Weekend Writing

[Editor's note] There are very few gay films I can publicly admit to liking. Most, if not the majority of them are about one of three things:

1) Slutty boys doing slutty things.
2) Campy boys doing campy things.
3) Beautiful boys incomprehensibly falling in love with dorky guys.

None of which speak to my experiences as a gay man. (Well, maybe the second one. A little.) But I digress. This week I'd like to recommend a great gay film that breaks with the mold. It's a film with heart; rich in likable characters and beautiful boys.

Shelter is about a young guy whose dream of going to art school gets sidelined by family obligations. Zach spends his days working a dead-end job and helping his hot mess of a sister care for her son. He finds great comfort in surfing, drawing, and hanging with his pal Gabe who lives on the wealthy side of town.

Gabe's older brother, Shaun, comes home to find solace at the family beachside home after a particularly bad breakup. A successful writer and a nice guy, Shaun is drawn to Zach's selflessness and talent. They hang out, surf, and get to know each other. Eventually, Zach falls in love with Shaun while struggling to reconcile his own desires with the needs of his family.

It's perhaps the most genuine gay film I've ever seen. It's brilliantly written and wonderfully acted. It's not raunch; there's nothing more than heavy kissing shown. But it doesn't need that kinda stuff. This is about two friends who fall in love and find shelter in that love.

So if you're bored on this ugly, rainy Sunday-- watch it in 10, 10 minute parts:

You'll thank me, trust.

Trailer below:

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