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Lilies

Lilies

List Price: $29.95
Your Price: $26.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A throwback and an exquisite gem. Wilde would be proud.
Review: At turns lyrical and pretentious, this daring and extremely literate film works best for lovers of extreme gay romanticism (much like Derek Jarmon's film Edward II--and just as self-consciously artsy.) Based on a modern French-language play, it uses a wide variety of striking narrative gimmicks to create a fable-like atmosphere, telling the story of a doomed teenage love affair - and the older men who are still caught in its aftermath 50 years later...

If you love heavy theater, if you can imagine swooning over Alfred Douglas or Gaveston, if the pop lyrics of Morressey make you cry rather than roll your eyes-this movie may be exactly up your alley. It's one of my favorites.

A guilty pleasure of the most refined sort.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Excellent Presentation Of A Somewhat Predictable Story
Review: The story goes like this: a bishop is held captive in a prisonchapel and is forced to watch a re-enactment of a romanticrelationship between two young men that took place years ago--and is forced to deal with the repercussions of it's tragic end.

Quite frankly, the greatest strength in "Lilies" is it's clever presentation, and it's efforts to put a slightly different spin on what might otherwise be a predictable story. Since all the parts being played in the re-enactment are portrayed by prison inmates, all the women are actually men in drag. Add to that, the segues between the confines of the prison stage to the authentic locale of the flashbacks we're witnessing are seamless to the point of being unnoticable. I've never seen flashbacks presented in such a way, and it's very much appreciated (thank you, John Greyson). Also, while it would be easy to take pot-shots at organized religion in such a story, "Lilies" doesn't take that route. Human weakness, not religion, is the villain in this film. Rather than the church being the tool of the tragedy which unfolds, it winds up being a refuge.

All the actors do a decent job, but Jason Cadieux is a stand-out as Simon. He does a great job at conveying the turmoil he feels (and he's damn sexy, too!). The one glaring weakness in the story is the character of Simon's lover's mother. At no point does this woman make any sense to me at all. In short, she's a loon and I don't know what real purpose she serves.

However, "Lilies" isn't about her. It's about the bishop and a love he took part in destroying. The story isn't exactly new, but the presentation is so compelling you can't help but get swept up in it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: captivating and beautiful.
Review: The transitions were great, the concept interesting and the setting a shock. The story really does give it to you a little at a time. some people don't even realize the guys are in drag in the flashback scenes :-) I also loved the props used in the prison during the transitions. We all yearn for love and we all know betrayal and when our love isn't accepted. Many other bad and good traits are shown of humankind for gay and hetero and asexuals alike can relate. I especially noted the pride of the mother to be the most powerful and something I most related to.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The LiLies Have Wilted
Review: This movie was very bad. Not just bad, terrible. It was so very boring and it portrays young men in a bad manner. Like they're objects. Being a young dude myself, I've taken offense to this.

I would definitely avoid this filth.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Very average and disappointing
Review: Very much like a TV movie expect the last where there is a small bit of nudity and hugging. It's not that I was looking for a sordid film but there is no point to this film expect that the director is experimenting with a flash-back technique. I don't see why others give so many stars. My conclusion is it's boring and very average in that it does not have anything refreshing expect that the theme of the movie is a gay love.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Lilies
Review: The story, as others have noted is one of jealousy destroys the love shared between two boys. This is one of the most incredibly acted movies on a gay theme I have seen to date. The men who act out the womens' roles walk an extremely thin line, of being over the top flambouyant and being masculine. Their acting is superb! The story will haunt you for days after. A love finally acknowledge, only too shortly cut down.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This is probably the most beautiful and moving movies I have ever seen about gay love...The actors are absolutely gorgeous, which at first led me to dismiss their acting abilities...until I realized that they were also very talented actors...When they cried, tears welled up in my own eyes...and when the boys were together, I felt that nothing in life could be so beautiful. I only hope to one day have a love like that in my life....I highly recommend this to other romantics like myself...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Vallier - Danny Gilmore
Review: After seeing the film for the first time last week, I found myself desperately searching the Web for information on this Actor. Oh sure, Jason Cadieux is very pretty, but I think the film focuses on the tragic demise of the character Vallier. The film's director Grayson, has almost manipulatively imbued Vallier with characteristics that we all would surely long for in a partner, and Danny Gilmore has taken that direction, and fulfilled it beyond our greatest expectations. This characterization is so positive that it reaches the point where good drama dictates that in order for this movie to succeed so completely, Vallier has to die - the most sympathetic, innocent, and sweetest character to grace gay-cinema in years.

To be truthful, I'm almost fearful of finding more information on Danny Gilmore - the actor. Besides the obvious - that he's probably straight, such information will possibly damage the image that I have of him - as Vallier. Actors, especially GOOD actors (his first role, mind you), have to put up with fans relating to the characters the actor protrays better than to the actor himself, as a person, out of character. I'm just hoping since Vallier was so convincing, that there almost has to be similar personality traits in the Actor. Who knows?

Steve

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Way too heavy handed...
Review: This movie is self-indulgent and overwrought. Let's all bash homophobes and the church. The director couldn't decide if it was a play or a series of memories... It just doesn't work. I'm sure there will be "art-house" types that think this movie is profound, but let's face it, some gay movies are just bad. Others are worse--they are self-indulgent. The acting and production are nice, and the leads are gorgeous, so I'll give it two stars...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great film...
Review: This was an excellent film. Very haunting and extremely well acted by a cast of (mainly) young actors. It is disturbing at times and the subject matter would definately not be for everyone.


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