THEGAYUK

Category: Entertainment

  • FILM REVIEW | Mechanic Resurrection

    MECHANIC RESURRECTION – The sexiest man alive is back in the sequel to his 2011 actioner which itself came from the 1972 original- testosterone level turned up to 11.

    Nutshell – Jason Statham returns to one of his many movie franchises. Retired and in hiding (so far so Jason Bourne) he is forced to travel the world to commit three impossible assassinations to rescue the love of his life (shame it is not a guy – surely this guy must be in the closet). From Rio to Thailand to Sydney and beyond mayhem and incredible stunts is the the ultimate outcome.

    Running Time – 98 minutes; Certificate – 15.

    Tagline – “Four Continents, Three Kills; They Hired Him, They Betrayed Him, They Will Pay”.

    The Gay UK Factor – The Stath gets his shirt off in all his films but here he goes mad. Basically there are very few scenes here where he actually has his clothes on so not so much a movie for your wank bank as a movie that will entirely destroy your right arm. Jason turns up as a prisoner, security guard, repairman, soldier, in a suit, swimming trunks etc etc in a 2016 version of the Village People with added chest hair.

    Cast – Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh and a endless line of muscle hunks to get sweaty with in mano et mano action for the whole duration.

    Key Player – These movies are star vehicles, basically if Jason wasn’t in it then it would simply not be made and here he has one of his biggest budgets ever in a film which is wholly tailored to his strengths – number one of which is his huge schlong – clearly visible on the beach and in the underwater scenes – then of course there are the gratuitous lingering ass shots.

    Budget – $40 Million, These films never make their money back at cinemas but from DVD and TV and this bigger production than normal will be no different.

    Best Bit – 0.20 mins; Where you get the start of 15 straight minutes of the Sath’s nipples on a Phuket beach.

    Worst Bit – 1.32 mins; The big surprise twist or reveal at the end is pretty pathetic and a real let down – let’s just say this is no Usual Suspects or Sixth Sense knock out blow – he should have got his prick out instead now that would have been a closer.

    Little Secret – If you are ever in LA, Jason works out quietly and sweats like mad at the Gold’s Gym right by LAX airport so make sure you make that your gym of choice for your trip and join the queue to see him naked and soaped up in the open showers.

    Movie Mistake – The watch which is so key to the story is missing from Jason’s wrists in thousands of scenes throughout the film – very strange for such an important macguffin. Hey Ho this is his application for the part of Bond with two sequences even filmed in former Bond famous locations.

    Further Viewing – Seeing as Jason holds the world record for the most number of Movie franchises ever with eight you are spoiled for choice. Try Spy, The Transporter 2, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Expendables 3, Crank 2 and Fast & Furious 7 or any film with a number in it.

    Any Good – As Formulaic as ever with the only new thing here being the huge globetrotting going on (the location scout deserves a pay rise) and of course the increased Statham flesh count. A movie for straight guys to live out and hide their gay fantasies and for gay guys to freeze frame for years to come.

    Rating – 74%

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Naked Magicians

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Naked Magicians

    ★★★★ | The Naked Magicians

    The Naked Magicians

    A naughty and funny magic show with full nudity!

    There are two men who get their kit off every night near Trafalgar Square, and I recommend that you go have a peek!!!

    These two men are Mike Tyler and Christopher Wayne, and they are starring in a new show at Trafalgar Studios called The Naked Magicians. Having seen the show, I can vouch that they do indeed take off all of their clothes (except for the strap that holds the microphone battery!).

    Directly from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Tyler and Wayne are two Aussies who’ve been performing as naked magicians all over the world for over two years, so they’re both used to baring all in front of an audience. But their charm and cheekiness in the way they strip is unique, and best of all, lots of fun.

    Both men are actual real-life magicians (and not strippers) and their show features all sorts of magic tricks. Ninety minutes in length, the handsome gents perform tricks such as pretending to smash an audience members mobile phone, using an inflatable penis to get members of the audience to reveal their porn names (name of street you grew up on and the name of a pet) while already having it written down, card tricks galore, and of course the disappearing clothes trick, are all part and parcel of what they do. Of course, any magic show wouldn’t be a magic show without audience participation, and some lucky (?) members of the audience get the chance to go on stage and help the men to ‘perform’ their magic. Since this boisterous magic show is R-rated, the humour and the jokes, are for an adult audience, so if you’re prudish, go see Aladdin instead! And near the end of the show, the buffed men wear top hats, not on their heads, but hats that are strategically placed and in which an audience member is tasked with holding the hat in place while Christopher performs some rope tricks. It’s hilarious! By the time the men attempt to get themselves out of straightjackets (tied by two audience members), they are practically naked, but it’s the hungry audience who wants to, and gets to, see more, and they definitely get to see more.

    The Naked Magicians takes magic to a whole new naughty level and it’s a level where you want to be at!

    The Naked Magicians plays at Trafalgar Studios until 24th September

     

  • BOOK REVIEW | The History Of Us

    BOOK REVIEW | The History Of Us

    Jonathan Harvey is a writer with stature. He penned the gay classic Beautiful Thing and writes for Coronation Street as well as creating the high camp sit-coms Gimme Gimme Gimme and Beautiful People. Sadly, this novel doesn’t live up to his prior reputation.

    The History of Us Book review

     

    Based in Harvey’s hometown of Liverpool, the story follows three friends at two points in time. In 1985, teenage Adam is dreaming of a writing career, Jocelyn wants to be a singer whilst Kathleen’s dreams are a bit more mundane: she wants to be an embalmer. It’s all mooning over boys (Adam’s gay), mooching around and listening to Alison Moyet in teenage bedrooms. Fast-forward to 2015 and Adam’s writing career has floundered, Kathleen is a failed flight attendant who has a drink problem and Jocelyn has met a sticky end after a career as a professional bitch and celebrity Twitter troll (think Katy Hopkins but meaner).

    The strongest sections of the book are the in the first half where the narrative switches between the back streets of Liverpool and Adam and Kathleen’s current lives in London. The humour is twisted and wry and when it works raises the odd snigger but never a real belly laugh. The problem comes in with the arc of the story line. It starts to peter out and feels woolly and unfocused and the humour drops down a notch or two until by the end of the novel it’s non-existent. This gradual shedding away of the comedy to reveal something darker would work well if the story line didn’t fizzle out along with it.

    Harvey’s knack is often in presenting unsympathetic characters but the ones in this novel feel wooden and tired. The story switches between characters but their individual voices don’t feel strong enough to carry the plot. It’s a book that doesn’t find its place at all. It sits neither as effective comedy, drama or thriller.

    A disappointing dud of a book.

    Out 8th September 2016, Order from Amazon

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Britten in Brooklyn, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Britten in Brooklyn, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

    ★★ | Britten in Brooklyn

    CREDIT: Darren Bell
    CREDIT: Darren Bell

     

    During the early years of World War Two, Benjamin Britten lived in exile in a townhouse in New York with his friend, the poet W.H. Auden and a shifting cast of artists and writers. The composer was criticised by the British press for his ‘avoidance’ of the war and faced a tribunal for conscientious objection on his return in 1942. Whereas Auden embraced his sexuality and was having an affair with a younger man, Britten was still struggling somewhat with his in the oppressive environment of 1940s England. Add to this mix some of the other residents: bisexual writer Carson McCullers hiding out from her husband, hitting the bottle and chasing after women and burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, trying to write a crime thriller. The potential for a fascinating story is all there on a plate. Sadly, writer Zoe Lewis and director Oli Rose have somehow made a dull play out of an intriguing piece of history.

    The play feels oddly old fashioned (and not in a good way). There’s something twee and tedious about the drunken party games and fumbling. The cast seem like they’re in a void and in spite of Cecilia Carey’s excellent set there’s no atmosphere at all. The four lead actors try to recreate a thriving Bohemian arts scene of hedonistic parties (which isn’t easy with four people) and instead it feels like a staid afternoon tea that anyone in their right mind would exit sharply. There’s a whole ‘You don’t have to be mad to work here but it helps!” and “Looks how eccentric we all are!” vibe that actually just feels incredibly tiresome.

    The venue of Wilton’s Music Hall (a Grade 2 star listed music hall from 1859) is gorgeous and is an echoing chamber of a space. Dom James’ sound design is beautiful when it’s in evidence: clanging boat engines, New York traffic in the background and distant music. Sadly, this isn’t very often and for most of the play the actors have no backing at all, adding to the strangely sterile environment.

    The saving grace of the play is Ryan Sampson who gives a strong central performance as Britten. He’s convincing in his vulnerability and manages to show glimpses of pain through a veneer of genteel awkwardness. The actors playing Gypsy Rose Lee (Sadie Frost), Auden and McCullers also perform ably but are saddled with a lacklustre script that feels two-dimensional.

    If you know a little about these fascinating characters then you’ll leave knowing about as much as when you came in. If you know nothing at all then you’ll be perplexed. It’s a shame that this didn’t pull it off. As the strippers told Gypsy “You Gotta Get a Gimmick”. Maybe the team here should heed that advice.

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • FILM REVIEW | Chicklit – a film about Mommy Porn and BDSM!

    FILM REVIEW | Chicklit – a film about Mommy Porn and BDSM!

    ★★★★ | Chicklit

    Four men try to cash in on the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon by writing their own racy novel in order to save a local pub in the new film Chicklit.

    Chicklit
    SWCP

    Set in a small village in Norfolk, the whole town seems to be reading She Came in Chains, a new BDSM book by author Lady Lovelorn, including local newspaper editor David Rose’s (Christian McKay) wife Jen (Caroline Catz).

    So when the local pub is faced with closing unless a buyer can come up with £300,000 to save it, Rose has an idea – why don’t him and his pals write their own racy novel. So he enlists his card game buddies – pub manager Chris (Tom Palmer), school teacher Justin (David Troughton) and local bookstore owner Marcus (Miles Jupp – who owns the bookstore with his partner Geoffrey – James Wilby), to each write their own section of a ‘mommy porn’ novel in the hopes that they can get someone to publish it.

    Well, David contacts London book agents Bonar and Law (John Hurt and Eileen Atkins), who are very interested in representing the book the men have called Love Let Her. They get a publishing deal but with one caveat, they need to have the author available to do book tours and signings. So David enlists his struggling actress sister-in-law Zoe (Dakota Blue Richards) to play the part of the ‘author’ of the book. But with the book becoming a success, it’s harder and harder for them to keep the book’s real authors a secret, and even more so when Zoe starts getting tired of promoting something that is not hers.

    Ii is a cute and funny take on chick literature and how almost anyone with an imagination and a computer can write a saucy novel. Filmed like a 1970’s style television show in a small English village with typical local characters, it’s a film that’s both charming and cute. Hurt and Atkins almost steal the movie as the uproarious book agents while the delightful music of Alex Britten (related to Director Tony Brtten who also wrote the film with Oliver Britten – it’s a family affair), who sings as part of the pub’s house band, adds a nice touch. This film is recommended because it’s cute and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

     

  • Do you have a gay name? Most common gay names revealed

    Do you have a gay name? Most common gay names revealed

    A new name has topped the poll of gayest names, I mean who knew a name could be gay – but peeps at ranker.com users have been voting on it… So it must be a thing.

    CREDIT: © nito103 /Depositphotos

    So last year we reported that Christopher was voted the most common name for gay men. This year it’s all changed as people vote a brand new set of names as the top 10 most common names of gay men – yep. This is being voting on.

    The votes have been taking place on the ranker.com website.

    So last year, the top four most common names for gay men were: Christopher, James, Jimmy, and Michael. This year Christopher has dropped 77 places to number 78.

    This year it’s all changed and there’s a brand new most common name for gay men, namely Sebastian. Now we’re not sure on this one – for last year’s Christopher – we were able to find a number of out celebrities with the name Chris/Christopher but we can’t think of any called Seb or Sebastian. Can you?

    In 2013, Latina magazine reported that Mexican soap star Sebastián Ligarde came out as bisexual and was inspired by Ricky Martin to come out.

    Anyways here’s the top 10 most common gay names.

    Here’s the top ten!

    Sebastian

    Tristan

    Julian

    Stefan

    Gaylord

    Troy

    Justin

    Gabrial

    Quincy

    Lukas

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Unfathful at Found 111

    THEATRE REVIEW | Unfathful at Found 111

    ★★★★ | Unfaithful at Found 111

    UNFAITHFUL_1_Sean_Campion_Niamh_Cusack___Ruta_Gedmintas_Matthew_Lewis_Photo_Marc_Brenner

    What happens when your once passionate relationship starts to become stale and sexless? In the case of Tom and Joan, you sleep with a stranger, tell your wife about it and then wait for the explosions of bitterness, venom and rage. Oh…and the retaliation.

    Found 111 is a pop up theatre on Charing Cross Road in an old college building. It’s hosted critically acclaimed hits including ‘The Dazzle” with Sherlock’s Andrew Scott and “Bug” with the luscious James Norton. It’s a tiny space and in the case of issues about sex, for once, small is good. This play works well in a cramped environment. It’s a hilarious and excruciating 75-minute trawl through moments in the lives of two couples as they lurch around a bed on the stage. This is a voyeuristic and intimate experience that is as painfully uncomfortable as it’s intriguing. Thankfully, it’s very funny too which helps.

    Niamh Cussack (of the Cussack acting dynasty) shows her pedigree and is monumental as the wronged wife. She’s a delicious mixture of seething, uncontained anger contrasted with insecurity and hurt. She’s magnetic and is almost impossible to draw your gaze away from. She’s more than ably accompanied by Sean Campion as her feckless and beaten-down by life husband. They have the best lines in the play and Joan and Tom are well rounded and fascinating in their ordinariness.

    Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter’s Neville Longbottom all grown up and buff) and Ruta Gedmintas play less instantly credible characters. They eventually flesh out (as well as getting flesh out) and in spite of a slightly creaky plot, become almost plausible. Lewis plays a well-hung male hooker with a heart and Gedmintas plays his lost-soul girlfriend, so bored with her life that hooking up with middle aged men in bars seems a diverting pastime.

    Owen McCafferty’s script is tight and engaging with no slack moments and the characters are mostly resonant and sympathetic. This isn’t a Whitehall farce or a night at the musicals but there’s something thrillingly earthy about the whole experience. Theatre in microcosm with a stellar central performance like Cussack’s is a rare opportunity and one to be embraced.

    Unfaithful plays at Found111 until 8th October

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • FILM REVIEW | Golden Years

    FILM REVIEW | Golden Years

    ★★★★ | Golden Years

    Golden Years
    PR Provided

    The pensioners in the new DVD release ‘Golden Years’ try to get even at the system that they feel is robbing them.

    It’s a cute and funny film about older people trying to get back what’s theirs. They feel the system is corrupt, so they take matters into their own hands. Retired couple Arthur Goode (Bernard Hill) and his wife Martha (Virginia McKenna), who is ill with Crohn’s disease, eke out a living on their pension while spending time at their local social club with friends Royston (Simon Callow), Brian (Philip Davis), and Shirley (Una Stubbs).

    One day Arthur finds out that the company he spent a lifetime working for has gone bankrupt, and so has his pension. He doesn’t know what to do… how is going to be able to take care of Martha? An opportunity presents itself when, while in front of a bank when money is being delivered, one of the guards trips, falls and gets knocked out on the ground, while the guard inside the truck inadvertently hands over a container of money to Arthur, who gladly takes it and runs. It sets off an idea where he enlists Martha, and eventually his friends, to rob banks. Who would expect pensioners as bank robbers, with cucumbers acting as guns, of stealing money?

    Golden Years is a delightful film with a cast of great actors all relishing their role as bank robbers. It gets even funnier when the local police keep thinking that the bank robbers are a malicious and very dangerous gang.

    I would’ve liked to have seen more of Ellen Thomas, the loquacious and horny local diva, she’s got some of the best lines in the film. Some of the robberies the gang pulls off are, however, a bit unbelievable and far-fetched, especially when they’re attempt at running away is basically a slow walk. But nonetheless it’s a charming film that will make you think what retirement holds in store for you – perhaps robbing banks to get even with the system.

    GOLDEN YEARS is available on DVD from Amazon
    www.facebook.com/goldenyearsmovie @goldenyearsfilm

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Much Ado About Nothing

    THEATRE REVIEW | Much Ado About Nothing

    ★★★★ | Much Ado About Nothing

    Shakespeare fans “roll up roll up” – thou art in for The Tempest of treats. The young British theatre company, The Faction, have refashioned, revved up, edited, Selfridges-styled and speared Much Ado About Nothing into the 21st century – much like Alessandro Michele’s influence on Gucci.

    Much Ado About Nothing at Selfridges
    CREDIT: PR Provided

    Popping a pop-up theatre in the basement of Selfridges is poetry to one’s ears. Sampling Roja Parfums: A Midsummer Dream, eau de parfum – a snip at only £295 – while passing through the perfumery. Then straddling the escalator to the lower deck – a quick whizz through Conran and Danish design brand Hay, followed by a spot of wick sniffing in Jo Malone – all before parking your derrière in the contemporary mini-catwalk 122-seat auditorium.

    You wouldn’t produce a production of Romeo, and no Juliet – so why a theatre and no bar? #justsayin

    Director Mark Leipacher and Co-director Rachel Valentine Smith have sharpened William’s comedy of confused love, slander and tell-tales with news bulletins, Kooples clobber, an enthusiastic, flowery and playful cast thrown in with some horny, animalistic line-dancing. The story is clear and punchy. They’ll be no “wherefore art thou amusement” – the humour is as fresh as the dark amber and ginger lily emanating from the defusers in Selfridges Ultra Lounge.

    “The course of true love never did run smooth” – but Shakespeare, Selfridges and The Faction is no question, to be.

    Much Ado About Nothing plays at Selfridges Refashioned Theatre until the 24th September

  • So how did Calvin Harris wish his Manager Happy Birthday … nearly naked of course

    So how did Calvin Harris wish his Manager Happy Birthday … nearly naked of course

    You know sometimes a simple Happy Birthday card and some limp petrol station forecourt flowers just won’t do. So the next best thing is to strip off…

    CREDIT: Instagram / Calvin Harris

    Which is exactly what Calvin Harris did for his manager. Calvin has been reminding his fan base that he’s got an extremely ripped bod, but this time, it was in a rather odd Happy Birthday message to his manager in nothing but his birthday suit.

    Yep. I mean that’s how we always wish our managers best wishes on their various anniversaries.

    Birthday’s get you an undie shout out.

    Wedding anniversaries gets you a saucy french maid outfit

    Passing your driving test gets you a full monty.

    WANNA SEE THE PICTURE – go on you know you want to…

  • 9 Of The Best LGBT Characters On TV

    Just how well are us LGBTs portrayed on television & film? Here are 9 of our favourite TV characters.

    So I’m going to list my 9 best examples of LGBT characters based on their iconic status or accurate portrayal. For this list I’m using the characters sexuality and identity only, not the actors who portray them.

    1. Maura Pfefferman (Jeffrey Tambor)

    Transparent. A sensitive and moving portrait of a trans-woman struggling to come to terms with her gender identity and having to come out to her family as transgender. Transparent depicts the struggles that families go through when a loved one comes out with a secret like this. Luckily the series doesn’t sensationalise the issue, nor does it become offensive of the portrayal of Maura, who says the most wonderful line “All my life, my whole life I’ve been dressing up like a man, this is me” Definitely worth a watch.

    2. Ellen Morgan (Ellen DeGeneres)

    Ellen. In 1997 The Puppy Episode the character of Ellen loudly announced to a whole airport terminal she was gay and made television history in the process. DeGeneres herself came out on the same day to Oprah (who had guest starred in the episode) and the show took a light-hearted comedic approach to the character who’s sexuality had always been a source of speculation. However, after the episode aired ratings started to decline and criticisms were aimed at the writers for concentrating too much on the gay aspect of a character and the show was cancelled a year later.

     

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