'Shelter' is THE gay surfer film-

I loved the surfing and ocean scenes in this movie. Underwater and through bubbles and waves, the photography is elegaic. I reacted to the upshot of the surfers gathered on the surface with a frisson that a Great White was the viewpoint. "Jaws" still strikes deep.
"Shelter" had servicable surf scenes, but the main action is on shore. When "NC" hits the dirt, it seems to be trying to show us a foreign culture, and I didn't once hear the term, 'Sheila'. The American director fell in love with the backwater beach town, but the same guy wrote a script of minimal interest and maximal plot problems. And *beep* is a false filler, like 'you know' and 'totally' but I'm so tired of *beep* So totally.
The gay issue had really nothing to do with the story. There were too many characters with no backstory. The gay issue is a red herring I think for marketing. Since there's no real resolution of what was proposed in the opening, the lack of resolution falls right through one of those gaping plot holes.
"Shelter" has a focus really on just one character, Zack, and peripherally his sister's issues and his nephew's issues reach some resolution. TV movie if you want, but I cry whenever I watch this warm movie. There's no real homophobia except in the main character.
'NC' resorts to violence to resolve its hang(10)ing issues. (Sorry couldn't resist.) I am never going to choose a movie that deals with the best actor/chartacter in such a way if it does nothing for the story. There was a better exposition out there but I'm not being paid to provide it. It is probably not a good idea for the writer and the director to be the same person at this point in Dan Castle's career. No critical input to clarify the view. Castle seems to have fallen in love with his surf puppies and let them improvise much of the dialogue as he admits on the commentary and 'backstage'. Not a good idea if F-bombs drop like teenage fart fests.
I still rank the movie high for its dizzying water photography and beautiful postcard shots. And an unflinching look at life in the anti-Antipodes.



Aime-moi moins, mais aime-moi longtemps