Johns (1996)

Two homeless street hustlers in Hollywood with different ideals and goals struggle through a tough night in this bleak edgy drama. It's Christmas Eve, the day before John (David Arquette) turns 21. He wants to spend that night and the next day at the expensive Park Plaza Hotel, so he ripped off a drug dealer for $300 to pay the bill. But as he's sleeping, someone steals his shoes with the money in them. Meanwhile, Donner (Lukas Haas), a hustler new to the streets, is infatuated with John and wants to leave the city with him for Camelot, a theme park in Branson, Missouri, where they can work as lifeguards. Donner admits his homosexuality, but John believes that despite his occupation he's really straight, and he has a girlfriend Mikki (Alanna Ubach) to prove it. John tries to hustle the money for the hotel and pay back drug dealer Jimmy the Warlock (Terrence Howard), keep his girlfriend placated, and figure out how to deal with Donner's friendship. They meet several street people, including Crazy Eli (Christopher Gartin) and Homeless John (Keith David), and find a few customers, ranging from a closeted businessman (Elliott Gould) to others looking for violent, dangerous sex.

"Johns" is the first feature film for former TV documentary director Scott Silver. It is intelligent and realistic, with good performances, uneven editing, out of place symbolism, and a sad and tragic ending. Charles Brown and Danny Caron composed the original music, and Scott Silver wrote the screenplay and directed.

Du er Ikke Alene (1978)

A student strike at a Danish boys school in the 1970's is the backdrop for "Du er Ikke Alene", considered one of the best coming-of-age films ever made. The focus is on the conflict between the headmaster's old fashioned views and the liberal views of the boys. It explores the relationship between 15-year-old Bo (Anders Agensø) and 12-year-old Kim (Peter Bjerg), the younger son of the stern boarding school headmaster (Ove Sprogøe). Kim sneaks out into Bo's bed late at night where an intimate relationship begins. It is portrayed as something natural, and they do not hide it from the other boys, who consider it normal. Then a student is expelled for displaying pornographic posters and the other students decide to protest and hold a strike. Kim and Bo decide to "come out" to the school, and in front of parents and classmates show a video they made about their relationship that concludes with a long and passionate kissing scene. This film was made during a time when gay-themed movies were all but forbidden, and it is a brave, delicate, tender, unpretentious tale of the bonding that occurs between two boys. The story develops slowly, so some viewers find it somewhat boring. Directors Lasse Nielsen and Ernst Johansen made a groundbreaking film about first love without sentimentality, with depth, candor, and a sensitive handling of a controversial theme. The English title is "You Are Not Alone".