Reviews

"Best Day Ever" (2014) Starting the new year out on a sappy note, because.....well sometimes life NEEDS to be sappier! :D Based on the true story of filmmaker Jeff London and how after being single for 48 years, his life changed when he met the love of his life and found his true purpose. This film explores the issues of aging in the gay community, especially in the light of being single/not having found love -- as well as the challenges of entering into a relationship with a "significant" age gap. David is turning 50 (without much sincere support from his friends) and questioning his life's path...wondering why things didn't turn out the way he had planned. Into his life walks Shane, the 35-year old cousin of his best friend...visiting from Indiana. The two awkwardly hit it off and end up falling in love. Mel England does a great job of portraying all of the mixed emotions David is feeling. And Tom Saporito adorably brings Shane's shy/introverted/video gaming geekness to life! The biggest flaw of this work is that is has a bit of an identity crisis. It is too long to be a true Short Film.....yet it doesn't delve into the back stories of the characters deep enough to be a full fledged feature film (Running time is 1 hour and 17 minutes). I would have preferred the film to have veered in one direction or the other, but still have to say it was an enjoyable watch.

"Grind" (2014) A short, musical film based on the Gay Hook-up App "Grindr". This short is very well done from an execution standpoint: good music and singers; good filming; good editing; good pacing; lots of pretty faces and bodies to look at; and really good acting (Anthony Rapp channels his inner "Sweeney Todd" deviously!). While light-hearted in many aspects, it touches on serious issues such as: gay-bashing; the lack of ability to personally connect in our digital age; the superficial and de-humanizing nature of on-line apps and hook-ups -- and the risks we all take when we use them. "You don't REALLY know who you are talking to" is a repeated refrain in this story.

"Waiting in the Wings: The Musical" by Jeffrey Johns (2014) SOOOOO Cute!!! :) A cross between "Magic Mike" and "Camp' (or maybe "GLEE"). Anthony Richardson and Tony Richardson both enter online contests to perform in New York City -- one in an Off-Broadway Musical...the other in a Strip show. They both win, but in a "clerical error" they each get cast in the other's role! At first Anthony really grated on my nerves, but eventually I found myself cheering for him to succeed in his situation.....in life....and in love! If you like Broadway theater AT ALL you have got to see this one! Most of the musical numbers are parodies...many poking fun at "The Great White Way" with many hilarious jabs at famous shows. Good singing, good dancing, good romance, and good human values abound in this feel-good, whimsical film. Cameos by: Lee Meriwether; Shirley Jones; Sally Struthers; and Christopher Atkins.

"Do You Take This Man" (2016) Whoa! I must have been in an extra sappy/romantic mood this evening.....because I was sobbing tears of joy at the end of this film. And, YES I am talking about the "ugly cry" sobbing....not the cute misty-eyed variety! LOL This film opens the day before Daniel and Christopher are to be married. The tension and drama are revving up in preparation for the "Rehearsal Dinner" (but since there was no Rehearsal I felt it should have been called the "Wedding Eve Dinner"?) that Type- A/Perfectionist Daniel is preparing. On the guest list: Daniel's parents, sister, and best friend; and Christopher's two best friends. SURPRISE! Christopher's friends have flown in his estranged BFF from childhood. Enter chaos. This film really tackles some deep stuff about love, family, relationships, communication, forgiveness, trust, and committment. It is an emotional roller coaster ride through surprises, secrets, hidden demons, fear, joy, love....the whoe gamet. AMAZING tidbits of wisdom given by Daniel's parents and recently divorced sister who realized "too late" how she contributed to the demise of her marriage. Ultimately a beautiful tribute to the power of true love. EXCELLENT casting!!! Anthony Rapp and Jonathan Bennett (who imdb says is from Rossford???) bring such chemistry to the screen. Alyson Hannigan (haven't seen her since "Buffy" days!) slips into the wise divorcee role like a hand in a glove. Mackenzie Astin, Sam Anderson, Lee Garlington, Thomas Dekker, and Marla Sokoloff round out the list of familiar faces in this project.

"Ali & Nino" ( 2016) I am not usually a fan of Historic Period pieces....but I ADORE Adam Bakri so I thought I would give it a chance. And I am glad I did. What I found was a beautiful love story wrapped in a veil of tragedy. The tale is set from 1914-1920 as World War I is fought.....Azerbaijan claims its independence from Russia....becoming the first democratic state in the Muslim world. The celebrations are short lived as the oil-rich country quickly finds itself having to fight to maintain said independence. At the center are Ali (son of a powerful Muslim man in the capital city of Baku) and Nino (a Christian Georgian princess) who fall hopelessly in love. The film chronicles the struggles, obstacles and enemies of their love and their tenacious fight to stay united.

Zenne Dancer" (Turkey 2012) A controversial film in it's homeland, this is a dramatization of the real-life "honor killing" of an Istanbul student by his family after they discovered he was gay. The tragedy centers around a trio of unlikely friends: Can (an openly gay Zenne Dancer (male belly dancer mixed with drag queen) who is in hiding to avoid Military Service to his country; Ahmet (aforementioned student, born to an eastern and very conservative family, studying in Istanbul and coming to terms with his Truth); and Daniel (a German photo-journalist in Istanbul without much knowledge about Turkish values and lifestyle). My biggest critique is that the film is a bit disjointed in it's storytelling and thus a challenge to follow....but it eventually does an excellent job of developing each of these three very different characters. Each has a different background and therefore a different outlook on life. Daniel's Western sensibilites eventually lead him to encourage Can and Ahmet to make some very dangerous choices...leaving him with the weight of guilt in the aftermath. Perhaps the most telling exchange in the film occurs between Daniel and Ahmet (after they have fallen in love) -- Daniel: Why can't you be honest and tell the truth to your parents? Honesty is the easiest. Ahmet: (crying) You don't understand. Honesty will kill me. Given our current climate in the US of an increasingly powerful polictical arm of an extreme form of Fundamentalist Christianity -- we should take heed and learn a lesson from our Brothers in the East.

"Call Me By Your Name" (Italy 2017) BEAUTIFUL. MOVING. POWERFUL. Luca Guadagnino, Timothee Chalamet, and Armie Hammer artfully capture the essence of the characters Elio & Oliver from Andre Aciman's novel of sexual awakening, self-identity, first love, and love lost. The setting for the film couldn't have been more perfect and the cinematography aesthetically captured the feel of a lazy Italian summer. The soundtrack was a mix of lush melodies, classical pieces and 80's pop that blended seamlessly. Kudos to the costume designers as well for totally nailing 1980's style! LOL The sucess of this film lives or dies on how convincingly Chalamet and Hammer portray the sexual tension that develops between Elio and Oliver....and I have to say they were spot on perfect! Each actor brought the necessary nuances to their respective characters -- Oliver's somewhat brusque confidence compensating for shyness and Elio's insecurities, curiosities and 17-year-old awkwardness. Both were able to speak volumes with a glance, a facial expression, or a subtle body gesture. I was BLOWN AWAY by Chalamet's voiceless performance in the film's final closing minutes -- I felt exactly what he was feeling without a word being uttered. I will most definitely be seeing this one again (and adding it to my collection once available)! [5/5] P.S. NOTE that this review is based on the film as a stand alone work of art and not a review on how well the novel was converted into a motion picture. There were some disappointing changes and omissions from the novel...but I do not hold that against the powerfully tragic beauty of the finished product.

"Berlin Syndrome" (Australia 2017) One of the newly available releases on Netflix from my Max Riemelt. A good (but not great) psychological thriller set in Berlin. Clare (played by "Point Break's Teresa Palmer) is a young Australian woman on vacation in Berlin. Andi (Riemelt) is a local high school teacher who she meets on the street/in a bookstore. What was intended to be a one night stand turns very wrong when she awakens the next morning to find herself locked inside Andi's isolated and (soon to be revealed) well-fortified apartment. The remainder of the film, which I would estimate spans a period of 6-9 months, is focused on Clare adapting and attempting to survive her captivity. There are clues that her predesessor didn't fare so well! Both leads did a decent job portraying their respective characters and the cinematography and sound editing were eerie and added to the film's overall feeling of tension. Critiques: the ending was pretty stale given all of the build-up and there was really no explanation of Andi's psychosis and behavioral anomalies (some hints perhaps but nothing at all concrete). Worth a look....just don't set your expectations too high. [3/5]

"Rökkur"/"Rift" (Iceland 2017) This is a pretty well crafted psychological thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the end (and beyond!). Months after their relationship has ended, Gunnar is awakened at 3:03am by his ex-boyfriend, Einar. His message is cryptic, "Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and get the feeling that something is with you? Or someone?". He is calling from his family's remote cabin...and Gunnar is sufficiently worried to get dressed, hop in his car, and drive all night to get there ASAP. From this point on NOTHING is what it seems! The acting is very good, the stark scenery of the Icelandic countryside is chilling, and the storytelling is creepy as hell.....I'm just not quite sure exactly what happened. LOL. I have some theories, but if you watch this one -- I will be interested to hear your thoughts on just what this film is about. Many reviews have called it "Hitchcockian" -- but I've never seen an entire Hitchcock film to say if that is true or not....but it sounds good on paper. ;) [4/5]

"Out Loud" (Lebanon 2011) This movie teeters in the balance between quirky and just plain bizarre. It is part comedy (ala Harold & Kumar); part musical (ala Bollywood); part melodrama (ala AfterSchool Special); and part social commentary.....yet somehow in the end it really worked for me. At the heart of the message is the effect of the intolerance of Conservative, Fundamentalist Religous Ideologies. This message is told through the friendship of four (very hot) Lebanese young men (Jason, Elvis, Louis, and Rami) -- each dealing with some secrets and ties to their past. The film starts on Jason's Birthday. He has just been dumped by a girlfriend and his buddies are rallying around him to cheer him up. In the course of conversation Rami reveals to his friends that he is gay....and that his dad caught him kissing his boyfriend (Ziad). Elvis calls Ziad and tells him to get to Jason's house ASAP and they will protect him. To complete the films Quintet is Nathalie...a woman that Elvis/Louis found online to be Jason's date for the night. Keeping up so far??? The five decide to run away together to give Rami and Ziad time to figure out how they are going to survive (both families are of the mindset to kill them for the disgrace). This evolves into a plan for the five of them to become a family...build a life together....raise a family together....til death do them part (obviously a highly controversial arrangement in the Muslim world!). What starts out as a light-hearted, farsical film, takes a very dark turn, then ultimately redeems itself before all is said and done. Despite the unusual style of storytelling, the film is visually stunning! The cinematography, filtering of colors and use of imagery was way above average even for most mainstream films. And the soundtrack (including the cheesy song-and-dance numbers) was beautiful to listen to. I REALLY had to "push through" the first 30 minutes of the film (fighting the urge to give up on it) but I am sure glad I did! [3.5/5]

"Cruising" (1980) This is considered by many to be a classic in the Gay Film genre....partially due to the controversy surrounding the film itself (as well as the reported deleted scenes) and partly due to the ground-breaking nature of the subject material. For a 1980's mainstream release -- it IS pretty racy in context. Al Pacino portrays an undercover cop in the NYPD. His assignment requires him to infiltrate the world of the underground S&M/Leather subculture of the gay community. His goal is to identify a serial killer who has been seducing and brutally murdering several gay men over the past few months. From what I gather, this film is based on a novel...which was based on a real-life series of homicides in 1970's NYC. It is a pretty decent film (as far as early 80's films go) and worth having in the "Have Seen" column of LGBT films.....but I'm not really sure the film answers all of the questions it seems to ask. [3/5]

"The Post" (2017) In this era of Trump and it's rallying cry of "Fake News" (and a desire to suppress any news that it finds disagreeable) coming from the Executive Branch (and it's Alt-Right Base)......"The Post" is a timely reminder of the importance of a free and independent Press. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks give their expected creme-de-la-creme performances as Washing Post Publisher Kay Graham and Editor Ben Bradlee. The film is a slow moving drama (not a lot of action or thrilleresque qualitites) but suprisingly captivating nonetheless. The core of the plot is Graham's decision whether or not to publish a story about leaked Pentagon Papers implicating four US Presidents in willful negligence and duplicity regarding the War in Vietnam. While this decision would be enough of a challenge....add in the fact that Graham was the first female publisher of a major newspaper AND that her family-founded newspaper was experiencing financial instability at the time. Part of Justice Black's opinion: "In the First Amendment the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill it's essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government. The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government". [4.5/5]

"God's Own Country" (U.K. 2017) I have been anxiously awaiting the release date for this DVD!!! The comparisons to "Brokeback Mountain" are inevitable, but this IS a very different story. It is more updated......a bit more real.....grittier.......and more romantic than it's predecessor. Johnny is a family farmer (begrudgingly taking over the family farm after his father suffers a stroke leaving him disabled). He is bitter, feels trapped, and tries to numb his life with alcohol and NSA sexual encounters. Gheorghe is a Romanian immigrant -- the sole applicant for a position as a temporary hired hand during lambing season. He is a vagabond, yet more grounded, kinder and more in touch with his emotions than Johnny. What initially starts out as an adversarial relationship eventually grows into a loving partnership (with a few bumps along the way) -- kind of like what would have happened if Jack and Ennis would have both been comfortable with their sexuality from the start. The film tackles both xenophobia and homophobia head-on with no apologies. Be warned ahead of time -- some of the scenes are of a graphic nature (they show a couple of lambings and a bovine pregnancy check unfiltered!!!). ;) [5/5]

"BPM (Beats Per Minute)" (France 2017) With this film I have finally completed watching the Trifecta of Great Queer Cinema of 2017! Set in the early 1990's, this is the story of ACT UP -- Paris, a rebel activist group composed of those infected with HIV/AIDS and their allies. Their mission: to educate the public on HIV/AIDS & safe sex practices; to change the public perception and dialogue of the epidemic; and to pressure politicians and pharmaceutical companies to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS. At times the film (clocking in at nearly 2 & 1/2 hours) drags a bit...especially when delving into some of the medical/scientific specifics of HIV or the laborious in-house debates at ACT UP's weekly meetings. But, the end result is a powerful, dark, and heavy testimony to the importance of political activism....and the struggles many in our community faced during the early days of the AIDS Era. Intermixed are themes of friendship, the power of community, and seeking love in the face of fear. This film is not as easy to watch at "Call Me By Your Name" or "God's Own Country" but certainly worth the added effort! [5/5]