True Love

By: Scott Cranin
In-House Review - Dec 15 2011

Gay L.A. filmmaker Michael J. Saul has assembled a group of his short films that take us up the cliff of first love, leave us dangling and wanting more like his heroes. This dramatic collection of short films begins with a very emotional silent work (with music) and ends the same way -- but have no fear, there's lots of spicy dialogue and kisses in between!

A Christmas Story The collection starts with this silent film about a little boy and his gender-crossing attempts to get attention from his parents.

Going Gay A -year-old boy in a car is shown fingering a necklace as his father grills him about being caught having sex with his best friend.

History This one, shot mostly in an L.A. restaurant, tells a story of a gay uncle and his now-adult nephew dealing with their past.

Sunday A well-worn couple spends their Sunday morning in bed telling a tale of immense love and devotion.

He Was Perfect This is the story of a young man on a search for love, and a twisted couple he gets in the middle of.

Staying Together At a dinner party, two men reinforce their love in the kitchen while their buddies speculate.

A Little Drama The stunning conclusion is the story of Romeo and Juliet, a kiss, and the show's lighting panel operator.

By: yawnmower

Writer/director Michael J. Saul has gathered a dedicated cast and crew to make a memorable collage of short films. Seven brief stories cover a wide range of gay men and boys finding, keeping, and examining the nature of love. The quietly spectacular concluding film, A Little Drama, has no dialogue and is set to Wagner's Liebestod (beautifully sung by my Juilliard colleague Leontyne Price). It reveals the story of a sweetly vulnerable high school boy (Brett Newton is perfect) who, while lighting a production of Romeo and Juliet, falls in love with Romeo (handsome Ryan Thomas). He can't take his eyes off him. He melts, panics, yearns whenever Romeo glances his way. The universe of emotion in these beautiful boys plays out as a counterpoint to the stunning music. The ending of the film, perhaps the real beginning of their little drama, is nothing short of a dream come true.