Tuesday, June 2, 2009

SIFF Film Review

Last night I finally attended a SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) film: Boy. I should begin this review with the one that Paul Constant at the Stranger wrote:
An adolescent sells most of his nerdy comic book paraphernalia in order to rent a pretty young boy who dances in a nightclub. Boy feels vaguely cutting-edge, if just because it’s a movie about young gays set in the primarily Roman Catholic Philippines. Some of the shots are gaudy and embarrassing and perfect. But many scenes—including a never-ending sex sequence—drag on way too long. If you like slender young Filipino boys in their underwear, you should line up for Boy right now, but if that’s not your cup of tea, you’ll probably be bored.
If you know me, then you know that nothing is more perfect to me than a young, gay, and slender Filipino boy. Given that tidbit of information, it seemed only natural that I would have to see this film. Overall, the film was all right. It served its purpose, but I wouldn't praise it as anything that goes above and beyond in cinematic terms. The story was very loose; it never quite started or ended. A young boy becomes smitten with another young boy. They have sex. They share a few hours in each others very different lives; the end result is one of them throws up--he was overwhelmed by any number of alluded-to-reasons--and reading a poem about men liking men. Once again, I need remind people that I am terrible at writing reviews. Take them in stride.

[Updated: I found an interesting interview with the director here.]

3 comments:

  1. I've been reading some of your previous blog entries (and have more still to go) and I have to say that you are way to hard on yourself when it comes to reviewing. In fact I'd say that you do pretty darn well.

    I've been able to make some informed decisions based on some of your reviews. For films I haven't yet seen or books not yet read - I'll have to check back with you after I've experienced them to compare notes.

    Btw, I totally agree with you 100% about the allergy thing. Ah well, 'tis the season.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, thank you mystery reader from Detroit, Michigan. It's good to know I get some readers out there that aren't merely my close friends.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm ever so slowly fixing up my blog - so I won't be such a stranger to folks. I have it linked to my name on the Slog comments.

    Your blog is fun to read. When I have a bit more time I plan to respond to your call for comments/discussion about greed.

    ReplyDelete