Summer Storm
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Movie Reviews of Summer Storm
Movie Review: Weather Bulletin
Summary: 5 Stars
"Summer Storm" is a very well written German production about the lives of several teens involved in a rowing competition. Tobi, the crew captain of his team, struggles with the deep love he has long felt for his best friend Achim. He fears their friendship will be forever changed as new love blossoms in Achim's life, and can't imagine life without his constant companionship. Achim on the other hand is naive and oblivious to Tobi's feelings for him, although Tobi has tried to show him in many ways. He has vowed that nothing will ever come between their friendship, but will he still feel the same when the truth of Tobi's heart is revealed?
The team is sent to summer training camp, where they are pitted against an all-gay team of rowers. They are all forced to face their desires, jealousy, fears, pride, hidden longings and prejudice as bad weather and tough competition ensues, in and out of the water. Tobi's feelings are intensified as Achim and his girlfriend Sandra fall deeply in love and move on to the kind of physical relationship Tobi has so longed for with Achim. As he sees the openly gay team members express their desires without difficulty, the storm inside of him begins to rage.
The lead actors, Robert Stadlober (Tobi), and Kostja Ullmann (Achim) give flawless performances in their roles. Ullmanns character goes from humor, sweetness and sensativity, to anger, hurt and hatred without so much as flinching. Stadlober's performance is shining as he runs the gamet of emotion that is typical for a teen faced with the various storms of tender youth and self discovery. The casting of this film, in my opinion, was superb, without exception.
The real star of this story for me, was the character of "Leo", played by an unnamed actor. A quiet, self assured member of the "queerstrokes", Leo quickly relates to Tobi's secret struggle and is instantly drawn to him to offer support, tender affection and unconditional love. While he secretly falls in love with Tobi, he gently pushes him to self acceptance, to help him come to terms with his love for Achim and the reality he must face. The young actor who played this part, was without doubt, one of the best I've seen. He "becomes" the character he portrays, and acts with such smoothness and realism. His eyes and expression of tender emotion make it appear that he and his character are "one".
Each viewers personal feelings are well represented by at least one particular character. As you find the one you most relate to, you are sure to fall in love with at least one of them. If you like films like "Beautiful Thing", you are gonna love "Summer Storm". Sound and video quality are excellent, the storm sequences are realistic and all filmed on location in a beautiful setting to make this production top notch all the way.
The downside to this film is without doubt, the subtitles. Any film with subtitles makes it more difficult to follow, especially when the dialogue moves along quickly. It IS however a German film, with a german speaking cast, therefore the language is of course the same. So if you speak english, you will get nothing from the film WITHOUT the subtitles. It is however a film worth putting up with subtitles to view. If english speaking filmmakers would produce more films of this quality, we would not have to look to foreign films for what "Summer Storm" offers it's viewers, with the english translation.
As stated on the DVD cover, with a quote from Jan Stuart of Newsday, "They don't come any sweeter or more appealing than this". I give this film a definate two thumbs (and a couple big toes) UP!
Movie Review: ......lucky to have him for his 'first-time'...
Summary: 5 Stars
(.....just listen to the breathing........)
Cute......caring......and collected (at one with himself), the "out" and self-accepting 'Leo' (a wondrous Marlon Kittel) so knows who he is and so knows where 'Tobi' (an amazingly expressive Robert Stadlober) is coming from. Tobi is so......lucky to have Leo for his "first-time." And speaking of that time in most all our lives, this film gives us a "my-first-time" gay love scene which tops all others in the lengths to which it goes......at least in a movie with such youthful characters. It's tender and caring at the same time it's feverish and arousing. Just listen to the breathing......if you think there can be any intensity and turn-on missing from what Kittel and Stadlober bring to us in their dock-side love making scene, you'd have to be deaf, as well as blind. Again, just listen to the breathing......to the sounds of "catching breaths and sighs" (or TURN UP your system, will ya!). Would you say these guys were caught up in what they were doing, or not?
While the film's main relationship, between Tobi and Achim, has probably been a life-long one of fun and childhood loving/caring for one another, we watch as things begin to go terribly wrong when "another kind of love" starts rearing up, as part of this pair's growing up. We come to see that a straight Achim is too free and easy (with his feelings) to be just a friend to someone who's now discovering he is gay and in love. Achim, of course, is not be blamed for being who he's been all along; it's just that so much of who he is becomes misinterpreted by Tobi.
I like this movie for its credible acting so much I'd award it an easy 6-Stars.
PS--If anything at all disappointed in this work, it was the director's failure to give us, at film's end, a "boarding-the-bus-home" scene in which Leo and Tobi could say their goodbyes. It's inconceivable to me that Leo, so deeply affectionate of Tobi, would fail to take the time to do so. Obviously, we can expect little to come of their relationship, since a seemingly younger Tobi has a goodly amount of growing up and finding himself yet to do. However, I think of T. as being very aware of what he owes to Leo's help in making him much more comfortable with who he is. He just wouldn't have departed without a thank-you to Leo....something that would have been important for us to see.
PPS--Director Marco Kreuzpaintner sure gets the "teen angst" thing right, pulling an awful lot of it out of his young cast. But, then, at 25 or so when shooting, he's only about 5 years older than they. Looking at his bio-pics elsewhere on-line, it's easy to see how he, himself, could have handily assumed one of these attractive young player's roles.
****
Movie Review: Nice Story
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a member of the string of series of the "young coming out of age movies" like "Beautiful Thing," "Get Real," " some stories in the Boys Briefs Series and the Boys Life Series," and many other titles involving buddies relationships with gay and straight boys. This theme with boys having crushes, and not getting what they want, growing up, and finally accepting their sexual orientation. All of them have a cast of "cute" straight kids. Some people are willing to accept these stories perhaps on the beauty of the actors. Others may not based on what they have experienced personally. Life is a lot harsher than what is depicted on the screen.
This is German movie with English subtitles. The movie starts with two boys jumping on a playground with the beautiful ballad "Blond on Blond" performed by the American Rock Band Nada Surf (which is repeated at the end of movie again.) Tobi and Achim are best friends since little. They are members of a rowing team in a town in Bavaria. Tobi is the lead for the guy's team. There is also a girl's team. They are going to a rowing competition in Berlin. Tobi has crush on Achim but he doesn't know it. Tobi is gay and Achim is straight. There is Anke who has a crush on Tobi. She is a member of the girl's team. And Sandra who has a crush on Achim.
Everybody is ready to go on the trip and all expectations are high on everybody loosing their virginities. Things get complicated when one of the other teams on the campsite are all gay boys. There is some hard treatment and dislike among Tobi's team and them. Gunther, one of the gay boys, develops a crush on Tobi. Tobi is in turmoil because of all his gay feelings coming to the surface. Anke finds out about Tobi. Achim has sex with Sandra and fights with Tobi. Gunther has some form of sex with Tobi. A storm appears in the area. Everybody takes refuge in a empty summer home. Tobi and Gunther sleep together after Tobi being kicked out of Achim's room. Tobi comes out to everybody in the morning. The gay team wins the rowing competition. And Tobi goes home a changed man.
This is again one of those candy eye movie with gorgeous, cute actors. The story is old. It shows how difficult is to come out because of the reactions by friends, peers, and family members. Even though Achim and Tobi mend things somewhat at the end, the process is rather painful one, and most of the time the gay kid is left out in the cold, alone. This is portrayed rather well at the end of this movie (the music softens the blow.) It is a nice picture.
Movie Review: The Best GLBT Themed Film Since "Beautiful Thing"! Absolutely Wonderful - A Must See!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is by far one of these best gay-themed films I have seen since "Beautiful Thing" (released in 1996) - and one of the best films (of any kind) that I have watched since "Crash".
You will laugh out loud, and cry as you feel the agony Tobi endures while coming to terms with his sexuality. Tobi (played flawlessly by Robert Stadlober) is the leader of his rowing team, and looked up to by his teammates for leadership. When his team is up against another rowing team comprised of an all-gay team, his inner feelings are realized. Tobi deals with his feelings and love for his best friend Achim, and eventually deals with the complications of coming out to him. All the while dealing with confused emotions for his girlfriend and a new boy he meets on the opposing team.
The film is genuine, well-directed, well-acted and goes head-on with the painful emotions most younger people must face when trying to understand their sexuality. THIS STORY IS REAL! And proves once again that we truly cannot help who we fall in love with. Love is about following your heart - it's about people, not the sex of the individual's involved.
The movie hails from Germany, and is in German with English subtitles. Even with having to read the film to understand it, the talent of the young actors shines through.
Not only was I impressed by the story, even the movies scenes and settings were delightful. Kudos to here! Films, Genius Products and Liberation Entertainment for producing this movie. It's a shame Hollywood USA can't (or doesn't have the courage) to produce this quality and style of film.
Movie Review: SOMETIMES GROWING UP IS SO VERY HARD TO DO
Summary: 5 Stars
The movie "Summer Storm" reminded me of what it is like to grow to your teens and come to the realization that you are indeed different from everyone around you including your very best friend that you are secretly in love with. This well directed and flawlessly acted film shows (in a splendid and in an often amusing way) what kind of hell life can be at the tense time of being a teenager. I really enjoyed this German (with, of course subtitles) made film. This film has a bunch of great characters that are acted marvelously by all of the actors. I now must mention some of my favorites
Robert Stadlober, as Tobi is splendid. He plays so well the character that is "trying so hard to hide how he really feels" about his best friend. Kostja Ullmann as Tobi's cute best friend Achim is also great expressing so very well the shock and confusion of "what has happened to Tobi? Why is he acting soooo strange by trying to kiss me?" Alicja Bachleda-Curus as Anke plays the very frustrated supposed girl friend of Tobi wonderfully. I also loved the actor that played the super butch, sexually aggressive team member of the "gay rowing team" A very sweet performance is also given by the actor that plays the character that helps Tobi to find himself and to admit what he is. In fact I loved all of the actors in this movie even the dense, oblivious, homophobic appearing "win at all costs" coach.
I agree with a previous reviewer that this film is as wonderful of a "Coming Out" film as was "Beautiful thing".