The gay "Harold and Maude"--a stunner
Jonathan Thalberg | Hillsboro, OR | 01/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Deceptively low-key film about an oddball Midwestern gay couple, one of whom works a variety of temp jobs to supplement his "art," the other of whom picks up trash on the highway. Dishy friends, AIDS, and the building of a cathedral are only a few of the plot elements this film juggles with breathtaking dexterity, never wobbling in tone or focus up till the surprising ending. Technical credits are a little dicey at some moments, but film has an overall freshness that can't be disguised or replicated. A probable candidate for cultdom, would make a great double feature with Bill Sherwood's "Parting Glances." One of my favorite gay films of the 90's by a longshot."
A good, likable gay indie
Jonathan Thalberg | 11/24/1998
(4 out of 5 stars)
"World and Time Enough is surprisingly good. For once, here is a down-to-earth, simple, everyday gay couple with their own fair share of idiosyncrasies. What makes the film so enjoyable are the little details: Mark's t-shirts, Joey's aversion to food with seeds and bones, their little in-jokes, secret phrases, morning rituals, and a sweet discussion about cheetah farms. As each of the men tackle their own private crises---Mark his preoccupation with his own mortality, Joey, his search for his birthparents--- there's never an overwhelming sense of great tragedy or unbearable grief. Just two people trying to figure out the questions. All in all, a good film."
Heartfelt and honest
M. FUSCO | NEW YORK, NY | 04/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This magical and mystical little Minneapolis-based film is basically about two cute (but not 'Hollywood perfect'), quirky guys who fall in love at first sight (much to the pretend annoyance of their friend, the catty narrator who propels the story).
They struggle with all the problems of life: living together; the death of parents; coming out; homophobia from family, peers, and workplace; their future. Matt Guidry and Gregory G. Giles could not be more perfect in their portrayals of Mark (an HIV+ artist) and Joey (a garbage collector who sees art and beauty in what is 'junk' to others). Mark's cynicism softens in the light of Joey's loving, giving nature and they complement one another perfectly.
Their story is far from maudlin. It is gritty and real, and they both have demons. But Mark and Joey also have each other, and their sweet story is just about as lovely, intelligent (with homages to Gregg Araki's The Living End as well as Hamlet), and warm as any on screen. A bright, shining little gem."
Worthy of a second look
cturtle | Atlanta, GA USA | 07/11/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Despite the mixed reviews, I gave this movie a chance and ordered it a while back. Now, having seen it recently for the second time, I must say I really like this film. Its experimental qualities (face-to-camera narration, montage sequences, flashbacks, fade-to-black transitions) are more an homage to decades-past independent filmmaking than they are techniques to be taken totally seriously. What I like most about this film are the characters of Mark and Joey, who become sweetly endearing and lovable in their own off-beat sort of way. In the end, when Mark and Joey are at odds with themselves, while unwittingly trying to find their way back to each other (accompanied by a beautiful piano score, I might add), my heart longs for a satisfying ending and is not disappointed."