sasha_feather | Queer movie rec: Shelter (2007)

Stressful couple of days but roommate is gone!!

She stole my better silverware and some mugs. She left the kitchen in rough shape. Very dirty and gross!

I've been playing a lot of Stardew Valley just to cope and decompress. I did some cleaning today and threw out a lot of stuff.

I also watched a lovely movie: Shelter (2007), available on YouTube. Caveat, the captions are really terrible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwqW2JChK_I

Zach is a young man working as a line cook in San Pedro, California. He enjoys making street art and surfing, and he helps take care of his 5-year-old nibling. He reconnects with the older brother of his best friend, a man named Sean, and they fall in love. Sean is steady and kind. Most of the conflict is Zach's inner turmoil as he realizes he's gay and tries to decide what to do with his life. Zach's sister is also a problem; she's homophobic and dating a jerk. Money is a problem for Zach and his sister, while Sean lives in a fancy, huge house on the coast.

This beautiful little romance is warm and gorgeous. I love the scenes of Sean and Zach surfing, of Zach admiring the sunset and the city scapes, of the two men smiling and being affectionate. Their love seems tied to surfing, to the wildness and freedom of the waves, to the natural quality of being outside and in the water. "Shelter" is an indie movie starring no one I recognize, but it's quite well-produced and well-acted.