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Stop! That! Train!

Coming out of the same studio that gave us RuPaul's Drag Race, and stacked with a whole crew of former contestants, Stop! That! Train! plays like RuPaul basically taking a bow for the entire franchise she's built. It's not really a gay film in the traditional sense, but with so many drag stars from Ru's shows popping up alongside a few cameos from well known out gay actors, I figured it earns a spot on this blog anyway. The whole thing is completely over the top, packed with GenZ slang, loud flashy visuals, and humor that's constantly winking at you knowing how ridiculous it is. Going in you'd assume it's meant to be a laugh riot, and a lot of critics online seem to be eating it up, but I just couldn't get into it at all. I've never really been someone who vibes with campy silly stuff like this, so honestly my reaction doesn't surprise me one bit. The setup follows Tess and DeeDee, two low level stewardesses who sneak onto the fancy Glamazonian E...

Queer Lives Today (Short Docs) (UK)

"Queer Lives Today" is a series of diverse documentaries that offer intimate glimpses into the LGBTQ+ community. The series explores the journeys of individuals navigating various aspects of their identities, from sports to adoption to the pursuit of personal expression, all while highlighting resilience and the challenges they face. Commissioned to create 20-minute documentaries, these were telecast on British TV in 2022. The films narrate the tale of a trans boxer campaigning for the right to fight, Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen gender affirmation surgery journey and the struggles of two gay dads undergoing the adoption process.

Always, Asifa
As Asifa prepares to finally undergo gender affirmation surgery, the disabled trans activist, who is also Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen, reflects on how her life has - and hasn’t - changed during her transition. With Asifa having featured previously in documentaries on Channel 4 and the director, Shiva Raichandani, having reached the semi-finals of the 2017 edition of Britain’s Got Talent with the London School of Bollywood, there is an abundance of flair and creative pedigree to show these two really can talk the talk, and walk the walk.

Come Out Fighting
Jill, a gay trans man, prepares mentally and physically to step into the ring for his next boxing bout- finding strength in an emerging LGBTQ+ fight community to square up to old attitudes and challenge a current ban on trans boxers. This knockout documentary provides a ringside seat to the intimate journey of a trans athlete, at a time when trans access to sport makes headlines worldwide.

Love, Dad & Daddy
Following a painful adoption journey which comes to an abrupt halt, Hollyoaks star Ross Adams explores what can be done to make the system easier for LGBTQ+ adopters. Can he find the strength to go through the process again? In a system where resilience is essential, “Love, Dad and Daddy” sees Ross talking to other adopters in a deeply cathartic personal quest to rediscover his.

Quick and easy watch and it provides an interesting insight of the various spectrums and issues that the vast spectrum of LGBTQ+ folks face. (5/10)

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