MonsterPerfect
Good idea lost in the noise
Glucedee
It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
Aubrey Hackett
While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.
FJT
The theme was interesting and somewhat different (e.g. no coming out, no hating families nor any drama related to coming out, nor any sudden death). Yet, it could have been so much more. Instead we get images, beautiful images, but no real grasp. If it were a short, of about 30 minutes, it would have been great. However, 1h and 13 minutes is nothing else than hipsters gone wild.The best scene was when Jonah, the alleged genius, makes his mom cry. Very real, and touching. The last 5 minutes showed peace of mind from the main actor, and a resolution. There was a clear end, and it was well done.
ekeby
Two life-long friends and lovers face their first parting when one heads off to college. That's it. Period. And we really only know that because that's what we're told. If that hadn't been spelled out for us at the beginning of the movie, we'd have no idea what was going on.Both boys seem unrealistically pragmatic about spending one last summer together. What most kids in this situation would consider traumatic doesn't seem to phase these two. Maybe knowing each other since third grade has left them with nothing more to say. Because they don't say much, and what they do say is curiously devoid of emotional content.So it leaves you feeling a little hollow, even though the overall artiness more or less demands that we value the content of this film. It's like, "this is art, dammit, and you WILL appreciate it!"Well, I do and I don't. Much of the photography IS striking, but what we see mostly are scenes that might as well be stills, and most of those are in close up. The actors are so immobile I couldn't help feeling they were trying to help the DP keep the shot in focus. I didn't hate this, but I can't say I enjoyed it. It's pretty, the boys are pretty, and, mercifully, it's only 66 minutes long, so, you know, why complain? Well, because it doesn't add up to much.
dqueek
"The truth is, I idolize him."Welcome to Arkansas, where it's hot and you want to nap... a lot.Emotionally accurate narration accompanies fanciful camera-work and the blissfully quaint lives of Luke and Jonah who have grown up together, developed a symbiotic and romantic relationship, and are facing a looming hurdle as Jonah prepares to leave for college and a seemingly more exciting existence than the dronings on of their rural Arkansas hometown.. but what of Luke?Jonah idolizes Luke, while Luke claims Jonah is good at everything - expressing shared authentic admiration. Luke and Jonah battle their burgeoning feelings toward each other whilst coming to terms with Jonah's eventual departure.The script, on its own, could barely fill a short essay yet adds a clash of diary- esque poetry to the film's reflective visuals. The visuals mirror the complex emotions shared between the leading roles in an impressionist fashion. Picturesque views, extreme closeups, and an emphasis on capturing faint, easily missed yet charming moments of every day interaction are emphasized for effect.Not your typical, abrasively expressive gay-themed film.. This is a still, whispering romance of a gentle kind. Deep stares, hand touching, shared nature walks, and napping embraces dominate screen time.The film takes on a slow pace, yet remains on plot while oozing a simple yet heartfelt charm.
jm10701
Last Summer is about two teenage boys, Luke and Jonah, during the summer after their last year of high school in a small town in Arkansas. They have been best friends since they were toddlers and lovers for an unspecified amount of time - presumably since puberty made it possible. Their families and everybody they know knows about and supports their relationship.Jonah is a gifted student, artist and musician, while Luke isn't good at anything except sports, so they complement and help each other. They will be parting for the first time in their lives at the end of the summer, when Jonah goes north for college and Luke stays.This is a blissful, idyllic fantasy that feels completely true. If I didn't know that boys like these would NEVER receive such support in such a town (they even sit together in church), I would believe it was a true story, even a documentary. Although rationally I know it's impossible, it's so real and true emotionally that what ends up being impossible is NOT believing in it.Nothing much happens in this movie. There's some voice-over narration and some dialog, but it's primarily a sensual movie, a series of exquisitely beautiful visual and aural images that are impossible to describe adequately. Images of nature, of the boys in extreme closeup, many abstract images that are unidentifiable but powerfully evocative of the quiet, sensual, languid world in which the boys live. The score - when there is a score - is lyrical piano music by Beethoven and Schumann.Last Summer is like a poem - about love, about beauty, about peace, about perfect harmony with the natural world. It's extraordinary and indescribable.I never recommend that straight people watch gay movies, because if a gay movie is acceptable to straights it's by definition a failure. But this movie is so beautiful that I'm breaking that rule. Whoever you are, your life will be enriched if you see it.
