Movies and Actors that have touched my heart
Okay, so this post is gonna make me look like a gay film freak. I do not care if a love story is about a straight couple or a gay couple. Love is love and it's a person's feelings towards someone else that is important. However, I've watched A LOT of gay (male) movies or movies with gay undertones lately. And let me tell you, I have loved them!!
So these are the movies and the actors that have touched my heart in the past and present.
Sorry, no cuts because I can't get a hang of it and it's really tiring to have to keep uloading images and rewrite texts. I just don't have the patience for it.
BEAUTIFUL THING 1996
...is a movie about two young boys who find love in one another. One of them, Ste (the guy lying on the bed), is abused by his dad and older brother and the three dark lines you see on his back are large bruises from them hitting him. Jamie (guy in yellow shirt) is his next door neighbour who has deeper feelings for Ste. He soon makes a move on Ste and is not pushed away. When asked if he's gay he answers "[he doesn't] know if he's gay, he's just really happy when he is with him [Ste]". Cute!
The actors; Scott Neal and Glen Berry are awesome as Ste and Jamie and 'Beautiful thing' is a wonderful movie about love and how it can appear in people you least expect. I actually watched this movie when it came out but forgot about it. Then a couple of weeks ago I was recommended this movie and realized I had already seen it. Watched it again, and I loved it.
- o - o - o -
LATTER DAYS 2003
...is a movie about a mormon missionary, Elder Aaron Davis (guy on the left) who moves in next door to party boy Christian (guy to the right) with whom he developes a bond that will change his life forever. Their love is forbidden and Aaron Davis' (Steve Sandvoss) parents send him to an institution where they will "fix" his "problem with liking guys". Aaron is put through a lot of cruel things such as electric chock therapy and being almost drowned in a tub full of ice. Will his love for Christian (Wes Ramsey) live on? Will they ever meet again?
- o - o - o -
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO 1991
Have I mentioned how much I love Gus Van Sant and River Phoenix? Well, apparently not enough times. My Own Private Idaho is one of the best movies I've ever seen in my entire life. It's beautiful in dialogue, in photography and in performances. River Phoenix plays Mike Waters, a gay hustler living on the streets. He sells himself to whoever wants to pay for him but only cares for one person...Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves). Scott was born a rich kid but chose a life on the streets. He comes off as gay - and he's VERY close to Mike - but is he really gay? And how much does he really care for his lonely and misguided friend?
My Own Private Idaho (kudos to Gus Van Sant for the title by the way) includes the most beautiful, original and interesting sex scene of all time - shot live but with the actors standing frozen in different positions of sexual acts and with lots of clips and no sound. And I applaud the director and the actors for going all the way and actually showing nude bodies. It's not a filthy or porn-like scene, it's just beautiful and real.
- o - o - o -
SHELTER 2007
...about finding home in a stranger. Zach (Trevor Wright, guy to the left) is living his life in a sort of daze. He works his butt off to get enough money to support his older sister and her son Cody. Since Cody's real dad left the family, Zach has been like a father to Cody and dedicates most of his spare time caring for his nephew. Then, one day he meets Shaun (Brad Rowe) who encourages him to strive for a better life for himself - one that doesn't involve him sacrificing everything for his sister and nephew. Zach finds a lover and a mentor in Shaun and they begin a relationship that will eventually lead to new family constellations and a new home. Coz after all, home is where your heart is.
- o - o - o -
THE 24TH DAY 2004
Dan (James Marsden) meets Tom (Scott Speedman) in a bar and sparks fly. He follows Tom home for a one night stand but finds himself being asked the weirdest of questions about past sexual encounters and whether he's "safe" (uses a condom) or not. He's a bit thrown at Tom's inquiry but it's soon revealed that Dan has met Tom once before, 5 years earlier, and that Tom asks these questions for a very valid reason.
All of a sudden Tom overpowers Dan and ties him to a chair and gags him and this is the beginning of two days of hell for Dan. Two days where he learns something new about himself and about the thin line between revenge and forgiveness. James Marsden and Scott Speedman are awesome in this movie (who knew pretty boys with previously less than stellar curriculum vitaes could be this great?!) Of course, you feel extremely sorry for Dan for being held captive and threatened. But, surprise surprise, Tom is not all bad and when you learn his story you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. Hence, both are likeable but both are also bad. Watch the movie and you'll know what I mean by this.
- o - o - o -
SOMMERSTURM (SUMMER STORM) 2004
...is a movie about a boy named Tobi (Robert Stadlober) who over the course of a few summer weeks realizes he's gay and in love with his best friend Achim (who btw is straight) and totally freaked out by Tobi's new behavior towards him. Sommersturm is a hard movie to recap since it's in German and my German is pretty much non existent, but anyway... Tobi and Achim are in the same rowing club and the film takes place at a rowing club camp. During a stormy night, a drenched Tobi gets to spend the night with a boy from another rowing club, Leo (Marlon Kittel), and things start to happen between the two.
L-R: Marlon Kittel and Robert Stadlober.
- o - o - o -
IMAGINARY HEROES 2004
Tim Travis (Emile Hirsch) is a guy who feels like a stranger in his own family. He's an outsider and only has two friends; next door neighbour Kyle and on and off girlfriend Steph. Tim's life tragically changes when a family member dies. Each family member mourns in their own way, one grows rebellious, one becomes bitter and angry and one just wants to run from it all. And Tim is stuck in the middle. He's a quiet, kind of introvert guy and no one really knows how he copes with the loss. No one gives him a chance to open up either...except for maybe his mom who he shares a great bond with.
As the story unfolds we understand more and more about Tim's silence and the reason for why he feels like a stranger in his own home. Emile Hirsch gives a heartbreaking and Oscar-worthy performance in this movie. Imaginary Heroes was the first movie I saw him in and I've been a fan ever since.