So Adorable. I absolutely loved this film. My friends nagged me until I saw it, and I didn't regret it at all. Totally worth two or three viewings.

A real movie that portrays the life of many gay men and their family situations. Emotional. Altruistic. Real.

This is an awesomely written and directed coming of age drama about a talented young man from San Pedro, California. The main characters in this film are well developed and very down-to-earth. It’s hard for me to imagine that this entire movie was able to be filmed on location in only three weeks.

This was such an inspiring, well made movie. It was the first movie to make me cry in a long time. (not that it was sad, it was inspiring).

A realistic and moving portrayal of coming out for today's teens.

I liked this movie quite a bit. The setup in the beginning dragged on a bit, and the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly, but on the whole the movie was well done. The acting was very good, and the overall quality of the film was quite high, especially in a genre that has plenty of poorly acted and filmed movies. The characters felt real, as did their situations, which helped make this at least a notch or two above the typical coming-out flick.… Expand

This is more like a 6.5, but because I was completely taken with Shaun, Brad Rowe's character (even though the premise of his relationship with Zach is fairly implausible) I'm giving this a green number. I had never heard of Brad Rowe before, but his performance was so strong and believable, I made a specific point to look him up on IMDB. The basic story is good(lower class surfer/artist falls for slightly older upper class surfer), but the story line falls in and out of "gay/coming out" cliches too easily and should have gone through a few more revisions. What was the point of Zach having a father? The story would have been more believable, especially with the situation with his sister at the end, if both his parents were MIA. Trevor Wright (Zach) does a good job with what he's given, but at times the dialogue, plot situations and the acting should have been more solid(especially from the supporting cast). Still, with all it's flaws I did enjoy Shelter. The ending (while wrapped up like a present) does touch upon the idea of two gay men being able to take care of a child; which gives Shelter some unexpected relevancy.… Expand

All is good in this movie: actors, cinematography, music, story, and it really moves inside. At last, a gay-story close to reality.

The performers were able to make this film trascend its material. Completely genuine characters reflecting completely genuine reactions to circumstances.

Ditto! This is a movie for the heart that offers its fair share of intellectual rewards. What is particularly amazing is that it takes every trite romantic plot device and delivers them with a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The result is a universal love story about connecting with one's true self while reaching out to others.

The movie is the best in the world. The story plot cannot be compared to anything. The acting was great and the music also played a very important role into making this film highly valuable.

What a uplifting surprise! Being a baby boomer who was part of the Gay Liberation movement right after Stonewall, it was a special treat to, finally, see an American made independent film that handled human relationships so expertly. These have been far and few, alas. This totally satisfying film deserves far more attention and acclaim. Well done, with a shout-out to an on-target Brad Rowe.