2006 / John Cameron Mitchell > Calling it experimental would be a bit of an insult: Without its explicit sex scenes, Shortbus is less novel and considerably more of the old. It’s about relationships, sex and the proper mixes that lead to comfort, themes that have persisted and evolved throughout the history of film. And Mitchell’s sense of evolution by incorporating what most of us are all familiar with in vivid detail is meant to have given us a better grasp of the lessons within.

Admittedly, though, the atmosphere here is a little quirky, and the characters in Shortbus and the eponymous gathering place are often hard to relate to. It’s easy to like the film on the surface level: It’s playful, honest and seems to treat sex in an essential but non-exploitative manner. But ultimately, I found it tough to replay the rhymes and reasons of the players without questions, without wondering the simple craziness of sequence after sequence. I imagine this is a great film for many, and in fact I’ve been surprised by the multitude of those who have enjoyed it. But it’s definitely not for everyone, especially those who may have trouble digesting some of the over-the-top scenes.