“Stranger by the Lake (L’inconnu du Lac”) (Shudder)

Contributing reviewer: Bruce Pierini

This is a 2013 French gay film (with English subtitles) with plenty of suspense, male eye-candy and explicit erotic entertainment. It won two awards at Cannes in 2014 — one for Best New Actor, the other in the category of unusual points of view (Un Certain Regard). It’s disarmingly natural but fascinating ethnography of the rituals of gay cruising around a beautiful, secluded lake with the ample suspense of a murder whodunit. If it had come out prior to 2014 it might have been heavily criticized for having a psychopathic gay character — but maybe we’re beyond the 20th Century stereotypes of “homosexual killers.” Highly recommended but not for those who don’t appreciate male erotica.