Reviews

I saw most of this film the other night on cable. Lots of guns and shooting and killing. For me the most interesting part was that it was filmed in and around Yogyakarta since I was just there a couple of weeks ago. So it was fun to see locations where I have just been.

But frankly I can't understand how they got permission to film at Borobudur - a UNESCO World Heritage site. A place of such peace being used as the backdrop for gun play seems quite strange to me.

Mickey Rourke's accent seems to go from French to German back to French. I agree it didn't make sense. The plot is fairly convoluted. But I don't suppose people watch these kinds of films expecting Citizen Kane. Kellan Lutz's nude scene was gratuitous (not that I am complaining...)

The acting in this film is what really stands out for me, especially Ludwig Palmell (Viktor) who plays shy/vulnerable to a T. The story is quite restrained which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it really causes the actors to work hard. Bad because I personally wanted to know a bit more of the backstory and the relationship between the boys is VERY implied other than the scene where they are cuddled up in the boat and you get some inkling as to where things MIGHT be headed. But the payoff to that part of the story line just isn't there. Even at the very end of the film there is a chance for it to basically be the closing image, yet the director once again chose restraint. But none of those drawbacks is a major issue. The sadness and loneliness of all the characters really shows.

Well worth seeking out.

I saw this film twice during my November visit to Thailand. I can't wait for the DVD release (hopefully with the English subtitles as in the theatrical release).

Despite the director's coy statements, the gay love story is the center of the film and it is that relationship that drives the action throughout.

It is very long at 2.5 hours. Some judicious cuts to the repetitive parts of the family drama would have helped. And while I loved the prologue that sets up the back story, I think it could have been pared down a bit. It's not likely to see much of an international release apart from some gay or Asian festivals.

The acting is fantastic and the boys have really great chemistry. Not to mention the fact that they are both just about the cutest boys in the world.

Some of the story doesn't make a whole lot of sense, including Tong's profession that he can't be Mew's boyfriend even though he loves him which is basically the ending of the film which is pretty heartbreaking. I had a tear in my eye pretty much from start to finish.

Despite it's flaws this is a remarkable film that I really loved. If you like emotional, touching dramas this is a film for you.

This is a film that really surprised me. It is the story of a slightly pudgy teenage boy in Korea who wants to become a woman. In order to earn the money to get the operation he works at the docks loading rice before school. But when he discovers, with the help of his quirky best friend, that he can earn enough money by winning the Korean scholastic sumo championship he decides to give that a try. His superhuman strength makes him a formidable wrestler despite the fact that he is much smaller than the other wrestlers. He puts up with the taunts of his schoolmates and being ignored by his alcoholic father who neither likes nor understands his girlish son. His absent mother is much more understanding but is largely out of his life. He's also in love with his Japanese teacher who he believes will love him too once he becomes a woman. He wins over his sumo teammates be being a good wrestler and an even better dancer. The scene where he teaches his much larger teammate his dance moves is funny and sweet. The big guys bond in a way that is actually rather touching. I suppose the story is rather predictable but the performance of the lead is extraordinary and he projects a real sense of confidence that you wouldn't expect from some one in his character's position. He knows who he is and what he wants and nothing is going to stop him. The closing musical number is also a lot of fun. This is an excellent film that I really enjoyed.

If you saw the Singapore film called Rice Rhapsody from a couple of years ago Manay Po will sound familiar. It's the story of a widow with three sons. The eldest is an engineer working at a building site with his "best friend" who happens to be his secret boyfriend. He also has a girlfriend who wants him to marry her. The middle son is flamboyantly gay and wants to win the Miss Gay University pageant at school. He has a hunky straight best friend with whom he is in love and who doesn't exactly relish his friend's girly behavior but he tolerates it for the most part. Until a new girl comes into the picture and wins his attention. The youngest son is in junior high school and is a bit more pre-gay than full fledged gay, but he certainly seems destined to follow in his brothers' footsteps. The mother has her own dramas to deal with as she works as a jewelry seller to try and support her family. They live in a house provided by closeted son number 1. Since this is a Filipino film it is loaded with melodrama. I really liked it a lot even though it is fairly predictable. The whole "be yourself" message is very well done. And the musical number out of nowhere is fun. When the oldest son finally comes out and gets married to his boyfriend it is disappointing that these two guys who are supposed to be totally in love never even kiss on screen. Whether that is due to censorship issues in the Philippines, the director's choice or the actors' reluctance I don't know, but it really does hit you. A fun film for gay audiences who like a little melodrama.

I agree with the other review that this film is very moving. It is not a perfect film but I enjoyed it very much. The music is rather syrupy which lends to the film's tear jerking nature. But the story is very well done and the performances of the leads are very strong and they do have very good chemistry. I'm not sure that the sex scene really made a whole lot of sense to me and there seemed to be a fair amount edited out of the story which might have made the film better and fleshed things out a bit more. I think the characters are rather relatable for most gay guys. I certainly had my share of straight friends who I was in love with over the years. And I liked the way the story is told from the beginning of their friendship. I wasn't sure if Carrie was supposed to be the same girl as the one at the beginning who gets her hair cut by Shane. Definitely worth seeing.

Stryker is the story of a drugs and prostitution turf battle in North Winnipeg between Native and Filipino/Asian gangs. It's very gritty and at times rather violent, just as you imagine the real lives of people in such neighborhoods really are. The story follows Stryker (a term for a wannabe gang banger) a young teen pyromaniac from a northern native reservation who hops a train to Winnipeg and gets caught up in the middle of the gang battle. The gangs are led on the one hand by Mama Ceece head of the Indian Posse (IP) a young native lesbian just out of jail and looking to take her turf back from Omar a half-breed former exotic dancer who leads the Asian Bomb Squad full of buff Filipino guys who spend their time working out at Omar's lair. Omar rules over an empire of drug dealing and tranny prostitutes but the drug overlords are upset that he owes them a large sum of money. It's a story I've certainly never seen told before. The film has an excellent Indian hip-hop sound track and terrific cinematography. I highly recommend this very indie film.

This film has been on Sundance a billion times and I just now got to see the whole thing. I agree that the performances are very good. Especially the grandmother and her quiet dignity.

To everyone who says the boy didn't change I wonder if you watched the film all the way to the end. From being a total brat he changes to really seem to understand his grandmother and appreciate what she has done for him. The whole thing where he tells her if she's sick to send word and he will come to her very fast; the little cards he makes for her to send to him because she can't read or write; his obvious upset at having to leave her... What more do you need to see that he has changed? It was hard to believe the kid could be so evil for a great deal of the film in the face of her being so nice to him, but by the end he comes around. I'm easily moved, but I sure cried.