Cuatro lunas

This is one of the most enjoyable gay themed movies I've watched. In "Cuatro Lunas" everything is near perfection - the plots of the four stories, the characters, the actors, the music, the editing and the cinematography. The direction is excellent as well. But what really excels is its power to grab and thrill the viewer with stories that are as simple as those of their own life. While mainstream cinema need to thrill with fantastic, complex and sometimes implausible plots, "Cuatro Lunas" shows life as simple, strange and painful as it really is for each one of us. This is one of the 5 best gay themed movies I've watched, and I've already watched a bunch of them.

I don't think this film looks at really complex themes, but they're resonant, heartfelt themes nonetheless, and coming from a Mexican film it's rare that it looks at the issues that it does. The main cast are all pretty great, some more than others. Some of the stories resonated with me more than others, and some were overall more effective than others. They're simple, but effective. It's great that Mexico is at least letting films like these be made, and I really appreciate its ambition. I hope it's able to be seen by more people because it really deserves it. Overall, very resonant and very well-made. Definitely recommended for anyone interested.

It amazes me with all the talent and money in Hollywood that Gay films are generally so lousy. Except for a couple of films like GBF and The Geography Club there have been almost no good gay films in the past year or so. There are big director pretentious movies like Philadelphia or Broke Back Mountain in the past, but we need something more real and less hysterically depressing. This film is sweetly wonderful and true to life. Watching is like hearing the stories of people I have known. The well chosen actors give beautiful performances. The story telling is almost perfect. Chemistry between the leads is excellent and believable. When someone starts talking up an American gay director who makes a lot of product that isn't very good and acts like people should settle for it, I would rather read subtitles and see a movie of this caliber instead. Some of the very best Gay films are coming from outside of our borders where gifted directors are making very good films without huge budgets or overpaid actors. I have seen some excellent Gay films this year, none of them come from Hollywood.

And interesting that (as of this writing) the one negative review here is from a Mexican who calls it the worst gay movie ever. He couldn't be more wrong. If you're reading this, reviewer, take a look at my reviews to find a selection of truly cringe-making gay movies. Try watching Regarding Billy, for example. Betcha can't make it all the way through.

Nevertheless, I think I know why someone from Mexico found this movie trite and a yawn. If you compare it to a Mexican movie like Y Tu Mama Tambien, yes, this is nowhere near that level. But it is competent, and it held my interest. Yes, it covers no new ground, but what is covered is done so in an interesting way.

Another reviewer points out how American this depiction of Mexico looks. Having lived in Mexico I would agree that most if not all of these homes would have had servants. I suspect the director felt that if servants were seen, European and US audiences would not find the characters as sympathetic. And he'd be right.

This is not a great film, but it is very good. I found nothing in this production to complain about. Well, all right, I didn't care much for the professor character or the actor who portrayed him. But maybe that's because (being in the same age bracket and out since Stonewall) I have little tolerance for closet cases--real or fictional--who have had their cake and now want to eat it.

There is a telenovista element to the story lines, but I think that's intentional. A scene where a mother's dry recitation to her son of a telenovela plot is very funny-and revealing. Let's face it. Gay life can be a telenovela.

From the Netflix description I too was expecting four short films. And I put off watching for that reason; it's not my favorite genre. But interwoven as they were worked well. I liked it. I think most American gay men will too.

The synopsis is that we have four stories that are told in a linear narrative of four very separate and very different relationships. We have two old friends who had lost contact and get reunited and it is more than friendship that is rekindled. A young boy who falls for his cousin and he knows it is wrong for him to act on his impulses but the attraction is too strong.

There is also the story of an ageing and married poet who falls for a rent boy at the local sauna and the very real story of a couple who have been together where one feels it has gone very stale and does something about it. The link to the four tales are all about love and acceptance and are all about gay relationships.

To say anymore runs the risk of revealing the plot(s). However, there is so much crammed in here and not a single frame is wasted. It is at times painful, moving, touching and even funny. I was glued to the screen after a few minutes. It is 110 minutes long but feels much shorter and is in Spanish with the odd English thrown in and the sub titles are very good. This is from director Sergio Tovar Velarde and I tried t get hold of some of his other work and sadly not available in the UK. He made this in 2014 and has not made one since. I sincerely hope he does very soon – this is simply a fantastic film that I can only commend.