Watercolors (2008)

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Watercolors would probably be most enjoyed by by queer guys in their young teens, they might find it meaningful. But for grownups and people who like good film Watercolors is a predictable young queer romance tragedy with acting that's slightly better than the average porn film.Watercolors looks nice, is well shot and edited, and has decent music choices. And there are some naked bits that are pleasing to see. But the story line is as subtle as being run down by a train that you're actually walking towards. Here's what happens: Sensitive not surprisingly gay artist kid meets swimmer/sidewalk surfer dude, unbelievable queer flirtation happens, believable pathetic falling in love with a dolt happens, expected queer bashing happens, extremely obvious tragic ending occurs. (And just in case you didn't suspect there'd be a tragic ending there are clues along the way that are delivered with the coyness of a hammer blow to the head.) For good measure there is a heavy sprinkling of clichés thrown in...The free-spirited art teacher who can see the amazing talent the sensitive queer kid has, the hard edged English teacher who teaches Shakespeare with FORCE, the crippled and pudgy female best friend of the queer kid who is also the photographer for the school paper, alcoholic single parents, intolerant jocks, and an angry school principal.For WTF? weirdness the story of Watercolors is book-ended between some scenes from the sensitive queer kid's adult life which are absolutely ridiculous, add nothing to the story, and are the sort of dialog and acting that should only be followed by hardcore gay sex.If you're not 15 and queer Watercolors is really best just for gawking at the cute nerdy sensitive kid and the Spicoli-esque swimmer guy who takes his clothes off a lot.

This film is a brilliantly acted coming of age film. For all of us who have experienced the tragic results of first love, this film will move us to tears. The love in this film is incredible. The young actors hold this film to together like seasoned vets. Another thing that I really liked about this film was the realistic scenarios that are portrayed on film. While the recovering alcoholic dad and mom could have been caricatures, the actors tackle them and make you actually feel for their problem. On a side note, the film stars the great Karen Black who gives another one of her great performances. This alone is worth the watch. I have never seen a David Oliveras film, however, now I look forward to seeing more of his films. To think that he wrote it...I wonder if it was from a personal experience. If so, wow!

This is an extremely rare gem. The story is so well done. Building our interest and feelings for the characters involved. Tye Olson is an amazing up an comer. He plays this role as someone who understands through experience what the character is feeling and how the character would truly be. Kyle Clare has immersed himself in his character as well. There is so much I want to say about this film...but rather than tell you what is great about it, I would encourage you to watch, see and feel all the raw and touching emotion yourself. This is a must see.

Why 'Watercolors' since the artist uses them in the film only in one occasion? Namely, at the end, gratuitously painting his lover's body, courtesy of Nipples&Close-up. If this was intended as an homage to body-painting, or the redeeming power of art I would not dare guess, but my bid is that is nausea-inducing to viewers that want something more than indulge into (their) two-dimensional melodramatic situations.Please name one sufficient reason you feel involved by the opening-night mini-drama. Do you get it with dramatically plausible foregrounding? I for one think that if this is not pulled through, in any film, it will not recover from its flaws. And this one does not.Tye Olson makes a decent effort, although he is dragged here and there by the melodrama of the situation. Yet, he seems alone in an unfortunate way: his 'lover' never shines through as an existing, separate character, he is a bunch of nervous reactions and frustration.No chemistry, either. At the point where one should see, if one had, the boys' love-making, one gets a gloriously shot ass, a semi-fantastic scene that suffers and is weighed down to earth from a sentimental piano. This is not two adolescents discovering the thrill of sexuality, it is menopause shining.The little dialogue between mother and son is perhaps the only point that really shines in the film, though it seems as a fragment from another one; and the casting of the younger and the elder artist is accurate, in terms of physiognomy."All bad poetry is sincere." Oscar WildeAn unfortunately sincere film.