Shelter: The "gay surfer movie" (it's so much more!). See it now and discuss it!

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I've decided i wont go into what i dont like about this film, for it doesnt warrant much after we see the ending. The end of this film is what makes it all worth it. I'm talking about the last thirty seconds. It just wraps the movie up for me, it makes it all the worth, it takes away all the melodrama, the stereotypes and predictability. I'm not sure what it is, but i know it brought the only tear to my eye. Simply beautiful.....

I agree with you "Joseph Golden", I am not sure how it plays with others, or even non Brokies, but after a couple of years living with the memory of Jack and Ennis and their unrequieted love, to see the ending of Shelter is like exhaling, it is like breathing, finally, to me.

I can identify with Zach's character, when I was that age I went thru all of the joy/disgust routine. Zach is not just dealing with his own feelings, but the expectations of family and friends. Thankfully Zach is strong enough to push back.

[mvansand76]

I agree with you "Joseph Golden", I am not sure how it plays with others, or even non Brokies, but after a couple of years living with the memory of Jack and Ennis and their unrequieted love, to see the ending of Shelter is like exhaling, it is like breathing, finally, to me.

Very well-put, it felt like a breath of fresh air to me too, and it put such a huge smile on my face!

[mariez]

I have to make the time to sit and watch this again - I know there are so many little details I missed on my first viewing. 

I liked the chemistry between the two male leads. I like that they told the story without resorting to 'stereotypical' behaviour...this is just two guys that happen to fall in love.

(although I think Shaun was already in love to start with...I love the scene where he is watching home movies of Gabe and Zack while he was talking to Zack on the walkie talkie....that was very erotic to me for some reason...)

Yes!  Ditto to all of this. You can't fake the chemistry these two had.   And I really enjoyed the walkie-talkie scenes, too.   It's hard to explain, but there's  something so intimate about them. 

I loved that you could see Shaun sincerely liked being around Cody - he wasn't faking it just to try and impress Zach.  You can always tell when people are just pretending to like kids - and Zach knew that Shaun was the real deal.  Shaun was comfortable in his own skin and that had to be very reassuring to Zach.  Shaun is not only someone Zach can love, he can also look up to him and respect him - because Shaun has made it clear that he believes in Zach and his abilities and has a lot of respect for him.


Marie

[j.U.d.E.]

Very beautiful film! I agree with everyone who said it was a feel-good movie. Though at times you could sense the 'suffocation' Zach was dealing with being 'stuck' in his hometown. I felt like screaming 'go out of there!' 'breathe'! I don't see too many similarities with BBM, though. But I did notice the full moon! 

Before watching the entire film I had seen clips (I'm bad!) and the very apparent age difference kind of put me off from being really interested. But like someone here wrote, you can see Zach mature - from the skateboarding kid at the beginning and the very responsible young man he is at the end. The age difference did not bother me so much in the end.

About Zach knowing about Shaun, I think he did way back - when Shaun says 'I never knew you knew about me' I think it was very obvious that Shaun meant 'Zach knew about him being gay'.

I too found it a bit odd, that Zach's father suddenly 'disappears' at the end. Where did they leave him, when Jeanne leaves with her guy and Zach with Shaun and Cody? Gabe 'disappears' too.. And I would have liked to know what Shaun's new book was about, since they insisted on talking about it - it seemed to be an important factor when they talked about the unfinished new book and then it's never mentioned again.

It was nice to see how well the two actors got along - simple and natural. I liked how Shaun and Zach did so easily interact with Cody. Very sweet.

I too hope to watch it again with a proper DVD! I will definitely buy the DVD when it's available! And Mel, about the region-free DVD player (not the one on your PC), you don't need to buy another player region-free in the US. Like someone mentioned (I forget who), just google 'hack region-free dvd player' (or similar) and find a page where you have a list with DVD players. Find the one you have at home and it should give you the one-by-one steps (usually with your remote) on how to convert your region 2 DVD player into a multi or region-free DVD player. I hacked my DVD player a while ago and it works fine. I can play DVDs from Europe (region 2) as well as US (region 1) etc. They really should stop selling coded DVD players here in Europe..

j. U. d. E.

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

From Shelter (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942384/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942384/usercomments

4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
A surprising, wonderful film!, 19 July 2007
(10 out of 10 stars)

Author: vitaminbee from United States

This one is currently making the festival rounds, and last night played at Los Angeles' Outfest, to an enthusiastic crowd. That it was produced by Here! TV (creators of such awful crud as Dante's Cove) didn't exactly fill me with much hope, but to my surprise, I walked out of last night's screening believing that I'd seen one of the best films Outfest has programmed in years, and one of the best gay films about family dynamics ever. From writer/director Jonah Markowitz down to even the smallest details, this one's a winner.

The story seems very simple, but Markowitz takes his very familiar coming-of-age premise and molds it into a very rich and rewarding experience for movie viewers. In a nutshell, the story is about Zach, a talented young artist struggling to balance the demands and responsibilities of his disintegrating family with his need to express himself as an individual and deal with his budding sexuality. Lead actor, Trevor Wright, deserves a lot of praise for giving such a commanding performance in a role that involves a lot of quiet moments. You see so much of the story in Wright's beautiful eyes and nuanced expressions. He has one small scene, while driving home, that had the Outfest audience thunderously cheering, and all it involves is a slow, satisfied smile that creeps across his lips. And that's just one of many truly lovely moments.

The rest of the cast is top-notch as well. And the cinematography of Joseph White (lots of beautiful long shots, as well as some amazing surfing footage courtesy of surf director of photography David Warshauer) and the evocative score by J. Peter Robinson (and original songs by Shane Mack) really help make this one of the best gay-themed films made in years. I can't praise it highly enough. See it the first chance you get!

[mvansand76]

From Shelter (2007)

Have you already seen it?

[Shakesthecoffecan]

He has one small scene, while driving home, that had the Outfest audience thunderously cheering, and all it involves is a slow, satisfied smile that creeps across his lips. And that's just one of many truly lovely moments.

I remember that scene well, and knowing a theater full of people cheered it is heart warming. It is like when he can be safe and alone he can let himself enjoy what he just did.

[injest]

I remember that scene well, and knowing a theater full of people cheered it is heart warming. It is like when he can be safe and alone he can let himself enjoy what he just did.

and he wasnt' going thru a whole "oh no what have I done!" thing....instead it is like he is exhaling saying "Yes, I am home..this is what I need"

one of my favorite scenes is the one where he is sitting on the roof at night and keeps getting up and striding off screen as if he is headed out and then he comes back and knocks things off the table...then does it again...then finally "girds his loins" (zipped that jacket up determinedly) and charged off to his destiny!! I like that the camera was stationary, would not have had the same impact if it had moved with him...

 

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I have been trying to figure our where that is at their house, like on a patio or a driveway.

I just can't get over Jeanie would leave her son behind to be with some guy. I know it has happened in real life, but damn, the look on Zach;s face as they frive away he is so angry at her, but it all works out. 

[Shakesthecoffecan]

About Zach knowing about Shaun, I think he did way back - when Shaun says 'I never knew you knew about me' I think it was very obvious that Shaun meant 'Zach knew about him being gay'.

I thought about that too, but Zach asks Shaun about his break up before they talk about his book. It seem like he knows about Shaun, I guess Shaun could be assuming he thinks he broke up with a woman. Cody seems to have no problem with his brother being gay, I would imagine Zach would have know about Shaun from Gabe, but kept that he read Shaun's book, which must have had some risque material, from Gabe so he wouldn't be suspect.