Shortbus (Unrated Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Shortbus (Unrated Edition)
Movie Review: Breakthrough Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Shortbus is the dream child of writer/director John Cameron Mitchell, who brought us the delightful film, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Mr. Mitchell wanted his next film to be about sex and sexuality and he had seen foreign films where the actors actually had sex on screen as part of the film, but he had not known of any English-language ones. He wanted to make the first, and what he has come up with is a delightful essay of a small group of people's sexual problems and their attempts to remedy those problems.
This is a not-rated movie and the viewer immediately finds out why. The opening shot is of the head of Lady Liberty in New York City with the soundtrack belting out the words, "Is you is or is you not my baby? The way you have been acting leaves me doubt." As the song goes on the camera sails through the windows of several people's bedrooms while they are engaged in the most intimate of moments. In the first zoom through a window the audience sees a naked semi-erect man sitting in a bath tub taking film footage of his penis. Next we zoom through the window of an S&M hooker spraying off her assortment of dildos while being questioned by her john. Then we zoom back to the first man who is now filming himself trying to perform fellatio on himself. Next we zoom through the window in an apartment where a man is performing cunnilingus on an oriental woman who is sitting naked on a grand piano and then the couple goes through a wide assortment of gymnastic contortions of sexual intimacy. Zoom into apartment #4 and you see a good looking man watching the guy in the first apartment filming his oral feat. Finally all of the scenes end with orgasmic conclusions including our john with the S&M Dominatrix Hooker shooting his load onto a Sydney Pollack-style painting where it strangely seems to fit in.
At first the viewer is shocked, but isn't this really closer to real life than what is typically portrayed? It seemed refreshingly frank.
It turns out that the man who was trying the acrobatic fellatio, James (Paul Dawson), has a gay lover, Jamie (P J DeBoy). His lover is very attached to him, but James is pushing away in the relationship, wanting more. James wants them to try an open relationship. The oriental lady, Sofia (Sook-Yin Lee) with the acrobatic lover on the piano, is a sex therapist who has been faking her orgasms with her lover and actually in fact had never had one in her life. James and Jamie come to her for sexual relationship advice and through that relationship they find Shortbus, a large home whose owner, Justin Bond, describes the place as, "You know school busses. This is the shortbus. This is a salon for the gifted and challenged!" It features a wide variety of environments, all equally bizarre, including a sex party room. There is a cabaret room, a lesbian bar, and a very diverse group of people including the former mayor of New York. In this environment all of the principle characters introduced in the opening scenes work on their sexual problems. Sofia hooks up with the S&M Hooker, Seve (Lindsay Beamish). As the hooker said, "I will help you discover how to have an orgasm and you can teach me how to have a real human interaction with someone." James and Jamie find Seth a handsome man for a three-way romance, and the voyeur even finds a relationship fulfilled. The film ends in a carnival atmosphere where the Cabaret vocalist is singing, "We all get it in the end," to the accompaniment of a marching polka band. Did I say the environment of Shortbus is a little bizarre?
However, Shortbus is a dramatic story of sexual conflicts and people trying to solve them. I heartily recommend it. Actually I was in the hospital the first time I saw the film and it got my heart going again! Perhaps it will perform miracles for you as well.
Gary Kaufman
Movie Review: "You've got to pull the bus over . . . You're not riding safely . . . Park."
Summary: 5 Stars
Strange as it seems, I watched "This Film is Not Yet Rated" and "Shortbus" in the same day. And some part of me wondered ... did John Cameron Mitchell even bother to submit this to the MPAA? Not, of course, because he expected to receive a "passing-grade" from the prudish parents (and the two members of the clergy) that run the ratings and appeals board ... but simply to force the cloistered collection of puritans to watch couples attempting to negotiate their sexuality.
The fantastic ensemble cast is phenomenal at arousing laughter, compassion, and perhaps a few tears. Moreover, in a weird way, watching Sofia navigate the Shortbus haven is kind of like a return to high-school parties: everyone is making out, someone is crying in the closet, a couple of people are watching television, a group of desperate goofs are playing "spin the bottle," and your boyfriend (or girlfriend) is bored. Ohh, and you never leave very satisfied:)
What surprised me was how this film could have been painfully predictable, but was not. For instance, in the film's introduction, Sophia expresses that she has never climaxed with her husband. When she explores Shortbus, she meets Severin (a tortured dominatrix). When the two women bond and become intimate, the viewer is convinced that satisfaction will come from another woman. Not so (thank goodness!). In fact, she is betrayed by Severin's greedy lust. This is an unexpected, painful, and realistic turn for the film. I applaud the fact the Mitchell complicates sex ... there are no easy answers for Mitchell (Thank you!!)
Unlike some of the reviewers here, I do not think "less is more." We have lived with "less is more" for way too long. We Americans think sex is shameful ... and if any films include it, they better be hidden in back rooms ... behind ugly beaded curtains. These films invariably degrade both sexes and they degrade sex itself. This film shows Americans loving-couples (in many cases real-life couples) engaging in consensual sex. It illustrates the complications and beauty of these relationships. Never does it condescend. Instead, it graceful allows its viewers to become welcomed voyeurs ... we learn as we watch. We experience the joy and frustration of these characters. It is ... quite marvelous.
If you are tired of films that ignore the pleasures of sex for women (ignore, or as we learn from "This Film is Not Yet Rated," simply are not permitted to show WOMEN enjoying sex), if you are searching for a film which treats the sex-life of gay men with playfulness and respect, if you are desperate for a film which makes sex "sexy," messy, and complicated, then give Shortbus your attention.
But if films with gay men pleasuring each other and women finding pleasure at all, turn you off ... well, you may as well return to the area behind the beaded curtain. The rest of us will hope that Mitchell continues to build upon his ground-breaking works!
Thank you, Mr. Mitchell!
Movie Review: ...The Short Bus
Summary: 5 Stars
john cameron mitchells the short bus is a mainstream film makers attemped to stop the political religous intellectual puritanistic prejudice against sex on the screen that the establishments still has there has been an attemped to do this in europe by mainstream studios and indies with moderate success and it hasnt hurt the adult hardcore sexploitation biz at all up there since the hate of sex is rather small compare to the u s a which big creating forbbidden fruit profits from the main adult xxx buisness which would be moderate size if our establishment was liberal and regualr porn consummers wernt hypocritical this is one of the reason why obscenity and zoneing laws still exist against adult due to the fact also since 1970 too many people have been getting into the biz strictly for the grey market only so as today one side strictly deffends it for grey bucks the other side hopes they wont get busted dont deffend it this has given too much power to the opponents of real sex on the screen unfortunatley like bob gucconies attemped to promote hard core to the mainstream screen with caligula in this country brown bunny and short bus didnt do well porn consummers want entertainment and turn on story with 10 sex scenes or they are raincoaters who want wall to wall thats their rights of course but pleas remember what the race pic biz was all about the civil rights movement killed it would sexual liberation a real true sex revolution kill porn? or shrink it remember when den mark legalized porn in 69 in films it was predicted that bad porn would disapear it hasnt yet bad attitudes erection problems slop appeasing censors the fbi or the government there is no attemped yet to get rid of the community standard rule which was a surpise attack when deep throats devil in ms jones and behind the green door s became a hit with half of the rulling class which is now a large minority group the first hit was mona 1970 but deep throat made an impact although there was nothing revolutionary about the 1970s cause it wasnt until 1988 that pandering laws against shooting adult in l a were removed thanks to adult filmaker paul thomas fighting back the government the short bus would be good with double feature white coater like sexual practices in sweden 1970 rene bonds teenage fantasys 1972 the graffenberg spot 1985 or strangers when we mate 1973 with john holmesMovie Review: revolutionary
Summary: 5 Stars
Oh. My. Goodness! What an interesting movie that can be visually over-stimulating. The movie opens with a montage of sex scenes. You might think that you must've missed the beginning of the movie. However, you didn't. Instead, you dived into it. Maybe Mitchell did it for shock value but the opening scenes were...well...right in your face. You want to look away but you can't. You can do nothing but maybe laugh and for some of you...be embarrassed.
After the montage, the story begins. Now, there's so many things going on in this movie. So, I will just pick 2 groups of people. One is a gay couple, Jamie and James. Jamie loves James. But, James, a former hustler, while he does love Jamie, he feels that he needs more out of life. Therefore, he suggests that they open up their closed relationship. Jamie, fearful of losing James, decides couples counseling.
Sofia is a couples counselor. Her speciality is sexual issues. However, there's one problem. Sofia has never had an orgasm. In the initial counseling session with Jamie and James, she breaks down and reveals her sexual shortcoming.
So, all three of them go to the Shortbus. Shortbus is...well, for a lack of a better word, a sort of a bathhouse but with "class". In every rooms in Shortbus, there is a sexual activity going on, whether with a couple or a group. Not everyone participates nor is everyone pressured to do so. Some just come to watch. At Shortbus, Jamie & James and Sofia each encounter people they hope will improve their sexual lives.
Love? Lust? Which one will win? Are we all meant to achieve that greatest sexual satisfaction? You'd be amazed how much sex impacts our daily life.
All I can say is "wow!" and that you must see it ASAP if you have not seen it yet. I believe that we, as Americans, are such prudes when it comes to sex and nudity. In fact, I saw this movie with my partner and 2 friends. It was interesting to see the mixed reaction we each had towards Shortbus. I was like..."it's about time", even though I laughed at some scenes. A friend was like "sex and nudity are such private things and should not be shown". This film is a great topic to discuss afterwards.
Bravo to Mitchell for having the balls to bring such taboos in our faces!
Movie Review: Boom!
Summary: 5 Stars
Any supposedly straight (as opposed to a soft or hard pornographic film) that begins with a montage of sex scenes featuring both men and women in full disclosure is alright with me.
That I was witnessing this montage in a suburban multiplex (ok albeit an "art house") eating popcorn popped in Canola Oil and sipping a diet Sprite, sitting next to two blue hairs (who promptly exited, only after it might be noted, the completion scenes) only added to the surrealism of the situation.
Jamie (played by PJ DeBoy with a hang dog expression and tear welled eyes of which you soon grow weary) begins the film totally nude, filming himself auto fellating but blows the scene by doing just that too early.
Jamie is gay and a former street hustler and lives with James (Paul Dawson) in a decidedly one-way relationship: James loves Jamie and Jamie loves himself and says that he "feels nothing, nothing at all."
Jamie and James consult a sex therapist, Sofia (Sook Yin Lee) for help and guidance and during their first session, Sofia blurts out that she has never had an orgasm.
The solution? All three hoof it out to Shortbus: a sort of Plato's Retreat in which all manner of sex is performed in every position by every conceivable combination of men and women. Not all participate, no one is pressured, many just watch pretty much as we in the audience are doing: mouths agape, wondering how did Mitchell get the money to make this movie and more to the point: how did he get it released?
Justin Bond (played by himself), manager/chorus master/drum majorette of Shortbus describes and dissects the Club's ethos as "like the 60's but with less hope."
Director John Cameron Mitchell (the brilliant "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") wants to titillate of course but he also wants to illuminate. And most of his characters do come out the backdoor better, smarter more self aware than when they entered. Not everything works. Some scenes are awkward and silly but Mitchell infuses the film with energy and social and emotional weight that cannot be denied.
Redemption through the cleansing and illuminating properties of Sex? Revolutionary.