|
| Shelter | 
 enlarge | Director: Jonah Markowitz
Actors: Brad Rowe, Tina Holmes, Mat Bushell, Trevor Wright, Ross Thomas
Studio: Genius Products (TVN)
Category: DVD
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $16.79
You Save: $7.16 (30%)
New (30) Used (7) from $16.52
Avg. Customer Rating:  71 reviews
Sales Rank: 356
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 89
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: LIB00135
UPC: 858423001353
EAN: 0858423001353
ASIN: B0013D8LCW
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW Factory Sealed - Ready to be shipped within 24 hrs from California - Average 5 workdays delivery time - Excellent customer service - Buy with confidence!
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The feature-film debut from art director Jonah Markowitz (Quinceanera) pivots on the tension between responsibility to family and responsibility to self. Recent high-school graduate Zach (Trevor Wright) has one summer to reconcile the competing halves of his life. The aspiring Picasso lives in blue-collar San Pedro with his irresponsible sister, Jeanne (Tina Holmes, Half Nelson), her five-year-old son, Cody (Jackson Wurth), and their rarely-seen father. Zach gave up his art school dreams to toil in a diner and help look after his much-loved nephew. With his best friend, Gabe (Ross Thomas), away at college, Zach draws, surfs, and skateboards by his lonesome. When Gabe's novelist brother, Shaun (Brad Rowe, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss), returns to his Orange County home to recover from a broken heart, he and Zach alternate between riding the waves and encouraging each other to pursue their aspirations. Shaun is gay, while Zach appears to be straight, but a casual kiss between the two soon leads to a secret relationship. Before the former returns to Los Angeles, the latter has to decide who he is--gay, straight, artist, cook, uncle, or father--and what he's going to do about it. Except for the location shooting, this low-budget indie plays like an extended episode of The O.C. what with all the "bro"s and "dude"s and love scenes tame enough for network TV. Nonetheless, Markowitz's heart is in the right place, and Shelter may provide some real-life Zachs with the courage they need to follow their passions. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Product Description
Forced to give up his dreams of art school, Zach spends his days working a dead end job and helping his needy sister care for her son. In his free time he surfs, draws and hangs out with his best friend, Gabe, who lives on the wealthy side of town. When Gabe's older brother, Shaun, returns home, he is drawn to Zach's selflessness and talent. Zach falls in love with Shaun while struggling to reconcile his own desires with the needs of his family.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 66 more reviews...
A Generously Spirited Love Story April 4, 2008
64 out of 67 found this review helpful
"Pure being," a friend of mine once said enviously of the surfers riding the waves along the Southern California coast some thirty years ago. Though there was a strict demarcation between the gay section of the beaches and those parts that belonged to the surfers alone, even then a few surfers hung out at night in the Breakers or one of the other gay bars along Highway One, especially in Laguna. There, what seemed so easy a life out in the Pacific, just following the next big waves one after another, became less obvious and more conflicted. Stories about coming out have so dominated many gay films that the theme has developed into an archetype, a genre of its own with endless variations: from dark into light, from secrets into revelation. In Shelter, Zach is a young artist who has turned down a scholarship at CalArts in order to stay home to care for his nephew Cody. Zach has inherited the family gene, from his mother he says. All the concerns and nearly all the love the five year old Cody should find in his mother, Zach's sister Jeanne, he gets from Zach alone. Zach has had a long time girlfriend, but everything about their relationship is tentative, on hold. When he meets his best friend's older brother again after several years, they surf together, just as they used to. But Shaun is an openly gay man who has published a novel which Zach has read. Shaun's sexuality is no secret to Zach, but Zach's is to Shaun--as it may still be to Zach himself, at least in the sense that he has never before been with a man (or in all likelihood a woman; his responses to his girlfriend are mostly tepid, except when his real longings frighten him). What Zach wants more than anything are family and love. After a night during which he and Shaun kiss, Zach is happy but its meaning is still uncertain. He rides the waves, paces the deck of the house he shares with his sister and nephew in what he calls San Pedro's ghetto, then drives back to the family house on the beach where Shaun is staying to recuperate emotionally after a boyfriend has dumped him in L.A. What follows between Zach and Shaun is stunning in its impact upon both men. Their coupling, however, is not filmed as soft core porn, all or nearly all about the physical alone, but as love scenes. What matters most is the feeling shown through their eyes. All the acting in this emotionally profound film is superb, but the love beyond words Zach and Shaun manage to express just with their eyes has almost never before been seen in movies, not even, say, in Brokeback where to some degree it was often having to be hidden by one or the other man. What follows in Shelter is Zach's coming to understand what that love means to him for the rest of his life. Part of this is the usual problem of coming out to his friends and to his sister, though nearly all that effort is accomplished for him; they know before he tells them. But he must also come to see himself better; he must change, too, as he tells Shaun later. Part of that transformation is his discovering more fully who Shaun is. Shaun has been criticized by some viewers for being too patient with Zach. But patience is part of love, one of the virtues that help people abide all the messes we make or almost make out of our lives. When Zach learns that Shaun has mailed his application and portfolio to CalArts, he sees, quietly, the man's generosity. In a way, Shaun has shown that he loves Zach as kindly and patiently as Zach loves Cody. Zach's and Shaun's erotic communion is intense. But this is a love that is also caritas, deep, perhaps abiding. It is his recognition of that possibiity, if not certainty that leads Zach back to Shaun, especially after a talk with his girlfriend in which he says his only regret (about being gay) is that he wanted to make a family with her. In this moment between them, it is her goodness which allows her to encourage Zach to return to Shaun, to the different family he might find now through Shaun and with Cody. At least, she says, he should try. Near the end, after Zach and Shaun drive to the house to pick up Cody from Zach's sister who is moving to Portland with her rough boyfriend, Zach turns to Shaun and takes his hand in his. It is a gesture of love between them as telling as any more passionate embrace. The seemingly unencumbered lives both men had known together surfing when younger--Shaun the master, Zach the pupil in a running joke between them--has grown into a love that is in every sense good. I think this is one of the best movies ever made about gay men, searchingly decent and generously spirited about love without any loss in erotic force. It is also wonderfully realized, except in a few of the songs on the soundtrack, in both the director's eye and the hearts of all the performers, even those in relatively minor roles (Gabe is as perfect a surfer dude as one can imagine, but with more than the usual soul). But Trevor Wright as Zach gives to his character an especially touching complexity. Zach is in some ways still a kid, talking in the lingo of surfers, tagging buildings, riding his skateboard. But he's also emotionally older than everyone else in his life, already committed to a way of living many people never come to. His coming out is more painful to himself than it is to others perhaps because his need for real communion is already so great. Yet he finds it. This is emotionally complex work for so young an actor. But every gesture he makes, everything he expresses is true; no moment ever feels false or contrived. What the movie leaves one with is a sense of both the hopes and ambiguities of moral being, a far more difficult, yet greater life than merely riding the waves of one's youth.
lyrical, sweet and poignant May 16, 2008
57 out of 59 found this review helpful
I'm previewing "Shelter" for the Brisbane Queer Film Festival where it screens on Saturday 24th May 2008. "Shelter" shines as a film with huge heart, and one that's been made with equal care by the actors and all of the film-makers.
It's not at all like the angst-ridden abomination of a gay surf flick "Tan Lines". In "Shelter" surfing is simply a fact of life element - it's not used or abused as a device.
"Shelter" is a beautifully edited, spectacular looking and luscious sounding film which is definitely character driven. Each of the main characters is carefully developed so that we quite soon decide that we really do care about Zach, his young nephew Cody and Zach's love interest, Shaun. We want things to work out for them.
We understand that Zach is in a bind - he's allowed himself to be the physical and emotional anchor for a progressively more dysfunctional family, but we know that he deserves much better life options. The writer and director of Shelter has done a fantastic job - not a look or word is wasted, and yet the whole pace of the film is very relaxed.
"Shelter" deserves every accolade that any individual or Festival might care to bestow.
Straight audiences must find "Shelter" to be equally rewarding. The film's theme is, after all, about love, honour and commitment. What could be more wholesome than that?
( Hey, Brad: try sneak'n in a little "tongue".......or.......... June 6, 2008
37 out of 41 found this review helpful
.........Some "Childhood Fantasies" can come true ) (alternate review title). Oh, and.....how about even a 2d alternate title: "Who do YOU think was holding that Video Recorder?"
((Here is my approach to obtaining/viewing/reviewing Gay tales in film form (you could see it as seeking the holy grail of that genre, or as looking for the "Addictive Film"---that movie one returns to time and again). Selection and purchase of a film to view is based mainly on finding new releases by favorite directors/screenwriters and/or on comments/reviews by others of you at major online sites. Re the latter, sometimes I feel correctly steered by you (the "Keepers" filling my DVD shelves), other times mislead, occasionally badly (the "Throwaways"----and I do toss 'em). Rarely, I come across the "Addictive," those I can re-watch at least every couple of months or so (see below starred *** area for a list......and for some of the "near-Addictive" as well). For some movies, I'll share a full review with you, as follows for this film. Thanks for sticking with me so far.))
As a preface to all this, I'm not interested in telling the story here; I'm into telling 'about' the story here. And that's easy because the gay relationship part of it is one of the best on film and DVD today.
First off, it's got to be said that, whether one's straight or gay (except for those already "out"), putting yourself "out there" for this type role has got to be an extremely difficult decision. Why? Because people in our backward and selectively puritanical society are going to make assumptions about you for doing so---whether they be correct or incorrect. Bearing this in mind, Director Markowitz was surprisingly fortunate in obtaining the acting services of both a Trevor Wright and a Brad Rowe. And whether taking these roles was good for their careers, both actors absolutely shine in this production.......as used to be said: these guys got Chemistry. There's a naturalness, a comfortableness between the two that's seldom been achieved in other gay romances set to film.
Also, big kudos to this director for being able to elicit/draw out such intimately physical scenes between our two leads. Kissing, especially, comes across as unforced, unrushed (except when they're "hot") and completely enjoyed by the characters (even if and when "tongue" might be involved). I'd call this kind of "acting" going above and beyond. Would that every American, gay romance director achieve this same degree of natural intimacy on the part of male couples; very few have. In my opinion, only French director, Christian Faure, in his 2000 French production, "Just A Question Of Love" (Just a Question of Love) (or "Juste Une Question D'Amour" when looking it up on some other film websites), set the bar higher. Intimacy between the two in that film fairly crackles.
As for their individual performances:
-- Trevor Wright puts Zach across as the ultimate likable guy---one putting everyone else's needs before his own (whether they deserve it or not). He's the one often being put upon, yet he stays so positive.......no wonder that Shaun falls for him. He makes us all fall for him. And nowhere do we do so more than when, at the end of his most intimate scene, he and Shaun are lying happily face to face, and Trevor has brought Zach's expression to such a peacefully satisfied level that Shaun just has to say: "You're so beautiful" (and at that moment we can see he truly is). Then, our Zach can only shyly bring himself to wrinkle his nose and softly scoff: "Shut up." What an endearing moment.
-- Re Brad Rowe: In preparing for this shoot and the extreme intimacy of some of the scenes, someone had to lead the way. I more than suspect that person was the older and much more film-experienced 'The Brad-ster.' This becomes apparent when you listen to the DVD Special Features Voice-over Commentary by Markowitz, Brad and Trevor, and conclude that Brad's comfortably easy and low key approach was just what was needed to pull character Zach (as well as newer performer, Trevor) out of any shell of fears and doubts he might be having. In the end, it is through Brad's Shaun that we see Zach being so very fortunate to have wound up with a loving/caring person who would remove him from the undesirable circumstances in which he lived.......and, importantly, get him into the advanced art schooling he so definitely deserved.
As concerns their "time-together" scenes and performances, it becomes obvious from listening to specific comments by Trevor and Brad in the Voice-over that they are quite proud of their work in the love-making scenes, particularly the really intimate moments. How often could we expect to hear non-gay actors express such thoughts---knowing everyone watching the video would hear them? Not often, I suspect.
And let's not forget about Director, Jonah Markowitz. It's obvious from watching this, his first-time feature film, that he has the chops to run with the big boys. Why? Because for any film to be successful, it is the "little touches" a director/scriptwriter worth his salt throws in that mean the difference in a memorable production and one that isn't. Take the exciting scene we all love where Zach returns to Shaun's house and, for all practical purposes, throws himself into Shaun's arms (and bed). Markowitz doesn't just shoot this happening; instead he gives us a very emotional lead-up scene of an agonizing Zach, pacing around his little art workspace and nervously knocking things about. Now, finally, he's fully admitted to himself who he is, sexually, and what kind of relationship he wants with the one who means the most to him. At this point, he's got our sympathies and has us worked up almost as much as himself......just waiting for that next step to be taken. It's then, in the very next scene, that we see Shaun heading for his front door and the person we know is anxiously waiting there. What happens next is: Wow!! So you see, folks, this is how a really successful director does things.
Moving on to other considerations, not everything about the film works out so well for this reviewer. While Tina Holmes does a fine job with her role as Zach's sister, Jeanne, it is not her fault that her called-for and frequently whinny/naggy, oh-poor-me, onscreen time exceeds what otherwise would have made for a better film. We'd already quickly learned that it is Zach who is the real put upon one, whose life is being stolen. Better, by far, would have been less scenes involving her and more of involving Zach/Shaun's developing relationship.
And what's my favorite scene? Well I have to say that, other than those arousing "BGLM" shots (Dudes, ya just gotta learn what that means by taking in the DVD Voice-over feature), my fave is definitely that quiet, easy surfside stroll taken by Zach and Shaun, their arms comfortably bumping from time to time. They begin talking of writer Shaun's last book, a gay romance novel. And then, because of Zach's glowing remarks about having read the book, it starts becoming clear to us that it's becoming clear to Shaun that Zach clearly knows about and is comfortable with Shaun's, shall we say, big sexual proclivity in life. Then, it's, like, WHOA!!!......as it suddenly hits Shaun what just might lie ahead for the two of them. It's a perfect little scene.
A final thought involving an appropriate 'mantra' for this film.......which would be: {"Little by little, the 'Master' leads the 'Student' out---capitalize those 3 letters if you will---so he can be who he really is, and comfortably so"}. That's really the journey on which this movie has taken us. (If you actually watch this film, the terms just now used will have so much more meaning).
P.S.---And, importantly, at the very end we've learned that, like fairytales, some "Childhood Fantasies" can also come true (here,again, if you listened well during the screening, you'll know what this means).
P.P.S.---If you've been wonder'n about this review's title), then all ya have to do to satisfy that itch is to grab a look and listen to the DVD Special Features section, wherein the Director + Brad + Trevor walk us through that 'first kiss' scene. Very enlightening.
P.P.P.S.---As to who was holding that Video Recorder (you know, the one that shot a little video titled: "SKATE THIS! with GABE & ZACH," showing a couple of early teenage skateboarders doin their thing) the answer would likely be a younger Shaun. Then, it hits us: isn't it interesting that an emotionally down and vulnerable Shaun---on the downspin from a difficult relationship breakup---finds his way back to that place of pleasanter times, that place of fonder connections, that place of.......Zach. (We've already pretty much arrived at the conclusion that he hadn't come home to see his away-from-the-area parents, or a brother he'd been seeing from time to time, anyway).
***This film is becoming "Addictive." ***Other such habit formers: "Brokeback Mountain" / "Boy Culture" (Boy Culture) / "All Over The Guy" (All Over the Guy) / "Second Skin" (Second Skin (Unrated Version)) / "The Man I Love" (The Man I Love) / "Latter Days" (Latter Days (Unrated Edition)).
****
Sweet and Sexy March 4, 2008
36 out of 42 found this review helpful
"Shelter"
Sweet and Sexy
Amos Lassen
I have seen few films get as much advance talk and praise as "Shelter" (Regent Releasing). It is a gentle tale about surfer boys who fall in love and live "happily ever after". It is sweet and sexy and elegantly pure.
Zach (Trevor Wright) puts his art school ambitions on hold so that he can take care of his nephew, Cody, because his sister Jeanne (Tina Holmes) wants to be free to see a variety of men. Zach spends his time working in a diner, riding the waves and taking care of Cody. His good buddy, Gabe, tells him that his big brother, Shaun (Brad Rowe), has come home from Los Angeles and even though it is no secret that Shaun is gay. No one knows that Zach has a secret crush on him. Shaun is an author and Zach has read his books and has yearned for him. Shaun and Zach do develop a friendship that becomes intimate and Shaun convinces Zach to take control of his life and ownership of his artwork. Shaun also manages to bond with Cody and it has a positive effect on the boy. But all is not idyllic. As time passes new issues come along and Zach is forced to struggle with his identity as his family tries to understand how Zach has changed since Shaun entered his life. When the news of the gay relationship gets out, Jeanne threatens to take Cody away and since Zach wants the best for the boy, he is forced to make a decision between putting others' desires first or fighting for what he feels is really important and right for both his and Cody's future.
Here is a gay movie without any of the cliches of gay life. There are no drag queens, no hustlers and no drugs. Instead we have an outstanding script, fine performances and beautiful cinematography. It is due to premiere this month and then be available on DVD in late May. Written and directed by Joseph Markowitz, here is a movie that we can all be proud of. Full of tender gay moments, "Shelter" speaks to us and about us in a way few films have been able to do.
UnMISSable April 9, 2008
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
What a WONDERFULLY romantic film! Like the other reviewers before me, I was besotted by the film. This is definitely one of the best gay themed movie to come in a long while. Production values, acting, actors were all top notch. Definitely something you would keep as a collector.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
