Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786305292982 Format: Color, NTSC ISBN: 6305292981 Label: Strand Home Video Manufacturer: Strand Home Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Strand Home Video Release Date: May 16, 2000 Running Time: 74 minutes Sales Rank: 56867 Studio: Strand Home Video Theatrical Release Date: March 07, 1997
Amazon.com: After the comparative success of Boys Life, four more budding filmmakers were invited to share their talents in a quartet of unorthodox--and very different--20-minute stories about being a gay male in the four corners of America. Boys Life 2 isn't as affecting as the original, maybe because the stories are less personal, have less time to develop character and narrative, and focus more on surface effect--they're rather like going cruising instead of looking for true love. In fact, only one of the shorts--'Alkali, Iowa,' by Mark Christopher (who later directed 54)--has real resonance and depth. The rest are tainted by stereotypes and buffed-up eye candy ('Must Be the Music' by Nickolas Perry); oddball black humor ('Nunzio's Second Cousin' by Tom DeCerchio, which stars Vincent D'Onofrio doing that ranting and raving thing he does so well); and enigmatic wisp ('The Dadshuttle' by Tom Donaghy). Boys Life dealt with freshman themes--first crush, first love, and first realization of one's sexual identity--while Boys Life 2 is a second glance, older and a little bit wiser, and more jaded. Like many second efforts it suffers from that thing called 'sophomore curse' and doesn't live up to the early promise and the more soulful impact of its predecessor. --Paula Nechak
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Rating: - What happened to the Trevor short?
When I saw this collection at the theater, I would have sworn that it included the award-winning Trevor! Why did they remove it from the DVD release? Comments welcome!
Rating: - Not half as good as its predecessor
Of the four shorts on this DVD, only one Alkali, Iowa, is worth seeing. The other three have none of the emotional resonance of the three short stories of the first Boys Life trilogy. The acting in Must Be The Music was pathetic and the story almost non-existent. Nunzio's Second Cousin also lacked a purpose, and The DadShuttle was simply annoying. Rent this to see Alkali, Iowa but I wouldn't recommend wasting money buying it. I was disappointed.
Rating: - My father, was he one of us?
None of the 4 shorts on display are bad, but MUST BE THE MUSIC isn't very inspired, just 4 teenagers out clubbing and that's it. THE DADSHUTTLE is OK, featuring a conversation about mundane things between a father and son. Lots of words left unspoken there. Too long, though.
The standouts are ALKALI, IOWA, a novelettish subject worthy of Checkov given subtle treatment by Mark Christopher. NUNZIO'S SECOND COUSIN is an actor's dream, Vincent D'Onofrio hamming it up something wonderful as a gay Chicago cop out cruising, being harassed by gaybashers. Eileen Brennan as his chatty Italian mama has a jolly old time, as well.
This is worth buying, for ALKALI, IOWA alone.
Rating: - It's ok
I had a real tough time understand these short films. The difficulty I had was understand why they were made. There was really no point to them. I'll start with "Must Be the Music." Some friends go to a club. One friend ends up getting the pager number to one guy he meets there. The end. Did I miss something? Is that supposed to be entertaining? Next is "Nunzio's Second Cousin." Two gay men walk out of a club. A bunch of guys plan on gay bashing them. One of the gay guys pulls out a gun and threatens to shoot them all. He lets them all go except one. He invites him over to have dinner with his mother. After dinner, the gay guy forces the boy to kiss him and then pushes him down on the ground. The end. Is the point of this to teach a lesson to a gay basher? Why have dinner with him? It's stupid. And the acting of the gay guy is horrible. He is just obnoxious. Next is "Alkali, Iowa." A gay boy finds out his dead father ... Read More
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- Not half as good as its predecessor
- My father, was he one of us?
