|
 |
| m o v i e s |
These are some of my favorite movies, at least some of the gay-related
stuff. Many of them can be purchased through Bigstar directly from this site. |
|
|
| Love and Human Remains.
I can't recommend this movie highly enough. From the stage play Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love,
Thomas Gibson (Greg in Dharma & Greg and Beauchamp Day in Tales of
the City) plays a former child actor now waiting tables for a living who's so
terrified of being hurt again he denies the possibility of love.
Cameron Bancroft is his best friend, and Matthew Ferguson (Birkoff in La Femme Nikita) is the
young busboy who manages to break through his reserve. Beautiful and scary, this is one worth
watching over and over. |
|
| Being at Home With Claude.
Another Canadian import, also based on a stage play. Roy Dupuis (Michael of La Femme Nikita) plays
a Montreal street hustler who falls in love with a client. Twisted, disturbing, dark and beautiful.
Graphic sex and violence. |
|
| Beautiful Thing.
Yet another import based on a stage play, this time from England, Beautiful Thing is a coming-out/coming-of-age
story set in a London housing project. Just about the sweetest movie I've ever seen, the first-kiss
scene brings tears to my eyes every time. Beware the thick accents, though, you may have to
rewind. |
|
| Westler: East of the Wall
is the story of a West Berlin boy who takes an American friend to visit East Berlin (back
before the Wall came down) and falls in love with an East German boy. The ending of this
film is one of the masterpieces of German cinema. Very obscure, may be hard to find, but
well worth the search. |
|
| My Beautiful Laundrette
is the film that brought Daniel Day Lewis to American audiences. He plays a punk rocker (gorgeous
as a bleached blond) who gets involved with a Pakistani immigrant. Lots of fun, and
one of the most beautifully photographed kiss scenes I've ever seen. |
|
| Abuse.
Normally I steer clear of anything that even vaguely refers to child abuse, but this movie is
astounding. Rapheal Sbarge (Jonas on first season Voyager) plays a 15 year old abuse victim who discovers safety and love in the arms
of a slightly older man. The only portrayal of abuse I've ever seen that doesn't romanticize or
trivialize it. It will scare your pants off and re-affirm your faith in love at the same time. |
|
| Cruising.
There was a huge outcry in the gay community when this movie first came out, but looking at it
now, almost 20 years later, it holds up incredibly well. The psychotic killer is driven by
his father's rejection and society's homophobia. Lots of sex and other craziness, but accurate
portrayals. I think this was the beginning of the gay conservative backlash. |
|
| You Are Not Alone.
Well done Danish film about two young boys falling in love, and the easy acceptance of
their school friends. |
|
| Maurice.
One of those lush, soft-focus British films. Based on the book by Foster, Hugh Grant plays one of
a pair of repressed lovers. |
|
| Raising Heros.
A small indie-production that premiered at the New York Gay Film Festival a couple of years ago,
but never got very wide release. Despite mediocre production values and occasional poor acting this
film is remarkable for two things. It's the first action film (not THAT kind of action, geez but you
people have dirty minds!) with gay heros. One partner of a New York gay couple witnesses a mob
murder; mayhem and chases insue. The other outstanding thing about this movie is that the couple aren't
your standard "beautiful people". One of them is "large", probably the first depiction of an
overweight gay man in which the character isn't based on his weight. He's fully developed, sexual,
and loved by his partner. |
|
| Jeffery.
Fun, fluffy, loads of cameos and bit parts filled with familiar faces. Michael T. Weiss (Jarod on
The Pretender) as the love interest of Steve Weber (one of the brothers from Wings), and Patrick
Stewart (we all know who he is, don't we?) as a flamboyant queen. Frankly, I found it preachy
and shallow, with only occasional redeeming funny bits. Worth renting, but I wouldn't buy it
(at least not new). |
|
| Love! Valour! Compassion!
is a lot better. Set in upstate New York, in the home of a famous choreographer, it chronicles
the lives of a group of friends over the course of a year as they get together for holidays
and vacations. The "Fuck You" scene is riveting and soul-scorching, the various characters
are each complete people with their own fears and complexities. Plus a couple of good full nude
shots. |
|
| Kiss Me Guido.
Another indie, but got a little wider distribution. Some of the performances are a little wooden,
but the story is a lot of fun and the ending realistic and fun. Straight guy moves from Brooklyn
to Manhattan and finds out that the "Guy With Money" roomate is really a "Gay White Male".
Good characterization, without talking down to the viewers. |
|
| The Opposite of Love.
Recent feature starring Christina Ricci as a stone bitch who steals her half brother's
boyfriend, played by Ivan Sergei (Mac in Once A Theif). Very dark semi-comedy, with
ugly undertones. We get some good body shots of Ivan, and Lisa Kurdrow (from Friends, blech)
shows some actual intelligence and a dark side. |
|
| Johns.
Lukas Haas (Witness, Mars Attacks) and David Arquette(Scream) star in this gritty indie about
LA street hustlers. By turns poignant, sexy, tragic and violent, this film is a one day slice-of-life
for two kids trying to find their dreams in a hostile world. Arquette is the older, more experienced
one, who wants to spend his birthday in a fancy hotel pretending to be a rock star, while Lukas is
his adoring protege. Don't watch this without a full box of kleenex nearby. |
|
| Tales of the City, More Tales of the City.
Originally published serially in the San Franciso Chronicle, growing to
six books, and
finally produced for TV by PBS (the first set, before they chickened out) and Channel Four.
This epic follows the adventures of the residents at 28 Barbary Lane through the 70's,
80's and 90's. Gay, straight, lesbian, transgendered, young, old, rich, poor; these books
have it all. Quirky, amusing, high-camp entertainment. Olympia Dukakis stars as Mrs. Madrigal,
the mysterious landlady, Bill Campbell as Dr. Jon Feilding (a secondary character and the main
gay love interest) and Thomas Gibson as Beachamp Day (the adulterous bisexual husband).
Available on six tapes (2 50 minute episodes each).
|
|
Twilight of the Golds.
I hate opera. Normally I run screaming from any movie that has anything to do with opera, especially
ones that use them as a metaphor. But Twilight of the Golds, despite it's relationship to The Ring
Cycle, is not to be missed. Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle, YOW!) is the gay son of
Faye Dunaway (and if I have to tell you who she is...) and Garry Marshall. Jennifer Beals is his
sister who, through genetic testing, discovers that her unborn son is 90% sure to be gay and
must make the choice to keep the baby or not.
Showtime has managed to translate the stageplay into an arresting, thought-provoking,
emotional firestorm that could happen any family in the very near future.
From the screaming fights to the silent moments of realization, Brendan
shows the pains and fears that all gay men have about their families (plus we
get to see him suck face with Sean O'Bryan). Don't watch this alone.
|
|
| Boyfriends.
A British, gay "Big Chill" (kinda). One weekend in the country with 6 friends. Relationships,
fidelity, honesty and lies.
|
|
| Apart From Hugh.
This low-budget indie tells the tale of Hugh and his lover, as they plan their
one year anniversay party, and the lover plans to leave. Low-key performances, black-and-white
photography and realistic writing give this movie a delicate, almost
dreamlike melancholy. Perfect for rainy afternoons, when you're feeling just a little blue,
Apart From Hugh will reaffirm your faith in love. |
|
| Twisted.
A modern retelling of "Oliver Twist", set in New York, with Fagin as a decrepit
brothel owner (he's decrepit, not the brothel). A former prostiture, now barbacking for
a drag club while working on his own music, risks his life to protect a new youngster
from Fagin's clutches. Dark, violent, and ultimately shattering, another one not to watch
alone. What is it about beautiful-but-doomed characters that make them so appealling? |
|
The Sum of Us.
Jack Thompson (sorta the Aussie John Wayne) made a huge impression in this film, playing
the doting father of Russell Crowe (LA Confidential). Not just accepting of his son's
homosexuality, but setting him up on dates (with men) and buying him skin mags...
A sweet, charming film filled with incredibly hunky Aussie guys, it makes me long
to jump a plane for Sydney every time I watch it. Flawed only by the unfortunate Aussie
prediliction for sappy, tear-jerker endings, this one's a keeper anyway. |
|
| The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Another wonderful Aussie film, starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce (LA Confidential).
Three outreagous drag queens from Sydney accept a gig in Alice Springs, and instead of flying
(like any sensible person would do) they buy a tour bus and christen her Priscilla.
Hysterical, moving and just gorgeous, darling. |
|
| The Wedding Banquet.
Ang Lee, the famous Taiwanese director, brings us this beautifully crafted tale of
a Chinese-American man (Winston Chao) and his white lover (Mitchell Lichtenstein)
living in New York. In order to please his parents, Winston stages a wedding to
a female tenant, in exchange for a green card. Of course, the parents aren't too
pleased at the spare civil service...until a family friend offers to host a
fabulous wedding banquet. Great performances, beautiful cinematography and a truly
heart-warming ending. |
|
| Torch Song Trilogy.
Harvey Fierstein wrote and starred in both the original Broadway production and this
movie version. A semi-autobiographical story in three acts about the life and loves
of a New York drag queen. |
|
Built by minotaur
Best viewed with Netscape 3.0+
Last updated January 3, 1999
|
