Wusheng feng ling (Hung Wing Kit, CHINA)

Wusheng feng ling / Soundless Wind Chime, 2009
Chinese / German with English Subtitles

Hung Wing Kit’s directorial debut is a piece of art not to be understood in one sitting. It’s highly difficult to follow this film because of the very few dialogue and because of the conflicting behavioral scenes (one actor is Chinese, another Swiss). It’s about a young Chinese immigrant, Ricky, who comes to Hong Kong from the Mainland, and who falls in love with another immigrant named Pascal who happens to be a thief. Pascal, a Swiss, is in an abusive relationship when he encounters the sweet Ricky and can’t help but fall in love with him. The film is an artistic vision at its best. Ricky can’t decide what is real and what is a memory, and the soundtrack lends a hand to an already moving imagery, which makes this one of the best films of the decade. If you don’t have the time to sit down and really concentrate, or are not in the best state of mind, it is best to skip it. It isn’t the kind of movie you can have playing in the background.

Poikien bisnes (Markku Heikkinen, FINLAND)

Poikien bisnes / All Boys, 2009
Czech with English Subtitles

Markku Heikkinen, who made the 2004 documentary “Blue Boy,” is back with yet another affecting documentary. This time his subject matter is boys in porn, especially those from the Czech Republic. The film follows a rather “leader” of the gay porn in Eastern Europe, a middle aged American named Dan Komer. The first thought that comes to mind is “he is exploiting these kids.” As the film unfolds, however, you see a different side of Komer. Yes, he exploits them and so are they. Take, for example, Ruda or “Aaron Hawke,” whom Komer made a house hold name in the USA. The kid was making a lot of money but in the end he is homeless. Then there is the straight guys who openly choose the world of gay porn because they know it pays. But this is not an all sad story. Some of the characters end up in a good life after the porn. Regardless of whether or not you like one or two of the characters in this documentary, it is ultimately the kind of film that leaves you with a feeling.

Mine vaganti (Ferzan Ozpetek, ITALY)

Mine vaganti / Loose Canons, 2010
Italian with English Subtitles

Yes, Ferzan Ozpetek is back to being Ferzan Ozpetek. After years of absence from his queer comedy films, he is back with “Loose Canons,” a family drama that is his gayest film to date. A son comes back home to Lecce after years of self exile in Rome. He comes home to come out. But his brother beats him to it! Yes, two gay sons! In southern Italy! Mamma mia! And so the perfect table surrounded by loud and happy Italians literally falls apart.

Every stereotype is turned upside down, and it’s all part of what makes you fall in love with this film. The grandmother who chose honor over love. The gay son who played by the book. The spinster aunt who keeps them all on their toes. The overdramatic Italian father. The laughable fags. The gossip of small town. It’s all there.

Welcome back, Ferzan Ozpetek!

Dare (Adam Salky, USA)

Dare, 2009

In 2005, filmmaker Adam Salky made a short film about a dorky high school kid named Ben who lusts after Johnny, the bad boy at school. Then Salky turned around and made a feature out of that story. This time, however, things are rearranged a bit. Alexa who was just a friend in the short is now a leading lady in this ménage à trois feature.

In the feature, Ben and Alexa have been best friends since they were very young. Now comes a new guy in school who is an asshole. Neither of them like him. When Johnny is cast opposite Alexa in drama class, things change for all three. Johnny becomes sexually involved with both Ben and Alexa. The film is highly salvaged by the space it affords to build each character. The film is told from the viewpoint of each main character. This allows the viewer to feel connected at all times with that character. It also creates a rich balance in a story that otherwise would have been too much to swallow.

Hua chi liao na nu hai (Hung-i Chen, TAIWAN)

Hua chi liao na nu hai / Candy Rain, 2008
Mandarin with English Subtitles

This is Hung-i Chen's first feature film which happens to be four separate shorts put together. First there is "If the southlands were frozen"-- the first story about Jessie, a young woman who broke up with her boyfriend and is taken by another young woman whom has been secretly in love with her for many years. The second story is "City under invisible attack"-- this story follows the trails of a young woman called U, who happens to be Aries, and is looking for love and wonders where such love is, even though she is protecting herself quite well. The third story is "Dreaming the opposite dream"-- it is about Spencer, a woman in love with a friend who is getting married. They make a strange pact to return to one another in ten years. The fourth story is the title of the film "Candy Rain" and is about a young woman known as Ricky.

Although one assumes these stories would have interlocked themes as they are all about stories that have to do with being a lesbian in Taiwan, they are not. There is a clear disconnection between the themes tackled. Chen misses a great opportunity here. This film could be very moving and change the perceptions people have about women in Taiwan. Instead it leaves the viewer feeling bored and lost. That said, the film is wonderfully directed. There are many beautiful scenes in the film that leave the viewer longing for a country that is not theirs. The acting by some of the cast also seems to make impact. So it is not exactly a waste of time.

Dzi Croquettes (Raphael Alvarez & Tatiana Issa, BRAZIL)

Dzi Croquettes, 2009
Portuguese with English Subtitles

This a documentary film that tells the story of the "Dzi Croquettes" which was an all-male theater group that challenged Brazil's repressive dictatorship. And to show their appreciation, the Brazilian people have taken up the group as their freedom fighters on stage. The many personalities who are interviewed add an element of spice to this already fully-charged story. Between the great music, great history, and absolute use of color, the film leads the way as one of the most fascinating films coming out of South America. The Brazilian community has recognized this because the film has won top honors at Rio and Sao Paolo international film festivals, as well as the top honor at the Mix Brasil (LGBT) film festival.

Trage Liefde (Boudewijn Koole, NETHERLANDS)

Trage Liefde / Drawn Out Love, 2007
Dutch with English Subtitles

"Drawn Out Love" (the Dutch would actually be better translated as "Lazy Love") is barely above the short film threshold at fifty minutes. It is Boudewijn Koole's first feature. The film centers on the lives of two men named Felix and Johan. Felix lives with his grandmother and is looking forward to leaving town and going wherever he is going. Before he does leave town Felix decides to make a visit to bar owned (and operated) by his long lost father Johan. The story gets complicated when Johan mistakes Felix's interest as that of sexual nature.

Koole's film is extremely disturbing because it tackles (very graphically) the controversial subject of incest. As the film progresses both characters' infatuation for one another deepens, for completely different reasons. The director follows the footsteps of many (successful) European directors by taking a minimalist approach to storytelling, and that is a good thing, but loses its audience by cramping too many stories together without exploring them deeper. We are never told what happened to these musicians hanging around all the time. We are left to wonder why and how Felix's mother is out of the pics. We are clueless about where Felix is headed. This could very well have been a great film but one feels frustrated with the lack of respect for the viewer.