derekkosilla's Reviews

Latter Days (2003)

8/10

Give this movie it's well-deserved nine bucks to see!

19 April 2004

Warning: Spoilers

This movie was extremely enjoyable. If you are fortunate to have this movie playing in a theater in your town, see it today. I imagine it will be awhile before it is released to DVD. The premise is simple. Small-town Mormon does his missionary in Los Angeles, comes across shallow Weho circuit boy, and somehow fall in love. If you enjoyed C Jay Cox's Sweet Home Alabama, you will enjoy this- I simply wished this movie's budget would have been more comparable.

Of course, there are a few noticeable flaws.MINOR SPOILER. For a boy supposedly growing up in Pocatello, Idaho, Steven Sandvoss had a killer tan line-of course, I am really am not complaining. I also found it hard to believe that even if Aaron (Steven Sandvoss) had a five hour layover in Salt Lake City, the likelihood Christian (Wesley A. Ramsey) could catch a flight that quickly, and not even put on at least a sweater for his travel. Finding each other almost instantaneously was also a little far fetched too in an airport of that size. However, the scene afterward at the airport hotel, makes all these uncanny coincidences almost meaningless.

Overall, I grew attached to this movie. Steven Sandvoss truly made this movie. His innocence, his looks, and his great body were what attaches you to this film. Granted, Wesley A. Ramsey, has a long way to go to reach the talent of his fellow actor, but he still had some flashes of brilliance also in the movie.

Now if you are reading this review, C. Jay Cox, I think if you did a screenplay in which Steven Sandvoss' character hooks up with Ethan Embry's Bobby Ray character from Sweet Home Alabama, and they fall in love in Atlanta while trying to discover their identity. Okay I guess now I am being a little far fetched....

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Beautiful Thing (1996)

9/10

The Brits do it again...

9 February 2004

It seems when it comes to gay-themed movies, the Brits outdo us Americans hands down. This movie is another example of this fact. This movie rates as one of the best in this genre. Get Real comes a close second.

The young actors that play Jamie and Ste do an extraordinary job sometimes forgetting how well they pull off such complex characters throughout the movie. I think any gay man growing up can relate to Jamie. He doesn't excel in sports, and almost too smart for his own mother. He is comfortable with his sexuality, and he doesn't give a damn what the world thinks of him. Ste, on the other hand, fears his older brother, and his father made his life miserable. As he states in the film, "they made me ugly". Ste is not all ugly, and Jamie realizes this, and is attracted to his brash, manly demeanor. Unfortunately, Ste's own demons and his insecurities are present throughout the film. At one point, Ste ashamed of rumors of his questionable sexuality, denies it to a heartbroken Jamie.

Obviously, I enjoyed this movie. The scenes between Jamie and his mother and likewise, between Jamie and Ste, are perhaps the best parts of the movie. I understand having Leah in the movie to provide the supporting role of comic relief was a necessity in most film requirements, but in this one, it distracted the viewer to an extent. I was so glad when it came out on DVD, so I can put my last VHS tape to rest, but disappointed that there were no cast interviews or extras at the end. Granted, the movie was made six years or so after the DVD came out, but you might think the film makers would find something of interest.

So England what will be the next great gay movie ?

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Food of Love (2002)

6/10

The food eventually spoiled.

8 February 2004

I enjoyed this movie to an extent, but I felt that I was cheated at the end. I really did not know why, but after seeing the casts interviews,I understood. All of these actors were British struggling with American accents. I recognized the actress,Juliet Stevenson, who played Pamela, Paul's mother, in some other movie, but I could not place where. She never developed the character as much as I hoped. I finally realized she was in Bend it Like Beckham, in which she was quite good as the mother fearing her teenage daughter's lesbian tendencies.

Kevin Bishop, who also is British, did a better job earlier in the film, when he didn't have to talk much, but he became quite annoying as his character became more self-centered and selfish.

I did enjoy the relationship between Paul and Richard. It was quite believable, and the chemistry between the two was the best part of the film. Unfortunately, it did not last very long. Paul Rhys, who played Richard, was quite good in his portrayal of a gay man, who would use his celebrity status, to lure the innocent and naive young Paul into his web.

My biggest question is, if all of their actors are mostly British, why wouldn't they change the setting of the film from New York/California to something like London? They changed the title of the film from the novella. It would of made the film more enjoyable to watch, with the actors being in their natural surroundings.

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The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000)

9/10

A great party movie. Okay, maybe not so great, but a good party movie.

8 February 2004

This is a movie, with the right direction, could make a great television series. Think about it, a diverse cast, granted some common stereotypes, but we all need to indentify with someone. A great location for a series, West Hollywood, where else would the gay man for the US Heartland want to be? And actors who throughout the movie developed quite nicely. It was a shame it had to end.

This movie had it's cliches, it's stereotypical gay characters, but what is wrong with a movie, in which it creates an atmosphere, in which you truly can forget your own worries, and somehow become "good-looking by association"?

This movie will be as close to any gay, big-budget Hollywood production you will see in a long time. Rent it or buy it for simply the J Crew guy. Man, I wish we got to see more of him.

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Get Real (1998)

9/10

an A+ for Ben Silverstone.

8 February 2004

Warning: Spoilers

The beginning of the movie (Spoiler?) was as real as any gay teen would like to admit. The scenes of the public toilets of Blasingstoke were surprisingly frank, and I was wondering if this movie was going to take on a direction of a more of an adult soft-porn movie. I was glad when it didn't (really I was), and after watching it, I watched it several times before it's five-day rental expired. I then purchased it as soon as it became available on DVD.

I have noticed this movie compared to Beautiful Thing several times. Obviously, they are both coming of age and out stories, both with one boy comfortable with his sexuality while the other at odds with his. However, with Beautiful Thing, (a film I also truly enjoyed) the premise is more between two "boys" while I feel Get Real is between two "young men". It seems like the character of Steven Carter, already went through the stage "Jamie" of Beautiful Thing experienced. I guess Get Real can be thought of as somewhat like the sequel of Beautiful Thing.

This movie ranks high for it's realism. I appreciated that throughout the movie. As someone who could identify with Steven at that age, Ben Silverstone, portrayed Steven perfectly-truly exemplifying what an insecure, gay teenager would experience at that stage of his life. His scene (spoiler ?) when he is waiting for John Dixon in the rain, crying with an empty bottle of wine they were to share, was on of the best.

This movie ranks in my top five of gay-theme movies. If the ending of the movie was disappointing to some viewers, all I can say is "Get Real".

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