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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Skip "Ricky" but don't miss these above-average short films., December 13, 2006
This review is from: Boys Briefs 4 (DVD)
"Picture This!" continues their practice of grouping gay shorts by subject, in this six film compilation about male hustlers and their customers. Similar to "Boys Briefs 3", viewers have the option of viewing each short separately, or seeing them all in sequence introduced by (in this case) "Sexy hustler host Ricky." (I'd pass on the latter.) DVD includes director commentary on five of the shorts, most of them made just for this DVD, a practice I hope they continue.
The shorts - rated individually - are:
"Into the Night" (Australia 2002) deals with the need for companionship, as a lonely older man hires a street boy mostly for company, and also portrays a much younger boy just entering street life. 4 stars out of 5.
"Boy" (New Zealand 2004) is about a young hustler who learns the truth about the death of a young woman in a small town, and has to fight for his life when the town wants him silenced. If you are partial to eclectic films with choppy short scenes (there were well over a hundred of them, averaging - according to the director - less than three seconds each, utilizing 47 credited actors, in a film that is only 15 minutes long!), you may like this more than I did. In the director commentary, he admits that the scenes are generally too short for people to realize what they just saw. Call me crazy, but I believe intentionally confusing the audience isn't a wise move. 1 star out of 5.
The "Gigolo" (German 2005) is a bisexual druggie hustler working the better addresses of the streets of Paris. Well done. 4 stars out of 5.
"Build" (Canada 2004) features a college student who quits his studies and turns to hustling to financially support himself and his alcoholic mother. Lead character is played by Writer/Director Greg Atkins. Gritty, well acted and touching. 4 stars out of 5.
When you hit "Rock Bottom" (2002), the only way to go is up. Socially backward man (played by co-author of the screenplay) is wary of picking up a teenage street hustler, while the young man is most concerned about keeping the man at a figurative distance. They find a common bond under unexpected circumstances. 4 stars out of 5.
"Gold" (Canada 2005) is the color of the hearts of both a young hustler and an aging blind artist who hires him as a caretaker and protégé. Very touching and realistic. 5 stars out of 5.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun collection of gay short films, February 27, 2007
This review is from: Boys Briefs 4 (DVD)
Sexy, sensuous vignettes of gay life, focusing primarily upon variations of the hustling scene (upscale, middle class, and street). The stories lean more towards moodiness and sensitivity rather than sordid unpleasantness. Previous gay hustling films (such as the "Pretty Boy") have made me wince, dwelling as the did on the 3 D's of prostitution (drugs, depression, & disease). This is more fun and fantasy, which is what we the audience want if we're going to watch a film on hustling. One of the short films stars Timothy De LaPriest, who is really hot stuff. It qualifies as soft core and is pause-worthy and slow-motion worthy.
The most obvious problem in the product is the narrator, who is miscast, trying to act like something he's not. He's a soft and technical guy trying to act like a macho piece of trade, and it doesn't work. But his bits are just a few minutes apiece between films. Mute him if it bugs you. I just went along with the trip. He's not as annoying as some narrators I've watched (an IMAX production comes to mind). Plus, he apparently has good abs.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
These Hustlers Get A B-., June 20, 2008
This review is from: Boys Briefs 4 (DVD)
BOYS BRIEFS 4 consists of six short films that are all about hustlers. Each of them, some more successfully than others, attempts to delve into the psyches of these men; and for the subject matter they are remarkably free of much sex with the exception of the last film "Gold" which is directed by Armen Kazazian. The remaining five in the order presented are "Into The Night", directed by Tony Krawitz; "Boy" (Welby Ings), "Gigolo" (Bastian Schweitzer), "Build" (Greg Atkins), and "Rock Bottom" directed by Mary Feur.
As one would expect from such a collection, some of these films are better than others. "Boy" from New Zealand has some beautiful photography, for instance; some of the frames would be suitable for framing and are reminiscent of the less provative photography of Joel Peter Witkin. There are lots of sepia tones. On the other hand, this one is a silent film. I am willing to bet that you'll be hard put to know what you were supposed to take away from the film, once you have seen it. In accompanying commentary, the director, who is eminently likeable, says that the film got a couple of bad reviews at first but then went on to win awards. If I had world enough and time, I would watch it again. But I don't and I didn't. Then I would put "Gigolo" (French) and "Into the Night" (Australian) in the Gentleman's C Category, with the last three having the most going for them. (Perhaps, however, I was just warming up to the subject matter. That is a possibility.) "In the Canadian film "Build" a hustler living with and supporting an alcoholic mother moves in a hustler friend with some interesting complicatins. In "Rock Bottom" U. S.) an overweight man picks up a crack addict. The danger involved with such an arrangement is palpable. The ending may surprise you. Finally "Grace" (also American) is about a young hustler who takes care of a blind, older ex-hustler. Besides having the best money shot, the scenes between the two men are quite moving at times. These directors, all of them, should be encouraged to do feature films, if they haven't already done so.
Now to Ricky" who introduces each film and describes himself as a hustler as well. He adds nothing to the film; he is actually a distraction and appears to have wondered in from some bad porn movie. He should have continued doing whatever he was engaged in and have left well enough alone.
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