Bottom-Line: Shortbus is at times physically stimulating, but not as much as it is emotionally and mentally) arousing; and aren't those the two erogenous zones that matter most in sex?It's a sad testimony to American cinema that the vast majority of (Hollywood produced) movies come and go without much in the memory to mark their passing. In their effort to appeal to a mass world-wide audience the denizens of the America's entertainment empire have taken to producing (mostly) movies without much heart, soul, or message. Thankfully independent film producers and distributors (in this case Think Films) have stepped in and are beginning to release films that bring edge, promise, and meaning back to American cinema. Such a movie is the (NC-17, sexually explicit ) Shortbus (2006), a biting, edgy, sex laden amusing romp set in contemporary New York City, written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).Variety Magazine called Shortbus "The most sexually graphic American narrative feature ever made outside the realm of the porn industry." And make no mistake Shortbus is sexually graphic with depictions of real oral/vaginal sex, and masturbation. Both heterosexual and homosexual are given equal time here folks so keep the kiddies far away from this movie.But despite the graphic nature of the sex in Shortbus, the film turns out to be a rather funny yet engaging film about sex, relationships, and people enjoying or trying to enjoy sex. The sex is just a by-product of the relationships the individuals form over the course of the film; dare I say it flows naturally, it does not pretend to be, it just is.You know what you are in for from the opening frames of the film when James (Paul Dawson) is videotaping himself in the bathtub and playing with his penis (yes it is shown, there is full frontal nudity here folks) and then engages in a limber display of self-stimulation complete with (filmed) climax. His home video at first seems narcissistic and even pornographic, but as the film progresses we get to know James for the deeply sad person he is and the reason for the film. James is dad even as his (monogamous) partner of five years Jamie (P.J. DeBoy), is decidedly chipper and upbeat; i.e. his emotional polar opposite. Jamie is almost frenzied, extroverted and just wants to love everybody, and want everybody to love him.Sensing something is wrong with James and their relationship, Jamie suggests that they experiment sexually with other people and this leads to a rather comical group sex (orgy) scene at a local apartment; the gathering is referred to as a Shortbus. Their search for answers also leads them to a sex therapist (who prefers to be called a couples therapist) named Sofia (Sook-Yin Lee). During the opening sequence of the movie she is seen having wild engaging in (un-simulated) wild sex with her husband Rob (Raphael Barker) in every room in their apartment and trying positions straight from the Kama Sutra how-to manual. But we soon learn that Sophia is pre-orgasmic (her term) meaning she has never had an orgasm--even through self stimulation and has been faking them for years in order to spare her husband ego. So that the fact that she's a sex therapist proves to be one of the most deliciously ironic sub-plots of the movie, as she tries again and again to achieve one.And then there is Severin (Lindsay Beamish) a dominatrix who is so closed off that she forbids anyone to touch her, though she surrounds herself with Polaroid's she takes of random people. But she is lonely and longs for a normal life with a house, white picket fence, little ones, and vaginal orgasms. And there is Ceth (Jay Brannan) who becomes the (brief) third in James and Jamie's relationship. Finally, there is a very flamboyant Justin Bond who runs Shortbus and a Caleb (Peter Stickles) a voyeuristic young man who has been watching James and Jamie from his apartment across the street.The cast of Shortbus is composed of mostly unknowns and newcomers; it's hard to image any Hollywood "A" listed actor/actress going as far as the characters did in the movie for the sake of their art-form (though Chloe Sevigny did her part in 2003's Brown Bunny). But the lack of star presence lent a nice layer of realism to the film it might otherwise have lacked.The most poignant and challenging performances in Shortbus belong to Paul Dawson and Sook-Yin Lee, though the movie must have been challenging for all involved give the nature of the film. And yet after I finished watching Shortbus it was not so much the explicit sex that stayed with me--though it left its mark--it was the deeper meaning of the film; trying to puzzle out the reasons for the various characters sexual hang-up's and other emotional trauma's. Why did Sofia's orgasm continue to elude her; why is James so profoundly sad, so much so that he plans to take his own life; why is Severin so closed off?In the end what makes Shortbus such an eye-opening American film is not the explicit sex contained therein, but that the movie is not afraid to explore it in such a grown up manner; it does not titillate, nor does it insult, is shows us sex as it would be if the camera were not there. To be sure Shortbus is at times physically stimulating, but not as much as it is emotionally and mentally) arousing; and aren't those the two erogenous zones that matter most in sex?Rated NC-17 for graphic sex and language.Right off, I feel like I need to tell anyone who is planning on seeing this film, that it has adult content and situations that most people are not used to seeing in the mainstream cinema.I mean, this film has displays of human interaction that most directors have NEVER filmed in mainstream cinema EVER. So filmgoers PLEASE be warned before you watch!!!Moving on, I'd say this movie is basically about want. There's one character, the character who is a couples counselor, who wants to have an (Oh...I think a LOT of you know what I want to say.) But the thing is, is that this particular character seems to have an 'abundant' relationship with her husband (if you know what I mean), so why she has NEVER had an (Oh...you know what I'm getting at) is BEYOND me?I mean, a better character development for her would've been if she had quite the opposite with her husband. Because to see the two of them go at it--like at the very beginning of the movie, it's kinda shocking (to say the least) that the two of them have NEVER hit pay dirt. I think that for this part of the movie, the screenplay sorta over thunk the wheel.Though nevertheless, this dilemma is the reason we are pretty much introduced to the 'Shortbus' a type of social club where individuals go to meet and experience other people for these particular 'encounters' of...(well, insert adult content here.)I guess this couples counselor feels like this is the ONE place that will help her get to what she's trying to find--even though, given her status as a sex therapist/counselor, you'd think she'd approach this place with a certain amount of suspicion. Though wouldn't she be the eager beaver!Though backing up a little, she finds out about this 'Shortbus' place because of the couple she is currently treating--the two Jamie's--though one of them is now going by the name James.Going back to the theme of want, Jamie just wants to sustain his relationship with James--hence their session with the counselor.The want of James...well, that's a little more complicated because he has these issues that's making him quite depressed--he even takes pills to try to combat this depression. Only he's thinking ahead a bit and not wanting his lover Jamie to be...well, alone, initiates the two of them going to the 'Shortbus' to meet a third person.On the surface, this premise seems quite intriguing--aren't all threesomes supposed to be this way? Only James has a sort of ulterior motive working, because deep down he knows just how depressed he really is and well, because of this depression, he knows how things are probably going to turn out...so, like I said, he doesn't want his lover Jamie to be alone.Now just moving to this part of the film, I can honestly say that I was 'IN'. Forget that James and Jamie and their newly found third lover Ceth (pronounced Seth) move things along rather quickly to the point where they're all pretty much engaged in certain 'activities'. By this point, I was 'IN'!!! REALLY, I was!!! But then...I don't (can't) really elaborate on what happens. Though I CAN say that the national anthem is sung by Jamie and all I could think at that point was 'I'M OUT'!!! Because to have to have Jamie sing the anthem (as it were) was sooo unnecessary. It's like the director was afraid to do the scene straight (seriously, no pun intended!) And so he had to insert these 'funny' moments. Though to me, they came off as 'funny odd'?It's like I wish I could've told the director to trust his audience to be able to take the scene as it was. Or as it could've been.Because all of the silliness of the singing of the national anthem, sorta reduced the scene and really threw it away. Like the scene could've really did something amazing. It could've shed some light and truth and honesty. And been really powerful. Only with the singing, the whole thing came off as a big 'WHAT'?And the thing that kills me, is that the actors involved in the scene were TOTALLY on board with the whole thing. (And that's what can make an audience be on board too!) I mean, I didn't notice any of the actors holding back, so why did it seem as though the director was holding back? (By resorting to comedy.)I felt like this movie did this a lot. It was all trying to be out there with this level of (well, insert adult content here) but then it would sorta turn the corner with all this zany stuff--like this big confrontational scene at the 'Shortbus' between the couple's counselor and this guy who's been hanging kinda close to James and Jamie. Well, because of this egg the counselor is 'holding' onto, here comes more of the zaniness.Oh well, this movie did a lot. (Was this movie supposed to be a comedy?) I guess I just wish it could've been more dramatic.Five stars anyway. : (Very funny although it did have its serious moments. The subject of the film is actually more common than they made out and I felt sorry for the main character who didn't seem to be taken seriously. Do not watch if you are offended by full on nudity and sex scenes, it is very graphic! Lots of man on man scenes although their 'pieces' were suspiciously all the same large size and looked the same so I suspect prosthetics! (Not that I was really looking ha ha)Suprise a movie with story of many people unconnected lives that meet at times throughout the plot...Excellent Sexual shoots without being boring or whatever you see and feel from eyes that take in all...So would give it thumbs up for some visual arts that worked on me.....brilliant acting helps..."Some people cant just think they can" loved it and big thanks to all that made it...The movie..Keep your head up please...ChaoWell, modesty and a truck load of censorship regulations forbid me from saying what I mainly like about this film, but the storyline has depth to it, which actually suprised me given its grey area genre. Its not for everyone, but I like it.Not worth the moneyMy eyes are opened. My brain was in overload. I had no idea about people and their see life's. The I do now and Gawd have I missed out.A true revelation and a very interesting film. The LOTS going on but you have to decide if it's right or wrong for your own lifestyle