The first film, "Death in Venice, Ca" is well-done and sexy to watch, but it is also boring and pretentious. "Achillies" is a major, accomplished work. "My Polish Waiter" is a really dry, funny, understated comedy, that's pretty sophisticated for a gay film.

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

How Can We Say These Are Only-Average? Mar 7 2000

By Brian Kevin Beck

Format:VHS Tape

Low art. Just because you feel something vague about your vague life, doesn't mean you can start the camera running and create satisfying art. (1) Death in Venice Beach, CA seems just a knock-off re-telling of Thomas Mann's novella without inspiration, just with carbon-copy-catting. (2) My Polish Waiter: the waiter is inarticulate and static, his infatuated would-be lover flies awry all around him, what does this become except a true portrait of--unreal romantic obsession? True but blah. (3) Miguel: this does show the character moving from clinging dependency, toward mature self-respect--but not artistically with foreshadowing, just at the end after unrelated plot. (4) The puppet-drama about Achilles and Patroclus was scenic, anyhow. See instead Boys Life I and II, even Boys Shorts, Boys Briefs? I was so unimpressed by Boys in Love (1) that I returned Boys in Love (2) to the rental store unwatched.....

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

Artsy-Fartsy Feb 21 2000

By Richard Engelhardt

Format:VHS Tape

I usually like this films that no one else likes, but this collection just sucked. All the acting was terrible. The only short that was worth it was that last one. It actually had a story and some cute characters. The others were just stupid. They were the kind of stories that only happen to people in short films like these.

Also, they didn't have very cute actors. I mean, if you're gonna have bad acting and stupid stories you should at least have some cute guys without that much clothing on to hold some attention from the audience. The cover of the video is very misleading.

I was very disappointed with this collection of short films, except the last one, it was cute. I say get "Boys' Life" 1 & 2. Those are far better than this series.

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

› See all 7 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Write a customer review

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews

Most recent customer reviews

Synopsis

"In this scintillating collection of gay shorts, a repressed academic is drawn in by the seductive wiles of his landlady's Italiante stepson in Death in Venice, CA; Greek bad... Read more

Published on Dec 27 1999

Synopsis

"Boys in Love (1994-95, 83 min, United States/Great Britain)