THEGAYUK

Category: Film

  • FILM REVIEW | Moonlight

    FILM REVIEW | Moonlight

    ★★★★★ | Moonlight

    Moonlight film review

    A tender, heartwarming story of a young black gay man growing up in 1980’s Miami is the story of the critically acclaimed film Moonlight.

    I had to see this film a second time to fully relive and understand and absorb the nuances and emotional impact it delivers. Moonlight is about Chiron, and the three chapters of his life. Played as a wide-eyed young boy by Alex Hibbert, as a teenager by Ashton Sanders, and then as an adult by Trevante Rhodes – we get to see him grow up while having to endure lots pain and heartbreak is his life.

    Chiron is not like the rest of the other boys in school. He is constantly picked on (he’s smaller than the rest), his father is not in the picture, and his mother Paula (an excellent Naomie Harris) is a drug addict who is slowly spiralling into desperate drug addiction.

    The Miami housing project where Paula and Chiron live is controlled by drug dealer Juan (Oscar-nominated Mahershala Ali), who lives there with his girlfriend Teresa (a very good Janelle Monåe). Juan just happens to be Paula’s drug dealer. But Juan also becomes a father figure to Chiron, and Chiron starts spending lots of time at his apartment. He’s looked after there, is fed and cared for by Tereaa, he gets meals there that he never would get at home. But as Chiron grows up, he becomes more aware of his sexuality, and as a teenager has a thing with fellow friend Kevin (Jharrel Jerome), whom he’s known since they were young boys, and it’s this act that changes Chiron’s life forever.

    We then see Chiron as a 24-year old ex-convict, muscled up, dealing drugs and still coming to grips with his sexuality. All of a sudden he gets a call from Kevin (now played by a very charismatic André Holland). Chiron still has feelings for Kevin, so he gets up the courage to meet up with him. It’s in these moments where we hold our breath, not really knowing what’s going to happen. All we want is for Chiron to be happy, to be in a relationship, to lead a happy life with someone he cares about and loves – and that’s all he really wants too.

    Moonlight is an exquisite depiction of self-discovery, of a disenfranchised young black man meandering through life who is on a personal journey of self-discovery. Moonlight is based on the play Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney. It’s a beautifully shot movie (by James Laxton) and its colours are as beautiful as a Miami sunset. The acting is amazing – all three who play Chiron are fantastic, but it’s Sanders whose Chiron has to go through lots of pain and agony, and being beaten up by homophobic school bullies. The music, by Nicholas Britell, is very subtle and sets the right mood. Moonlight has won lots of film awards and is on track to give ‘La La Land’ a run for it’s money at the upcoming Academy Awards. Kudos to director and writer Barry Jenkins for bringing a rich, moving story of a young black gay man to the big screen – it’s a story that’s not been told before – and it works so fine.

     

    Available to pre-order from Amazon

     

  • Top 10 gay romance films on Netflix for Valentine’s Day 2017

    Top 10 gay romance films on Netflix for Valentine’s Day 2017

    One of the best feelings in the world is to snuggle up with a loved one on the sofa, a bag of chocolate sweets and a good romance film to get you in the mood for love this Valentine’s Day. We’ve pulled together the top 10 films on Netflix to set the heart a flutter.

    1. Appropriate Behaviour

    2. August

    3. Bare

    4. Big Eden

    5. Boys

    6. Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party

    7. Holding The Man

    8. Boy Meets Girl

    9. Is It Just Me?

    10. Love Is Strange

  • OPINION | The films that should win an Oscar and those that actually will…

    OPINION | The films that should win an Oscar and those that actually will…

    Every year at THEGAYUK we list the films and stars that should win the Oscar picked from films that people have actually seen as opposed to over rated critics favourites that couldn’t sell a tub of popcorn in a million years.

    CREDIT: DWilliams / CC / Pixabay

    None of the top twenty most viewed films of the last year are up for any of the important Oscars which shows the disconnect from what the chattering coffee swilling elite of Soho want you to see – usually involving an ex-war refugee with family issues and a terminal illness as opposed to the latest Star Wars, Pixar or Superhero which actually put bums on seats and made it way beyond a single art house screen in a leafy part of West London.

    Has anyone actually seen Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Loving or Fences anyway and if you have, tune in on Feb 26th to see the results from The Kodak Theatre with the ever decreasing viewing figures the show now attracts.

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

    BEST PICTURE – Should Win: Hacksaw Ridge…Will Win: La La Land (The most predicatble in years watch those viewing figures plummet)

    BEST ACTOR – Should Win: Channing Tatum’s 12 incher in Vacation or Andrew Garfield/Hacksaw Ridge…Will Win: Casey Affleck/Manchester By The Sea (Total yawnfest).

    BEST ACTRESS – Should Win: Amy Adams/Arrival…Will Win: Natalie Portman/Jackie (Pure boring Oscar bate, not made to entertain but just collect gongs)

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Should Win: Chris Pratt’s naked ass in Passengers or John Goodman/10 Cloverfield Lane…Will Win: Mahershala Ali/Moonlight.

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Should Win: Nicole Kidman/Lion… Will Win:Viola Davis/Fences.

    ANIMATION – Should Win: Sam Worthington’s acting or The Secret Life of Pets… Zootopia Will Win: (Because it’s about serious issues!)

    Best Foreigh Language Film – No such thing!

    Costume Design – Should Win: Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them…Will Win: Jackie (1963 is so hard to do!)

    Directing – Should Win: Damien Chazelle/La La Land… agreed!

    Editing – Should Win: Hacksaw Ridge…..Will Win: La La Land (Long tracking shots are hardly editing but it was shot in the Hollywood Hills so…)

    Make Up & Hair styling – Should Win: Suicide Squad… Will Win: Harley Quinn and her mates, yippee a Superhero Oscar.

    Music – Should Win: Eddie The Eagle (Pure 80’s Pop)… Will Win: La La Land (Because it is so full of hit songs… not!)

    Original Song – Should Win: Can’t Stop The Feeling/Justin Trousersnake from Trolls… Will Win: City of bloody Stars (that will get you dancing if you don’t have a pulse)

    Sound Mixing – Should Win: Rogue One : A Star Wars Story…Will Win: La La Land as the voters don’t really know what Sound Mixing is but it’s a musical so it must have some, right?

    Visual Effects –Should Win:  Brexit or Doctor Strange… Will Win: The Jungle Book (We won’t complain either way on these two)

    Adapted Screenplay – Should Win: Arrival…Will Win: Moonlight (God help us – we give up!)

    Original Screenplay – Should Win: Deadpool…Will Win: La La Land (you bored yet?)

    The Gay Oscar Film of the Year – Absolutely Fabulous a real crowd pleaser.

    Stunt of the year – Climbing into the Elephant’s asshole in Grimsby. Sascha Baron Cohen has the laugh out loud scene of the Year.

    Hunk Of The Year – Zac Efron for his eight pack in Bad Neighbours 2 – We are counting down the days to those beach scenes in Baywatch.

    Lifetime Gay UK Achievement Award – Jason Statham with The Mechanic: Resurrection making 29 films in a row where his shirt falls off showing his hairy chest and muscles.

    Obituary of the Year – Martin Scorsese for Silence what on earth were you thinking man; with runner’s up the Ghostbusters franchise, anything with Daniel Radcliffe in and anyone who stayed awake all the way through The Revenant.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • FILM REVIEW | Akron

    FILM REVIEW | Akron


    ★★★★ | Akron
    Two young college men fall in love but are linked to a tragedy that took place years ago in the excellent ‘Akron.’

    Hispanic Benny (Matthew Frias) and white All-American Christopher (Edmund Donovan) meet on the football pitch on their college campus. They have an instantaneous attraction to each other, and start dating. Benny still lives at home with his parents which includes his warm loving mom Lenora (an excellent Andrea Burns) and his lawyer father and younger sister. Benny’s parents are very accepting of his homosexuality, but they not quite over the loss of a son who died many years ago.

    Benny and Christopher start spending a lot of time together – they really like each other and are a good match. They decide to go to Florida to stay with Christopher’s mom Carol (a good Amy Da Luz) where they plan to spend a perfect and romantic spring break. However, Christopher’s mom opens up to Benny about the tragedy that befell both their families years ago – a tragedy that’s probably worst of it’s kind. It leads Benny to question his relationship with Christopher. He was starting to fall in love with Christopher but the revelation by Christopher’s mom changes everything, enough so to have Benny’s parents forbiding him to see Christopher anymore. Benny has to make some adult decisions, but does he decide with his heart or does he listen to his family?

    ‘Akron’s’ truly a romantic film about two young men in love and events that make them grow up very fast. It has an undertone of sadness, yet it overcomes this to bring us a film that is heartfelt and emotional. And it’s got a first rate cast – both Frias and Donovan are very good, and Burns is excellent and natural as Benny’s mother. Directors Sasha King and Brian O’Donnell give us a movie, from a script by O’Donnell, that will pull at your heartstrings. Superb music by Bill Snodgrass sets the tone for each scene – creating the music in Dublin, Ireland where he played composed the score and played every instrument himself. Make sure you watch ‘Akron.’

    ‘Akron’ will be released April 10th on DVD / VOD by TLA Releasing

  • 60 Second Film Review | XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage

    XXX : RETURN OF XANDER CAGE – The extreme sports turned International superspy franchise returns for the third time. Vin Diesel takes over both sides of the camera to attempt to repeat the Fast & Furious blockbuster reboot/relaunch thing.

    Nutshell – Xander Cage aka Vin Diesel comes back from death to travel the globe sorting out the baddies who are making satelites fall from the sky onto unsuspecting cities but as per usual who are the actual bad guys here? The action two movies ago was incredible and here it goes up and up with each action beat climaxing in some mid-air super stunts in the finale as he saves the world in stunning fashion again.

    Running Time – 107 minutes; Certificate – 12A

    Tagline – ‘Kick some ass, get the girl and try to look dope whilst you are doing it’.

    THEGAYUK Factor – Vin Diesel with muscles pumped up like balloons with buff sidekicks and hundreds of steroid enhanced bad guys this is a jerk off fest for blokes into REAL men sweating around and on each other – it just stops short of deep throat French kissing. The underwater scenes are pure gay porn alone.

    Cast – Vin Diesel, Samuel L Jackson, Toni Collette, Donnie Yen, Neymar Jnr and Ice Cube… true fans will work out what exactly this cast means after the last movie in the triple X franchise.

    Key Player – This is one guys film and it is Mr Diesel – He took over the Fast And Furious Franchise after 4 average films and turned it into the biggest money maker outside of Star Wars and he gives it all and some to hopefully do the same here.

    Budget – $85 Million but struggling to get outside of its home fanbase in the States but it is exactly the sort of film to do big business internationally – Number Four in the series is up in the air at the moment but we think and hope they will go for it big time.

    Best Bit – 0.34 mins; So so much action here its like a Bond film on steroids and the best is a superb motorbike chase on land… and then even better on water and through the surf – very impressive.

    Worst Bit – 1.37 mins; The comedy relief is a techy girl called Becky and boy is she annoying no more than when she is forced into a gun battle that you just want it over and done with.

    Little Secret – The world’s greatest footballer Brazil’s oh so fit as f*ck Neymar Jrn makes his acting debut here and not in just one extended scene but two – more please maybe shirtless next time.

    Further Viewing – XXX 1 and 2, Fast And Furious 5 through 7, The Expendables 1-3, James Bond 7-21 (Stop at Casino Royale if you like action) Jason Bourne 2 and 4 plus all 28 movies starring Jason Statham.

    Any Good – If you like this sort of thing you will love this – it is a true fans only movie. If you want acting, character development, poignant stories move right along… nothing to see here. It is way better than number two and we hope there are more. In the dictionary under Friday night popcorn movie you will probably find this films title alone.

    Rating – 67% out of 100.

  • FILM REVIEW | Gold

    FILM REVIEW | Gold

    ★★ | Gold

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    Matthew McConaughey deservedly won an Oscar a couple years back for his portrayal of an AIDS victim in the film Dallas Buyers Club. He definitely won’t win one for his new film Gold.

    Gold is the true story of American Kenny Wells – a man so intent on following in his father’s footsteps that he’ll do anything to succeed. His father, played by Craig T. Nelson, founded a mining company, and Kenny wants to keep the company going strong. So he goes in search of gold, a commodity that he hopes is easy to find and which he hopes will make him extremely rich. He teams up with geologist Mike Acosta (Edgar Ramirez), and with Mike’s expertise in knowing where exactly to mine for gold (it is in the unchartered jungles of Indonesia), they easily, perhaps too easily, find gold and become very very rich. Their company goes public and the stock goes up and up and up. Other larger companies start circling around them like vultures trying to buy them out, with investments bankers ready to seal the deal to become rich themselves. It’s all about money and who can trump who, but it comes at a cost. Wells gets malaria in the Indonesian jungle and almost doesn’t survive, his long-term girlfriend Kay (Bryce Dallas Howard) doesn’t like the man he’s become, and to top it off, is Acosta the man he appears to be? It’s basically The Wolf of Wall Street all over again. And if you remember McConnaughey’s excellent cameo in that movie (as a rich and successful banker mentor), well in Gold he is playing a similar character. It’s fine for a few minutes of showmanship but for more than two hours it gets to be a bit too much.

    McConaughey, who put on the pounds for this role (he lost the pounds for Dallas Buyers Club), overacts and overacts. Gold, which is set in the eighties, shows Wells as a man who gets everything he wants, and method actor McConaughey plays it over the top. Howard is much much better as his girlfriend – all she wants is a simple life and does not care for nights at the Waldorf Hotel or expensive meals. The standout in this film is Ramirez. He’s charismatic and extremely believable as Well’s business partner, a man who knows his business and can charm both the men and the women. Ramirez was also the lone standout in the awful The Girl on a Train as Doctor Kamal Abdic. Make him a leading man already! Directed by Stephen Gaghan (Traffic and Syriana), in Gold, there’s no excitement, no feeling of happiness or sadness when the characters go through their ups and downs. And the soundtrack is just god awful – the music just doesn’t go with the scenes in the film – it’s tepid at best but belongs in an old cowboy western movie.

    Originally scheduled to open wide on December 25, 2016, it was pushed back to open on January 27, with the December 25 release staying a limited release in order to qualify for awards. The film’s limited release was then pushed back to December 30, 2016, four days after its presumed date. Gold has not been nominated for any awards, it doesn’t deserve any.

  • ‘Moonlight’ is named Best Picture by Gay and Lesbian Film Critics

    ‘Moonlight’ is named Best Picture by Gay and Lesbian Film Critics

    After being nominated for 7 Dorian awards, Moonlight has been named Best Film of the Year by the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Circle (GALECA).

    This coming-of-age drama set in Miami over a span of 20 years was also voted LGBT+ Film of the Year, and won awards for Barry Jenkins for his direction and screenplay. Mahershala Ali was named Best Actor, while Trevante Rhodes, who plays the adult version of the film’s main character, was voted the Rising Star Award.

    Viola Davis won Best Actress for her role in Fences.

    The late Carrie Fisher was awarded Wilde Wit of the Year (honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse) while John Water was named Timeless Star ((honouring an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit).

    GALECA is comprised of more than 170 film and TV critics and entertainment journalists across the US, Canada and the UK. The awards cover both film and television.

    The winners will be honoured at a special ‘toast’ ceremony to be held on Saturday, February 18th in Los Angeles.

    Here is a complete list of the winners:

    Film of the Year
    Moonlight (A24)

    Director of the Year (Film or Television)
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)

    Film Performance of the Year – Actress
    Viola Davis, Fences (Paramount)

    Film Performance of the Year – Actor
    Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (A24)

    LGBTQ Film of the Year:
    Moonlight (A24)

    Foreign-Language Film of the Year
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)

    Screenplay of the Year
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)

    Documentary of the Year (theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
    O.J.: Made in America (ESPN Films)

    Visually Striking Film of the Year
    La La Land (Lionsgate)

    Unsung Film of the Year
    Christine (The Orchard)

    Campy Film of the Year
    The Dressmaker (Broad Green/Amazon Studios)

    TV Drama of the Year
    The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)

    TV Comedy of the Year
    Transparent (Amazon)

    TV Performance of the Year – Actor
    Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)

    TV Performance of the Year – Actress
    Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)

    TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
    Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

    TV Musical Performance of the Year
    Kate McKinnon, “Hallelujah,” Saturday Night Live (NBC)

    LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
    Transparent (Amazon)

    Unsung TV Show of the Year
    The Real O’Neals (ABC)

    Campy TV Show of the Year
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Logo)

    We’re Wilde About You! Rising Star of the Year
    Trevante Rhodes

    Wilde Wit of the Year (honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse):
    Carrie Fisher

    Wilde Artist of the Year (honouring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theatre and/or television) (tie)
    Kate McKinnon
    Lin-Manuel Miranda

    Timeless Star (honouring an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
    John Waters

  • COMMENT | Everyone in the World is Bent: Just how gay is The Italian Job

    COMMENT | Everyone in the World is Bent: Just how gay is The Italian Job

    There are things you remember from your childhood. Some help makes you who you are while others still bemuse you some 30 plus years later.

    I’m referring to films our parents made us watch. At a young age and very much below the recommended age of 15, my father sat me down to watch Quadrophenia 1979.

    I understood some of it, didn’t really think twice about the sex scene between Phil Daniels and Leslie Ash in an alleyway. I did, however, question why the film ended as it did in what I thought was suicide with the moped going over the edge of Beachy Head with nobody on it.

    And then there was that film that subjected me to gay culture. No, I am not talking about Dorothy and her woodland cruising chums, I am talking about the 1969 film called The Italian Job. The film with the ultimate cliffhanger.

    Forget all that crap about Colin and Barry in Eastenders sharing a kiss or Brookside‘s first lesbian kiss for that matter. That was in the 80s. The Italian Job was a rich celluloid dream of gayness and camp with a car chase at the end. And all just two years after homosexuality had been legalised.

    Embed from Getty Images

    In my eyes, Michael Caine is a love. He has been in some dreadful films that I class as camp classics such as The Swarm 1978 and The Hand 1981. Michael Caine, however, is a gent and it was his portrayal as Charlie Croker that made me take note. He was a man at ease with his sexuality and with others around him. In the film’s first 15 minutes or so you knew about his sexuality as Lorna laid on a spread of woman like a running buffet for him to plough through.

    Throughout the film he rubbed shoulders with all kinds of those queer sorts your grandmother would warn you about. Come with me as we take a look.

    You can’t forget Camp Freddie. The pastel pink suited crook in his frilly shirts and a notion for filing his nails. Freddie was also full of marvellous one-liners delivered as only a queen could do so.

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    And who was Freddie’s boss? Mr Bridger played by Noël Coward. Coward is acting royalty in itself. A crook behind bars still pulling the strings and stealing every scene he was in. I often mumble the line “Last night Mr governor somebody broke (rolling the R’s) into my toilet” and then went on to moan about how his motions that evening had been ruined. Again rolling the R’s.

    Mr Bridger also had a liking for her Majesty the Queen. Having her pictures all over the cell walls like a teenager has Beatles posters. Speaking of queens, Simon Dee’s one of only two appearances in a film can’t go unnoticed. Unlike the previous two actors mentioned, Dee himself is straight. His conviction as tailor Adrian was above and beyond brilliant that you questioned if he was indeed gay in real life. Pursed lipped and disgusted at Croker’s shirts. His line delivery was genius.

    Professor Peach played by Benny Hill is another character rich in campness. He has a childlike quality for the matron and the larger lady. The facial expressions are comical.

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    Even the garage manager played by John Clive who fleeced Croker into paying an exaggerated amount of money for car parking was a little bit bent. Now be that as a dodgy crook or not, again it’s the visuals that make you think he’s a bit of a queen.

    While not being that gay or overly camp, two other characters from the film stand out. Both also for their previous acting roles. Admittedly the films I have discovered them both in has been discovered many years later.

    The first is Rossano Brazzi’s portrayal of Rodger Beckerman. His cameo appearance during the opening credits is iconic and memorable for many reasons. His suave sophistication oozed on screen even if it was for just moments. Ultimately it was probably somewhat overshadowed by the destruction of the Lamborghini Miura he was driving. Rossano is also remembered for his part in the musical South Pacific (1958) as Emile De Becque opposite Mitzi Gaynor. You can’t get more camp than that film.

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    The handsomely rugged Raf Vallone presented himself as Altabani, head of the Mafia. Being ferried around in a Fiat Dino coupe was enough for me to cheer the Mafia on.

    I digress a little however he too had a grace about him as he swanned around on screen. His delivery to Caine on the Alps after they had destroyed the two Jaguars and the “pretty car” Aston was both menacing, cutting and a little camp with a nibble on the arm of his glasses. The look he gave when his mansion was plunged into darkness was cinematic gold. He is a beautiful man.

    Raf Vallone is also remembered for a previous role as Eddie Carbone in View from a Bridge (1962). He gave a full on the lips kiss to Rodolpho played by fellow actor Jean Sorel. It wasn’t quite in the guy-on-guy action you’d wish for but Eddie attempting to bring out Rodolpho as a latent homosexual. Quite a visual for 1962 America to take in.

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    And now to the female stars of which there were three. American actress Margaret Blye played dippy Lorna. Looking through Blye’s film credits on www.imds.com sadly she never really had anything I remember.

    Embed from Getty Images

    Lelia Goldoni, on the other hand, had a very small part in the film and was there to just deliver film and plans from her now deceased husband Mr Beckerman. It could be that Italian accent of hers or that she was going to bed a balls empty Croker who can say, she did again like many in the film present larger than life and become remembered for it.

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    This brings us to the last woman and an icon who anyone old enough from 1937 to 1988 will remember. Irene Handl played Benny Hill’s sister Miss Peach. You may remember her as granny in Metal Mickey. And if that doesn’t help then there are over 180 other things she had been in.

    Watching her on screen she was quite camp. Her delivery on time and to the point. Again her lines were memorable with a love for cats and hatred of green fly she could well be a lesbian. An ageing lady known as a Miss. This was 60’s England after all. She also had a maid called Annette who would make any lesbian today scared.

    All this good gayness to come out of a film that predated so many and yet it doesn’t so much as get a mention that watching it will turn you into a massive queen, make you into a dyke or other such names we get called.

    And why?

    I don’t know is the answer. Perhaps because it is just really well put together and has an ensemble of actors who outweighed the bigots then and today. Or that its campness was missed for hi-jinks and feel good factor. Sort of what gays are known for today.

     

    BUY THE ITALIAN JOB on Amazon

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • 60 Second Film Review | La La Land

    60 Second Film Review | La La Land

    LA LA LAND – The Awards vaccum of 2017 and possibly of all time, sings and dances around the Hollywood hills in the straightest musical ever made – but where are the hits?

    La La Land review
    CREDIT: Dale Robinette / Lionsgate

    Nutshell – A very simple girl meets guy tale in and around the modern day Hollywood area of Los Angeles. He wants to open a jazz club and save that brand of music forever, she wants to be a film actress. Cue song and dance numbers, separations and a knock out twist in the last 20 minutes. This is so old fashioned you expect Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers or Fred Astaire to appear at any minute hoofing around but don’t let that put you off.

    Running Time – 128 minutes; Certificate – 12A

    Tagline – ‘Here’s To The Fools That Dream’.

    THEGAYUK Factor – This is as pure a heterosexual movie as you will ever see so just enjoy the musical set pieces like a good little gay boy and imagine Ryan Gosling stripped naked fingering your organ instead of his loving piano.

    Cast – Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, J K Simmons and far far too much of John Legend.

    Key Player – Damien Chazelle, he wrote it, he directed it and it is wholly his wonderful vision. He has come so far since Whiplash and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Next up First Man the story of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon starring, yep you’ve guessed it Ryan big swinging dick Gosling.

    Budget – $30 Million but already made four times that and it is still a month until its big Oscar night marketing boost – this will be very very big indeed and deserves it.

    Best Bit – 0.02 mins; The opening number is possibly the greatest tribute to LA ever. A huge single track production number set on a gridlocked freeway and the poppiest number on the whole soundtrack. It makes you so happy to be alive.

    Worst Bit – 1.02 mins; When Goslings character is showing for the umpteenth time how much he likes old school jazz in a group recording session where the other musicians want him to play modern music. A lot of the jazz in this wonderful film is very dull indeed and there is a reason old school jazz died out – that’s because it was sh*t.

    Little Secret – La La Land won 7 Golden Globes more than any other film in history beating One Flew Over The Cookoo’s Nest. It is up for 14 Oscars… the most ever equal with All About Eve and Titanic. The opening freeway scene was shot on the same stretch as the famous bus jump from Keannu Reeve’s/Sandra Bullock’s Speed movie – yep they still haven’t finished building it 30 years on.

    Further Viewing – Moulin Rouge, Grease, Tommy, Rent, Dreamgirls, Chicago, Once, Hairspray and any musical from the 50s or 60s on BBC2 in the afternoons.

    Any Good – Yes it is very very good and deserves all its plaudits and awards BUT, and it’s a big but, the songs are at very best average and at time maudling. This is not a jazz revival and there are no hit’s here which is a slight issue for a musical. Never mind the leads are great, it looks fantastic and that opening and closing will stay with you for many months to come.

    Rating – 91% out of 100.

  • FILM REVIEW | Lion

    FILM REVIEW | Lion

    ★★★★★ | Lion

    Lion review

    Photo: Mark Rogers

    A young man attempts to trace his roots in the moving and excellent film Lion.

    Dev Patel is Saroo Brierley. He’s adopted by Australian couple John and Sue Brierley (David Wenham and Nicole Kidman) and vaguely aware that he had a life in India when he was a very young boy – it’s all just a very distant memory. Now in his 20s, and in college, him and his friends (including girlfriend Lucy – Rooney Mara) have a discussion about their origins, and Saroo tells his classmates that he was adopted and born in India, and probably still has family there, but he hasn’t been there since when he was a little boy. This puts a spark in his head to try to find out where in India he comes from.

    There are still a few very vague images in his mind he can recall from his childhood, and especially from when he got separated from his brother (a water tower, a train station). Saroo sets about determined to discover where he’s from and starts to map out India until he can pinpoint an area where he believes he came from.

    But this is the not the entire movie. The first half of the film has Saroo as a little boy (played amazingly by Sunny Pawar), who along with his brother Guddu (Abshishek Bharate), are lost, so Guddu goes in search of help, and leaves Saroo on a train platform. Saroo falls asleep, then wakes up a bit disoriented, and calls out for Guddu, but he’s nowhere to be found. Saroo walks around the train station calling out for Guddu, but then ends up falling asleep on a train that accidentally takes him 1,000 miles away to Calcutta, taking him far away from home, far away from Guddu, and far away from his life.

    Lion, as mentioned above, is a film with two halves; Saroo as a child and Saroo as a young man. And the first half of the film is simply amazing. It’s all down to Pawar, who as the young Saroo, after losing his big brother Guddu, is lost and confused and scared and aimlessly wandering around looking for food and trying to survive. He knows no one, is totally lost and alone, and is very very frightened. Eventually he is taken in by an orphanage which is where the Brierley’s adopt him and take him to their home in Australia, which is when the second half of the film begins.

    Pawar deserves a Supporting Actor nomination or a special child Oscar for his sensitive and heartbreaking portrayal of Saroo (Jacob Tremblay in last year’s award-winning Room didn’t receive either but deserved one). Pawar is excellent. Patel is very good as the grown-up Saroo who is determined to find out where he comes from. Patel here proves that he was not just a one-hit wonder in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. Kidman is fine as his adoptive mother, but it’s hard not to look at her on screen and think you’re seeing Nicole Kidman and not the character she is playing. The screenplay, adapted from the book A Long Way Home, written by Saroo Brierley, and adapted by Luke Davies, tells the story in a way that will tug at your hearts more than any other film this year. Director Garth Davis (who has done mostly television shows) directs with such a fine balance of drama and emotion that it’s a perfect film which tells a true story that truly deserved to be told. It’s the best film of the year.

  • Gay and Lesbian Critics announce their film award nominations

    Gay and Lesbian Critics announce their film award nominations

    Moonlight leads the list of nominations for the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (GALECA) Dorian Awards.

    Director Barry Jenkins story of growing up gay in Miami was nominated in both Film and LGBTQ Film of the year categories. It was also nominated for its screenplay and directing for Jenkins, as well as Mahershala Ali and Trevante Rhodes as Film Performance of the Year – Male, and it was also nominated for Visually Striking Film of the Year.

    Moonlight will compete in the best film category along with Jackie, La La Land, Manchester by the Sea, and 20th Century Women. Jackie also received nominations for Film Performance of the Year – Female for Natalie Portman, Director of the Year (Pablo Larrain) and Visually Striking Film of the Year. La La Land, which recently won 7 Golden Globe Awards, besides Film of the Year is also nominated for Director and Screenplay of the Year (for Damien Chazelle), Film Performance of the Year – Male – Ryan Gosling and Female – Emma Stone, as well as Visually Striking Film of the Year. Gay film director and fashion designer Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals was all but ignored by the Gay and Lesbian critics, yet they found a spot for it in the Campy Film of the Year category.

    In addition to film and television awards, the group also nominates individuals for their overall achievements. The Timeless Star Award will be automatically presented to John Waters. The Wilde Wit of the Year, honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse, includes the late Carrie Fisher amongst its nominees.

    The Dorian winners will be announced Jan. 26. The group’s annual Winners Toast, honouring a select group of the 2016-17 winners, will be held Feb. 18, 2017 in Los Angeles.

    Here is a complete list of the nominees:

    Film of the Year
    Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Moonlight (A24)
    20th Century Women (A24)

    Director of the Year
    (Film or Television)
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)
    Pablo Larraín, Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Park Chan-wook, The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)
    Damien Chazelle, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)

    Film Performance of the Year — Actress
    Annette Bening, 20th Century Women (A24)
    Viola Davis, Fences (Paramount)
    Isabelle Huppert, Elle (Sony Classics)
    Emma Stone, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Natalie Portman, Jackie (Fox Searchlight)

    Film Performance of the Year — Actor
    Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (A24)
    Ryan Gosling, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight (A24)
    Denzel Washington, Fences (Paramount)

    LGBTQ Film of the Year
    Being 17 (Strand)
    Closet Monster (Strand)
    Moonlight (A24)
    Other People (Vertical)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)

    Foreign Language Film of the Year
    Elle (Sony Classics)
    Neruda (The Orchard)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)
    Things to Come (Sundance Selects)
    Toni Erdmann (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Screenplay of the Year
    Barry Jenkins, Moonlight (A24)
    Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster (A24)
    Damien Chazelle, La La Land (Summit/Lionsgate)
    Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea (Roadside/Amazon Studios)
    Mike Mills, 20th Century Women (A24)

    Documentary of the Year
    (theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
    I Am Not Your Negro (Magnolia)
    O.J. Made in America (ESPN Films)
    13th (Netflix)
    Tickled (Magnolia)
    Weiner (Netflix)

    Visually Striking Film of the Year
    Arrival (Paramount)
    Jackie (Fox Searchlight)
    La La Land (Lionsgate)
    Moonlight (A24)
    The Handmaiden (Amazon Studios)

    Unsung Film of the Year
    American Honey (A24)
    Captain Fantastic (Bleecker Street)
    Christine (The Orchard)
    Other People (Vertical)
    Sing Street (The Weinstein Company)

    Campy Film of the Year
    Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (Fox Searchlight)
    King Cobra (IFC Midnight)
    Nocturnal Animals (Focus Features)
    The Dressmaker (Broadgreen/Amazon Studios)
    The Neon Demon (Broadgreen/Amazon Studios)

    TV Drama of the Year
    Black Mirror (Netflix)
    Game of Thrones (HBO)
    Stranger Things (Netflix)
    The Crown (Netflix)
    The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX)
    Westworld (HBO)

    TV Comedy of the Year
    Atlanta (FX)
    Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW)
    Insecure (HBO)
    Transparent (Amazon)
    Veep (FX)

    TV Performance of the Year — Actor
    Riz Ahmed, The Night Of (HBO)
    Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)
    Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)
    Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)
    Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)

    TV Performance of the Year — Actress
    Claire Foy, The Crown (Netflix)
    Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
    Thandie Newton, Westworld (HBO)
    Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson (FX)
    Winona Ryder, Stranger Things (Netflix)

    TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
    Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)
    Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
    Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
    The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)
    Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

    TV Musical Performance of the Year
    Beyonce, “Lemonade,” MTV Video Music Awards (MTV)
    Kelly Clarkson, “Piece by Piece,” American Idol (Fox)
    Lady Gaga – “Til It Happens to You,” The 88th Academy Awards (ABC)
    Jennifer Hudson, “I Know Where I’ve Been,” Hairspray Live! (NBC)
    Kate McKinnon “Hallelujah,” Saturday Night Live (NBC)

    LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
    Looking: The Movie (HBO)
    Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Logo)
    The Real O’Neals (ABC)
    Transparent (Amazon)

    Unsung TV Show of the Year
    Fleabag (Amazon)
    Lady Dynamite (Netflix)
    London Spy (BBC America)
    Please Like Me (Pivot)
    The Real O’Neals (ABC)

    Campy TV Show of the Year
    Finding Prince Charming (Logo)
    Fuller House (Netflix)
    Hairspray Live! (NBC)
    RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Logo)
    Scream Queens (Fox)
    The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Fox)

    We’re Wilde About You! Rising Star of the Year
    Millie Bobby Brown
    Lucas Hedges
    Connor Jessup
    Ruth Negga
    Trevante Rhodes

    Wilde Wit of the Year
    (honouring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
    Samantha Bee
    Carrie Fisher
    Bill Maher
    Kate McKinnon
    John Oliver

    Wilde Artist of the Year
    (honouring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theatre and/or television)
    Beyonce
    Viola Davis
    Barry Jenkins
    Kate McKinnon
    Lin-Manuel Miranda

    Timeless Star
    (to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
    John Waters