The Houseboy (2007)

Ricky (Nick May) is 21 years old and is in a strange "houseboy" relationship with two older men, Dominic (Damián Fuentes) and Simon (Tom Merlino) in NYC. Although the two are a committed couple, they have added Ricky to the mix for fun. He is their bed partner or "toy" that they use to convince themselves that their relationship is as solid as it was when they first met 10 years before. As Christmas vacation approaches, the novelty is wearing off and Ricky overhears them discussing how they'll dump him when they return from their vacation. One wants a "new toy" for Christmas. Feigning ignorance, when the couple goes to one of their parents for Christmas, Ricky is left alone to housesit and care for their small menagerie of fish, rabbits, hamsters and feral cats. Ricky sees them off, starts to wallow in his misery, and plans to commit suicide in their home on Christmas Eve, so that they will discover him when they return.

To combat his loneliness, Ricky starts cruising the streets of Queens and uses the internet to line up a series of humiliating and dangerous hookups. One guy arrives and recalls being at the apartment a week earlier with one of Ricky's friends. Another shows up, does the deed, and then begins an attack of verbal abuse. A third guy, clearly a druggie, calls up a few of his friends and turns the apartment into an all-night crystal meth and sex orgy that Ricky observes from the sidelines, getting involved only to comfort one teenager he finds crying in the bathtub. At Ricky's lowest point, he finds himself on his knees in front of a fat middle-aged guy in a kitchen in some forgotten corner of the city.

Salvation comes from sweet Blake (Blake Young), a well-adjusted young gay man Ricky encounters on a park bench. Blake is smart, funny, kind, and not the kind of boy to kiss on the first date. As Ricky continues to work through his loneliness, self-hatred, and estrangement from his family, he finds himself gravitating toward Blake while realizing that his self-destructive behavior isn't going to get him anywhere but dead. College kid Blake is his own age, genuinely friendly and real, but is put off by Ricky's premature push toward intimacy. Ricky begins to realize there is something to live for after all. Blake is everything that he wants in a man, and it isn't long before the one-time boy toy is pondering a new life with someone he can truly love.

This film is a character study of a lost young man looking for love and answers in all the wrong places. It's entertaining, tender, raw, with an aimless story that leaves you wanting to learn what happens with the house boy. Despite some good eye candy, the film is darkly emotional and somewhat depressing at first. But there are some surprises in store. Acting is adequate, the direction a bit sloppy in parts, and this is just an average dramatic gay themed movie that has its moments. There are a couple of scenes that should have been left out: one involving Mr. Santa (Murray Hill) and Mrs. Clause jumping around, and another involving an orgy. The orgy was just exploitative and detracts from the serious subject matter. There is some nudity, graphic drug use, and simulated sex. The DVD includes some outtakes. Spencer Schilly wrote the screenplay and directed.

A Four Letter Word (2007)

The four letter word is "love", appropriated from a Bob Dylan song. Not an auspicious title, if you're looking for originality. It's about 6 people in NYC who are adrift. Flamboyant party boy Luke (Jesse Archer) enters a gay bar with his friends and meets his match in hot macho Stephen (Charlie David). Luke considers a stable and loving monogamous relationship with him. However, Luke's dream seems impossible when he catches Stephen in several lies, including how he earns his comfortable living and fancy apartment. Awakening in a twisted heap of naked strangers, Luke heads to work at a Chelsea sex store where he must face his co-worker Zeke (Cory W. Grant), a confrontational gay crusader who wants to change the world. Zeke takes gay liberation seriously, whereas Luke likes to party and takes nothing seriously. He's offended when Stephen calls him a gay cliché, then surprisingly they find each other attractive and interesting. Stephen has a great apartment, a trust fund, and artwork he's painted on his walls.

Up the street, actor and waiter Peter (Steven M. Goldsmith) is moving in with his long time boyfriend Derek (J.R. Rolley). Peter is a neat-freak, and Derek is nice to everyone, but Peter's compulsiveness threatens the relationship. His restaurant boss Marilyn (Virginia Bryan) is maniacally planning her wedding, but when her AA sponsor Trisha (Allison Lane) declares her attraction, Marilyn's sobriety and marriage are in jeopardy. Marilyn can't stop obsessing about wedding details. Smitten with Stephen, Luke considers giving monogamy a chance. He attends a sexual compulsives meeting where he discovers he is not the only nympho in New York. Luke is falling for Stephen, but it soon turns out that Stephen's cash doesn't flow from a trust fund--he works hard for his money as a hustler. A relationship between a playboy and a prostitute depends on whether that is the only secret Stephen is keeping. Among party boys, monogamists, addicts, and activists, Luke's search may unearth answers he cannot handle. Ultimately, the protagonists realize that being true to yourself is the best way to deal with the many complications of a four letter word called love.

This is essentially a sequel to director Casper Andreas' 2004 comedy "Slutty Summer", which included the characters Luke and Marilyn, as well as also taking place in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. There's an underlying lesson about self-acceptance and following your dreams, but the film suffers from poorly-directed overlapping stories and cheesy dialogue, as well as a gratuitous "nude male yoga" scene that has nothing to do with the story. It's a funny, honest, provocative, and endearing romantic comedy filled with one-liners and lots of eye candy. The acting is good, but this film is not a deep analytical view of gay men and sex in the new millennium, but a fun romp with interesting characters. If you want to be entertained, this movie will certainly fill the bill. Scott Starrett composed the original music, and the screenplay was written by Jesse Archer and Casper Andreas, who also directed. Bob Dylan should sue the producers of this film for ripping off his song title, but he's not that kind of person.

Back Soon (2007)

Aspiring actor Logan Foster (Windham Beacham) reads the note that his wife Adrianne (Maggie McCollester) left for him when she went out to run an errand. Unfortunately, she was involved in a fatal auto accident and never returned. It looks to the couple's friends that Logan will never recover from the shock, and they aren't surprised when he decides to sell the couple's dream house, since it holds too many memories. The first and only person to look at the house is reformed drug dealer Gil (Matthew Montgomery). He thinks Logan is the real estate agent and asks him for a tour of the house. After the tour Gil is compelled to buy the house. It is only after the deal closes that he realizes Logan was the former owner. The two men are drawn to each other and form a friendship that evolves into much more.

The close friendship takes a step beyond one night, when a sleepwalking Logan enters Gil's bed and the two straight young men have sex. This seems to be aided by Logan's dead wife making ghostly visits to both men, and she seems to know this was destined to happen and is encouraging it. Both are confused by this since neither one of them is gay. However, they work through their confusion and admit their love for each other. They are wise enough to realize that love is a rare and special gift and when it is offered you take it without worrying about how the package is wrapped. But as their relationship deepens, Gil's mysterious past erupts and a startling revelation about the true nature of their connection threatens to destroy it and change their lives forever. The ending is not predictable and leaves the viewer to ponder the possiblities.

Reuniting the actors from his hit film "Long Term Relationship", director Rob Williams' "Back Soon" is a tender, sexy drama that explores the depths of love, loss, identity and hope. This isn't your typical gay romance, and only some minor characters are gay. While done on a small budget, from a screenplay with more than its share of trite, cheesy lines, and featuring acting (with the exception of the two lead actors) that would be laughed off a high school stage, the story is at least original in its approach to explore the dynamics of attraction and love, with a twist that is both thought-provoking as well as slightly cringe-inducing. Reviews and comments are mixed, since it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Gay fans of the supernatural may like it more. DVD extras include actor and director commentaries, cast interviews, and a stills gallery. Austin Wintory composed the original music, and Rob Williams wrote the screenplay and directed.

A Very Serious Person (2006)

Jan (Charles Busch), an effete ex-dancer male nurse from Denmark, takes a new job with Mrs. Aronson (Polly Bergen), a terminally ill Manhattan woman raising her parentless precocious 13 year-old grandson Gil (P. J. Verhoest). He is a slightly effeminate boy with a love for old Hollywood movies, writing stories about great heroines, dressing like Marie Antoinette, and refusing to learn swimming or any outdoor activities in favor of watching "Gone with the Wind". Although Gil and housekeeper Betty (Dana Ivey) are certain that Grandma will dislike Jan as much as they do, Jan suits Mrs. A perfectly, cooking her healthy foods and soothing her in a way no previous nurse has been able to do. Jan also becomes a role model for Gil, and tries to tame some of his acting-out and conflicts with his grandmother.

Though Jan has no interest in kids, he eventually finds himself drawn to Gil, and is concerned about what will happen to the boy when his grandmother passes away. He is surprised by this, as he is both a bachelor and a gay man. In fact, he is really concerned about Gil's somewhat flamboyant developing personality, certain that this will cause problems as he gets older. Feeling protective, Jan tries to put a damper on the boy's enthusiasms, aware that a very different life awaits him in Florida at summer's end, and that he had best start acting less like a queen and more like a "serious person". Spending the summer by the Jersey shore, the emotionally reserved Jan finds himself oddly cast as a mentor to Gil in having to prepare the sensitive boy for life with his cousins in Florida. A deep friendship grows between these two solitary people. By the end of the summer, Gil has developed a new maturity and independence, while the enigmatic Jan has revealed his own vulnerability.

Other characters include the outrageous gay hairdresser Lee (Carl Andress), his associate Crystal (Alexa Eisenstein), and Jan's love interest Gilles (Simon Fortin). This is a tight comedy with an edge and it is a solidly entertaining movie. It has a fine story, good cast, and enough thoughts about connecting isolated individuals to make the movie touching. Spanning the ages from young teenager to middle age to elderly, they are all needy souls trying to find solid ground. Each one is lonely and wants acceptance and love. The story is how the three learn from each other, give and take, and find the niche that proves the summer was not wasted. It's a coming-of-age film, a heart-warming gay tale of evolving sexual identity and self-discovery that feels both familiar and completely original. Andrew Sherman composed the incidental music. The screenplay was written by Carl Andress and Charles Busch, who also directed.

Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom (2008)

Based on the popular LOGO TV series "Noah's Arc", this romantic comedy movie continues the story of the second series. It explains what happened after the car accident with Wade Robinson (Jensen Atwood), which was a cliffhanger. Noah Nichols (Darryl Stephens) and Wade have reconciled since the series abruptly ended and they and the boys have assembled on Martha's Vineyard at Wade's family vacation home, an ocean-side mansion, to celebrate their wedding. Noah and his Arc: Alex Kirby (Rodney Chester), Ricky Davis (Christian Vincent), and Chance Counter (Douglas Spearman), retreat to Martha’s Vineyard for Noah’s intimate marriage to Wade. Whether they will actually tie the knot (or jump the broom) is anybody's guess, and they don't actually seem too sure about it either.

While Alex’s husband Trey (Gregory Kieth) video chats from home to babysit their newly adopted Ethiopian child, Chance brings his husband Eddie (Jonathan Julian), and Ricky is accompanied by 19-year old Brandon (Gary Leroi Gray) for some lighthearted dating. But as the four couples hole up and attend separate parties, each relationship begins to unravel. Alex’s pill-popping throughout the weekend, compiled with surprise drop-ins from Noah’s boss Brandy (Jennia Fredrique) and closeted superstar rapper Baby Gat (Jason Steed), don’t help Noah and Wade work through last-minute jitters. Appearances by two moms, Noah’s (Suanne Coy) and Wade’s (Tonya Pinkins), also make for some fun and tense situation comedy.

This movie has all the verve of the series, so if you are already a fan, the romantic tale will not disappoint. It's funny, sexy, warm, moving, and it feels real--a study in relationships, friendship, courtship and love, with lots of eye candy. The editing of this movie is tight and it's packed with everything fans loved about the series. Characters have all aged well and have no trouble going back into their "Noah" characters. Baby Gat steals the show, but Wilson Cruz is absent. It is a little short with a runtime of 101 minutes and the storylines could have been more developed. Adam S. Goldman and Julian Wass composed the music. John R. Gordon and Patrik-Ian Polk wrote the screenplay derived from Q. Allan Brocka's story. Patrik-Ian Polk directed.

And, There you are (2007)

Ray Dalton (Roy Kirkland) is a successful gay businessman, sharp dresser, drives a Lexus, and never meets a stranger. Love seems to be the hardest thing for him to acquire. Ray gets much advice from relatives, friends and even professionals, but continues his search for the one right man. He only dates straight guys who have girlfriends, which obviously makes his quest virtually impossible. Maybe if he just stopped dating straight men with girlfriends, he could find his one true love, but for Ray they're just too tempting. But how will he ever find true happiness when he's looking in all the wrong places? Realizing that his attraction to straight men is an emotional dead end, he does visit a psychiatrist, a real weirdo of a "hipster shrink". You'd think he'd learn his lesson after two encounters, because nobody in their right mind would behave the way this character does in real life, although the film is supposedly based on "actual events".

Gay life is not for everybody and this movie makes a good point of that. This quirky “slice of life” comedy is packed with great characters, sexy men, and even a few girls. There’s always another man around the next corner, and this lighthearted film is a gay comic dating adventure, where the straight men aren't so straight, but it doesn't make finding love any easier. It is obviously tongue in cheek humor with sub-par acting and a predictable plot. Lots of good looking shirtless straight guys is the basic theme. Technical flaws include the loudness of the songs. The credits roll is glacially slow, and the DVD extras include 25 minutes of out takes and Roy's loud music video. Expect a light funny independent low budget movie with lots of shirtless straight men and you won't be disappointed. Roy Kirkland wrote the screenplay and Doug Sebastian directed.

Altromondo (2008)

"Altromondo" is an experimental drama composed entirely of monologues. It's a personal journey through male homosexuality, from darkness to light, from total denial to complete acceptance, as told in monologues performed by actors adapted from interviews with ordinary Italian gay men. Each character tells about his own life experiences, sufferings and joys. Starting from the denial of homosexuality itself, and through stereotypes, prejudices, and the various submerged obsessions it comes to the acceptance of homosexuality. The film is a multicolored kaleidoscopic trip through a varied and multi-faceted aspect of the human experience that is rarely represented on the big screen. It reaches into the depths of Italy's gay community and pulls out stories that range from the taboo to the heartbreaking. Closeted, openly gay, occasionally gay, proud, ashamed, fetishistic--the men come from all walks of life, and they turn their reminiscences into little works of art.

This docudrama is an indictment against homophobia, animated by the hope of showing the way forward for those who have not yet found a way to express their sexual orientation. It's a lucid film on the myths and prejudices surrounding the homosexual reality in Italy, without false modesty and without compromise. Overall, this fascinating patchwork explores the constant struggle between the individual's innermost desires and the ongoing search for normalcy. Giordano Corapi composed the original music, and Fabiomassimo Lozzi directed and wrote the screenplay adaptation from the works of Antonio Veneziani. In Italian with English subtitles. The English title is "Another World".

Arizona Sky (2008)

Jake (Blaise Embry) and Kyle (Kyle Buckland), two teenagers in rural Arizona, go camping out in the desert for one last time before Jake and his family move away to the big city. They have become sexually intimate, but they agree to keep it a secret. Kyle is worried about facing the consequences if his sexual relationship with Jake becomes known. They express their mutual love, and sadly face the impending separation and sleep together in the bed of Kyle's pickup truck for one last time. Kyle says tragically, "My best friend is moving away--forever!" He wants to go to college, but stays home to care for his ailing mom, tend the horses and work the diner.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Jake (Eric Dean) is a successful filmmaker in Hollywood working on a science fiction film project in his living room with his assistant Brian (Evan Cuthbert). They discuss their respective main goals in life before they get down to business. Due to the growing stress of his work Jake begins to have anxiety attacks: he has one in front of Brian, who urges him to take a vacation. Jake has come to realize that he is gay, but his understanding of life is that it is 10% show and 90% business. He has virtually no private life. His straight friend Steve (Brent King) reinforces Brian's suggestion that Jake take a "personal journey" away from it all, and after another anxiety attack Jake decides to go back to his hometown in Arizona to see if he can find himself. At the last minute he asks Steve to come along, and he agrees.

When Jake gets back to Arizona he tries to find out about Kyle (Jayme McCabe) through Kyle's Aunt Elaine (Patricia Place), whose name and address he finds in the local telephone directory. In a warm visit with Elaine he finds out that Kyle still lives there, just a few blocks away from his aunt, whom he visits several times a week. In a way she has taken the place of Kyle's deceased mother in his life. He holds down three jobs: the morning cook at the diner, ranch hand, and a partner with his cousin Heath (Emerson Smith) in fixing cars and tractors.

Jake and Kyle have a pleasant reunion in Kyle's living room. To both men's surprise, old emotions are rekindled and they discover that they still love each other. But this time, with the help of family, they are about to find out how they can be happy once again---under the Arizona Sky. In a scene in Jake and Steve's motel room, Steve tells Jake about a secret he discovered about his grandfather when he was a boy riding his bicycle around town: his grandfather gave food to an indigent family. Steve concludes that doing things like that may be what life is all about. Later Jake discovers that Kyle like Steve's grandfather is also helpful to a poor woman, Cora (Bernadette Murray), and her family. She tells Jake that she wouldn't know what she would do if it weren't for Kyle's help. Jake sees that Kyle understands what life is all about, and in his desire to share in it, he gives the woman money.

Kyle is unsure and troubled about his feelings for Jake, still self-conscious and afraid of coming out as a gay man. He is encouraged to do so by his Aunt Elaine, who has always known the truth. She urges him to be himself and find happiness in life. Kyle's cousin Heath is not so open-minded, and when he discovers Kyle and Jake in bed together one morning, there is an emotional showdown and a confrontation. Kyle stands his ground in admitting to Heath that being gay is part of who he is and something he will not hide any longer.

Jake and Kyle decide to move in together with Jake concluding that he can make films just as easily in rural Arizona as in urban California. The last scene of the film shows Jake and Kyle once again in Kyle's pickup truck looking up at the Arizona sky.

This is a beautiful old-fashioned gay romance with a happy ending. If you're fed up with gay-themed movies with tragic endings, this one is for you! It also proves that not every gay film requires sex scenes to keep the audience interested. The young actors who play the leads as teens have good chemistry, and actually resemble Eric Dean and Jayme McCabe who play them as adults. The supporting cast is also very good, but all suffer a bit from heavy-handed direction. The sound is a bit strange at times, as the microphones seem to be switched on and off so background noise comes and goes with it. The DVD has director and actor commentaries and chapter stops only. Mark Krench composed the original music. Jeff London and Jefferey London wrote the screenplay and directed.

Dog Tags (2008)

Nate Merritt (Paul Preiss) was abandoned by his father and lives with his mother Debbie (Candy Clark), a Hollywood actress turned recluse, and his fiancée Trish (Amy Lindsay). They don't seem to love him for who he is, but for the the man they think he could be. Life is not easy for them financially so he joins the Marines.

Hitchhiking to a jewelry store near the base, Nate goes on leave in Palm Springs and meets Andy Forte (Bart Fletcher), a free-spirited and energetic young gay man who dreams of going to Hollywood for the glamor. Andy is an equally lost "careless carefree" loner who "loses track of time" and "can't remember whether something happened four minutes ago or forty years from now." Like Nate, Andy is on leave when the two meet at the "Straight Marine's First Gay Sex" porn shoot that neither thought they'd be involved with thanks to the manipulation of its sleazy producer. Andy and Nate become good friends platonically but as time passes their relationship becomes physical and deeply intimate. Interestingly, they are polar opposites--Nate is introspective and pensive while Andy seems to be without a care in the world.

Nate, a mechanic, helps fix Andy's car and the two learn more than they should by eavesdropping on conversations each has with the white trash families they're trying to escape. They find themselves in vulnerable positions regarding each other and as Nate looks more deeply into himself, he discovers and uncovers his missing father's identity. He also discovers who he actually is. A picture frame, a drive in movie theater screen, and the titular set of "Dog Tags" all fit into place in the haunting mystery of who Nate is, and who his long lost father isn't. It's a heartbreaking love story with a sad ending.

This isn't really a gay romance, as the sexuality of the young men seems as confused as they are, meaning this might just be one side trip in their paths to adulthood. But it is a beautifully-told story of life and love, how loneliness and lack of direction can affect a person, and how much difference a good friend can make. It's an emotional and moving coming of age drama with too many pointless flashbacks. Comments from viewers are mixed. One wrote, "You keep wishing that something will be happening and you keep waiting until the end, too slow and not too good acting." "Curious" is not rated, but has sexual content and rear nudity. The DVD has a director commentary and trailers. Jeffery Alan Jones composed the original music, and Damion Dietz wrote the screenplay and directed.

2 Minutes Later (2007)

Famous portrait photographer Kyle Dalmar (Michael Molina) goes missing, and lesbian detective Abigail Marks (Jessica Graham) teams up with the artist's hunky gay identical twin Michael (Michael Molina) to solve the mystery. Michael is an insurance adjuster wrestling with his homosexuality. It begins when an assignment takes him to Philadelphia and he makes contact with his licentious brother. However, Kyle mysteriously disappears, and Michael pretends to be him in order to investigate with Abigail. Soon Michael finds that he enjoys his brother's libidinous lifestyle.

With modest Michael posing as arrogant Kyle, the detective duo enter a world of deadly secrets with suspects including Emily Monroe (Ben Sander) and Victor (Peter Stickles). Between clever banter, trysts and gunshots, the pair uncover assistants who have designs on their bosses, clients who have an interest in detectives, and killers who want them stopped. Navigating between identity and duplicity, Abigail and Michael discover that photos never lie, and two minutes can mean the difference between life and death. There is a twist surprise ending.

This sexually charged thriller is a fast-paced drama that leaves little time for character development. With the exception of the two leads the acting is somewhat wooden. The pace of the story is both a blessing and a curse as the denouement is rushed, which removes the cleverness of various plot strands coming together. If the film had been extended by at least 15 minutes it might have succeeded as a good mainstream movie. The plot is believable, but the ending seems to require a sequel. It's a chic and sexy thrill ride with a lot of male nudity, and many viewers enjoy it. The DVD extras are worth watching, especially the short, which is very funny. Houston Bernard, Carrigan, and Brian Wilbur Grundstrom composed the original music. Robert Gaston wrote the screenplay and directed.