thesar-2
Red Without Blue is a cute little documentary. Cute, yes. Inspiring, perhaps.The short, short little film centers on twin boys who happen to be gay. One will grow strong, as in, with facial hair while the other gets Daddy to remove that same ailment.All the while, you will learn that these 20-something kids will suffer through drugs, sexual identity, separation of themselves and then of their parents. Not to mention a mother who, literally, calls them young adults who she knows, not birthed.The style of the film is remarkable and very pleasing to the eye. And the heart's in the right place. Unfortunately, the movie skips all over the place and barely lands on solid ground in order to put us, the viewers, on the right track to know where and why they ended up the lost/regained souls they will become. In 2007, that is. I wonder where they are today.Sure, I can do research. But that's why I watch documentaries. To let them do it for me. Maybe, that's my fault: for letting all-but 4 years pass before this film's premiere and my viewing.Nevertheless, it's a touching film of two twins, one draped in blue and the other red – I'm guessing the parents, who didn't know until the last possible minute the birth could conceive two kids, weren't really prepared. And it's wonderfully shot with someone with a good eye.It's not groundbreaking, though it's interesting. Heck, it's only 74 minutes. It has a father of two boys who actually cares about his two boys, both of whom are gay, one of which is transgender. That, in itself, is a rarity. Way-to-go, Dad.And if you can make it past the all-over-the-place first two-thirds, there's a touching love story – SEE: David and a nice "Let me help you through this" trans-replacement story. Unfortunately, for me, that is, the D'N'D guy/gal looked sooo cute as a boy, I'm sorry he/she ended up as female, though she did look good as a girl, as well. Was the vagina shot necessary? And don't get your hopes up – for those who like to look at the female…uh, area…it's a medical shot/picture, sorta.This all said…I would recommend it for multiple reasons: it's incredibly short. It's available free – well, on Netflix (as of 2/14/11) Instant. It's not too deep to take up too much table talk. It's harmless. And it's very well, though not originally, shot. I did enjoy what I saw and was interested enough to learn what happened following.So…can someone tell me…what happened since?
preppy-3
I caught this at the Provincetown International Film Festival. It's about a pair of identical twins (Mark and Alex) who grow up to realize they're gay. One of them remains a man but the other wants to get a sex change--maybe. This film deals with how they grew up and how one wants to get a sex change.The subject matter is certainly different and this movie is pretty well-done...but I do have a problem with it. All the people interviewed (including the brothers) have blank looks on their faces and speak in a monotone about everything. It lessens the impact of some truly horrifying events the men went through and always keeps the viewer at arms length. Still this is a fascinating documentary and the discussions about gender changing are very interesting. Worth catching.
ceetedee
i saw this movie at the new Zealand Outtakes film festival, and i loved it. first of all the summary of the movie, ( a set of twins, one grows up to be a gay man the other a transsexual woman) is one that catches the eye and promises to be interesting. it doesn't fail on that quality. the story is actually about how these issues can have a traumatic effect on the family, anyone who has experienced a family member coming out as gay or trans will know that it causes shock waves in the family and in this movie three people (the mother lives and sleeps with another woman but refuses to refer to herself as lesbian) in the same family have these problems. the people interviewed tell a story of a childhood lost in a harsh fashion. in puberty the twins fall into a lifestyle of self loathing, drugs and abusive partners which ends in a suicide pact and their eventual separation after rehab. the story picks up with them getting to know each other again, Alex is transitioning to Clair and Oliver has come out as gay, both of them are trying to find acceptance in the family and love that can equal the relationship they have. is a very touching story about how an unconventional families strives to love and connect with one another. i recommend it to everyone (especially but not only members of the GLBT community) as a look at what it means to be a family
Eclipse292
Red without Blue is a beautiful and touching film that raises a multitude of interesting questions about identity and family life. It depicts the life of a trans teen and does not edit out the grim truths about how difficult it can to fit in with your own self-perception. The people profiled are all very compelling and honest. Interviews with the subjects get at the heart of the conflicts. Following the family over time, we get a intimate view of how people deal with crises, and how our prejudices and opinions can change so drastically when facing difficult choices. The cinematography is beautiful and adds elegance to subject matter. The soundtrack is terrific- and features some trans musicians.Highly recommended.
