in his stride. And Nassim’s eventual questioning of the relationship seems to come from nowhere. It is, however, refreshing to see issues, if somewhat dated now, affecting an older generation without drugs and excess clubbing. The acting is mostly good and the camera work deserves praise. Despite some flaws, Keillers Park is certainly worth watching.