Last Summer

Mark Thiedeman's stunning movie is a breathtaking work of art. This moody, nuanced film is something quite special to experience. Far from the madding crowd of commercial 'Gay' themed movies, this sumptuously photographed and delicately under-written work indicates clearly this Director is one to watch. It is essentially a love story that portrays the two lead character's relationship in a filmic essay of great beauty.Thiedeman's structural choices in setting up scenes is reminiscent of perhaps a more European sensibility than the more common obvious American Studio system's insistence on the dumbing down of everything. Here we definitely have a case of 'less is more'...the camera tells much of the story. And with great beauty. Like a fine wine, this movie is one to savor and relish. A comparison to James Bolton's 2008 "Dream Boy" could be made, but that would be unfair to both Directors, as each is unique in style. But if you enjoyed 'Dream Boy' you are likely to absolutely love this film. The two extremely handsome leads beautifully interpret the script and provide the viewer with intelligent and mature performances. If you need fast paced action or voluminous amounts of dialogue to tell you a story, this film is not necessarily for you. It gently meanders, but always meaningfully and with an end-point in mind. Distributors of exceptional films need to sit up and take notice- It's criminal this one didn't get a major cinema release. It's every bit as marketable as any 'Brokeback Mountain'. Stunning!

Gotta admit that I see the point of reviewers who gave this a 1...and the ones who gave it a 10.

"Glacial" is a generous description for the pace of this movie. Lots of lonnnnng, "artistic" shots of leaves, raindrops, and random body parts. Probably only 10 minutes worth of actual dialogue in total.

So...you might look at this as a tedious, pointless, dragging piece of film in which literally nothing happens. Or you'll look at it as a brilliant, high-concept, beautifully-shot artistic masterpiece.

Either way, at least both of the leads are gorgeous and appear to have good chemistry.

More a moving painting than a film. It's a study in light, texture, colour and mood. I confess I couldn't stop watching because every shot was so...beautiful. A haunting, melancholy film and nearly perfect.

Two life-long friends and lovers face their first parting when one heads off to college. That's it. Period. And we really only know that because that's what we're told. If that hadn't been spelled out for us at the beginning of the movie, we'd have no idea what was going on.

Both boys seem unrealistically pragmatic about spending one last summer together. What most kids in this situation would consider traumatic doesn't seem to phase these two. Maybe knowing each other since third grade has left them with nothing more to say. Because they don't say much, and what they do say is curiously devoid of emotional content.

So it leaves you feeling a little hollow, even though the overall artiness more or less demands that we value the content of this film. It's like, "this is art, dammit, and you WILL appreciate it!"

Well, I do and I don't. Much of the photography IS striking, but what we see mostly are scenes that might as well be stills, and most of those are in close up. The actors are so immobile I couldn't help feeling they were trying to help the DP keep the shot in focus.

I didn't hate this, but I can't say I enjoyed it. It's pretty, the boys are pretty, and, mercifully, it's only 66 minutes long, so, you know, why complain?

Well, because it doesn't add up to much.

Director/writer Mark Thiedeman has created a visual poetic look into the friendship, compassion, and love of friendship between two teenage males at that point in life when the foundation of their past life must give way to their individual adult path. The visuals of nature and home are warm and lazy just like a hot summer demands.

Here in this setting Jonah and Luke, friends sense early childhood, give to each other the affectionate expression of companionship their friendship has developed into. They are each others comfort at this pivotal and often confusing time in life. Jonah must move on as his intellect and spirit demands it. Luke does not have this drive, this need for experience beyond the life they both know. Where Jonah is intellectually developed he is fearful of whats next but he must go. Luke is more emotionally developed because he knows Jonah better than Jonah knows himself and he must let Jonah go or it will ruin their friendship. If you love someone let them go!

I must say I do not believe this is a story of two gay males living as openly gay in a southern town. I can see how many others come to that easy conclusion. We see suggestion of love through their affection and need to be together. We never see them together beyond cuddling! As the photography shows nature growing and existing in this summer setting we are also given two boys living in nature and each is open to the natural need of humans to seek companionship and experience this new emotional want. Neither passes judgement on the other. Society bars this type of friendship with unfortunate labels but here Mark Thiedemann has created a poem, a fantasy, a dream of not necessarily what is but a celebration of what can be in real life.

Certainly a unique film that will appeal to those who are given to poetry and symbolism in life!