THEGAYUK

Category: Film

  • FILM REVIEW | Tomb Raider

    TOMB RAIDER – The umpteenth attempt to turn a blockbuster video game into a hit movie. Lara Croft is back for her third cinema outing cue new origin story and then a high octane action-packed trip to a Japanese jungle.


    Nutshell – We meet Lara as a troubled kid in London as a low earning cycling courier mourning the death of her parents and in particular her Dad who went missing on an antiquity hunt. She gets sucked into retracing his steps in the Far East where there are ample bad guys, endless Tomb booby traps and a total bitch of a supernatural being that could destroy the planet. Think Raiders of The Lost Ark with boobs although it does stay closer to the computer games than the Angelina Jolie two attempts.

    Running Time – 118 minutes – 12A.

    Tagline – ‘Her Legend Begins’…..and end with this Box Office

    The Gay UK Factor –  When we meet the bad guys things pick up hugely as each thug following each thug is hornier, sweatier and more muscle-bound than the last. Ok, so they all get dispatched at some point but a conveyor belt of good looking men all of which look like they were born to top, makes things very watchable – think Tinder/Scruff or Grindr the movie version.

    Cast – Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Derek Jacobi, Kristin Scott Thomas and Daniel Wu so nobody worth getting that excited about or reach for your Fleshjack’s for but it’s the character that will sell the tickets here hopefully.

    Key Player – Core Design the company that 23 years ago designed the Lara Croft character the only computer game to have three movies and the character is also in Guinnesses Book Of Records as the most successful in computer gaming history.

    Budget – $94 Million and it is already suffering with an opening of just 25 Million. Very few movies actually make a loss nowadays with DVD/TV/Streaming/Satellite etc and most importantly the global market especially Asia and with this film set in Japan that is a lock. Sequels though may be in question.

    Best Bit – 0.49 mins; A big action set piece where Lara is escaping the bad guys via some rapids ending up clinging to various parts of an old aircraft that has crashed atop a waterfall. There are four genuine heart in the mouth moments but not a lot comes close in the rest of the movie.

    Worst Bit – 0.01 mins; Purely and simply Alicia Vikander just does not have a lot of presence and is largely unconvincing pulling off all the fights and action later in the movie from no obvious training, background or experience. She is certainly no Angelina Jolie or even Gal Gadot for that matter.

     

    Further Viewing – Lara Crofts 1 and 2, Indiana Jones 1 through 5, Jewel On The Nile but avoid all computer game/movies as from Warcraft to Assassins Creed they are all as much use as those tissues under your bed.

    Any Good – It’s passable without being outstanding. The action story and locations (with South Africa standing in for the Japanese islands) are all decent but whoever did the casting here needs their heads examining. You won’t want your money back but Angelina will hardly be worried about this taking her green T-shirt and twin guns away. It’s borderline whether this will turn into a franchise or not but a sequel will have to up its game.

    Rating – 50% out of 100.

  • FILM REVIEW | Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

    ★★★★ | Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

    REVIEW Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist
    Vivienne Westwood – she truly is an icon, punk, activist and an inspiration to us all. Westwood called this documentary mediocre, but she is far from mediocre.

    Clothing Designer Vivienne Westwood has denounced the new documentary about her saying that the film does not at all focus on her activism but instead is ‘made up of archive fashion footage.’

    In the first few minutes of Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist, Westwood tells the camera, and the interviewer, that she doesn’t want to talk about certain important bits of her life. And that pretty much sets the tone for the rest of this 83-minute documentary.

    Filmmaker Lorna Tucker spent three years with the fashion designer trying to get Westwood to tell her life story, and the documentary could’ve been so much more, but we still are presented with a fascinating look at a fascinating woman who changed the course of British fashion with her non-conservative designs and her extreme personality.

    Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist, glosses over her younger years, and spends more time in the present where she presides over a global empire that she still can’t believe it’s gotten as big as it has – she doesn’t even know what half her staff does. But that’s the job for Austrian Andreas Kronthaler, who was her former fashion student and is now her husband and creative director for the brand. The documentary shows Westwood in her day-to-day life; looking over models wearing her designs, attending store openings where she says she’s not quite convinced she likes them or not, and shows Westwood cycling around London on her bike when she really should be chauffeured about in a limousine. We see snapshots of her life before she became famous, and the ex-council flat in Clapham where she lived for 30 years until 2000, and her two sons speak at times not so glowingly about their famous mother. Less is mentioned about her time with Malcolm McLaren and the clothing shop where she made punk clothes in the 1970s known as SEX which was controversial and radical for its time. Perhaps that’s a topic for another documentary.

    But what’s most fascinating about Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is her clothes. Whether shown in the workshops or on the fashion runways all over the world, the clothes are really a work of beauty, unique in every sense of the word. And so is Vivienne Westwood – she truly is an icon, punk, activist and an inspiration to us all. Westwood called this documentary mediocre, but she is far from mediocre.

    ‘Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist’ is in UK cinemas on Friday, March 23rd. 

  • 11,000 people really don’t want Frozen’s Elsa to be lesbian

    A petition urging Disney not to portray Elsa as a lesbian in Frozen 2 has reached almost 11,000 signatures. The action was launched after Jennifer Lee, the film’s co-director, replied “we’ll see where we go” when asked whether script writers had decided the sexuality of the fictional Queen of Arendelle. (more…)

  • Why it’s about time Hollywood gave us a Gay Superhero

    With Black Panther breaking records at the box office and another six or seven superhero films due to come out in 2018, Marvel and DC are major power players in the film industry now, and don’t look to be losing their position anytime soon. But where are all the LGBT+ characters? LUKE MARLOW questions.

    LGBT representation in these films has been sorely lacking – and whilst Black Panther has brought some much-needed diversity to the screen, it also cut a reference to a lead character’s sexuality. In addition, last year’s brilliant Thor Ragnarok introduced audiences to Tessa Thompson’s badass Valkyrie – but whilst the actor was keen to play the character true to her bisexual origins, no mention of this was made on screen. With new generations finding inspiration in these films, shouldn’t they be finding representation too? It’s about time we got an LGBT superhero on the big screen – and here are some of the potential Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual heroes who could set the silver screen alight.

    Iceman

    The X-Men comics are hugely popular amongst a gay readership – the tales of a band of outsiders persecuted by the larger world, the parallels to the gay community are clear. Bobby Drake or, to call him by his codename, Iceman, was a founding member of the X-Men and appeared in the very first issue of the comic back in 1963. Whilst the other original X-Men have had torrid romantic lives over the years, Bobby had a number of girlfriends, but none ever stuck. An encounter with a time-travelling younger version of himself (even more complicated than it sounds), led to Bobby accepting what he’d been hiding for so many years – and he’s now an out and proud gay man who’s recently been exploring his new outlook on life in a fantastic series by queer writer Sina Grace.

    Iceman has already been on the big screen – portrayed by Shawn Ashmore in X-Men, X2, X-Men The Last Stand, and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Movie Iceman was shown in a relationship with Anna Paquin’s Rogue – but maybe it’s time Iceman made a reappearance and came out of the closet. The planned solo ‘Kitty Pryde’ movie could be a great time for Iceman’s sexuality to be explored in more detail – and as a fun, witty, everyman he could be a great fan favourite if portrayed properly

    Northstar

    Jean-Paul Baubier, who goes by the codename Northstar, became famous as a member of the Canadian comics group Alpha Flight. Northstar is important as he’s probably the first high profile out gay character, with his sexuality heavily hinted at by writers, but not being clearly stated until 13 years after his first appearance. Jean-Paul then made history by marrying his partner, Kyle in a much-publicised wedding back in 2012 – making him the first Marvel hero to be in a Gay marriage. Witty, sassy and full of snark – Northstar could be a great hero on the big screen. Cast someone suitably elfin like Lee Pace to play him, and not only would you have a modern and contemporary hero, but the potential to portray a stable gay relationship in a medium where they’ve yet to make an appearance.

    Karma

    Film company Fox has made a film of comic book group the ‘New Mutants’, which is due for release in 2019. That film is set to feature all of the founding members of that group, with one notable exception – Karma. Xi’an Coy Manh, is a character from Vietnam – with a power of psychic possession and a harrowing origin tale. First appearing in 1980, Karma came out as a lesbian in a comic published in 2002. She’s not received much focus over the years, but could be a great character to receive some time and attention on the big screen, with her dark origins, struggle to be a responsible figure for her younger siblings, and discovery of her sexuality meaning she could be a great fit for the more “teen” orientated New Mutants film, and I’m hopeful she’ll be top of the list should they get optioned for a sequel.

    Midnighter & Apollo

    Two for the price of one with these two – Midnighter and Apollo are a superhero couple who first appeared in Stormwatch – a book published by Wildstorm comics. Wildstorm has now become a part of DC comics, and Midnighter and Apollo brought into the same universe as Batman, Superman and Wonderwoman amongst others. They may look relatively familiar – Midnighter is an ultra-violent vigilante who dresses all in black, and Apollo is a caped superhero with flight and super strength… However, the difference between two and the more famous Batman and Superman, is that Midnighter and Apollo are openly gay, and in a relationship. They’re a hugely fun pairing who’ve had their romantic ups and downs over the years, and whilst the similarities to Batman and Superman may mean that Midnighter and Apollo may not be showing up in live action films anytime soon, they’re ripe for inclusion in DC’s ever-growing portfolio of animated films.

    Daken

    The son of Wolverine, Daken is hot, frequently shirtless, very angry and openly bisexual. Introduced in 2007, he’s an angsty, troubled character who’s constantly unpredictable and thus always very readable. Confident yet conflicted, Daken is less about forming relationships and more about using sex as a way of manipulating and controlling people, whether they be man or woman. With Hugh Jackman stating that he’s not coming back as Wolverine, there’s room for a clawed killer who can take his place and look damn good doing it – and Daken is definitely my pick.

    Catman

    Yes, not Catwoman (who, for the record, is bisexual – something fleetingly hinted at in The Dark Night Rises, but Catman. Thomas Blake, was initially designed as a villain for Batman to face, but has become a far more balanced and sympathetic character over the years, showing up in the Secret Six book and coming out as bisexual. With it highly likely that the DC movies are going to bring us yet another version of Catwoman – why not stop and switch to Catman instead? He’d bring some much-needed Bi-Visibility to the movie universe, and if written well could be a darkly sexy counterpoint to the straight-laced Bruce Wayne.

    Mystique

    We’ve had two versions of Mystique on the big screen – first played by Rebecca Romjin in the original X-Men trilogy, and then by Jennifer Lawrence from First Class onwards. Whilst the recent films have given Mystique motive and heart, the character is far removed from her comic book self. Mystique, or Raven Darkholme, first appeared in 1978 –  the adoptive mother of Rogue and the biological mother of Nightcrawler, she’s a complicated, fascinating and untrustworthy character who constantly keeps the reader on their toes. Openly bisexual, Mystique and her former partner Irene Adler served as Rogue’s parents – and despite Mystique’s villainy, they were a loving, tender couple, leading to Mystique’s utter heartbreak when Destiny died. As a character who has yet to find any real happiness in the films – isn’t it time Mystique got a girlfriend?

    (Living) Lightning

    Miguel Santos first appeared in a Marvel comic in 1990 – a man whose encounter with a mysterious machine left him capable of both being and controlling lightning. He appeared on and off over the years – and in 2005 was revealed to be gay. He’s recently moved up to the big leagues in the current Avengers: No Surrender event that’s taking place in the comics. With actors like Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr coming to an end of their contracts in the Avengers’ films, and big-name deaths predicted for the upcoming Infinity War,  the timing couldn’t be better for introducing Miguel Santos to the movie universe – and giving us a gay Latino hero with plenty of sparks.

    Batwoman

    Think Batman, but with pops of red on the costume, flowing locks and perfectly applied lipstick – and you’ve got Batwoman. Kate Kane appeared in the DC universe proper in 2015 and she’s a remarkable character. An out lesbian, she’s got a unique look – whether in her brilliantly designed costume or dressed down as her pale-skinned, rockabilly self. She’d certainly brighten up a film universe that’s been rather monotone so far, and her interesting and timely backstory as a marine discharged due to her sexuality, is one that could work extremely well on the big screen.

    Wiccan and Hulkling

    Two for the price of one here – Wiccan and Hulkling are two young lovebirds from the Marvel Universe. With Wiccan’s magical abilities and Hulkling’s shapeshifting skills, these are a powerful and beloved pairing who would look brilliant on film. Their story, as gay teens accepted and loved by those around them, could be a valuable piece of representation on film, and it’d be great to see a new generation of Avengers be built around this pair.

    Constantine

    DC’s sarcastic, magic-wielding and Liverpudlian detective John Constantine is a hugely popular character who’s made a few live-action appearances over the years, with a Keanu Reeves led film that completely missed everything that made Constantine such a brilliant character. A TV series in 2014 provided a brilliant Constantine in the form of welsh actor Matt Ryan, but sadly decided to steer clear of addressing Constantine’s bisexuality. However, Ryan has now made appearances in the tv show Legends of Tomorrow where he’s flirting up a storm with both men and women, and I’m hopeful that he’ll be pulled into the DC cinematic universe before too long.

    Harley Quinn

    Critics hated Suicide Squad when it was released in 2016 – but Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was a standout star, and the character swiftly became a fan favourite. Whilst the film chose to portray Harley’s doomed and abusive relationship with the Joker, in the comics, she’s moved on from that sadist and found love and companionship in the form of Poison Ivy. Two intensely intelligent characters (Harley has a PhD in Psychology and Ivy one in Botany) with compelling motives, they’re close friends in an open relationship. With the upcoming ‘Gotham City Sirens’ movie mooted to contain both Harley and Ivy – it could be a great place to see their bond forming.

    The Question

    Much like Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya was created for the Batman Animated series, before being pulled through into the DC comic line. A police detective, Renee was outed as a lesbian and later left the police force and became an investigative hero known as The Question. A character who’s gone through huge amounts of change since her debut, Renee is a compelling character who could fit well into the dark and grimy movie world that DC have created so far.

    Rictor and Shatterstar

    Both Marvel characters, these two came together in 2009, 22 years after Rictor’s first appearance, and 18 years after Shatterstar’s. One a mutant with earth quaking abilities, and one a time travelling, dimension hopping superhero, both came to prominence as members of a team called “X-Force”, and with an “X-Force” film scheduled to be released in the next few years, the stars could be aligning for Rictor and Shatterstar’s big screen debut. Here’s hoping they keep Shatterstar in full 90’s garb – ponytail and all!

    Ultimate Colossus

    Piotr Rasputin, or Colossus, has been a mainstay of the X-Men books since his first appearance in 1975. The original version of Colossus is straight, and currently engaged to be married – but an alternate and gay version of Colossus appeared back in 2001 in Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics. This version of Piotr was a Russian arms smuggler – but found happiness as a hero with the X-Men. Colossus has been portrayed on film a fair few times now, but only ever as a minor character. His most recent appearance in the Deadpool film had his Russian accent spot on – so maybe his appearance in the sequel could see his sexuality explored?

    James Howlett

    Another alternate universe character here – this is a Wolverine who appeared in the X-Treme X-Men book back in 2012. This version had a few differences from the Wolverine who’s featured in the main Universe – his claws were gold, and he happened to be in a relationship with Greek God Hercules. This hairy pair were very popular with fans – and with Wolverine likely to be recast now Hugh Jackman has stepped down from the role, why not give us a gay, golden clawed Wolverine?

    Extraño

    First appearing in DC comics back in 1988, Extrano (or Gregorio De La Vega) was a fairly camp stereotype whose biggest storyline was the reveal of him having HIV. In 2016, Extrano reappeared in the DC universe as a mature, handsome sorcerer who could be a great ally for Constantine or a friend for Midnight and Apollo.

    America Chavez

    Given her popularity, it’s surprising that America Chavez hasn’t already made an appearance in the Marvel Movie Universe. First appearing in 2011, she’s a strong-willed, powerful and openly queer latino character. The upcoming animated film Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors is due to feature her, and hopefully, she’ll be pulled into the live action film universe soon enough.

    All Marvel  and DC Comics characters and the distinctive likeness(es) thereof are Trademarks & Copyright of their respective companies. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  • Top 10 Gay French Films

    Top 10 Gay French Films

    While some of the world’s most famous gay-themed films are produced in English-speaking countries, the French, have been making some of the world’s best same-sex romances, thrillers and dramas.

    best gay french films
    The best-rated gay/queer films made in France or that are French language

    We have listed some of the most successful, critically acclaimed French-made/language films and rated them on their Rotten Tomatoes’ (RT) where available.

    10 ) Les amitiés particulières (1964) RT 89%

    A Special Friendship


    Set in the 1930s the story follows two students who become close friends with tragic consequences. The film is based on a novel. Its plot was considered so controversial in 1964 its American release was postponed for three years.

    10) Ma Vie En Rose (1997) RT 91%

    My Life In Pink


    A French/Belgium drama about a young child (Ludovic) whose gender expression leaves the family struggling. The film won a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

    10) La Belle Saison (2016) 91%

    Summertime


    La Belle Saison is another French/Belgium romance film between two women. Set in 1971, farmer’s daughter Delphine moves to Paris to find her own path when she is introduced to Carole. The rest, as they say, is history.

    7) Stranger By The Lake (2014) 93%


    The film set on a tranquil isolated lake in a beautiful corner of the French countryside where the beachfront is sparsely occupied by a handful of men sunbathing in the buff. Behind them lies a small wood which is a busy cruising area for gay men.

    This is a wonderful erotic thriller, well-written and beautifully photographed in a way that belies the fact that this idyllic looking spot hides such violent and deadly deeds. The story places passion before danger and proves that it is not always a wise choice.

    Read our review

    6) Quand On A 17 Ans (2016) RT: 94%

    Being 17

    The film follows the sexual awakenings and blossoming romance between two 17-year-old boys who begin their relationship in violence.

    5) Call Me By Your Name (2018) RT 95%


    The break out coming of age, pan-European film of 2017, based on the novel of the same name. A young man falls in love with his father’s summer intern. The pair falls in love over a long Italian summer with a bitter-sweet ending.

    Read our review

    5) Paris 05:59: Theo & Hugo (2016) RT: 95%


    Two men meet at one of Paris’ most popular, and notorious, gay sex clubs, and then embark on an evening with lots of twist and turns, in the new film Theo & Hugo.

    You might think you’re watching a gay porn film as the first 20 minutes of Theo & Hugo is full-on man-to-man action – erections and anal sex are all on full display, filmed at L’Impact – a naked gay sex club in the Marais district in Paris. Theo and Hugo, In French, with English subtitles, is shot in real-time, and it’s in that club where Theo and Hugo meet, at exactly 4:27 a.m., amongst the writhing and moaning group of men who are all enjoying each others’ company.

    Read our review

    1) La Cage Aux Folles (1979) RT 100%


    A classic comedy romp and the precursor to the 90s Robin Williams / Nathan Lane hit, The Birdcage.

    1) Les Invisibles (2012) 100%

    The Invisibles


    A refreshingly honest and prevailing documentary film following the lives of eleven elderly gay men and women, something which has had little representation in gay culture.

    A superb collection of intimate autobiographical stories on what it was like growing up being gay and the pain of suppression. Somehow it seems more sincere coming from elderly people with incredibly fascinating memories to share. It was so easy to become affectionate towards these unashamed individuals and their lives.

    Read our review

    1) Un chant d’amour (1950) RT: 100%

    A Song of Love


    Grounding-breaking for its time, Un chant d’amour was actually banned in 1950. Set in a French prison, the guard becomes infatuated with his prisoners. It is just 26 minutes long and there is no dialogue.

  • FILM REVIEW | A Fantastic Woman

    ★★★★★ | A Fantastic Woman

    Daniela Vega gives an award-worthy performance in the Chilean film A Fantastic Woman. Vega’s performance as a woman who, after the death of her lover, is rejected and scorned by his family that is superb.

    You see, Vega is transgender, and her character Marina Vidal, who happens to be an aspiring singer, is also, of course, transgender. She and her lover Orlando (Francisco Reyes) had a regular relationship, but his ex-wife and son never truly accepted her nor her relationship with Francesco. But after a birthday celebration where they shared a romantic dinner, a sexy dance in a club, and a night of passion at home, Francisco starts having problems breathing, and after a tense drive to the hospital, Francesco dies, and in panic and a state of confusion, Marina walks away from the hospital. But after a police car picks her up and takes her back to the hospital, she realises that she’s being treated as a suspect in Francesco’s death and not as a grieving partner. To make matter much much worse, Francesco’s grown up son wants her out of Francesco’s apartment, and his ex-wife wants his car and explicitly tells Marina, to her face, that their relationship was perverted and not normal. It’s too much for anyone to take, but Marina is strong, and she will do anything to attend Francesco’s funeral, even when Francesco’s family tries to keep her way. Marina loved Francesco and wants to say a final goodbye.

    There’s no doubt about Vega’s performance. We feel her pain, and her anger, and her confusion over the series of events that have happened in her life in a short period of time. Vega is a revelation, and she should’ve been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, nevertheless she’s been nominated for a slew of other awards, and has won Best Actress at the Palm Spring International Film Festival, while the film, written and directed by Sebastiån Lelio, won the prestigious Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. ‘A Fantastic Woman’ is really fantastic, one of the best films of the year, and Vega’s performance will most definitely move you.

    A Fantastic Woman is now playing.

  • ‘Get Out,’ ‘Call Me by Your Name’ win big at WGAs

    “Get Out” and “Call Me by Your Name” won top prizes at the Writers Guild of America Awards Sunday, three weeks before the Oscars, the glittering climax of Hollywood’s awards season. Writer-director Jordan Peele picked up the trophy for best original screenplay for “Get Out,” a dark satire of the African-American experience and liberal white guilt. (more…)

  • Dumbledore Won’t Be ‘Explicitly’ Gay In Fantastic Beast: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

    It was several years ago when J.K. Rowling revealed that beloved Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is gay. By then, she finished writing her books and the “Harry Potter” films were also done. Now that the character will be brought back to life by Jude Law in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” Potterheads were excited to see his sexuality explored. (more…)

  • Call Me By Your Name wins big at the annual Dorian Awards

    The distinctly unique GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, comprised of over 200 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally entertainment journalists in the US, Canada and UK, has announced its ninth annual Dorian Award winners.

    This year’s 26 TV and film categories, again running from mainstream to LGBTQ-centric, include inaugural awards for Supporting Film Performance. A handful of select recipients will join the group for GALECA’s annual Winners Toast on Saturday, February 24th in Beverly Hills.

    Call Me By Your Name, which led with nine nominations, was named 2017’s Film of the Year. The bittersweet story of two American men — a teen and a 20something — falling for each other in Italy also earned Timothée Chalamet a Dorian for Film Performance of the Year — Actor. Chalamet, seen in Dorian nominee Lady Bird as well, was also the group’s Rising Star pick. Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig, writer and helmer of the female-focused coming-of-age drama Lady Bird, was named Director of the Year.

    Jordan Peele, formerly of TV’s acclaimed Key and Peele sketch comedy series, earned Screenplay of the Year for Get Out, the heart-stopping thriller and acidic satire about a black man (Daniel Kaluuya) who discovers his white girlfriend’s “liberal” parents are secretly murderous racists. Peele was also crowned Wilde Artist of the Year (nominees included Gerwig, Patty Jenkins, David Lynch and Guillermo del Toro) and Wilde Wit of the Year (in a tie with Saturday Night Live fixture Kate McKinnon). For the second year in a row, the talented McKinnon scored TV Musical Performance of the Year for her wowza impersonation of Kellyanne Conway taking her “alternative facts” act to Broadway.

    Film icon and feminist activist Meryl Streep was the group’s latest choice for Timeless Star, a career achievement honour previously won by such equally beloved stars (and human-rights champions) Jane Fonda, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen.

    “Who doesn’t love Meryl Streep outside of non-feminist Donald Trump?” quipped Diane Anderson-Minshall, GALECA’s president as well as editorial director of The Advocate magazine. “Streep’s latest film, The Post, speaks to her commitment to playing, and supporting, strong women who push for or at least embody the need for equality. As The Washington Post’s firebrand Katherine Graham, she inhabited the role of the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — a woman who went from housewife to overseeing the revelations of both Watergate and the Pentagon Papers at a time when most of the men around her were too afraid to take on either. And this was all long before the #MeToo movement.”

    Adds John Griffiths, GALECA’s Executive Director, “From Sophie’s Choice to Postcards from the Edge, Streep’s an incredibly stirring and affecting actress who transports, delights and nails various accents like no other. I’d say she definitely qualifies as a timeless star — and amid all the headlines about sexual harassment in Hollywood, she’s also a very relevant current voice.” Fun fact: Streep won a Dorian Award for The Iron Lady back in 2012.

    In additional trademark races, God’s Own Country — 2017’s other visceral love story involving two gay men — won as GALECA’s Unsung Film of the Year (the competition included director Angela Robinson’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women). Awards-season darling The Shape of Water impressed as Visually Striking Film of the Year. And mother!, Darren Aronofsky’s over-the-top psychological chiller starring Jennifer Lawrence, was deemed Campy Flick of the Year.

    Among TV categories, HBO’s sleek murder mystery Big Little Lies took TV Drama of the Year, with star Nicole Kidman (as a battered wife) triumphing too. Kyle MacLachlan was Kidman’s male counterpart for Twin Peaks: The Return. Starz’s provocative gods-among-us fantasy American Gods took Unsung TV Show, fittingly as its future, the freshman series’ future is reportedly up in the air. And programs each celebrating their second win in a row: TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (Current Events Show of the Year) and the Lady Gaga-loved gay performance contest RuPaul’s Drag Race (LGBTQ Show).

    Below is the complete list of Dorian winners.

    GALECA, The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, previously known as the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, includes members who review, write and/or report on film and television for a diverse number of media outlets, including BuzzFeed, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, The Advocate, CNN, the Associated Press, People, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Collider, Vanity Fair, Screen Crush, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, New Now Next, The Guardian and the BBC. For more information, visit GALECA.org. Also find us at #DorianAwards, and enjoy our posts via @DorianAwards on Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

    GALECA 2017/18 DORIAN AWARDS — WINNERS

    FILM OF THE YEAR
    BPM (Beats Per Minute) – The Orchard
    Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
    Get Out – Universal
    Lady Bird – A24
    The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight

    DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (FILM OR TELEVISION)
    Sean Baker, The Florida Project – A24
    Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight
    Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird – A24 (WINNER)
    Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics
    Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk – Warner Bros.
    Jordan Peele, Get Out – Universal

    BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS
    Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight (WINNER)
    Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Fox Searchlight
    Margot Robbie, I, Tonya – Neon
    Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird – A24
    Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman – Sony Pictures Classics

    BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTOR
    Nahuel Perez Biscayart, BPM (Beats Per Minute) — The Orchard
    Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
    James Franco, The Disaster Artist – A24
    Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out – Universal
    Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour – Focus Features

    SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS
    Mary J. Blige, Mudbound – Netflix
    Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip – Universal
    Allison Janney, I, Tonya – Neon
    Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird – A24 (WINNER)
    Michelle Pfeiffer, mother! – Paramount

    SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR
    Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project – A24
    Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name– Sony Pictures Classics
    Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight
    Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Fox Searchlight
    Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)

    LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR
    BPM (Beats Per Minute) — The Orchard
    Battle of the Sexes – Fox Searchlight
    Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
    A Fantastic Woman – Sony Pictures Classics
    God’s Own Country – Samuel Goldwyn Films

    FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
    BPM (Beats Per Minute) — The Orchard (WINNER)
    A Fantastic Woman – Sony Pictures Classics
    First They Killed My Father – Netflix
    The Square – Magnolia Pictures
    Thelma – The Orchard

    SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR (ORIGINAL OR ADAPTED)
    James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics
    Jordan Peele, Get Out – Universal (WINNER)
    Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird – A24
    Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight
    Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Fox Searchlight

    DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
    (theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
    Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story – Zeitgeist/Kino Lorber
    The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson – Netflix
    Faces Places – Cohen Media Group (WINNER)
    Jane ­– National Geographic/Abramorama
    Kedi – Oscilloscope

    VISUALLY STRIKING FILM OF THE YEAR
    (honouring a production of stunning beauty, from art direction to cinematography)
    Blade Runner 2049 – Warner Bros.
    Call Me By Your Name – Sony Pictures Classics
    Dunkirk – Warner Bros.
    The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight (WINNER)
    Wonderstruck – Amazon

    UNSUNG FILM OF THE YEAR
    BPM (Beats Per Minute) – The Orchard
    Beach Rats – Neon
    God’s Own Country – Samuel Goldwyn Films (WINNER)
    Professor Marston and the Wonder Women – Annapurna
    Wonderstruck – Amazon

    CAMPY FLICK OF THE YEAR
    Baywatch – Paramount
    The Disaster Artist – A24
    The Greatest Showman – 20th Century Fox
    I, Tonya – Neon
    mother! – Paramount (WINNER)

    TV DRAMA OF THE YEAR
    Big Little Lies – HBO (WINNER)
    The Crown – Netflix
    Feud: Bette and Joan – FX
    The Handmaid’s Tale – Hulu
    Twin Peaks: The Return – Showtime

    TV COMEDY OF THE YEAR
    Better Things – FX
    GLOW – Netflix
    The Good Place – NBC
    The Marvelous Mrs Maisel – Amazon (WINNER)
    Will & Grace – NBC

    TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTRESS
    Clare Foy, The Crown – Netflix
    Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies – HBO (WINNER)
    Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan – FX
    Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale – Hulu
    Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies – HBO

    TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR
    Aziz Ansari, Master of None – Netflix
    Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us – NBC
    Jonathan Groff, Mindhunter – Netflix
    Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks: The Return – Showtime (WINNER)
    Alexander Skaarsgård, Big Little Lies – HBO

    TV CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW OF THE YEAR
    Full Frontal with Samantha Bee – TBS (WINNER)
    Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – HBO
    Late Night with Seth Meyers – NBC
    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – CBS
    The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC

    TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
    Lady Gaga, “God Bless America,” “Born This Way,” etc., Super Bowl LI – Fox
    Kate McKinnon, “(Kellyanne) Conway!” Saturday Night Live – NBC (WINNER)
    Brendan McCreary, John Mulaney, “I’m Gay,” Big Mouth – Netflix
    Pink, “Beautiful Trauma,” American Music Awards – ABC
    Sasha Velour, “So Emotional,” RuPaul’s Drag Race – VH1

    LGBTQ SHOW OF THE YEAR
    Difficult People – Hulu
    RuPaul’s Drag Race – VH1 (WINNER)
    Sense8 – Netflix
    Transparent – Amazon
    Will & Grace – NBC

    UNSUNG TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
    American Gods – Starz (WINNER)
    Dear White People – Netflix
    Difficult People – Hulu
    At Home with Amy Sedaris – TruTV
    The Leftovers – HBO

    CAMPY TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
    Dynasty
    Feud: Betty and Joan (WINNER)
    Riverdale
    RuPaul’s Drag Race
    Will & Grace

    WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!’ RISING STAR AWARD
    Timothée Chalamet (WINNER)
    Harris Dickinson
    Tiffany Haddish
    Daniel Kaluuya
    Daniela Vega

    WILDE WIT OF THE YEAR AWARD
    (honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
    Samantha Bee
    Stephen Colbert
    Kate McKinnon (WINNER – TIE)
    John Oliver
    Jordan Peele (WINNER – TIE)

    WILDE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
    (honouring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theatre and/or television)
    Guillermo del Toro
    Greta Gerwig
    Patty Jenkins
    David Lynch
    Jordan Peele (WINNER)

    TIMELESS STAR
    (to a living actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
    Meryl Streep (WINNER)

    GALECA’S MISSION
    Home of the Dorian Awards for the best in film and TV, GALECA aims to generate camaraderie in an unsettling media environment, and elevate professional entertainment criticism and journalism, all while bolstering art and humanity. Via panels, screenings, events and its occasional “Ten Best” lists, this 501 c-6 organization also strives to remind the everyone from at-risk youth to bullies that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people have a rich history of putting great movies and TV on the radar. How would the world fare without knowing what’s campy?

  • Oscars 2018 – The winners and the ones that should win

    Oscars 2018 – The winners and the ones that should win

    Once again it’s my annual review of the Oscars looking at who should win against who will win at the Kodak Theatre in barmy Hollywood on March 4th, 2018.

    Will this year’s Call Me By Your Name feature in Paul’s Oscar predictions?

    As always the top twenty movies of the last year are wholly absent from the nominations and there is such a wide chasm between what the critics ejaculate over and then win trophies as to what people actually want to go and see, buy popcorn and snuggle with a hot guy in the back row.

    If you are a true movie fan, read on and see what the Oscars should be like if they gave statuettes to people and films folks have heard off and those with a gay bent.

    BEST PICTURE – Should Win: Paddington 2 The highest rated movie in IMDB/Rotten Tomatoes history because every single critic loved it…

    Will Win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri if the aged voters can put up with all the swearing ‘f*cks’ and ‘c*nts’ throughout, (it is f*cking good though)

    BEST ACTOR – Should Win: Chris Hemsworth’s member in bulging spandex in Thor Ragnarok or Arnie Hammer The Man From Uncle and Lone Ranger kissing a bloke and seeming to love it…

    Will Win: Gary Oldman for the Darkest Hour well that is good make-up for ya.

    BEST ACTRESS – Should Win: Gal Gadot for busting everyone’s balls in the megahit WonderWoman or Emma Watson who with Beauty and The Beast became the biggest box-office female earner of all time and she is British…

    Will Win: Frances McDormand who is very good in an Oscar-baiting way in Three Billboards.

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Should Win: Dwayne Johnson’s speedos in Baywatch and Jon Hamm’s tight jeans in Baby Driver or possibly Hugh Grant in Paddington 2…

    Will Win: Sam Rockwell in a career-best performance in Three Billboards with the best character arc of all time.

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Should Win: Keela Settle for her Top 10 charting great gay anthem showstopping song ‘This Is Me’ in The Greatest Showman…

    Will Win: Laurie Metcalf in Ladybird but we preferred her on TV in Roseanne.

    ANIMATION – Should Win: Johnny Depp’s acting in the appalling Pirates 5.….

    Will Win: Coco, yes the incredible out of this world Coco…..is it the best-animated film in history?… quite possibly.

    Best Foreign Language Film – No such thing according to my dictionary but if so it should go to T2 – Trainspotting 2 as we could not understand a bloody word…

    Will win: the Swedish film nominated but there is a Russian nominee, and we all know how they like to fix results in their favour!

    Costume Design – Should Win: Baywatch great tight beach gear on Dwayne Johnson and sex god Zac Efron.

    Will Win: Unfortunately Victoria and Abdul which is the filmic equivalent of sleeping tablets.

    Directing – Should Win: Edgar Wright for the hit of the summer Baby Driver.

    Will win: Guillermo Del Toro for the monster shagging under the sea in The Shape Of Water.

    Editing – Should Win: Baby Driver as it was just so cool.

    Will Win: Dunkirk possibly the most overrated film of the year and boy did it do very poor business overseas.

    Makeup & Hair Styling – Should Win: War Of The Planet Of The Apes by a mile.

    Will Win: The Darkest Hour (Yawnnnnnn !).

    Music – Should Win: Beauty And The Beast or The Greatest Showman both great musicals BUT…

    Will Win: Dunkirk purely because of who the composer was. No more WW2 movies for a bit, please.

    Original Song – Should Win: “Days In The Sun” or “Evermore” from Beauty And The Beast…

    Will Win: This Is Me The new great Gay Anthem from The Greatest Showman still climbing the charts one month on and a trophy will help it gain eternal popularity.

    Sound Mixing – Should Win: Thor Ragnarok, Marvel’s hit of the year and third biggest film ever.

    Will Win: Star Wars The Last Jedi.

    Visual Effects – Should Win: The genuinely incredible record-breaking Fast And Furious 8…

    Will Win: Blade Runner 2049 now officially one of the year’s biggest flops.

    Adapted Screenplay – Should Win: Call Me By Your Name, and it will win too – simply the best gay film since a couple of cowboys f*cked on a mountain without any douching facilities.

    Original Screenplay – Should Win: Baby Driver …

    Will Win: Get Out which was a very clever little profitable movie.

    The Gay Oscar Film of the Year – Baywatch for the sex appeal, Wonderwoman for the camp and Call Me By your Name for taking the LGBT+ film world forward.

    Stunt of the year – Arnie Hammers tonsil cleaning scene with his hot younger lover in Call or 15 separate sections of Fast and Furious 8 THE action movie of the year and the second biggest earner worldwide and boy was The Stath funny.

    Hunk Of The Year – In a year where we had Zac Efron on the beach, pure hot man roles for Arnie Hammer, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt the award goes to…..drum roll… Hugh Jackman who bowed out from Wolverine in Logan after nine movies and even more years with his shirt off showing an eight pack and sweating muscles which has been a work of pure gym and eating dedication for a decade.

    Lifetime GAYUK Achievement Award – Superstud and man mountain Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson the former wrestler with a body to die for and die under started the year with the astonishing Fast and Furious 8 and finished it in the number one slot with Jumanji Welcome To The Jungle knocking Star Wars for six after just a fortnight and giving it a bloody nose or sore ass becoming the Winter surprise hit of the year.

    Obituary of the Year – The Transformers franchise – what a f*ck up, Celebrity cameos Beckham in Robin Hood, Sheeran in Game Of Thrones, McCartney in Pirates, Ade Edmondson in Star Wars… please please make it stop; Also the end of TV movie reboots as Baywatch and CHIPS suffer, and many other careers go pear-shaped (Tom cruise in the terrible Mummy!) as huge blockbusters bomb like never before….The Great Wall, Dark Tower, Pirates 5 and Assassins Creed to name some of the biggest bombs of 2017.

  • FILM REVIEW | The Post

    Brilliantly observed and timely.

    Nutshell: Steven Speilberg’s latest outing with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in the starring roles, is probably more important than we think. What with Trump’s constant attacks on the “fake news” media and the fight for women’s equality in the spotlight, The Post, shows how far, we haven’t come since the 70s.

    The film focuses a moment in The Washington Post‘s history where it was published by a woman, Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep). She was and still is, one of the very few women of power in media. Watch Meryl talk about her character in The Post. When we look out at media ownership in the 20-teens, nothing much has changed in the 40 or so years that have passed. She successfully and bravely decided to publish articles about the Pentagon Papers, documents which described successive US Government’s dishonesty about the Vietnam War. The decision would ultimately lead to President Nixon barring The Washington Post from entering the White House ever again, which only hardened their resolve to hold power accountable.

    Running Time: 116 minutes



    Certificate: 12A

    THEGAYUK Factor: It’s all about Meryl in this movie, once again proving that she is one of Hollywood’s most influential players. Streep plays Graham with sturdy fallibility – which is quite an achievement. There are moments of the Iron Lady, mixed with Miranda Priestly, with a mix of fragility.

    Cast: Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Sarah Paulson

    Key Players: The dream team of Steven Spielberg working with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.

    Budget: Rumoured to be $50,000,000. This is a grower, not a shower. Opened to a limited release in the US late last year, with under $600,000 in receipts. So far it has grossed over $33,000,000 in the US, and with it opening worldwide this week, we expect this film to make a good little profit for the studios.

    Best Bit: When Katherine Graham makes one of the most difficult decision to publish, Meryl’s acting positively seeps from every pore. Plus the end scene, it’s not a spoiler because The Washington Post‘s involvement in “Watergate” is well known, is a brilliant piece of timing and comedy.



    Worst Bit: The way in which “the men in charge” would talk about their female boss, in earshot.

    Little Secret: Having never worked with Speilberg, Meryl Streep was apparently “flabbergasted” that he never rehearses with his actors.


    Further Viewing: All The President’s Men, Frost/Nixon, CitizenFour

    Rating: ★★★★☆

    ORDER The Post on DVD now from Amazon