WEEKEND AT THE SWIMMING POOL LIBRARY
Posted: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 by RoNRoNTuRoN in
As if redundancy is underrated, one cannot just give in too much. Yes, there are things that defies satiety something like porridge party in a trolls house. This month proved to be more busy than the previous. Work, school and stuffs.
August 2012 may be the gayest month for me, like there would be fireworks of rainbow confetti every day. Two things:
1. The Swimming Pool Library.
How about time travel to the underground gay world in 1983 ? I was on a book store, checking stuffs when a book with a vulgar cover of a spandex red underwear caught my attention. I picked it up, and bet to myself that this should be something gay. Well, it is more than I can bargain for. I bought the book at once, and only then that I discovered that that copy was an original book published in 1988 when the book was first released that year. "Antique Galore". Lucky me huh! and guess what, I got it half the price, because it was on a clearance sale.
The books follows the life of a young, elite, and privileged slash irresistible young gay and his friendship with an 83 year old aristocrat who was looking for someone to write his biography and whom he saved from a heart standstill on a public lavatory. The story is dark, erotic and classic, unconventional. It is deeply written that I sometimes find myself looking like a cat unable to figure how to saute a bird catch for an evening meal. More importantly is that it is boldly, beautifully written and one of the few who dared to plunge into the sensitive topic of gay life on the time it was first published.
I would recommend you all get a copy of this.
Verdict: 8/10 STARS
2. Weekend
Oh my God. My Kleenex consumption has never been this big. I never knew this film existed until yesterday. I downloaded a copy and started watching it right away. I watched the trailer first, and I was moved ever since. I started crying after watching the movie trailer and oh, what a tear jerk I was. This movie is just beautiful.
If you loved Before Sunrise, you will marry Weekend. This is a countdown-to-farewell movie that will touch and crush your heart. Chris New and Tom Cullen created a masterpiece through this film. The story begins on a friday night where Tom picks up Chris from a gay bar and spends the next 48 hours together.
More than it being a gay film, I think it reviews the identity crisis of any person, be gay, lesbian or straight. It used a gay life story as an unconventional way to narrate a person's struggle to place him/herself in a prejudicial society. It makes you come out to maturity of letting go of your inhibitions, making a stand and showing your love, "just because...". It made me realize that it's amazing how two people can come together only briefly, yet impact each other in a profound way. (This film has claimed praises both from the homosexual and the straight society, which is a great thing. The movie created a link that both gays/lesbians and straight people would mutually appreciate, agree and love. That's a great accomplishment considering its a gay film.
"Perfectly Realized... A bracing, perfect tense exploration of sex, intimacy and love", The New York Times.
I think a factor that made me cling to this film is that I relive this experience at the end of each of my vacation in the Philippines, where I experience a sad countdown to an inevitable goodbye. The difference is that the film happened in 48 hours. My countdown is a month.
A very few bitter-sweet endings like this made me cry: Love of Siam, New Years Eve, Dream Boy (2008). Weekend is now added to the list. I strongly recommend this film to everyone, gay, lesbian or straight. A MUST see.
Verdict: 9.5/10
August 2012 may be the gayest month for me, like there would be fireworks of rainbow confetti every day. Two things:
1. The Swimming Pool Library.
How about time travel to the underground gay world in 1983 ? I was on a book store, checking stuffs when a book with a vulgar cover of a spandex red underwear caught my attention. I picked it up, and bet to myself that this should be something gay. Well, it is more than I can bargain for. I bought the book at once, and only then that I discovered that that copy was an original book published in 1988 when the book was first released that year. "Antique Galore". Lucky me huh! and guess what, I got it half the price, because it was on a clearance sale.
The books follows the life of a young, elite, and privileged slash irresistible young gay and his friendship with an 83 year old aristocrat who was looking for someone to write his biography and whom he saved from a heart standstill on a public lavatory. The story is dark, erotic and classic, unconventional. It is deeply written that I sometimes find myself looking like a cat unable to figure how to saute a bird catch for an evening meal. More importantly is that it is boldly, beautifully written and one of the few who dared to plunge into the sensitive topic of gay life on the time it was first published.
I would recommend you all get a copy of this.
Verdict: 8/10 STARS
2. Weekend
Oh my God. My Kleenex consumption has never been this big. I never knew this film existed until yesterday. I downloaded a copy and started watching it right away. I watched the trailer first, and I was moved ever since. I started crying after watching the movie trailer and oh, what a tear jerk I was. This movie is just beautiful.
If you loved Before Sunrise, you will marry Weekend. This is a countdown-to-farewell movie that will touch and crush your heart. Chris New and Tom Cullen created a masterpiece through this film. The story begins on a friday night where Tom picks up Chris from a gay bar and spends the next 48 hours together.
More than it being a gay film, I think it reviews the identity crisis of any person, be gay, lesbian or straight. It used a gay life story as an unconventional way to narrate a person's struggle to place him/herself in a prejudicial society. It makes you come out to maturity of letting go of your inhibitions, making a stand and showing your love, "just because...". It made me realize that it's amazing how two people can come together only briefly, yet impact each other in a profound way. (This film has claimed praises both from the homosexual and the straight society, which is a great thing. The movie created a link that both gays/lesbians and straight people would mutually appreciate, agree and love. That's a great accomplishment considering its a gay film.
"Perfectly Realized... A bracing, perfect tense exploration of sex, intimacy and love", The New York Times.
I think a factor that made me cling to this film is that I relive this experience at the end of each of my vacation in the Philippines, where I experience a sad countdown to an inevitable goodbye. The difference is that the film happened in 48 hours. My countdown is a month.
A very few bitter-sweet endings like this made me cry: Love of Siam, New Years Eve, Dream Boy (2008). Weekend is now added to the list. I strongly recommend this film to everyone, gay, lesbian or straight. A MUST see.
Verdict: 9.5/10
loved the movie. love you more! :)