Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

Watching a filmed stage play on TV can honestly go either way, but this Lincoln Center Theater production of The Nance shows exactly how to do it right. Having Nathan Lane anchor the whole thing as a Depression era comic who plays pansy parts in burlesque shows definitely helps a ton. He's genuinely fantastic in the role. That said, running close to two and a half hours, it does take real patience sitting through a stage play from your couch instead of watching it live in person. I guess what I'm getting at is this review's going to be pretty personal, and plenty of people will probably feel differently about it than I do. The Nance is set in 1930s New York City, during a time when being anything other than straight wasn't just frowned upon, it was treated as criminal. Back then there was this whole world of cheap, sleazy shows called burlesque, featuring women in revealing outfits dancing around while a lot of raunchy adult humor filled out the rest of the show. One re...

I am quite sure that this film likely got popular just because of Gal Gadot. I was also quite excited to see it but sadly she is just as much a prop in this film, as in many films the actresses are. A sports comedy film, it tells us a story of a popular soccer player who is forced to pretend to be gay and everything that happens after that. Honestly the film neither evokes laughter nor does it really address the issue of homophobia. Soccer player Shushan is the dream of Jerusalem team. One night when he tries to flirt with a girl Mirit, he has no idea that she is an unwilling moll for ruthless gangster Mr. Black . To save face, Mr. Black tells Shushan that he must publicly announce that he is gay, if he wishes to live. Of course the guy has no choice. Right after the announcement, he set how homophobic his team players are and also the management of the team does not support him. The worse is that even fans give up on him and start calling him Shoshana. Rest of the film is about his Sh...

Gay cops who stare at each other in a very sexy way is my new favorite genre. This was an entertainingly good detective movie with a gay undercurrent, neither of which are truly fleshed out but the potential was there. When the film started with a guy in cop uniform, I was like "this dude is so f***ing hot" and even when the film ended , I do stand by my thought. An interesting murder mystery of a wealthy gay man and how cops have to navigate through gay scene to find the culprit make the gist of this film. Ambiguity pervades the film in both a sexual sense, in the relationships between the main male actors and the plotline of the aftermath of the murder; and this might be a deterring factor for. Lot of movie watchers. The film starts with a rich gay man's murder, who belongs to a very influential family. We see a handsome policeman Ganso waiting at the crime scene for detectives to show up. Enter Chavez, a handsome middle aged detective with a wife and kid who is asked b...

This 2014 film, even though made probably on a low budget like many other indie films around that time, possesses heart, humor, and a down home spirit that feels honest and well-earned. I am actually surprised that the film somehow was missed by me and it's only now I am getting to see it. It is also a reminder that all films age differently. Even though the content may not be as relevant (or maybe it is, I dont know), but the heart of the film still is very much visible here. Originally from a small town in Tennessee, Jason Potts is now out and proud and lives with his boyfriend in New York. When Jason returns to his hometown due to a family emergency, he quickly learns that not much has changed for the area's LGBT youth. His family insists on him moving back but he tells them since he doesn't think LGBT situation has improved much, he would like to see of the city would allow him to do a gay pride parade in the Main Street. His nemesis from school days is not prominent me...

This 2024 Channel 4 special TV program cum documentary offers viewers front-row seats at an extraordinary gay wedding, which the grooms are staging as a musical, from sung vows to show-stopping ensembles and a duet from their mums. This has the twin advantages of being both a real musical and a real wedding. Grooms Benjamin Till and and Nathan Taylor both work in show business and they wrote, scored and staged a sung-through their marriage, with commentary by Stephen Fry, and various celebrities wishing them on their big day. Stephen Fry, who narrated the program in the inimitable style of his, for which he is so treasured, fittingly emphasized the paramount importance of the 29th March, 2014 in his opening monologue, describing the day as ‘extraordinary and historic’ and paving the way for a series of poignant reminders about the many highs and, unfortunately, many lows that LGBT people have faced through the years. Benjamin and Nathan had a mere seven weeks to write the lyrics and ar...

Broke Straight Boys is a reality-based docu-series that explores the world of "Gay for Pay", a term used to describe when straight men do gay porn for money. The show explores the dynamic relationships between the owner of BluMedia, Mark Erickson, his business staff and the young men who choose to do gay porn to supplement their income by performing for an adult website. Now call this a reality show or a documentary series, bit with 8 episodes of about 25 minute each, to see the studio’s inner workings while munching down on popcorn and slurping soda. The series introduces us to their online platform models, in particular Kaden, Paul, Jimmy, Sergio, its CEO Mark Erickson, house mom Sabrina and COO Shannon. These models comes for an extended weekend to live together run a mansion where relationships, work ethics, house rules and what's expected of their jobs is gonna be scrutinized. The eight-part show dissects the logic behind why these young male models have chosen a pro...

Limited Partnership is An American documentary, that covers a 40-year marriage between two gay rights activists using archival footage and modern interviews. This documentary brings an important personal dimension to the long struggle for equal marriage and points up the problems that being unable to get married can create. Richard Adams, a Filipino-American, and Tony Sullivan, an Australian national, met in 1971 when Sullivan was in the United States on a tourist visa. After hearing about a county clerk in Boulder, Colorado, who was marrying same sex couples, the two were married in March 1975. However, the Immigration and Naturalization Service refused to recognize the marriage, and, in a rejection letter, used a homophobic slur. In the face of impending deportation, the couple sued the U.S. government. The resulting case, Adams v. Howerton, was decided against them. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their case. When Sullivan was deported, the couple spent time in Europe before...

A look at the life of French designer Yves Saint-Laurent from the beginning of his career in 1958 when he met his lover and business partner, Pierre Bergé. I have to admit that I am not. A fashion crazy person by any means, but we all must have the famous YSL sign somewhere in our lives, so naturally I was quite interested in seeing the story behind this gay designer. This film is presented to us from the viewpoint of Pierre. This disjointed film shows us a 21 year old nervous boy wonder Saint Laurent who gets appointed as the new head designer of France's biggest fashion house Dior. A couple of years later, conscripted to fight in the Algerian war, he suffers a mental breakdown after bullying about his sexuality. Enter Pierre Bergé – the businessman who became his boyfriend, bodyguard and business partner. The duo fall in love immediately. While Yves is the creative brain, Pierre handles almost everything else. They decide to open his own fashion house. But in mid 60s' the fas...

A small budget, dysfunctional family film, I am not sure if I would really call this an LGBT cinema, but I guess since one of the three characters is gay, maybe I will give it a go and review it here on my blog. I do have this moral conundrum many times, on what really qualifies as being a queer cinema. Is it just any character of main character or main story or what exactly and I wish I had an answer to that. We have Dawn, a single mother with two teenage kids Josh and Nicola. Dawn is going through mental issues and is seeing a regression therapist and says that she was abused as a child but no one is her family believes her. Other they are or not, the whole situation becomes difficult for Josh and Nicola to handle. Nicola spends most of her time out with friends and drugs. Meanwhile, Josh is dealing with his sexuality. He is secretly in love with his best friend and the duo share a common interest of making films. Since, he has no one to talk to, he creates a online friendship with a...

Eroddity is not an actual word. Writer-director Steven Vasquez invented it. It's a combination of the words erotic and oddity, and that's exactly what this movie is. This four story anthology offers a voyeuristic window into the lives of ten gay youths. Follow as they enter a world of the odd, the erotic and the supernatural. To be honest, this felt like watching a soft porn (almost fun on porn) where we get to see a lot of young guys in full frontal nude with questionable acting skills. “Forever Mine” - A confused boy seeks a love that will last him a lifetime. It deals with one of the most taboo subjects of gay relationship between siblings. “A Mind of Their Own” -  A teen’s long forgotten past leads to his short lived future. This was a weird one. A boy feels his boyfriend is cheating on him and goes to meet the man but it turns out it is in fact he himself who has been sleeping with this other man, except he always forgets it. “Unsolved Christmas” - A Christmas present, in ...

This is one of the most simple and boring documentaries Have seen in recent times. To be honest, it feels like someone's home video. Made by the daughter of the protagonist (at least thats what I presume), the subject is interesting but not that much. Gleaning her father’s photo archive and diaries, the director explores the failure of the traditional family project that her dad had contrived after serving in the military at the Spanish colony in Western Sahara. An intimate portrait of a man and his enchanting affection seeking journey during the 1980s and 90s in Morocco explored through the interstitial space between memory and landscape. We are told the story in three parts. First how our protagonist served doctor in military in Africa in Sahara region in his 20s in closed confines with the shot North African men. To my surprise, according to him, homosexuality and relationship with other younger men were very easy for him and common there. But at some point in life, he wanted to...

I am having a hard time reviewing this film. There was something artistic and poetic about the film as to the way it was directed, but I just couldn't comprehend what it was really trying to tell. A Greek gay man meets a young Arab, acquires experiences and pays the emotional and existential price. It feels there's so much it want to say: be it a forbidden love story, or the whole idea of 7 wraths (which, by the way, is never really clear while watching the film), but it just never fully delivers. Petros, a 45-year-old office archaeologist, has just come out of a long-term relationship, disillusioned by the romantic notion of self-less love. During a visit to the ancient theater of Argos, he will meet Hussam, a young Arab immigrant who eventually becomes his lover. As you can imagine, Hussam sometimes has these guilt situations given his Arab origins, but also something about Petros that makes him want to be with him. Petros also helps manage a small music group of young Albani...

This 2014 film had an interesting premise and an entertaining take on modern masculinity with some world class action. The story of a tough transgender detective whose tangles with the mob jeopardise his plans for a sex change operation seems very good on paper and honestly, it is to. Great extent. But there are so many unanswered things in the film that I felt lost at few places. Also in a lot of places the motives and actions by a few people are quite questionable. Yoon is a no nonsense cop who is known for ruthlessly taking down criminals with violent methods, famous for his fighting skills and general manliness. However, Yoon hides a secret from his admiring colleagues, struggling with his gender identity and having long nursed a desire to become a woman. He has bene trying to save money to his operation. But things are not same when he launches a crusade against a criminal which lands the mob boss in hospital. His brother decides to take matter in his hand and a cat and mouse game...

An interesting roundabout love story, or is it a use story? Whatever it is, it is a convincing story of a young man looking for love, compassion, stability and a home and the only way he knows, to get any of those is through his body. He is lanky and handsome Argentinian boy and now he needs to do something in life. In some ways we all use other people in life which somehow becomes habit and eventually a norm. Lucas, is a young man in Argentina who does gay web came sex shows to make money and tells that he is very lonely and if any of the suitors send him money, he will fly to meet them. Next thing we know is Lucas arrives in Belgium, and an old overweight baker Henry is there to pick him up. Henry is gay, and is hoping that Lucas will help him in bakery shop and of course fulfills his sexual needs while living together in the same house. Lucas protests sleeping in the same room, but he has no where else to go so he agrees. Slowly Henry realizes that Lucas is actually disgusted by his...

We all, at some point, have seen adverts promoting the gay conversion therapies, some on the name of science, some religion and other psychology, but its surprising how many institutions still believe in this and make money out of it. In this documentary aired in 2013, Dr Christian Jessen, who is 100% gay, delves into the world of gay conversion therapy in the US and the UK by going undercover and testing different 'cures' to see if there is any truth behind their claims. The documentary starts with the very handsome and charming doctor Christian first taking a very special sexual orientation test, in which unsurprisingly he is confirmed to be 100% gay. So, now starts his journey to see and experience for himself the various (about 8-10) different therapies and therapists that guarantee the conversion. He first goes for aversion therapy where he is given a drug that violently makes him ill while watching gay porn images. Then he goes to the American Bible Belt, where he tries m...

Do not be fooled by an interesting poster. This film made absolutely no sense. In the name of art, sometimes the films get so muddy and convoluted that as an audience you could care less of what really is going on. The synopsis of the film says that the film is an emotional fantasy in which a grieving gay man must open disbelieving eyes to the possibility of supernatural and mythological worlds in order to gain opportunity for reconciliation with a lover lost to apparent suicide. Sounds intriguing, isn't it? Only if the execution was even close. The film starts with a naked man being bound and tied to a tree when an angel sort of person comes and rescue him. In parallel, we see a guy talking to a shrink, supposedly going through the grief of his partner's death. In both the scenarios there's a whole lot of talking. In one the angel is sort of showing and talking the importance of living and giving up on one's life to the naked stranger, and similarly in the other one, t...

Few years back, there was a time when I used to watch a lot of gay themed Italian films. I feel they have found a way to mix comedy and drama and to send a message. Surely, these movies cannot be taken too seriously, but from an entertainment perspective, they provide a good fun viewing where you can forget your stress for a short while. From a politically correctness point of view, many people may take issues with this film, but I was just happy laughing hard at quote a few places. Serene Bruno, a woman in 30s has an extremely successful career as an architect in London, but one night when she terribly misses home, she takes the big decision to move back home. The situation at home is not very promising, and Serena must adapt to designing funeral mausoleums for rich imbeciles and working as a waitress in a Rome restaurant managed by the handsome Francesco (who is gay but not out at work). One day she comes across a contest to big for renovation of a old building. She realizes that bei...

This comedy documentary follows two young Australian gay comedians, Joel Creasey and Rhys Nicholson, as they put on a show in a rural Australian town Colac known for its homophobia. In fact, last time Joel was there, he was chased to his car by a group of 20 teens hurling anti-gay abuse at him. With Rhys for back up, Joel is heading back to the town to live there, sell some tickets, get to know the locals and work out how homophobic this town really is. When Joel had the incident, the mayor of the town of Colac city against accusations of homophobia, which is one of the reasons that Joel along with Rhys decides to give the town one more chance. They reach the town and meet the new mayor who welcomes them into the town and admits that smaller towns often need a while to “catch up”. Then the pair travel around the town, trying to sell 700 tickets to their upcoming show. Most of the people they met along the way were very welcoming. During this time, they try out working at a factory, bar...

Ok, I have to admit that I knew nothing about the documentary going in, but it all started to make sense when I realized that Divine is none other than the 300 pound drag queen and lead of film "Pink Flamingos", a film that I hated. But now having seen this documentary and a whole lot of background behind the director and the lead, it is all starting to make sense. The image of a 300-pound drag queen wearing a skin-tight red dress with candy-colored wig, bombastic face make-up, and pointing a gun at everything society consumes to be beautiful has been burnt deep enough into the culture to be instantly recognizable. We are here to know more about Divine aka Glenn. Talking head interviews with family, friends, and colleagues; most notably John Waters, Glenn’s mother Frances, childhood friends, members of The Cockettes, and fellow performers from the off-Broadway show “Women Behind Bars,” paint a vivid picture of the kind of influence and impression Divine had on the people clos...

I had absolutely minimal expectations from this film, but the film, despite its flaws, manage to surprise me in a good way. This normally happens when you keep your expectations super low. The film, in its own small independent way, tries to carefully present an argument on why gay men have been fighting for basic right like marriage. Sadly, the director does get too swayed in self indulgence where some scenes go on and on forever thereby diluting the impact that they were probably going for.  Sherwin, a lawyer by profession and Paolo, an indie film director have been in a relationship for a few years. Still dwelling on a cheating episode by Paolo more than a year ago, they are still together. But when Paolo suggests that they should get married, Sherwin refuses the proposal because he knows that the law of marriage here in the Philippines was only for men and women couples and as a lawyer he must abide by the law. We meet Paolo's family who are every welcoming of Sherwin as his pa...