Sunshine Hotel

Nathan Smith makes this movie. I love his vocabulary and the way he talks.

I'm in the middle of watching it now.I have a Question about the garden but when I tried to ask this as a FAQ it did not have any option there to post a question. I'm trying to find out what was going on it the section when the errand runner man stops at the nice public garden where he stops at every day for years and some nasty woman in a big hat chases him out literally and very rudely. What is this garden and why would someone who is a docent there act that way to someone? It is very puzzling to us and is not explained at all in the film (as they just have the men speak for themselves with no narration).

As for the film as a whole... it's Interesting...never saw another doc on this subject and have read little on it. The men have many similarities to the street people homeless we see today in the big cities but these guys pay for a very basic roof over their head where they can drink or take drugs or deal with whatever mental issues they have. In homeless shelters you can't drink or take drugs and be right there doing so like you can at a flop like this. It's interesting to see the differences between living like this and being a street person (homeless) or being say in prison... as I've seen many documentaries on men in both of those situations. And seeing this makes one appreciate your own life more and your own living situation and life style.

Interesting, disturbing, and tragic; the colorful centuries long stories of NYC's Bowery culminate (sort of) with the follow-them-around documentary of the residents of Sunshine Hotel. The "hotel" is a turn of the century former factory that has been broken off into rooms about the size of a broom closet; typically referred to as a "flop house". The men (and one trans female); are as different as night and day, but share a common bond; life has failed them in some way. Their day to day life is surrounded by substance abuse, mental health issues, trash, bugs, rodents,disappointment, loneliness, and shattered dreams. These guys make the best of their situation with sad, haunting matter-of-fact acceptance. Released just before 9/11/01, the irony of the transformation of NYC isn't lost on the viewer as we see the Twin Towers in the background.

I just saw this very interesting documentary and it kicked butt! It's full of amazing tidbits and elaborate scenery. What I enjoyed most is how they REALLY REALLY REALLY did an in-depth look at the Sunshine Hotel and it's many aspects. Thumbs Way Up and I gave this a perfect 10.

I'm twenty years late to the game I guess. I just watched this eloquent documentary tonight and I felt extremely touched, enough to urge people to watch this. I feel more alive after viewing, it made me ask my myself some big questions and philosophize on the intricacies of life, the mind, relationships, chance, luck, will... so well pieced together and a great honest light point on some under represented human beings. Thank you for an inspirational film.