As a gay boy, this film is the most amazing depiction of youth homosexuality I've ever seen. I was bored during Brokeback Mountain and uncaptivated by the popular British coming out movies such as Beautiful Thing and Get Real. This one is just so beautiful: the power of the movie kept me watching it again and again. After watching, it put me into a trance that lasted days, and every time I think of it I feel emotions rumbling in my stomach.
The movie is somewhat of a wonderful fantasy re-enforced by the beautiful actors, music and landscape. You feel so close to these characters immediately, perhaps because you yearn to be there with them. The Queerschlag was what made the movie so special for me. These are the friends you so dearly needed in high school, a period which was so lonely for most gay teens. The dancing scene, the evening rowing shot (Oli hugging Leo), and the dock roughhousing scene almost seem like those perfect memories that never actually happened. That's what made the movie so emotional for me. What I would give to find friends like that and have such an experience..
I would dream about drinking and dancing at a beautiful Bavarian lake like the Queerschlag did. Good friendships with other gay boys is something that many gays miss out on--for some, other gay boys are only for relationships and sex. Though the Queerschlag had many different kinds of gays, in all shapes and sizes (manly, feminine, sensitive, overtly sexual) they all seemed comfortable with each other and shared the magic of gay friendship. This is the way it should be when growing up gay. Of course gay men encounter difficulties because those same friendships are always complicated by crushes and relationships and the problems that ensue. Oli seemed to fancy Leo, and was jealous of Tobi for stealing him away. The two Niels were boyfriends. I wonder if straight audiences noticed these things...that were so obvious to me. We all feel sorry for poor Anke, but what about Oli?
The acting in the movie is superb. Anke, Tobi, and Leo are marvelously played. Leo (Marlon Kittel) is simply adorable, the sensitive way he courts Tobi is so wonderful. The love scene on the dock is the most beautiful I've ever seen: it is so innocent and pure and gives you true butterflies. We've all been desensitized by porn, but the scene is so different and will simply astound you by it's magic. One can't help but fall in love with Leo in every scene he's in.
This movie had an profound impact on my life and how I see the world. It is melancholic and nostalgic in subtle ways that just overpowered me. The innocence of the movie is captivating. I have shown this movie to many friends and they have all loved it. Simply Magical!
The movie is somewhat of a wonderful fantasy re-enforced by the beautiful actors, music and landscape. You feel so close to these characters immediately, perhaps because you yearn to be there with them. The Queerschlag was what made the movie so special for me. These are the friends you so dearly needed in high school, a period which was so lonely for most gay teens. The dancing scene, the evening rowing shot (Oli hugging Leo), and the dock roughhousing scene almost seem like those perfect memories that never actually happened. That's what made the movie so emotional for me. What I would give to find friends like that and have such an experience..
I would dream about drinking and dancing at a beautiful Bavarian lake like the Queerschlag did. Good friendships with other gay boys is something that many gays miss out on--for some, other gay boys are only for relationships and sex. Though the Queerschlag had many different kinds of gays, in all shapes and sizes (manly, feminine, sensitive, overtly sexual) they all seemed comfortable with each other and shared the magic of gay friendship. This is the way it should be when growing up gay. Of course gay men encounter difficulties because those same friendships are always complicated by crushes and relationships and the problems that ensue. Oli seemed to fancy Leo, and was jealous of Tobi for stealing him away. The two Niels were boyfriends. I wonder if straight audiences noticed these things...that were so obvious to me. We all feel sorry for poor Anke, but what about Oli?
The acting in the movie is superb. Anke, Tobi, and Leo are marvelously played. Leo (Marlon Kittel) is simply adorable, the sensitive way he courts Tobi is so wonderful. The love scene on the dock is the most beautiful I've ever seen: it is so innocent and pure and gives you true butterflies. We've all been desensitized by porn, but the scene is so different and will simply astound you by it's magic. One can't help but fall in love with Leo in every scene he's in.
This movie had an profound impact on my life and how I see the world. It is melancholic and nostalgic in subtle ways that just overpowered me. The innocence of the movie is captivating. I have shown this movie to many friends and they have all loved it. Simply Magical!