Category: Entertainment
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FILM REVIEW | Hawaii
When Martin (Mateo Chiarino) gets stranded in the small Argentinian country town he grew up he ends up sleeping rough by the river and goes looking for odd jobs to feed himself.★★★★★
His search takes him to a large estate where he manages to get some work only to discover that it’s present tenant is Eugenio (Manuel Vignau) one of his boyhood friends. Eugenio is now an affluent writer working on a new novel and he is spending the summer looking after the large house in his Uncle’s absence.
With sparse dialogue, in fact there is barely a word spoken in the first fifteen minutes in what is essentially a two-hander story, Martin withholds the truth about his rather desperate circumstances and pretends that he is living with his Aunt. The balance of power between the two men who are essentially from different social classes, is very potent as each of them tries gradually to relax the protocol between boss and worker. Particularly on Eugenio’s part when he begins to realise that the friendship he feels for his childhood pal is developing into desire.
As the two men start to hang out together more when they have both stopped working, the few carefully chosen words they use to talk hold a myriad of feelings although it is very clear that neither of them have any idea of how the other feels about what is evolving here.
This, the third full feature from writer/director Marco Berger is the most simplest of tales that he stunningly unfolds in an impeccably subtle provocative manner. With a series of incessant long stares and discreet longing glances there is obviously a powerful struggle that each of these men are dealing with as there relationship progresses over the long hot summer. Berger makes their story so completely compelling that we are invested in its outcome to the very end.
Credit too for casting two very gifted actors for their talents and not for their pretty boy looks (not that they are by any means un-attractive) and for the keeping the nudity (seemingly somewhat obligatory in gay-themed movies these days) down to a bare minimum, despite the heavy eroticism of the piece.
For me, this was filmmaker Marco Berger back on the form he showed in Plan B his excellent debut movie. His second film Absent aka Ausente may have won the prestigiousTeddy Award at Berlinale but it was a disappointing affair.
Very hot.
P.S. The reason for the title can only be revealed when you see the movie without spoiling the plot.
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FILM REVIEW | Fruitvale Station
Fruitvale Station
In the opening sequences using grainy footage from onlookers cellphones we see how this story is going to end. Not long after 2009 has just been welcomed in by this happy boisterous New Year crowd travelling on the BART train in Oakland, California when Oscar Grant, a 22 year old African-American is shot in the back by a white Transit Police Officer.
Oscar and his friends had been hauled off the train at Fruitvale Station as suspects in a fight that had just occurred, the fact that the men who had antagonised them were all white and were not pursued by the angry and aggressive police presence was no accident.
In this stunningly powerful narrative the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant III is sadly a very true fact. What follows next is a dramatisation of what Oscar was up to the day he was killed.
He was apparently no saint, but after a short time behind bars for dealing in marijuana, he was determined to make a go of things.When he loses his grocery store job and is almost desperate enough to start selling pot again, he throws away his stash as he knows that another arrest would take him away from his girlfriend and young daughter who is totally devoted too. It is in fact the women in his life, including his church-going mother, that are his driving force but in his determination to be the ‘man’ of the family he hides his financial struggles from them all behind a web of lies.
It is a totally compelling movie on every level and even more so when you appreciate that this is the debut of writer/director Ryan Coogler, a 27 year old African-American from Oakland fresh out of Film School.
What Coogler does so brilliantly is show that behind the statistic of another black man needlessly killed by an undisciplined white authority figure, that this was a very real person just at the start of what should have been a long happy life. There is plenty of emotion in his take on events, and very noticeably, no rage at all.
Michael B Jordan (The Wire) turns in a terrifically sensitive portrayal as the good-natured Oscar, Melonie Diaz (Be Kind Rewind) is his supportive girlfriend Sophina, and in a powerhouse performance Octavia Spencer as Mum proves that her Oscar win last year (The Help) was no fluke. And credit to Forest Whittaker for taking this project on and producing it.
In the light of the aftermath of the recent Trayvon Martin killing, this heartbreaking story has even more resonance now. The saddest aspect of all is that we know that many more young men will still needlessly lose their lives simply because of the color of their skin.
Winner of Awards at both the Sundance & Cannes Film Festivals, this is totally unmissable, and easily one of the best ‘real
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FILM REVIEW: Errodity(s)
The only thing horrifying about Steven Vasquez’s new anthology of gay teen movies of the supernatural is some of the acting.★★ (more…)
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EASTENDERS SPOILER – Johnny Carter kisses new boyfriend
Ooo it’s getting hot in here!
As these new pictures prove, Johnny Carter (Sam Strike) his getting fresh with a new guy he met at Pride!.
Having spent the Gay Pride celebrations with Gianluca (played by GABRIELE LOMBARDO)and fallen for him, Johnny introduces him to his family at Linda’s birthday party. Before Gianluca returns to Italy, they share a passionate kiss at the station, but with Johnny be able to let him go?
n December 2013, Johnny Carter had his first on screen kiss with Gary Lucy. Many anti-gay tweets were leveled at the production team of EastEnders and the actor Sam Strike. However Danny Dyer, who plays Strike’s on screen father, Mick had the perfect solution for them.
Johnny Carter is the first openly gay character on EastEnders since Christian Clarke and Syed Masood, the first gay character was Colin Russell, played by Michael Cashman.
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COMMENT | Do we still need a gay scene?
Gay Ghetto?
The title says it all – a collection of shops, bars, clubs, saunas, pubs who all cater to a gay or LGBT audience constitutes a ghetto, a community of sorts. But in the 21st century, do we really need one? Does it still serve a purpose? Who is the audience? And why?
I have one amazing talent folks – I can sit on any fence for Britain, if only it was an Olympic sport! On this issue, I’m a lycra clad champ as I can see both sides, the pros and cons, the good and bad. Why?
Moving to Manchester in my early ’20’s was such an eye-opener. There was a whole entire street of bars, pubs, clubs that catered for my friends and me. Places where I didn’t need to pretend to be something I wasn’t, places where I could meet like-minded people and, who knows, maybe even forge relationships, of all kinds.
I loved walking around Canal Street, and watched in awe as it grew, more and more investment, the established breweries taking us seriously and wanting in, businesses opening (and closing on occasion), all tastes catered for: subterranean bars for doms, lesbians only bars, trendsetting bars that started fashions, cheap bars that had “rent”, all on show and all open for business.
But are they still relevant? I’ve watched Canal Street change shape; move on from a couple of shabby/seedy bars to the point where it’s become something of a cliché. It’s now a cartoon of it’s former self, it’s hen party heaven, it’s changed from a place that offered a feeling of some kind of security to somewhere that could be any street in Manchester. It is litter strewn, it’s shabby and now its’ security has been swapped for an “anything goes” mentality as more bars and businesses chase anyone’s pound – times is tough and in order to stay in business, these businesses will happily encourage any punters through the door to spend.
Do we still need this type of place or have we, as both a movement and as individuals, moved on? What purpose do they serve? I know they offered me some form of security and a feeling of safety when I needed it, when I first came out, and a chance to make friendships and build relationships – but times were different. Do they still serve that same purpose?
When I walk down Canal Street these days, I don’t feel safe, and as I’ve aged, I don’t feel the venues have anything to offer me anymore? The things that appealed to me in my 20’s don’t appeal as I approach my 50th year. Not sure what I do want anymore, a quiet drink, less of the thumping soundtracks – but I’d still like to walk down a road with my boyfriend of 20 years, hand in hand, with no fear and did used to feel that Canal Street and its surrounding streets used to offer that.
I’m not sure that as we see more and more integration that specific areas for the LGBT community really offer anything new or different? I’m willing to be convinced though… feel free to comment and tell us what you feel. Do you think there is still a need or are these now redundant?
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Big Brother’s Chris ‘can’t think of himself as straight’
Actor Chris, opens up about the idea of sexuality in conversations with Jale, Ash Christopher and Marlon.
Chris talks to Ash, Marlon, Christopher and Jale about his sexual preferences. He says: ‘I don’t like the term straight, we‘re all kind of melding now.’ He observes that people between 18-25 aren’t as bothered by sexual labels.
Chris, 33, originally wanted to enter the house for ‘free rent, to lose weight and I can’t afford therapy’ – seems to be be wanting to get something off his chest.
He admits, after questioning from the group, that he has never seen, kissed or slept with a man but can’t go around thinking he’s straight.
He later tells Jale, he feels a bit funny about saying that on camera, as he has never admitted it to the majority of his friends of his family, he then reflects that: ‘You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.’
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THEATRE REVIEW | Fashion Victim, The Musical
★★★ | Fashion Victim, The Musical
Fashion Victim, The Musical originally premiered in 2007 by Toby Rose and stared Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus. Now directed by Robert McWhir, setting up shop in the beautiful Cinema Museum in London and boasting a cast of performing fashionistas, the show promises to be the number one spot for all front row fashion wannabes.
The strong cast led by the amazingly talented and side splittingly funny Carl Mullaney also consists of the leading lady Rosie Glossop, sexy James Wilkinson, beautifully articulate Aimee Barrett and fashion model Aaron Blake. Model and actress Camilla Rutherford also stared in the show as a first in a series of celebrities to make a small cameo appearance. I have to say beautiful as she is, Camilla’s performance was as awkward as she seemed standing there and I felt perhaps another great cast member would be more prudent than a lacklustre celebrity presence.
Through a cleverly written, modern and stylish script and a set of catchy pop tunes we are told a classic story of “style-crossed” lovers. Average girl meets hunky model boy with impressively chiselled cheekbones, girl shags boy for fame, girl leaves boy for more fame, girls gets busted for being a press hungry whore, boy regains fame and somehow everyone ends up happy. Not the most original story (though perhaps not the most classic story either) but it’s fun, fashionable, bitchy and sexy. We can’t want for much more than that, can we?
Speaking of sexy, if your anything like me you’ll enjoy seeing the scrummy male dancers wearing well, not a lot. Celebrity choreographer Ryan Jenkins knows how to get them moving I’ll tell you that!
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FILM REVIEW | Getting Go
For three weeks in the summer of 2012 filmmakers Cory James Krueckeberg and Tom Gustafson (the producer/director behind the cute ‘MARIACHI GRINGO’ and the gay cult film ‘Were The World Mine’) followed two guys all over New York with a camera and a script and nothing else. ★★★★★
Tanner, a slightly nerdy recent college grad had devised a plan to shoot a documentary about the NYC nightlife scene in order to meet a really hot go-go guy that he has cyber-obsessed with. And this is the film about their film.
They followed the couple filming each other all over the city in cafes and bars, rooftops, dance clubs, their own living rooms and bathrooms and eventually into their bedrooms too. As the story developed and the relationship between ‘Go’ and ‘Doc’ evolved in front of us, there is a very definite, and somewhat unexpected, shift in the power axis between the two men.
This really is guerrilla filmmaking at its best. No crew, a kickstarter budget of $10K, one actor and one real life go-go boy in an innovative hybrid of documentary, narrative and art film that is such a delight.
Following hot on the heels of movies such as Weekend, Keep The Lights On and Hors Les Murs this wee drama is part of a very welcome new movement of edgy queer cinema.
By no means perfect (like the editing!) but it has many things to really love… such as a rather brilliant soundtrack of new music from gay musicians… not to forget the acting of these two young leads who are not exactly tough on the eye to watch even with their clothes on. It also packs an energy and excitement that is quite infectious.
The future of gay cinema looks very promising indeed when new work like this is being made… and finding the audience it deserves.
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Tom Daley: Splash Unlikely To Return For Third Series
Fans of Tom Daley, will, undoubtedly be gutted that Splash! will probably not be returning for a 3rd series.
Due to the diver’s work load and his concentration on the 2016 Rio Olympic games, Tom Daley‘s Splash! is unlikely to return to screens in the near future.
According to a spokeperson in Broadcast, ‘no decision has been made’ on whether there will be a new series.
The 2nd series, which led to pictures like this, this and this – drew in respectable 3.8million viewers, but a far cry from the reported 5.4million for the first series.
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FILM REVIEW | Bright Days Ahead
★★★★ | Bright Days Ahead
64-year-old Caroline has retired earlier from her dental practice than she had expected too after falling out with a colleague and she now finds herself at a loose end with too much spare time on her hands.
She feels somewhat depressed and disorientated after the death of her best friend from breast cancer just three months prior, and this has made her even more aware of her own mortality. Her two grown up children with their own busy lives, want to encourage her to move on and so buy her a trial membership to a local seniors club that has the innocuous title of ‘Bright Days Ahead.’
Caroline’s first nervous visit to the centre ends every badly when she feels patronised by the young woman running the drama classes, but when she gets home and neither she or her husband can work out their new wifi set up, she reluctantly agrees to go back and try the computer class instead. This is led by Julian an attractive 41 year old man who confides in her that he has a toothache and after Caroline takes him back to her ex-surgery to fix it for him, he returns the favour by making a pass at her.
It’s not exactly the main reason why this man, who is the same age as her daughters, wants to bed her as he turns out that he is quite the ladies man with a small stable of regular ‘dates’. But even when she discovers this Caroline is more happy to indulge in some very hot love-making as she and her husband had stopped being physical with each other some time ago.
The secret affair brings more than colour to Caroline’s cheeks as it makes her extraordinary happy and gives her such a sense of purpose that she throws herself enthusiastically into most of the activities at the Club and becomes friends with all the other women there. When word eventually gets out about her daily dalliances in Julian’s office etc, her classmates are in awe and egg her on. However Phillipe her husband doesn’t take too kindly at being cuckolded especially as in this small coastal town that they live in, news like this travels very fast.
It seems like as a respected dentist, a loyal wife and a good mother, Caroline has always put the consideration of others first in her priorities, but now she has done a complete U turn and thought of nothing more than her own pleasure and happiness. With such a past track record, it’s obvious that she will end up doing the ‘decent thing’ in the end, but hopefully with the realisation that there is an alternative to the inevitable after all.
The movie has received criticism that it portrays a very unrealistic view of old-age greatly enhanced by the fact that Caroline is played by the strikingly beautiful and exquisite Fanny Ardant. One would never ever dream of calling this great French actress a senior citizen no matter what her age. It is her very presence that so radiates in every scene on the screen, and so I for one am more than happy for Caroline to indulge in this fantasy, no matter how unrealistic it may be.
A very light and enjoyable piece with one of THE grande dames of French cinema out from 20th June