Michael (1924) rating: 6/10

A silent 1924 German film showing an old painter master as sugar daddy to a young straight male painter. The young artist falls in love at first sight with a nearly destitute countess who asks for a portrait from the master.

The master initially refuses saying he doesn't do requests. But then for some reason he relents, but struggles with the painting. In particular he couldn't do the eyes. His protege tries his hand and paints them, perfectly capturing her eyes. But otherwise things go downhill from there for the master.

Flipped (2010) rating: 7/10

A boy, Bryce, moves to a new neighborhood and a psycho 2nd grade girl neighbor and classmate, Juli, immediately crushes on him. Okay, maybe she isn't totally psycho, but she even loves the smell of his hair -- she says it smells like watermelon -- and goes around rather conspicuously sniffing it when sitting behind him in class. In shared narration (Bryce narrates his side of the story where he mostly rejects her), she repeats often that she loves his eyes. She ascribes all kinds of good qualities to her quarry, but as with any crush, she is quite wrong. He's just an ordinary somewhat cowardly boy. Albeit he's not a bad looking kid who all the girls in school like so much they bid an astonishing $50 in 1960's money in a charity auction for a lunch date with him. The 6th-8th grade Bryce is played by an exceedingly young looking 16 year old Aussie, Callan McAuliffe. The results of the charity auction of 10 boys confirms the traditional view that girls don't go for the nice guys.

The boy's (weirdly lovesick) grandpa notices Juli and is convinced she's a keeper and befriends her for Bryce. He works on the boy to convince him of this and not to miss his chance.

I wondered what the title means. Perhaps it's just that girl pursues boy is the reverse of what's thought of as typical.

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson, rating: 8/10

Jon Stewart had author Jon Ronson on the Daily Show. Ronson honestly looked a bit crazed while talking about this latest book. But I was intrigued with the idea of being able to diagnose psychopaths.

It turns out actually to be not that hard. There's a checklist of 20 questions. But psychopaths are fairly rare, supposedly somewhere just less than 1% of the general population. Things like: shallow affect (lack of emotion), superficial charm, manipulative, and lack of empathy are giveaways. Some, more accurate tests, are not allowed to be given anymore because they involve electric shocks (psychopaths don't have fear of electric shocks).

Broken Sky (2006) rating: 6/10

As imdb comments say, is a mostly silent with little dialog. In Spanish, so subtitles (another one perfect for viewing at faster speed with appropriate equipment).

Boy likes boy. It works out for awhile, but then boy finds another boy fascinating when separated briefly. Other boy is heartbroken. Etc etc.

At least they're not horrible to look at.

Light Gradient (2010) rating: 7/10

A lot of film burned looking at the scenery and very little dialog. The main characters aren't bad looking and so it's mildly engaging. Told in flashback, they've just met and are starting a relationship by going on an adventure into the countryside. But bad things start to happen. First tent poles are forgotten and the first night it rains. Then their bikes get stolen. This puts a lot of stress in the relationship.

I didn't really like the very ambiguous and vague ending.

Full Speed (1996) rating: 7/10

Directed by Gael Morel who was the protagonist in Wild Reeds, this film made back in 1996 seems quaint with its closeted teenage protagonist with girlfriend/beard. The young teenage dialogue is rather too cerebral and adult, but still the film was engaging enough. Oh, it's in French (but that's handy when your player shows the subtitles while fast forwarding).

Tron: Legacy (2010) rating: 7/10

Surprisingly good action and effects and almost story. I never saw the original. I didn't remember Garrett Hedlund from the movie Troy because he wore long hair playing Patroclus, but here he doesn't look bad.

How to Be a Man by Glenn O'Brian, rating: 7/10

Who's Glenn O'Brien? The Style Guy at GQ magazine. O'Brien writes with the voice of certainty about a topic on which you might rightly question the authority of any author. But he's one of those evolved types who live in NYC and prefers being a gentleman rather than anything akin to a macho man.

I was simultaneously entertained and confused by the thought I was reading something by a British gentleman rather than an American. Somehow being a gentleman seems rather un-American at least according to me. But I appreciate O'Brien 's efforts to bring sanity to the American male.

One of the fascinating parts is straight O'Brien expounding on how he thinks straights would get more action if they acted more gay. (He also complains that you can no longer tell gays from straights -- there's less drag and camp these days. But here I think he goes astray because of lack of a more highly developed gaydar.) He discusses his experience as a straight man in gay parts of Manhattan. I enjoyed the anecdote about how he and a friend were refused entry into gay bar because they were dressed in jackets and ties (it was obvious they weren't gay: not showing enough skin).

Contracorriente [Undertow] (2009) rating: 6/10

At a seaside village in Peru, a closeted gay married fisherman and an out gay painter have a clandestine affair. The painter is a social outcast in this church-going community. Of course there is conflict... And then some supernatural events occur in keeping with local superstition and custom. I can't explain without spoilers.

I laughed guiltily at a dirty joke in a DVD extras scene about two straight guys alone together for an extended period.

Movie is actually just okay. The protagonist isn't attractive.