Shelter [DVD]

This is a lovely film. I'm going through a phase where I want to see romantic, happy, non-porn gay films that leave me feeling good. This film absolutely hits the mark. I have one small criticism, I could not understand some of the dialogue, it was too hurriedly mumbled. I even played the bits back and listened carefully, but still wasn't sure what was being said. This didn't detract from my understanding of what was happening, the plot is easy to follow.I love Trevor Wright as Zac, I think he's very sexy. I liked the way the inner conflict arising from his dawning realisation of his sexual orientation was handled, though I'm sure this experience is different for each individual and I can understand some people not finding this wholly convincing. I looked up the two main gay characters (the other being Shaun played by Brad Rowe)on the internet to see if they are gay in real life. Apparently they are not. This is fascinating and the two main gay characters in Maurice - played by James Wilby and Rupert Graves - are also not gay in real life. I think it's highly commendable when actors rise to the challenge of producing such beautiful and convincing performances (especially in the most intimate scenes) when they are presumably acting well out of character. That is not just a tribute to their acting abilty, but to their willingness to risk being labelled, because their performances are so wonderfully convincing. In fact, Rupert Graves, when interviewed, said that many people assumed he was gay after Maurice. Well done to all these actors! There are some straight actors who wouldn't take on gay roles - they obviously fail to understand that the mark of a great actor is to turn in a great performance in a role that challenges one to the vital core of one's being. After all, acting in role in which one is mostly in character is hardly brilliant acting!I think the ending of Shelter is sparkling and wonderfully upbeat and that's what I'm really looking for in gay films at the moment - a positive view of gay life. You may be interested to read my review of Brokeback Mountain, because the ending is grim and I don't like it - I think it's too backward looking.Maurice too has a lovely ending, as does Beautiful Thing. So if you want gay films with happy endings, if you've not seen these films, get them, as they are spot on for the feel good factor.

I've watched this film so many times but I still get very emotional on every visit.Zach is a surfer dude with a secret that not even he is really sure about. He has a girlfriend but it seems their relationship is more off than on, he has a best friend who is after all the girls, he is good at art but didn't get in to Cal Arts an arts college and he has a sister who has a 5 year old son, Cody, who thinks of Zach as a father rather than his Uncle.Things are great at home. Zach's sister uses him as a free babysitter for Cody using emotional blackmail a lot. This situation is played so well that I find myself almost yelling at Zach to wake up and say no to her now and then. I really do get angry.When Zach bumps into Shaun, his best friend's brother, after a long time things get more emotional for Zach. Shaun is gay and a writer.The two of them go surfing together and go back to Shaun's for a few beers. Shaun sees Zach's sketchbook and tries to pay a compliment to Zach who gets embarrassed about it. they play fight and slowly the mood changes. When Shaun kisses Zach there is no resistance. But the next morning awakens new doubts for Zach.We see him go through denial (if I ignore it, it can't have happened right?), anger and then comes the dawning emotion - This is what Zach wants. There is a great scene where it dawns on Zach that he likes what is happening whilst driving his jeep. His smile says a thousand wors.Anyway I'm not going to give too much more away about it but enough to say that Zach gets it all with more emotional blackmail from sister over Cody, acceptance to Cal Arts, admitting his feelings to his girlfriend (ex by now) and facing the fact that he is allowed to be happy and Shaun is the one to do that for him.I would give this film 100 stars if I could but I will say to Trevor Wright, who plays Zach, thank you for making such a great film and for making Zach so real.Watch this film. You'll be glad you did.

"Shelter" is a gay movie that seems to have taken such a long time to arrive. For too long, many a gay movie featured tragic figures who loathed themselves, and who usually ended up lonely & miserable, or beaten-up and abused, or who would kill themselves. This film features leading characters who do have their moments of angst and fear, but do not define their entire selves by being homosexual. These men are strong characters who do not feel the need to apologise for being who they are. "Shelter" challenges stereotypes such as that gay men are to be pitied or feared, or the belief that a child raised in a heterosexual home will be better off than one raised by two men. The two lead characters Zach (Trevor Wright), and Shaun (Brad Rowe) are well-balanced men. They like to surf, or spend time with friends. Zach looks after his 5 year old nephew, and his freedom is somewhat constrained by his sense of duty to his older sister, and his father, and to the little boy. When he gets involved with Shaun, he longs for more freedom, yet also fears the reaction of his sister if she finds out that he is gay. The process of the two men falling in love is beautifully authentic, with moments of awkwardness and uncertainty. The film intercuts the scenes of their joy at being together, with the worry that Zach feels about being discovered. "Shelter" is beautifully filmed, with well-lit scenery and a plot that actually has a great storyline,and shows more than just two handsome guys in bed. (Although those scenes are certainly hot too, and very much a part of the story.)The production values of "Shelter" as well as the acting skills of Trevor Wright & Brad Rowe place this film into a quality category of film,way above many recent movies, gay or not.