For Men Only
Reel Affirmations 2003
Review by Sean Bugg
Rating: 
(3 out of 5)
Wednesday, 10/22/2003, 9:00 PM
Shorts presentation, $9 at Lincoln Theatre
WHAT TO DO when there’s no overriding theme connecting all the shorts under the rubric For Men Only? Declare “men” a theme and move full steam ahead, what else?
The standout of the program is Blue Haven (), the story of skateboarder Henry and his best friend Fakie, another skater who just so happens to need the money for sex-reassignment surgery. A few mix-ups with Jamaican and Asian mobsters later, and Henry finds himself having some surprising feelings towards the new Fakie (who oddly enough dresses more like a boy when she’s a girl).
Straight in the Face () finds a long-term gay couple trying to figure out if a daughter’s new boyfriend — an interior design major and passionate show tune fan — is gay or straight. As with most important events in gay lives, everything comes to a head in the kitchen.
The Visitor () is an Australian professor taking refuge at the beach from the imminent death of his still-beloved ex. An doomed encounter with a beautiful and hauntingly familiar surfer bring him face to face with his loss. It’s hard to muster much emotion for the mostly flat characters, but man those Australian surfer boys sure are cute. Lots of derriere shots, for those who keep track of such things.
Back at the Bar () wordlessly explores the connection between youthful social ostracism and the social fear factor of gay bars. Meanwhile over in Germany, young and closeted photo-shop worker Koni spends the day pining for men who develop their film at his Fotostar (). When he finally meets one in real life, he finds that his real life needs to catch up with his fantasy life.
If you take one thing away from Precious Moments () let it be this: when a boy tells you he’s 15, then says he’s just joking, he’s probably actually 15. If you’re 30, that’s not a good thing.
Finally, Clay Pride: Being Clay in American () stretches a pun way beyond the breaking point, with only an anonymous cameo from Gumby to perk things up.
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