Movies

by Blase DiStefano

Boystal Bay

It’s World War II, and 16-year-old Brendan Behan (Shawn Hatosy) travels from Ireland to Liverpool on a bombing mission that fails. He is apprehended and sent to Borstal, a reform school in England. Upon his arrival, he meets Charlie Millwall (Danny Dyer), a sailor who he’s not particularly fond of because of his homosexuality. Millwall reveals to Behan that he knew he was straight the moment he met him. When Behan asks why, Millwall’s reply—because Behan parts his hair on the right—is believable to the gullible Behan. When Millwall tells him it’s a joke, it’s the beginning of a true friendship, one that is at the core of Borstal Boy. • When they perform in an Oscar Wilde play, Millwall (in drag) portrays Behan’s betrothed, and when they kiss, it’s tender and natural. A later kiss with Millwall, this time out of drag, is even more touching because Behan initiates it. • This details only one aspect of Peter Sheridan’s Borstal Boy, a moving film about Behan’s metamorphosis from hate to love. • Some of you might consider having a hankie ready for the ending. • Scheduled to start August 23 at the Angelika Film Center, 713/225-5232.

Fleeing by Night

China. 1930s. Three characters. Unspoken love. • Shao-dung (Lei Huang) is entranced when first hearing opera singer Lin Chung’s (Chao-te Yin) voice, a voice filled with “despair and anger, speaking from his heart…. I could understand him,” says Shao-dung. • Shao-dung’s financée, Ing’er (Rene Liu) introduces the two men, and the three become intertwined … but the main attraction is between Shao-dung and Lin Chung. • Lin Chung hints at his attraction to Shao-dung, but Shao-dung continues to ignore his own feelings of love for the singer. The awkward and complicated situation intensifies when Shao-dung rejects Lin Chung’s affectionate advances. • Second only to the beautifully-told-yet-tragic story of these three friends are the muted tones of the gorgeous cinematography. The only reason not to see Fleeing by Night is if you simply can’t deal with subtitles. Oh, and that hankie that you used for Borstal Boy will come in handy again. • Scheduled to start August 30 at the Angelika Film Center, 713/225-5232.

Never Again

Christoper (Jeffrey Tambor) is an exterminator-cum-jazz musician who begins to question his sexual orientation. Grace (Jill Clayburgh) is a divorcée who is looking to jump-start her life anew. When a blind date for Grace goes bad, she ducks into a gay bar—and meets fellow first-time patron Christopher. The circumstances are so wrong that the two are imme-diately drawn to each other. Will they be happy together? Is Grace’s credo “never again” a self-fulfilling prophecy? • At press time, Never Again was scheduled to be playing through early August at both Greenway (713/626-0402) and Angelika (713/225-5232) theaters.

Dahmer

By the time of his murder at the age of 34, Jeffrey Dahmer had killed 17 men, using them for bizarre sexual acts and cannibalizing parts of their bodies. This film could have been a sensationalized version of the gruesome tale, but instead it offers, according to the director David Jacobson, “an incredible suspense story, but … a great emotional story, too.” • Jeremy Renner, who plays Dahmer, has received great reviews. • At press time, Dahmer was scheduled to start August 9 at Landmark’s Greenway Theatre, 713/626-0402.