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steve-seuser
Reviews
Loev (2015)
Miserable film teases with the hope of a plot
Don't waste your time watching this film. It's really not worth it. I can literally count on one hand the number of gay films I've said this about, but this film's script and characters are so poor, it's a complete waste of time. I watched the very dully beginning of the film (1/3 of the film) and go so bored by the lack of story line or interesting characters that I gave up. Weeks later, I stumbled across it again and watched another third, and it seemed to pick up some energy and I almost thought there was going to be a story line. But that part ended in a rape scene. Astonished, I went to IMDB and looked up the user reviews and saw the usual 10s I expected of a gay film with two attractive leads, but also quite a few reviews from people trashing it. Unless you can make it through a film solely on the attractiveness of the two opaque lead characters, don't bother start watching this film. I refuse to waste any more time watching it to the end. I'm done. Highly recommend avoiding it!
Jonas (2018)
Visually tempting film lacking a strong story
This film teases viewers into exploring the trauma at the root of the central character, Jonas. We're introduced to him in high school experiencing an unknown terror that's apparently flashing back. Jumping forward 18 years, Jonas appears again as a sex addict ruining his life and relationships, barely hanging on to a semblance of middle-class existence and finally ending up essentially homeless. In his grasp on sanity, Jonas pursues a new character who holds some unknown significance to him. This relationship ends up revealing Jonas's original life-changing teenage trauma.
In a good film, this would lead Jonas to some type of emotional or spiritual awakening, a life-changing revelation. However, in this film, it's simply wasted, and Jonas and the other character wander off into a meaningless scene that is a mysterious reference to an early conversation in the film 18 years prior. But it has no particular meaning. It's just there to be stylish, maybe provocative. It's the deep mysteriousness of an ending that doesn't mean anything. Are we supposed to think WOW, THAT'S SO DEEP!!! It like bad rock songs from the 1960s trying so hard to be deep they're stupefyingly shallow.
I'm really sorry I wasted my time watching this film. I thought it held real promise, but you can't fix a bad script with production value.
Third Eye Spies (2019)
Amazing story about actual use of ESP (remote viewing) in the U.S. and beyond
This is a great story that needs to be told about the use of remote viewing by U.S. (and Soviet) intelligence agencies both from a pure research angle and eventually to more practical applications. While the filmmaking itself may not meet the expectations of modern film viewers, the story and the people involved are remarkable. I found myself riveted to it from start to finish.
Highly recommended for people with a strong interest in ESP and paranormal abilities, but maybe it's not a great film for people with a casual interest who might prefer a riveting actual film. The pacing is slow, and the central character meets few of the criteria for a leading man in a mainstream movie. But even more critical viewers may appreciate the arc of the story and the revelations about paranormal research over a period of decades. The laughable but somehow predictable end of this era is the icing on the cake.
El abrazo de la serpiente (2015)
Great cinematography, story, and characters
This cinematography of this film makes it worth seeing for that reason alone. The compelling beauty and raw nature of the Amazon river and rain forest is present throughout the film. It's hard to imagine that anyone would not be moved by it. The story of native people and shamanic traditions clashing with European world views, the exploitation of natural resources, and Catholic religious domination and extermination of native culture and language make for a compelling film all around. The film takes place over two generations, which may be confusing initially, but makes for a strong story line.
The film explores the early intersection of religious and economic conversion/exploitation in the Amazon region, the impacts of religious practices of various sorts on people, the domination of people on a range of levels, and ultimately the strength of shamanic traditions and teachings to draw both native and European people forward.
The film was compelling throughout, but I found the lack of substance to the shamanic journey weak and disappointing. This may not be the reaction most theater goers, who will be satisfied with its nod to some type of shamanic experience, and they'll fill in the blanks and insert whatever meaning they'd like into this scene. It reminded me of the psychedelic films of the 1960s/1970s with music and LSD trip imagery. Similarly, the disappearance of one of the two characters at the end of the film does not ring true to shamanic practice and appears to be a dramatic device viewers are left to interpret as they like.
Still, I'd recommend this film for its sheer beauty, storytelling, strong and compelling characters, and exposure to shamanic traditions. It's not for all audiences, but for people interested in a deeper look into our cultural history and the natural beauty of the Amazon rain forest, it's well worth seeing.
Like You Mean It (2015)
Great Potential, But Falls Flat
This film has some components of a good film -- romantic relationship facing some challenges, overall good acting, an international aspect with German dialog, great production quality, and enough plot to explore the potential impact of life events on the main characters -- so I was surprised that it left me dissatisfied most of the way through the film. The main character, Mark, remains virtually emotionless throughout, with the exception of a mental/emotional collapse in one scene. He remains an impervious handsome lead we're hoping might become human. His partner Jonah expresses more emotion, and we have more of a sense of his character and longings. But the script fails to develop these two characters, instead indulging in scenes of sexual imagery and intimacy to seduce its viewers.
Mark's lack of emotional involvement extends to virtually all areas of his life, including his family in Austria and his work as an actor on the fringes of Hollywood. The straight couple who are friends of Mark and Jonah show flashes of humanity, but no particularly compelling story relevant to the film. In the final scene, Mark's modest attempt to reach Jonah may be intended to show his humanity, but there's no hint of what he learned or why he's changed. I gained little insight into these characters in the film, certainly felt no connection to them or their lives, and wondered what the writer/director was trying to communicate. This isn't uncommon among current films -- with attractive actors whose physical appearance is their only identity, leaving audiences to watch them without knowing much of anything about them. Their appearance speaks for itself.
Give me Scenes From a Marriage by Ingmar Bergman for a slow-moving but dramatic film or else a film with a gripping plot. Pretty actors, skin, a slow-paced plot, and no drama fall flat for me.