'Male Shorts: International V1' DVD: Artistic Erotic Views of Modern Gay Life

The cliche about films with heavy erotic content steaming up a Valentine's Day strongly applies regarding the Breaking Glass Pictures DVD release "Male Shorts: International V1." This quintet of approximately 15-minute films provide equally artistic and erotic looks at the lives of 21st-century young gay men. This combination of elements makes "Shorts" a prime (but extreme) example of the edge that Breaking seeks in titles that it adds to its catalog. 

An enticement to fans of erotic gay cinema that also serves as a warning to the feint-of-heart is that these explicit films include many muy caliente scenes. 

Although all five films have strong merits, the two that (pardon the expression) play it the most straight succeed the best. "Just Past Noon on a Tuesday" and "The Storm" have the best narratives and get us to know and relate to the characters.

"Noon" has the most interesting premise of the films. The enlightened (but still-in-the-dark) sister of a gay man who dies of a drug overdose on a toilet in a bathhouse grants the guy who is a friend-with-benefits in polite circles and something else in less polite ones time alone in the penthouse of the deceased. Subsequent snooping results in finding the equivalent of the little black book of the deceased. This leads to a party complete with favors and bonding.

The equally aptly titled "The Storm" revolves around 20-something Leo being infatuated with a local weatherman to the extent of pleasuring himself during forecasts. A chance encounter with restaurateur Luca provides Leo with partial dream fulfillment. This night that is memorable both for the boys and the viewers leads to a not-unduly-surprise conclusion with good potential for a true happy ending.

"Neptune" provides the middle ground in that a gay man who becomes attracted to a fellow swimmer at a local pool does not allow that to slow down his copious individual and group sexual activity.

"La Tappette" is a largely silent depiction of the kinky sexual adventures of a young man; "PD" has a narrator recite Shakespearean sonnets to image of buff naked men in bucolic settings. 

As indicated above, the common element of the films is copious male nudity that mostly is intended as an artistic statement. It further shows relationships that range from lust to love for gay men. Depictions of this ranging from new love that involves an explicit (but sweet) public display of affection to a bathhouse sauna session that quickly turns from a threeway to a fourgy.