Search - Boys Briefs 5: Schoolboys on DVD

Six Shorts

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 10/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Boys Briefs 5: Schoolboys"

Six Shorts

Amos Lassen


Due out in December is the latest installment of Picture This Entertainment's, "Boy's Briefs". Using the subtitle "Schoolboys", this collection centers around boys and young men at school and college and each of the films is a winner.
"Kali Ma" is a 16 minute film about what happens when a suburban Indian mother discovers that her son is being bullied at school and afterwards. She decides to use her own form of revenge which is little more than vigilante justice. She is determined to see her son be happy regardless of the consequences. We get a look at what divides mothers and sons and what ties them together.
"Secrets" is a bold short film running 15 minutes about one night with five boys, a deck of cards and a gay crush. As the boys explore erotic asphyxiation, the five learn something new about themselves.
"Flatmates" is from Norway and it runs 21 minutes. It's a familiar story of a young man in live with his straight roommate who exhibits a great deal of homoeroticism. The film deals with loving a best friend and the difference between abuse and tenderness.
"Benny's Gym" is a gem from Norway running 25 minutes. Young Alfred is the victim of bullying from other boys including Benny. Benny wants a tattoo so Alfred draws one on his arm at a secret meeting between the two and thereby starts a friendship that begins reluctantly but becomes warm as time passes. But this is a relationship that must remain secret. Here we watch the two young boys grow up.
"You, Me and Him" is a Brazilian film (18 minutes) that looks at Danilo who learns that his parents have been killed in an automobile accident just after he decides to move in with his boyfriend Marcos. It seems that it is Danilo's younger brother that will decide what will happen to this relationship.
Finally is "yeah no definitely" from the United States and running 14 minutes. We meet Cam and Kiff, two loud college students who share a platonic relationship that is very intense. Cam can suppress the way he feels but it is obvious that something is bothering him. When grief and passion come together, the results are heartbreaking.
Each of the films is unique and each is worthwhile viewing. If I had to rare this "Boys Briefs" to the others, I am forced to say that this is the best of them for many reasons but primarily for the variety of the films.
"

One of the better compilations of gay shorts.

Bob Lind | Phoenix, AZ United States | 12/18/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The latest compilation of six short gay films, from PictureThisVideo,
focuses (mainly) on gay men of high school or college age. If you view all six simultaneously, there is a brief introduction by a generic twink that I found distracting; you avoid the intros by selecting to view each short individually.

The first selection, "Kali Ma" (US, 2007), is likely the best. A shy, gay 15 year old Indian-American student is repeatedly intimidated and beaten by a hunky classmate. His heavyset, strong-willed Indian mother decides to put a stop to it. Amazing. Five stars out of five.

"Flatmates" (Norway) has the familiar scenario of a young gay man sharing an apartment with his straight best friend. The friends always have been platonically affectionate, but close quarters makes the vibe change, for the worse. Four stars out of five.

Five teen friends playing cards, three guys and two girls. "Secrets" (US, 2007) emerge that threaten to break some friendships. Nice acting and photography, not much of a story. Two stars out of five.

Film festival favorite "You Me and Him" (Brazil, 2007) demonstrates
the change in a gay couple's plans when one becomes the guardian of his 10 year old brother, after his parents' death in a car crash. Can they become one big happy family? Stay tuned. Four stars out of five.

In "Yeah No Definitely" (US, 2007), outgoing Kiff decides to take a
road trip with his best friend Cam, who has a habit of suppressing his emotions to the point where they are ready to explode out of him. A weekend at a beach house is the scene for an emotional scene that brings the platonic friends even closer. Three stars out of five.

The final selection, "Benny's Gym" (Norway 2007) chronicles the growing friendship between the leader of a group of bullies and their frequent target, shy little Alfred. The relationship helps both boys, until Alfred gets hurt when his friend refuses to acknowledge their friendship in front of the other boys. Simple but emotional. Four stars out of five.

One of the better compilations overall. DVD includes interview with
directors of several of the films. Average rounded up to four stars
out of five.
"

A Pretty Decent Compilation

Robert Byrd | Minneapolis, MN United States | 03/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I won't go into descriptions of the storylines of these films - others have done that very effectively. Suffice it to say that this is a pretty good collection of short films that's definitely worth your viewing. The two standouts are KALI MA, a robustly humorous and touching film about an East Indian-American mother's unconditional love for her son, and the superb Norwegian film BENNY'S GYM, that tells a beautifully compelling story of blossoming friendship between two pre-teen boys.

Give these films a look. They're really a notch above most gay shorts I've seen"

Misleading cover; decent collection.

D. Elliot | UK | 01/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The latest addition to this generally strong series of short films from around the world lives up to its now-established standard (if not to its theme). As to the latter, 'schoolboys' is, disappointingly, something of a misnomer. Of the six short films, only two have actors under the age of 20. 'Gay interest' is also loosely-defined; a significant proportion of the shorts being devoted more to intense male-male relationships than actual homoerotic attraction. Nevertheless, an intriguing, eclectic collection.

Other reviewers have summarized the six shorts; special mention to 'Kali Ma' (a superbly original take on a common theme), 'Flatmates' (homoerotic, poignant and well-executed) and 'Benny's Gym' (the only short in the collection to consider an emotional bond between two preteens).

Overall, this is an excellent compilation of international shorts, even if it does fail to live up to the promised theme. There *are* some short films out there worth tracking down that do offer much-needed attention to the realm of genuinely youthful sexuality (such as 'Mon Copain Rachid', 'Oranges', 'Fishbelly White', 'Freunde' and 'Zucht') - but they are few and far between. Directors/script-writers: time to show some courage in your art.
"