This is a film that suffers from the same malady that so many gay films suffer from. It's all about New Yorkers, and only eighteen of them. (Count the cast yourself.) Like Longtime Companion, and even Angels in America, it assumes that homosexuals only live and love in NYC.Considering the title I guess I expected a broader more enlightening documentary. In the opening segment it promises to cover 69-81, Stonewall till AIDS. Then it goes on to cover AIDS anyway, in a tact-on perfunctory manner. "See how the consequences played out?" it seems to say. The film is not particularly enlightening in any way and nothing that hasn't' been said before. It would certainly be nice to see a film someday that could encompass the gay experience of all of America instead of a tiny group of New Yorkers. The fact that San Francisco is not even mentioned should tell you that this film does not live up to it's title.If you want to see a film about gay sexuality, you would be better off looking up "SEX IS," or even renting some classic gay porn.

This film made me aware for the first time in years of what a heavy wall came down with the AIDS epidemic, sowing fear and shame in a community that had only really begun to form. It was a community that revolved around sex, yes, but was starting to celebrate a self awareness for the accomplishments of it's members in virtually every profession- law, literature, government, education, film, art, food, etc. Watching this film took me back before the days that fear inflicted us as much as the disease. It is a nostalgic look at a rare time, but not a thoughtless one. Maybe this film could not have been made earlier than now, when the narrators can look back from a point of middle aged survival and relative stability and remember what a strange and wonderful time it was.

This film is phenomenal. Although I didn't experience this moment in history, the film takes you back both elegantly and poignantly. Through incredible footage, photos, and other memorabilia, I relived this incredible period of time. The interviews and personal stories shed an unbiased light on an important era. The film asks the questions - how did this moment in time influence the shape of the gay community for decades to come? Was this just one long hedonistic party or did this help create a sense of gay community? There are a lot of documentaries out there, but this is definitely one not to miss.Reid Williams

Excellent and to the point.The topic is interesting and shows a clear contrast between the pre-AIDS world and the post-AIDS world. As I grew up, AIDS was already a factor, so to me the notion of random unsafe sex seems quite the gamble. It made me think about what could be discovered in years to come to make our present lifestyle seem like a game of Russian roulette. I enjoyed a short cameo by Swedish musician Sebastian Utbult! Also, anyone who is interested in the scene needs to see this movie. It's a definite trip to retrotown :)Thank you for the eye opener, Mr. Lovett!