Author Topic: Shelter: The "gay surfer movie" (it's so much more!). See it now and discuss it!  (Read 323953 times)

Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Thanks Nevermore for the excellent review. As I was watching again last night I was wondering how I would find out the name of that bridge, the link between their two worlds, done up in blue. Thanks so much for sharing the geographic infomation.

I agree it is no masterpiece and I like the comparison to the afterschool special, I grew up on them! :laugh: I found myself comparing key scenes to BBM, like the strange music that plays when Zach goes out surfing after spending the night with Shaun, it is reminiscent of the slaughtered sheep scene. I probably should just let it stand on its own but the comparison is sometimes unavoidable for me.

And
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

mvansand76

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Thanks Nevermore for the excellent review. As I was watching again last night I was wondering how I would find out the name of that bridge, the link between their two worlds, done up in blue. Thanks so much for sharing the geographic infomation.

I agree it is no masterpiece and I like the comparison to the afterschool special, I grew up on them! :laugh: I found myself comparing key scenes to BBM, like the strange music that plays when Zach goes out surfing after spending the night with Shaun, it is reminiscent of the slaughtered sheep scene. I probably should just let it stand on its own but the comparison is sometimes unavoidable for me.

And


I agree it should stand on its own and is able to stand on its own, but there were definitely some scenes that reminded me of Brokeback.

Let me see.... uhm....

There's the getting drunk together scene (although the one in BBM ended in something a little more... uhm... hardcore... than in Shelter). I loved the scene in Shelter though because even though the wrestling scene is almost cringeworthy, the whole chain of events after that are so natural and as Marie called it, inevitable. And I loved the kiss, I can't help it.

The pacing scene where he's fighting to go and be with Shaun reminds me of Ennis sitting at the campfire before entering the tent.

I'll come up with more when I watch it again. LOL




mvansand76

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Wow, never thought I would say this, but, AMEN!  :laugh:

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I was all *swoon* when he's talking about Zach moving in with him. The way he says. "I live right near CalArts..." with that smile...

Will it be in the European format too? Is there a European format anymore?

I hope so! It's not being offered on amazon.co.uk yet, but I hope it will, because we can't play US region DVDs here...  >:(

It was especially poignant for me because the "sense of place" that was so resonant for the westerners in Brokeback was present for me with Shelter: it was shot in my hometown, San Pedro, California, the blue-collar harbor town that is the port of Los Angeles.

It must've been great for you to see your own hometown in the movie! I am Dutch and live in Holland, but I lived in LA for a year and I got that California vibe from the movie, and it even made me a bit homesick. I sometimes miss California...


Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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There's the getting drunk together scene (although the one in BBM ended in something a little more... uhm... hardcore... than in Shelter). I loved the scene in Shelter though because even though the wrestling scene is almost cringeworthy, the whole chain of events after that are so natural and as Marie called it, inevitable. And I loved the kiss, I can't help it.


OMG that is one of the nicest kisses I have ever watched, Shaun moving in so carefully, knows that Zach wants it but he has to be so careful to not scare him off, touching him, then kissing him, touching the back of his head and then......

Zach kisses back! Yes! TOUCHDOWN!!!  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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It was especially poignant for me because the "sense of place" that was so resonant for the westerners in Brokeback was present for me with Shelter: it was shot in my hometown, San Pedro, California, the blue-collar harbor town that is the port of Los Angeles. I grew up with a lot of Zacks and Jeannes, and most of them are still there, living their lives in the shadow of the Vincent Thomas Bridge that is a central (and wee bit obvious) motif.

If there's a weakness, it's that Zack's dilemma seems like such a non-dilemma--move in with the handsome Prince Charming or stay on as permanent babysitter for young Zack will big Sis Jeanne plays away with a succession of  losers? It's a legitimate criticism, but I would answer that it's difficult to overestimate the power of family obligation, and also, Sean's seeming perfection might raise suspicions that he's a little too good to be true. The character is supposed to be from the chi-chi Palos Verdes peninsula (though it looks like Malibu standing in for PV), bringing out Zack's working class defensiveness, which rings true enough to those of us who lived "down the hill."

Love the review, and, as a New Yorker, born and bred, I learned a lot from this. Thank you so much, I am now really looking for the DVD a month away. (I am also steamed   >:(, however, that the first release was shown in only one theater, and in so short a time, even in New York! I wonder if the film was run in a theater in San Pedro, and what the "Zacks and Jeannes" thought about it... More empowerment, I hope!)

Thanks again!  :)
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

mvansand76

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OMG that is one of the nicest kisses I have ever watched, Shaun moving in so carefully, knows that Zach wants it but he has to be so careful to not scare him off, touching him, then kissing him, touching the back of his head and then......

Zach kisses back! Yes! TOUCHDOWN!!!  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

And they stare at each other for the longest time before it happens...

Offline Shakesthecoffecan

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Thanks Jim for those reviews, I have not looked for many yet, but yes they really do treat the movie well. There is one line in the story in Frontier that Mel posted too where Brad Rowe says in an interview:

"What I love about this film is it's about opportunities. There's an opportunity for a kid to have a father, a man to have a lover, and an older man to find his art. What choices are made, well that's the journey."

 :)
"It was only you in my life, and it will always be only you, Jack, I swear."

mvansand76

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Oh Oh! I got one more!

Zach kicks a bucket all Ennis-style! At the end when that scumbag boyfriend of Jeannie shouts at Cody.

 :D

Offline Aloysius J. Gleek

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Hello, Shakestheground--

Hi, if it's me who posted the three reviews (New York Times, SFChronicle, etc.), I'm John, not Jim (as in john michael maurice gallagher, but whatever--

Thanks for starting the thread in the first place, and thanks for all the great info and vibes (Dank U, Snork)! I can't wait till I finally see the movie

xxx
John

 ;D
"Tu doives entendre je t'aime."
(and you know who I am...)


Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne)
and Pee-wee in the 1990 episode
"Camping Out"

mvansand76

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Hello, Shakestheground--

Hi, if it's me who posted the three reviews (New York Times, SFChronicle, etc.), I'm John, not Jim (as in john michael maurice gallagher, but whatever--

Thanks for starting the thread in the first place, and thanks for all the great info and vibes (Dank U, Snork)! I can't wait till I finally see the movie

xxx
John

 ;D

Hi John!  :D

I agree that a big thank-you needs to go out to Truman for starting this thread!  :-* :-* :-* :-*

I have asked for a mention of this thread on the banner, so hopefully more people will be able to see it soon... gonna check again for the European DVD...