***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***
Steam Cloud keeps on moving and generates interest. There are many things I liked about it.
I liked the way Hugh got into the Indian dance although it is left to the imagination as to what actually took place.There is symbolism here which relates to a man's passage. Usually, I associate this type of Indian dance as a writ of passage from an adolescent to adulthood. In Hugh's case, it is his passage from the ' straight world' to his acceptance of himself as a gay man. As the Indian youth accepts adulthood and the challenges it presents, Hugh accepts his homosexuality and the difficulties and tribulations that may accompany his life as a result of his newly proclaimed sexuality.
Kabold is another interesting character, although his nature is reserved and he really does not reveal much about himself in the movie, but I think this lends to the mystery behind him. Hugh's struggle and Kabolds reserved, quiet manner seem to compliment each other. I thought it was interesting when Kabold decided to go with his parents rather than go with Hugh in the initial stages of the evacuation. It reveals a certain struggle in his life as well.
There is also a certain symbolism in the scene where Hugh holds on to the rear bumper of the moving car. A symbolism as if to suggest that his bond to Kabold was more than just a teenage attraction. It symbolized that their friendship had true meaning, at least at the time.
I find Kabold's mother much like the public relations representative from 3 Mile Island. They cover up not their own secrets but secrets of those they are connected to. Kabolds mother knows that he is gay but finds herself probing him perhaps to convince herself that she might be wrong. The public relations person knows that there is a definite problem but must represent the company line.
Both actors ( playing Hugh and Kabold ) were outstanding ! However, it is Winston role that I find to be the most interesting.
I initially thought the main story was about Hugh and Kabold and the episodes in their life which brought them closer together but I was wrong. And I really did not realize this until the end of the movie. It is Winston who provides the moving force and it is really Winston's story.
Both Hugh and Kabold are good looking , handsome men but Winston is average looking and with his disability, I must admit, one does not pay much attention to him at first. This is another exceptionally good quality about the movie. We do not pay attention to one of the main characters until the end where we are initially surprised or should I say the audience did not expect it, at least , I did not expect it.
Winston is a person who seems eternally wise beyond his years. He always seems to have the answers for Hugh but yet he does not have the answers for himself. Throughout the movie, I find myself wondering why he is living in almost complete isolation and we do not really find a clue to this until the end. The whole story is brought to a climax at the end when Winston reveals his true feelings to us. We get a glimpse of his feelings toward Hugh in the episode where he starts to cry as he and Hugh are talking. It is at this point that we realize that Winston is hiding something from us.
I see this movie as universally appealing to anyone regardless of their sexual orientation. We all have somthing in our lives that we keep hidden from others. In some respects this is ok but if our lives are not fulfilled by keeping this part of our life hidden, then we fool ourselves and do not live complete lives.
This leads to the title of the movie ( Steam Cloud Rising ). A steam cloud from 3 Mile Island ? Perhaps ,but more likely a steam cloud rising from within , from within Hugh and Winston - a potentially explosive cloud which could cause personal catastrophe if not dealt with appropriately. A steam cloud arising from within each of us who does not deal with our innermost feelings, our innermost concerns and then watches life dissipate from the poisonous ( radioactive ) effects which result in a wasted life. I am not sure if this is how Eric views the title or if it was his intention to think of it in this way, but it is what I see.
Hugh and countless others who are openly gay have opened themselves to the world and are freeer , happier, more in sycn with themselves and the world around them than those who hide ( either their sexuality or something about themselves ).
Do you ever read of people who do something spectacular or totally out of character or at least seemingly out of character ?. They are not acting out of character. Their own repressed character shines through for however long they allow.
Of course , Hugh reveals this in his struggles throughout the movie, but it is Winston who reveals his secret as well at the end ( that he loves Hugh ).
I had found myself wondering what happened to these 3 young men as their life progressed. Normally, I do not find this in other movies. A movie typically relates a story and ends. We are told that Hugh and Kabold roomed with each other during college but what about Winston ? It is left a mystery to the viewer and makes the movie all the more interesting.
I also liked the manner in which the movie started. The 2 men in the beginning seem to start telling the story without words.We only see their bodies move as if to cross each other's path. We almost know something about the movie just in their movements and then the subsequent photography and scenery was very well presented.
A movie worth seeing - it is excellent !
Steam Cloud keeps on moving and generates interest. There are many things I liked about it.
I liked the way Hugh got into the Indian dance although it is left to the imagination as to what actually took place.There is symbolism here which relates to a man's passage. Usually, I associate this type of Indian dance as a writ of passage from an adolescent to adulthood. In Hugh's case, it is his passage from the ' straight world' to his acceptance of himself as a gay man. As the Indian youth accepts adulthood and the challenges it presents, Hugh accepts his homosexuality and the difficulties and tribulations that may accompany his life as a result of his newly proclaimed sexuality.
Kabold is another interesting character, although his nature is reserved and he really does not reveal much about himself in the movie, but I think this lends to the mystery behind him. Hugh's struggle and Kabolds reserved, quiet manner seem to compliment each other. I thought it was interesting when Kabold decided to go with his parents rather than go with Hugh in the initial stages of the evacuation. It reveals a certain struggle in his life as well.
There is also a certain symbolism in the scene where Hugh holds on to the rear bumper of the moving car. A symbolism as if to suggest that his bond to Kabold was more than just a teenage attraction. It symbolized that their friendship had true meaning, at least at the time.
I find Kabold's mother much like the public relations representative from 3 Mile Island. They cover up not their own secrets but secrets of those they are connected to. Kabolds mother knows that he is gay but finds herself probing him perhaps to convince herself that she might be wrong. The public relations person knows that there is a definite problem but must represent the company line.
Both actors ( playing Hugh and Kabold ) were outstanding ! However, it is Winston role that I find to be the most interesting.
I initially thought the main story was about Hugh and Kabold and the episodes in their life which brought them closer together but I was wrong. And I really did not realize this until the end of the movie. It is Winston who provides the moving force and it is really Winston's story.
Both Hugh and Kabold are good looking , handsome men but Winston is average looking and with his disability, I must admit, one does not pay much attention to him at first. This is another exceptionally good quality about the movie. We do not pay attention to one of the main characters until the end where we are initially surprised or should I say the audience did not expect it, at least , I did not expect it.
Winston is a person who seems eternally wise beyond his years. He always seems to have the answers for Hugh but yet he does not have the answers for himself. Throughout the movie, I find myself wondering why he is living in almost complete isolation and we do not really find a clue to this until the end. The whole story is brought to a climax at the end when Winston reveals his true feelings to us. We get a glimpse of his feelings toward Hugh in the episode where he starts to cry as he and Hugh are talking. It is at this point that we realize that Winston is hiding something from us.
I see this movie as universally appealing to anyone regardless of their sexual orientation. We all have somthing in our lives that we keep hidden from others. In some respects this is ok but if our lives are not fulfilled by keeping this part of our life hidden, then we fool ourselves and do not live complete lives.
This leads to the title of the movie ( Steam Cloud Rising ). A steam cloud from 3 Mile Island ? Perhaps ,but more likely a steam cloud rising from within , from within Hugh and Winston - a potentially explosive cloud which could cause personal catastrophe if not dealt with appropriately. A steam cloud arising from within each of us who does not deal with our innermost feelings, our innermost concerns and then watches life dissipate from the poisonous ( radioactive ) effects which result in a wasted life. I am not sure if this is how Eric views the title or if it was his intention to think of it in this way, but it is what I see.
Hugh and countless others who are openly gay have opened themselves to the world and are freeer , happier, more in sycn with themselves and the world around them than those who hide ( either their sexuality or something about themselves ).
Do you ever read of people who do something spectacular or totally out of character or at least seemingly out of character ?. They are not acting out of character. Their own repressed character shines through for however long they allow.
Of course , Hugh reveals this in his struggles throughout the movie, but it is Winston who reveals his secret as well at the end ( that he loves Hugh ).
I had found myself wondering what happened to these 3 young men as their life progressed. Normally, I do not find this in other movies. A movie typically relates a story and ends. We are told that Hugh and Kabold roomed with each other during college but what about Winston ? It is left a mystery to the viewer and makes the movie all the more interesting.
I also liked the manner in which the movie started. The 2 men in the beginning seem to start telling the story without words.We only see their bodies move as if to cross each other's path. We almost know something about the movie just in their movements and then the subsequent photography and scenery was very well presented.
A movie worth seeing - it is excellent !
