17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A breathtaking collection of queer short films., November 9, 2002
This review is from: Love Reinvented (L'@mour est à réinventer / Close To / Cherish) (DVD)
I must admit I was first attracted to this title by the photograph on the cover. But what gay man wouldn't be? To my surprise though, I also found 12 of the most thought provoking queer shorts I have ever seen -- 10 subtitled from France and 1 from the US and 1 from Australia. All films centre around how HIV/AIDS affect our sexual freedoms and our capacity to bond emotionally. You won't find tear-inducing hollywood 'emotion' here, but some of the most thought-provoking, lovingly crafted pieces of queer film you are ever likely to see.
Here is a brief synopsis of the 12 shorts:
CLOSE TO: a pick up in a NY cafe leads to a combined violent and tender encounter in the NY subway. But is sex better than emotion?
SO WHAT?: Two women are trying to form an emotional bond - one is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative. But who is the most scared??
A MOMENT: 2 young French guys head home for a one night stand. But they have forgotten to pick up what is required in this modern age of disease. Will they or won't they take the risk?
ALL IS NOT BLACK: This is the only short that I don't like very much. Two guys in a relationship and one says he is pregnant so his partner goes out and buys his food cravings. Perhaps it is trying to get the message across of them wanting to be just like a heterosexual couple??
NIGHT HUSTLER: A yound man finds himself selling his services for money. But what is his true motivation?
PREGNANT OR LESBIAN: A wonderful short about a teenage girl 'coming out' to her parents. This one has a great message.
INSIDE: A dying, lonely isolated young guy lives alone in his apartment and mentally recreates a past relationship that left him unfullfilled. This one is very sad.
THE TEARS OF AIDS: 2 attached guys meet on the beach and form a bond that lasts until one of them dies. A wonderful exploration of how love can happen anywhere, anytime and that HIV doesn't have to prevent that.
BURN RUBBER: A young gay couple embark on a weekend away. Has one been cheating on the other??? Well why else would he have another guys' bag in the car????
THE SEAGULL: A girl falls in love with her HIV+ bisexual best friend. This one explores the wonderful theme of 'love conquers all'.
AN ORDINARY NIGHT: His lover is dying in hospital but he is willing to spend the night with him. A very touching story.
CHERISH: Thoughts of his departed lover are preventing him from going out and finding love again. Should he or shouldn't he? Who can provide that answer??
As you can see above, these shorts bring up some great themes for gays and lesbians everywhere. Whilst there are no extra/special features on the disc, this DVD has become a favourite in my vast collection. See it, and it may just become yours as well.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kudos for this odd but well-made collection, February 8, 2005
This review is from: Love Reinvented (L'@mour est à réinventer / Close To / Cherish) (DVD)
Yes, this is a collection of very short vignettes all loosely themed around the AIDS crisis, some more directly and with more integrity than others where it seems an afterthought.
Still and all, the short films here are LIGHT YEARS ahead of most gay cinema, in almost every category: writing, acting, production. Anyone who has honestly watched and critiqued gay cinema would probably agree. Almost any one of these five minute films is better than 90% of what passes for gay film. The characters are believable as is the dialogue, when present.
I would say that the marketing is a bit misleading. This is not a collection of erotic cinema, despite the cover art. Rather it is a collection of relationships, fear, pain and joy that PWA's live with every day.
Apparently some of the reviewers didn't read the description carefull before buying/renting -- it is a collection of mostly French films, and it is not meant to be a soft-porn collection. Caveat Rentor!
Best here: "An Ordinary Night," "Burn Rubber," "Hustler" and my favorite "Inside."
Well done!
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
French film about gay experience, October 12, 2008
This review is from: Love Reinvented (L'@mour est à réinventer / Close To / Cherish) (DVD)
I love it that the French consistently decide to release films made by a whole bunch of film-makers. One which really works is PARIS, JE T'AIME. This one on the large doesn't deliver, though Marion Cotillard fans will love"The Sea Gull," a brief look at lesbian love. Man, does she know how to cry and make us believe her pain!
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