wjmlorenzo Reviews

We Are Who We Are (2020)

WORTH THE WAIT! A LUCA GUADAGNINO AWESOMENESS!

[9/10 · 18 September 2020]

The first frame of the show already grabbed me like a magnet. The cinematography, the music score, the acting, the screenplay, the interesting details of EVERYTHING. Easily a perfect combination. The show is an experience from the get go.

Luca has brushed his magic wand once again and transcends everyone into his world. It is so vibrant and refreshing storytelling from today's take of "coming of age" stories. We need more of these shows.

I can hear the Emmys already!

Men of Hard Skin (2019)

wasted potential, erotic and offensively drab

[6/10 · 19 July 2020]

I had the weirdest hour watching the film as it traverse you to the uncanny and unprecedented chambers of romance and trauma weaved together into a single film. Its one gem lies on how it handled the bitter truths about sexual abuse, acceptance, and homosexual struggle, as well as a working poor on wits end, coercion, or simply being tangled everyday between a rock and a hard place, which makes it so painful because it's true.

There was no glamour or stirring scene, but rather dour, unpleasant upbringing attitudes except for the sister, Betina. There were no payoffs especially to the affair he had with Julio (Juan Salmieri). And suffocating chemistry he has with Ramirez, uninteresting main character with generic acting from Ariel (Wall Javier) and most of its minor characters dragging the already drab storyline.

The movie came out 2019 but it looks so rustic and frumpish, it felt being in the 90's soap operas of uninteresting slow burn genre with no direction. The plot goes haywire by the second and trivially introduces character that doesn't by any chance glue the film cohesively or make any difference.

Personally, the story felt like an old, erotic novel, or an afternoon drama flick series for adults in their 60's that have 600+ episodes that pays more attention to the sex details rather than the life after the sex, of which unfortunately made into a one film. ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Story wise? It has potential. Execution? Painful.

Love, Victor (2020–2022)

The Sequel We Never Thought We Wanted

[9/10 · 25 June 2020]

Love, Victor is so sweet and realistic. Well acted, especially Mia and Victor. All of the characters are gems especially the "best friends" who are goofy and quirky that blends together with the main casts. They should give a raise to whoever arranged the soundtracks to this show because it is very enticing and upbeat that amplifies the volume of their emotions. The conflicts are good, although a little dramatic but it is painted enough to reflect a situation.

This show learned from the lapses made in "Love, Simon" which is the lack of emailing between Simon and Blue, here it was emphasized which makes sense because the book transcends that feeling of old-fashioned but romantic communication.

Overall, Victor is soooo adorable. This show is really a treat. Good JOB!

Now Apocalypse (2019)

colorful, playful, blandly sexy...something not take too seriously

[7/10 · 16 June 2020]

I didn't have high expectation for this but it turned out to be pop tart of adult series. Enjoying means, I just want to see how the story unfolds in the most relentlessly pretentious sexiness. The male casting are clearly fan service, as well as the fornication, masturbation and heavy frontals. If there's any consolation is how they utilized every aspect of Beau Mirchoff's body, which is ethereal.

Speed Walking (2014)

outstandingly inspiring and highly relatable

[9/10 · 15 June 2020]

Kapgang (Speed Walking) is outstandingly inspiring and highly relatable film. It tells the story of an athletic boy tormented by his mother's demise, while struggling with his own hormonal and emotional changes. It's devilishly realistic that pinch a bit of truth on some of its awkward scenes. There were no dull moments, each scene speak for its own volume.

Superbly done film that holds no reservation for its daring moments. Pretty much everyone can relate to its diverse characters especially the young actors who nailed their roles. Villads Boye (Martin) and Frederik Winther Ramussen (Kim) both stole the show and it's okay. Jens Malthe Naesby as the older brother embodies the grieving petulant mama's boy, while being cool in his Ray-Bans. Each sub roles - Danish 1970's neighborhood - are overwhelmingly warm and pitched-perfectly acted. It's envious and makes you wanna live there.

This movie articulately embraced the subtle allegory of Racewalking or Speed Walking competition on how we live our lives; to not run, just walk VERY fast. It's a funny view but it's the trick of winning the game (life). This movie potently implies various lessons about the virtue of winning, the bittersweet of losing, and the gripping sensation of both triumph and underachieving whether in life or in a competition. Which begs the question; is life a race? is life a competition? is life like Speed Walking? Should you run? Should you walk? Or it's about overcoming failure and winning it over?

The movie contrasted the life of a Speed Walking champion (Martin) whose an actual loser in his own life, without making the film circle around sports. Entailing Martin's real life battles, as loser himself who understand forms of defeat like sadness, jealous, grief, insecurities, disappointments, and emotional traumas.

The final race at the end of the movie is a tacit knowledge that, winners are those who understand the losers and that the only time we become true champion of ourselves is when we learn to defeat the weight of our ordeals. That the only trophy we need is those of our own happiness.

9/10. This movie is a must watch even for heterosexuals. It's filled with deep emotions and impeccably funny scenes that allures you to the characters and tag along with the story.

L.I.E. (2001)

unsettling, realistic but poetically truthful

[7/10 · 13 June 2020]

The movie L.I.E. is as intriguing as the wordplay of its title. It tells the story of a smart but troubled-queer boy, Howie, whose haunted by his past ordeal and his current patriarchal situation, plus his confused desires that sometimes led him to detrimental activities.

I enjoyed the film but it's not groundbreaking. But it's a gem for exploring intriguing and untapped themes in LGBTQ cinema. This film reminds me of Jet Boy (2001), Il Sapore del Grano (1986) and For A Lost Soldier (1992) but it is far better executed. They all audaciously interpreted and unapologetically showcased taboos in the earnest form of low-budget cinema.

L.I.E. tries not to throw punches of metaphor but rather letting it open, telling a transparent and truthful tale of teenage angsts, grief, confusion and mayhem brought by freer boys.

The gem of this film is Paul Dano's acting debut, making his character's charisma shine for being smart, poetic, different, charismatic, observant and cunning.

The film does not domineer to point finger on what's good and bad. It simply exposes the tragic and poetic tale of the drifting boy down to rabbit hole, anchored by his mother's untimely death and his current father's uneventful parenting.

L.I.E. fails to forge heavy drama despite its potential material which landed to rather hilarious and vexing scenes, especially how shambolically stupid the way his father's raid was enacted, leaving their house like nothing happened (this scene is so hilarious), without even checking for leftovers like, you know, the welfare of his SON!? Leaving you felt morosely cringed to the lousy script and FBI's appalling incompetence.

As for the ending, when Howie said "But I'm not going to let it get me", shows his hopeful take on his seemingly bleak life. This force of death, and cycle, and stream, and cars and destinations; all personifying the Long Island Expressway. But just like how anyone can easily die there, not for him. He'll keep his eyes on the road, mark his direction, and go along on his journey.

This Special Friendship (1964)

a classic, cute and heartbreaking take on young love

[9/10 · 13 June 2020]

A cute and heartbreaking take about brewing a homosexual attraction with your classmate in an all-boys catholic school. It managed to pull controversial themes with delicate care.

Les Amities Particulieres is narratively simple film with mellow pacing. It's significantly symbolic as seen when Alexandre was holding a lamb conveying innocence, and the choir music in the background echoing sacredness. The movie captured the sheer thrills and bliss of two boys falling in love inside the den of priests, and the overall commotion happening in these schools.

The appeal of the movie includes the aesthetic punch for being not colorized. It became its original flavor. It unintentionally serves a key element in invoking a sad, closed upbringing of their school, suppressing growing love interests within those walls. It blends pleasantly to the tone, the era, and emotion of the film.

Aside from the monotone color, the film speaks the language of simplicity. Expressed in the story, the dress, dialogues, and even the location. It's so simple that it allows you to feel the moment that gives you a valid feeling of nothingness, of embracing those ordinary details of life that in some occasion, usually means more. Most of the time it displays nothing but walls, augmenting the notion of seclusion and unexplored areas from their school, which not only glimmered us view on these building structures but establishes a story as to how cornered the characters' emotional development that has been barred by their school's religious teaching.

One of the most noticeable piece in the film is the music choice - silence and choir. It embraces the choir in the background to set the mood and dose more nostalgia.

This movie is a must watch for gay film lovers. It underpins important aspects of film-making --- being brave and honest. It's sweet, oftentimes touching, and overall painful to great extent it becomes unforgettable.

Just Friends (2018 TV Movie)

romantic comedy, a definite eye-candy

[7/10 · 13 June 2020]

Gewoon Vrienden is a gorgeous film thanks to its actors. Some scenes serves a treat, especially if it involves Josha Stradowski as Joris, whose sizzling in all possible second. Every Joris' scene is a must have, whether he's watering the plants, driving with matched-color jacket and his motorcycle, getting sweaty in the gym, or getting drunk with classical music with nothing but his underwear. Majd Mardo as Yad also compliments as the rational, nerdy but rebellious boy, altogether becoming a fun and twisted cute couple.

Story-wise, it lacks depth. It fails to gravitate sadness to Joris' father and his struggle towards his mother's erratic moods. All in all, the adventure of Joris and Yad's relationship is a crunchy and soulful mix. It's a refreshing take on every gay lover's rollercoasters. Backed up by the playfulness of its music and cinematography, that punches the scene further.

The unsung hero of the film belongs to the grandmother playing an important force gluing everyone together. The surprise party at the end is a recognition and a gift for her unprejudiced view towards the adventures of love.

I give this movie a 7/10. A likeable film, easily digestible and relatable for all ages. It holds exciting scenes, sometimes too hot, sometimes a giggle. In a way, it's a mood.

Heartstone (2016)

A polarizing tale of the beauty and ugly side of human nature

[10/10 · 9 June 2020]

In 2016, an Icelandic film Hjartasteinn or Heartstone, was released in Toronto International Film Festival about two young male best friends exploring their youths and the unexplainable feeling that goes along with it. That same year, Closet Monster, Moonlight, Being 17 are some of the most notable gay films, bagging most of critics' and publics' attention.

But Hjartasteinn is a tear jerker. Its perfection and captivating in so many level.

This film was shot on Earth's literal heaven - Iceland. And there's something about how it was shot, that you just can't take your eyes out. It shows the breathtaking landscapes of the small village in Iceland while contrasting the ugly truth of human inclination towards same sex attraction, that is implicitly present in their village. Every pan and angle of the camera showcases heavenly world that sets a backdrop to a sad, culturally-tethered reality that is beautiful and tragic at the same time.

What made the film so engaging and resonating in everyone's emotion is how it captured a sense of societal pressure in becoming who you are or expressing what you feel, either you're in Israel, or America, or in Iceland. The painful gaze that the world will inflict to you for having young homosexual attractions and the guilt of falling in love with your best friend, is enough to make you hurt yourself and drown your emotions for life. And this movie envelops that.

Whether you watch this film as an adult or as a teenager, it still melts your heart away, and pulls you back in time where your heart was still young, and throbbing, in the most genuine way. As a child, I for one experience quite a similar case, not close but the idea of young, unrequited, untold secrets, sneaking out, belonging, relationships, and heartaches, are enough to unlock them back.

This movie simply makes you wanna go to ICELAND even more. Experiencing a puppy love or not in your teenage lives, this movie speaks for you. It has cold atmosphere allegorizing the seen and unseen realities within the village, its truthful, it's painful, and it's easily loveable. Thor and Christians' friendship is cute and very relatable to the level where it aches you.

A Moment in the Reeds (2017)

slow burn but cuts deep

[9/10 · 9 June 2020]

I love how this movie pulled off something that other gay films have difficulty with. Like the movie "Weekend". It is when a movie tries to make sense of two stranger meeting each other for the first time, and for some reason they found a spark and voila~ love begins. This movie was casual in painting that narrative that it just flows and you just left drifted with it, no qualm, no questions because the way their lives collide, the small talks, the stolen glances are real. And the three recurring actors appearing the screen makes more sense, comes to life from how well they act. Even the old lady neighbor is a treat.

There's so many things to appreciate from this film, other than the fact that it makes you feel present there, in that same moment, same energy, same world, even you're worlds apart watching it.

A Moment in the Reeds was honest in portraying conflicted characters of father and son relationship, being an immigrant, being a university student, being a son, being away, hating the world, hating life, and the endless tug of war of those emotions versus other people's realities that ripples to you, changing your state of mind and dissuading those emotions. For example, Leevi doesn't know that his own home could feel different again because a sudden person changed that.

I feel like each person in the world has their own "A Moment in the Reeds" kind of experience, when an unexpected life event or a person, just makes you feel something special in some way, even it's in the cabin, old house, a bar, or whatever. Those moment can come to you in a lightning, popping to your head in loop, rewinding without missing a bit of detail from that feeling, a moment. In fact, I believe the setting itself: a worn-out house, an almost remote countryside village, and a time-stopping lakeview and autumn reeds, sums up something that will make a moment...moment.

The message weaved in the film are so subtle and deep not rubbing in your face that it's about homophobia or racism, or any kindred of hatred that's present in some LGBTQ films, but its more than that. Its' about denial, acceptance, the ugly truth of reality, the consequences of our decisions, and the ache of not having a view of our future.

The way it ends is a cesspool for negative interpretations, but the future already leads you from their previous dialogues. When Leevi said after he finishes his study, there's nothing holding him in Paris but also crushed from the fact that, there is nothing left for him in the countryside. And Tareq said "I will not view this place the way you view it, this is my home now". Those exchange of ideals shows two extremes of opposing conundrums that shoves anything in its way.

It means that, the answer to the question 'what happens after the ending' is simple. That's it. There's nothing for them to be. Leevi will for sure venture his life and Tareq will continue building his rough life but new home, Finland. The movie belongs to that moment, their moment. Nothing else. And that's what make it so poignant and gripping, how people don't hold the choice that the world can throw to them, that we are driven by forces we cannot control.

Tareq and Leevi's lives intertwined at the right place at the wrong time, but at least it left them both with one special, timeless, forever living moment.

Out in the Dark (2012)

Painful.

[8/10 · 7 June 2020]

After watching dozens of gay themed films, I can easily spot a daisy among the grasses. And I genuinely believe it belongs to the latter, with "us against the world" love story. I WAS WRONG. This movie has wring my senses so much about LIVES of homosexuals in country with ruthless views of gay people. I am thankful that this movie was told to the world, captured beautifully, and created heavily in romantic drama. I would never look at gay movies again similarly after watching this. As for the title? I have zero idea what it meant until the last shot of the film. "OUT IN THE DARK". Brilliant title, amazing actors, riveting choice of hand-held camera angle.

Having an undergraduate thesis on gay people, I know gay rights are non-existence in Middle East, and other Arab/Muslim countries, but I have never walked, and looked, and be part of ones' life that this film has made me. It is painful and heart-wrenching, and sickening that these things are REALLY happening as we speak.

This movie is a must watch.