Rating: 
Summary: A ANTHROPOLOGIST LOOKS AT RAF MOVIES
Review: (...) The production company has released four films. The first in 2001 with "Traveling to Olympia". They followed with Murder in Portland", Gods of Olympia and the last one Revenge in Olympia. All of these movies take place in the Pacific Northwest with three of four in the state capital of Washington. Four films in three years is quite a feat from a independent production company. Are they of Hollywood quality, no but they are as good as any straight or gay low budget independent film company. And make no mistake these are low budget films. What make the concept work is that they are made for the DVD release. There is no pretense that these are going to a theatrical release. They release these productions on both the internet and lesbian and gay books stores. With the thousands of films released for distribution and after checking web sites, I only found a few bad reviews. And all of these reviews sounded the same. It seemed that the same person wrote all the comments. It also seemed that they all were the same type of person. Someone who with the power of the review can make a unfair statement in the community. I am guessing this is a person who never gets cruised at the bar and has had a hard time getting a date. So he goes back to his small apartment and takes it out on RAF. Everyone has the right to speak, it is some who speak with authority and others from picayune. I would expect that the first film was a learning experience for RAF. I thought the films got better and all had great stories. I learned something from each movie, the stories were original and historically correct. Remember no one made you spend the first 29.95, and if you did not like it why spend more for the other three. It seems you are not admitting you buy the movies not for the story but for the cute sex scenes. That is fine, I am sure the producers have that as part of their markenting plan.
Rating:
Summary: A ANTHROPOLOGIST LOOK AT RAF FILMS
Review: A ANTHROPOLOGIST LOOK AT RAF FILMS, November 29, 2003
Reviewer: A viewer from NYC, NY USA
Review of the Richard Anthony Film releases from start to now. The production company has released four films. The first in 2001 with "Traveling to Olympia". They followed with Murder in Portland", Gods of Olympia and the last one Revenge in Olympia. All of these movies take place in the Pacific Northwest with three of four in the state capital of Washington. Four films in three years is quite a feat from a independent production company. Are they of Hollywood quality, no but they are as good as any straight or gay low budget independent film company. And make no mistake these are low budget films. What make the concept work is that they are made for the DVD release. There is no pretense that these are going to a theatrical release. They release these productions on both the internet and lesbian and gay books stores. With the thousands of films released for distribution and after checking web sites, I only found a few bad reviews. And all of these reviews sounded the same. It seemed that the same person wrote all the comments. It also seemed that they all were the same type of person. Someone who with the power of the review can make a unfair statement in the community. I am guessing this is a person who never gets cruised at the bar and has had a hard time getting a date. So he goes back to his small apartment and takes it out on RAF. Everyone has the right to speak, it is some who speak with authority and others from picayune. I would expect that the first film was a learning experience for RAF. I thought the films got better and all had great stories. I learned something from each movie, the stories were original and historically correct. Remember no one made you spend the first 29.95, and if you did not like it why spend more for the other three. It seems you are not admitting you buy the movies not for the story but for the cute sex scenes. That is fine, I am sure the producers have that as part of their markenting plan.
Rating:
Summary: VERRY GOOD FOR A LOW BUDGET FILM
Review: A WONDERFUL GAY mOVIE, December 2, 2002
Gods of Olympia, was a wonderful movie. All of Richard Anthony Films have gay stories and history about them. They also have nudity and i tholught the actors were some of the best looking men i have seen. How anyone could not like this movie i do not understand, i would sugest you buy and enjoy this film. I give the movie 5 stars for this professional effort.
Rating: 
Summary: LITTLE TOUGH ON THIS ONE
Review: After viewing this film I have to honestly say I now understand why so many gay films cast straight men for the gay roles. The acting in this movie was by far the worst I have ever scene, it was almost sickening at times. In spite of that, I am giving this film 4 stars because of other reasons. I like the storyline, it was well developed. I like the look of the actors, they are all stunningly beautiful. The erotic scenes were that, erotic, not pornographic, very tender, and very well done. So if you are expecting the next Tom Cruise to come out of this group of actors, you won't! However, the film merits review just the same. At the same time, I see potential in several of the actors in this film, hopefully they will continue to study film and acting and my advice, "become a part of the parts you play," as I felt all they did in this film was "play the part." I didn't feel they became a part of the film at all. I didn't see them molding the storyline to fit their personalities and that is what good acting is all about.
Rating:
Summary: LITTLE TOUGH ON THIS ONE
Review: After viewing this film I have to honestly say I now understand why so many gay films cast straight men for the gay roles. The acting in this movie was by far the worst I have ever scene, it was almost sickening at times. In spite of that, I am giving this film 4 stars because of other reasons. I like the storyline, it was well developed. I like the look of the actors, they are all stunningly beautiful. The erotic scenes were that, erotic, not pornographic, very tender, and very well done. So if you are expecting the next Tom Cruise to come out of this group of actors, you won't! However, the film merits review just the same. At the same time, I see potential in several of the actors in this film, hopefully they will continue to study film and acting and my advice, "become a part of the parts you play," as I felt all they did in this film was "play the part." I didn't feel they became a part of the film at all. I didn't see them molding the storyline to fit their personalities and that is what good acting is all about.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD MOVIE, LOTS OF HISTORY IN IT
Review: All three of RAF's films take place in Olympia, WA. I watched "Murder" first and then, in a single afternoon, the first two as well. Their formula varies little, and includes: unusually cute young men (at least one of whom is troubled, new in town, and/or needs help); a sex scene or two (in the context of loving partners); a variety of characters of all ages and persuasions (their apparent use of street people is reminiscent of Gus Van Sant); a healthy dose of sex-ed and gay politics; good music. It works. The stories are interesting (even touching), the characters are winning (often beautiful), and the endings are positive. "Murder" centers around a young and extraordinarily handsome 'straight' cop (not credited by role so I don't know his name, malheureusement), who is recruited to investigate the killing of two gay men. To say he learns MUCH about the gay community he infiltrates would be rather a zenith in understatement. Suffice it to say, he is dedicated to his work and goes 'under cover' in more ways than one to solve the crime. All the RAF films have plenty to offer if you just look beyond their low-budget parameters and drink in the actors, characters, stories, and message. I can't wait for the next one, along with the pleasure of a sweet, funny, character-driven movie in this age of macho, jingoistic nonsense.
Rating:
Summary: A WONDERFUL GAY mOVIE
Review: Gods of Olympia, was a wonderful movie. All of Richard Anthony Films have gay stories and history about them. They also have nudity and i tholught the actors were some of the best looking men i have seen. How anyone could not like this movie i do not understand, i would sugest you buy and enjoy this film. I give the movie 5 stars for this professional effort.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST GET
Review: have never written a film company before in my life. However, after watching "Traveling to Olympia" and "Murder in Portland" I felt I must write to you.
I was given these two films as a bithday present aon May 31 of this lyear. After watching them both I had to write and say THANK YOU for producing such excellent films. The acting was wonderful and the story line believable. The sexual scenes were tastfull done and were relivant to the story line. I will certainly be on the look out for any other productions your company produces in the future. My friend who gave the gift stated the films wre reasonably priced, so you now have two new fans.
May I wish you success in your future endeavors.
again thank for the film tastefully done.
signed
Macon, Ga
Rating:
Summary: A must-see for young guys in the closet
Review: I can't give this movie 5 stars overall, because sometimes the production values are not ultra-good (wheezy soundtrack). But if you're young, in the closet, or being hammered by a family in some church or other sort of moral majority, it might show you what to do for release in small-town America (or small minded communities anywhere). Five stars for what the guys in the movie say - how they talk out, and about, - and act out their gay identities. It ain't glitzy - it happens in diners and coffee shops, in the street, not nightclubs or smooth apartments. Amateur but committed actors provide a rich gallery of interesting characters to get family life, identity, work, learning (especially the importance of learning) into a gay perspective you might not have yet, Chuck - Jose - Dean - Jason: whoever you are. Sex is not avoided - it's there on the screen if you haven't tried it yet, but so too is cruising (do you know how to cruise?) Best of all, a diverse model of how to start and maintain gay friendships. See how these guys value each other - how they relate, how important closeness and touch are - and one day you might get going on your gay life, knowing, balancing life and sexuality, and closer to happiness than you are now. Watch them, but above all listen to them - learn from them. Bits of the story you might find wacky (I did) but having written several books on what at-risk youth (including gay boys) need, I'm very impressed by the honesty and clarity of this approach. Forget the production values - LISTEN HARD AND WATCH CLOSELY, and know you are not alone. Maybe there's a gay-friendly diner in your small town - worth looking. Good luck
Rating: 
Summary: Questionable taste, unskilled movie making, low budget
Review: I felt the movie had some positive aspects, however I felt the acting was not very skilled and the overall quality was poor.Some of the scenes appeared to me to be in poor taste and the vivid sex was in bad taste, no meaning to it. In fact none of the sex had a context or story line that lead up to it and it was without emotion such as love or any romance. This was a poor investment. I strongly support films that allow us to see from other perspectives and get an understanding of others as well as other ways of life, this did not show any real possitive side to the Gay life.
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