Antarctica

[floatingleaf]

I have a recommendation tonight. If you're in the mood for some sweet & steamy gay romance - and most people reading this would be, I presume ;) - watch a lovely Israeli film called Antarctica. The title can be misleading, because obviously the film isn't about Antarctica at all - it's just a place that one of the characters dreams of visiting. It serves as a symbol of something that seems unattainable at first, but then, suddenly, miraculously, happens - like love. At least that's my interpretation.;) You may see the movie categorized as a comedy - but the humor is very subtle and understated, more likely to make you chuckle than laugh out loud (except for a few occasions). There is a lot of sex and nudity, though - which is, of course, to be expected in a story centered around the dating life of a bunch of gay guys (plus one lesbian couple on the side). In the beginning, you might get a bit confused as to who is who, because the guys hit the sack in various permutations - but eventually two steady couples emerge out of the mix. The characters are intriguing and memorable, for the most part; not just a bunch of hotties for visual gratification, lol (though if that's what you're after, you certainly won't have reason to complain, either...;). It's all about different people looking for different things in relationships and human interactions - and how we may not even know what we are looking for, or we may suddenly find it where we least expect it to be found. Life, basically.:) As an interesting piece of trivia, there are two different characters in the film - male and female, respectively - played by the same actor. Which I had no slightest clue about until I checked the cast on IMDB. All I knew was that one of the guys' mother - the main "comic relief" of the movie - reminded me strongly of a flamboyant male transvestite.;) I won't reveal who the "alter ego" is - watch and try to figure it out by yourselves, for it is totally unexpected and very amusing. Another tongue-in-cheek aspect of the film is that homophobia doesn't seem to exist in it - or at least doesn't seem to affect anyone present on screen. For example, we see middle-aged ladies at a hairdresser's engage in an impromptu matchmaking session for the benefit of their gay sons (as in, why doesn't your son date mine - he's also looking for someone to settle down with, you know? etc.). Simply delightful.:D Oh, and there is also a support group for people who believe they had been abducted by aliens.:P So yeah, it is a comedy - but there are also some very serious moments of emotional insight. In short, a charming slice of life for the queer-minded. Just what the doctor prescribed for me.:P