This award-winning and Sundance Festival-selected film is an intricate look at the lives of two men who enter into a relationship in 90s New York.
Erik is a Danish documentary film-maker who meets Paul via a telephone chat-line. Erik is anxious about commitment and lawyer Paul has a steady girlfriend. What starts off as a casual sexual relationship develops into something more meaningful and romantic. The film charts the two lovers throughout their turbulent ten-year relationship.
The two main characters’ lives take on unexpected turns and as Erik becomes more responsible and committed, Paul’s more orderly life spirals out of control as his recreational drug abuse becomes a destructive habit. The relationship enters a series of cycles of damage and renewal as the film charts their lives.
The film is beautiful to watch but also painful to view in places, but ultimately provides a meaningful glimpse into the areas of both lightness and shade which relationships can pass through. The balance of the film is such that the story never feels too bleak but is balanced with erotic tension, a compelling storyline and occasional bursts of humour. Strong performances from the cast add to the emotional intensity of the film.
Highly recommended for a moving and fascinating insight into the life cycle of a relationship.
Set in 1970’s and 1980’s Sri Lanka, and adapted from Shyam Selvadurai’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name, Funny Boy is a coming-of-age film of a young boys exploration of his identity and set against the backdrop of 1980’s Sri Lankan Civil War.
Arjie (Arush Nand) lives with his wealthy family in a beautiful home and very close to his large extended family. He doesn’t want to play soccer with the other boys, including his brother – he actually wants to dress up in colourful clothes and hang out with his cool aunt Rahda (Agam Darshi). But Arjie’s parents know he is different, but as Arjie gets older (played by Brandon Ingram), there is no denying that Arjie is gay. He even becomes best friends with, and then falls in love with a fellow male classmate. And when his family catches them in the act, they feel that Arjie has disgraced them, And it’s especially more daunting is that his boyfriend is Sinhalese, while Arjie and his family are Tamil. This is all set against instability and unrest in Sri Lanka, and at a time when homosexuality there was illegal (it still remains as an offence in the country’s books). Arjie suffers because of who he is and who he loves.
Funny Boy is such a lovely film. We would like for more films just like this, please.
Written by Deepa Mehta and Shyam Selvadurai, the film stars Brandon Ingram, Nimmi Harasgama, Agam Darshi, Ali Kazmi, Seema Biswas, and Arush Nand.
Funny Boy is Canada’s official entry for the 93rd Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
Now playing in the UK and Ireland also available on Netflix.
Fionn O’Shea and Lola Petticrew are just about perfect as a young couple who pretend to fall in love in1995 Ireland in the new film Dating Amber.
But they are not an actual couple. You see Eddie (O’Shea) is Gay (though he won’t admit it), and Amber (Petticrew) is a Lesbian, and both are on the cusp of finishing their last year of high school. Amber, who lives with her widowed mother in a trailer park, has dreams of moving to London after she graduates. Eddie, meanwhile, plans to go into the military to follow in his father’s footsteps. But to survive their final year at school, and to ward off name-calling and bullying from their fellow students, they decide to pretend to be a couple (this is after a failed attempt on Eddie’s part to woo a blond girl, though he fails to grab her boob during a groping session).
Eddie and Amber go through their charade and actually make a perfect couple; Eddie is shy, very cute and adorable, while Amber is aggressive, knows what she wants, and has all the best lines. However, after a night out to a gay bar in Dublin where Amber meets someone, and Eddie still not quite ready to accept that he’s gay, the pressure is on for him to take charge of his life, to appease his father (Barry Ward) and very understanding and knowing mother (Sharon Horgan), alongside his know-it-all younger brother (Evan O’Connor).
This coming-of-age comedy is a poignant, honest and funny look at the highs and lows of teenage life while growing up in a conservative environment where young people who are different don’t seem to fit in. Both leads are just absolutely perfect, the feel of mid-90s Ireland comes through the screen, and the funny script makes Dating Amber the one of best romantic comedy and growing up films of the year.
Dedalus is a fictional triptych portraying community, love, and loss.
It’s a film that deals with homosexuality and age, with three very different storylines. And while one of them is a bit confusing, it’s a very good piece of work by a first-time director.
A goodlooking young man (newcomer Alexander Horner, a natural) is a bit lost in life, always struggling to make ends meet, going from couch to couch. But he knows what he likes – he enjoys the ‘company’ of older men. He also needs food and shelter during a cold winter in New York City. He is also sexually attracted to older men. And even though a young woman takes him in, nothing satiates his quest for love then older gay client. He meets a succession of them, most of them wealthy, and lonely. They all, of course, take a fancy to him. But he falls for an anxious lawyer (Thomas Jay Ryan) and can foresee a relationship with him, but the lawyer has other things in mind. This second of the three stories in this film is the most hard-hitting and unforgettable.
Directed by Jonah Greenstein, an independent filmmaker, the other two stories deal with a fathers mortality which compels him to leave his home in Los Angeles and move in with his daughter, and the other story takes place in rural Iowa, a grocery cashier watches helplessly as classmates conceal their act of sexual violence against his teenaged step-sister.
All gorgeously directed by Jonah Greenstein, an independent filmmaker. He’s worked with some big names (Rami Malek, Michelle Wiiliams, documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras), but it’s this debut, which laces loneliness. beauty and mystery, to create a film that is both startling and memorable.
Now on on Streaming Platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Prime, OVID.tv & Kanopy
Remember your first romance? It probably took place during the summer. The new film Summer of ’85 beautifully tells the story of one young man who experiences his first romance – in the summer of 1985.
The opening song ‘In Between Days’ by The Cure sets the era for the film (yes, you know it if you were around then). Summer of 85 is set in a Normandy, France, seaside town where Alexis Robin (a memorable Félix Lefebvre) lives with his parents and is in the gap period between school and college.
Alexis enjoys being the near the water, so much so that one day he takes a small boat out to sea but gets caught in a storm. He is rescued by the all too dashing Benjamin Voisin (David Gorman). Benjamin makes sure Félix is fine and takes him to his home to take care of him, where his mom (a very good Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) undresses Félix for a hot bath and admires his manhood). This leads to a quick relationship where Alexis has his first real crush (and love) with Benjamin. But it’s all too fast and furious, and when Benjamin’s mom (who was recently widowed) asks Félix to work in their nautical shop full time, it’s might be too much too soon for the perfect pair. And when Brit Kate (Philippine Velge) enters the picture the boys’ relationship is put to the test. Will it pass or fail? And then an unseen tragedy, typical in French films, dramatically changes the tone of the film.
Directed and co-written by the masterFrançois Ozon – the creator of so many great and memorable films (recent films include By the Grace of God and L’Amant Double) scores another winner here with a superb choice of actors, location, and songs (’Sailing’ by Rod Steward and Bananarama’s ‘Cruel Summer’ tells the story in their titles). Though the film goes a bit off the charts by having Félix dress up as a young woman in one silly scene (reminiscent of The New Girlfriend), Summer of ’85 is a very memorable and charming film about young love. It’s a film that will take you back to your first summer love.
Summer of 85 is in cinemas and on Curzon Home Cinema
In Monsoon a young man of Vietnamese descent, who now lives in Britain, returns to Saigon to return his mother (her ashes) to her home country, a country her and her husband fled during the Vietnamese war. But Vietnam is also a country that Kit (Henry Golding) also knows very little about – he was 5 when they left. So his return to the home country is a poignant one, his father has also died and Kit’s brother is bringing their father’s ashes so him and Kit can bury them together. While Kit returns and visits old friends of his and his mothers, he falls for American Lewis (Parker Sawyers) and establishes a semi-relationship with him. While the gay storyline is a bit irrelevant to the focus and mission of the plot, it’s played out against the backdrop of a city full of traffic, noise, people, motorcycles, and beautiful sunsets that linger in the horizon.
Monsoon also brings us lulled moments – quiet and contemplative – in a film that’s oh so short at 85 minutes.
Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is good in the role – but the film itself could’ve explored more of his background and his relationship with his family (perhaps flashbacks) to give more of a background into his homosexuality. In all, if you’re looking for a meditative and quiet film, this film is for you.
A young man tries to find his way in life after the sudden death of his mother in the new film Socrates.
Socrates, now in cinemas and streaming online, is an emotional and sad story of 15-year old Socrates (Christian Malheiros), who with his mom, a cleaner, live on the margins of society in a favela in São Paulo. His sick mom suddenly dies in their small apartment, and leaves Socrates alone, and crushed. Determined to make it on his own, he does everything he can to find a job to pay the rent, which is way overdue. He even tries to take over his mom’s job but, being underage, the boss says it is not possible. With nowhere to turn, he ends up getting a construction job, where he hauls equipment back and forth.
His co-worker, Maicon (Tales Ordakhi) picks a fight with him, but this is a distraction because Maicon likes Socrates, and suddenly (perhaps a bit too sudden), Socrates finds himself at Maicon’s apartment where they fall into each other’s arms and get it on. In light of this unbelievable plot point, Socrates still has to struggle to pay the rent and survive, and when his long lost father shows up to take him (as he is a minor), Socrates runs away. Things go from bad to worse when he is kicked out of the apartment and has nowhere to live. With no help from social services, and not wanting help from his father, and with Maicon busy with other responsibilities, Socrates fights to survive in a world that seems to be putting roadblocks in his way.
Executive produced by Academy-Award nominated Brazilian director Fermando Meirelles (‘City of God’), ‘Socrates’ brutally shows us what it’s like to grow up poor (and gay) in one of the worlds largest cities. Malheiros is superb as the downtrodden Socrates (he has won two film festival awards for his performance and won the ’Someone to Watch’ award at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards), while other cast members hold their own. Directed by Alexandre Moratto working with a script written by himself and Thayna Mantesso, Socrates is a film you won’t easily forget.
And while the gay aspect of this film is unbelievable and a bit irrelevant, the story as a whole is about resilience, perseverance, and hope against all odds.
An engaging but ultimately flawed twink flick that reinforces the idea that you can only be openly gay in the big city, rather than remaining in the provincial community in which you grew up.
Dating Amber – Amazon Prime’s latest LGBT+ offering to coincide with Pride season. And it’s a cute film, if you’re into soft and gentle twinks being goofy and finding themselves in a sea of prejudice and misunderstanding.
Irish actor Fionn O’Shea is undoubtedly the star here. We’ve seen him before in Handsome Devil (2016), where he played a similarly confused twink alongside the beautiful Nicholas Galitzine. The only difference is that Eddie in Dating Amber is a more rounded and complicated individual than Ned Roche in Handsome Devil, who spends most of the film crushing over his rugby twunk dorm mate, Connor.
In all fairness though, Dating Amber is about two closeted teenagers, not just one. Lola Petticrew gives a strong performance as Amber—a frustrated but determined closeted lesbian who runs a side business renting out one of her mother’s caravans for schoolmates to have romantic liaisons.
Side by side, Amber and Eddie struggle with their sexuality in a hostile school environment and if it weren’t for the fact that both actors are so engaging, this plot premise would make a predictable film into a very predictable and frankly dull-as-ditchwater one.
But somehow O’Shea and Petticrew manage to pull through as their characters start dating one another as a ruse to throw off the incessant crowing from their homophobic classmates.
Trips to Dublin, late-night drug-fuelled escapades, and lies lies lies follow as these two try to convince everyone else, including themselves, that they’re straight.
Eventually, of course, the truth comes out, and Eddie ultimately finds his way. To London, in fact, where the promise of a fulfilling life for this ‘baby gay’ beams into Eddie’s sunny face.
A predictable outcome
What I wanted, though, was a less predictable and ultimately less deceiving ending. We’ve seen it before. A provincial gay boy who is closeted because of his misunderstanding community and family can only find freedom by escaping to the big metropolis.
The consequence of this is that as viewers, and as gay people, in particular, we internalise the assumption that rural, provincial communities are no place for ‘an out gay man’, as Little Britain’s Daffyd Thomas (Only gay in the village) used to tell us repeatedly.
Now, I grew up in a provincial rural village, admittedly in the 2000s, a decade later than this film is set. But, while there weren’t nuns on every street corner signing themselves each time they saw the local bum boy walk into the Co-op, it wasn’t easy. Rural communities tend to be built around heterosexual families and their needs, and there is intense pressure to follow suit. And I felt it.
I went off to university, to the great metropoli of Exeter, Leeds, and Leicester, but have I been any more fulfilled? There are opportunities that big cities present to LGBTQ people which are undeniably advantageous and, ideally, it doesn’t have to be either / or.
Yet Dating Amber makes it precisely into an either/or decision. Either you stay here and this place will kill you, as Amber explains to Eddie, or you go out there, to the big city, and find yourself and be happy.
The result is that rural communities are drained of the kind of social diversity that makes for more tolerant neighbourhoods, and being gay itself becomes synonymous with a kind of metropolitan and urban lifestyle that those of us who are more rural at heart find hard to bear.
What we need, then, are LGBTQ films, like God’s Country, that wrestle hard with the realities of being ‘the only gay in the village’, and where communities themselves go through a process of slow adaptation so that they become welcoming places for all sorts of people.
Jacqui Weaver is memorable as a mother who mourns the death of her son – a drag queen – in the terrific new film Stage Mother.
Maybelline (great name), married to very conservative Jeb (Hugh Thompson) who never quite accepted the fact that he had a gay son, goes to San Francisco to discover the life her son Rickey (Eldon Thiele) led. There she is met with scorn by her son’s lover Nathan (Adrian Grenier) who knew how Rickey never did quite get along with his parents. But she is also thrown aback to discover that her son owned a gay/drag bar, a bar that Nathan manages and which includes a bevvy of drag queens, among them the fabulous Dusty Muffin (Jackie Beat) and Tequila (Oscar Moreno).
Maybelline is lucky enough to be put up by her son’s friend and neighbour Sienna (a fierce and sexy Lucy Liu) with her adorable baby. It’s no real surprise and shock where the story takes us as the queens (including Mya Taylor – who was fantastic in Tangerine) warm up to Maybelline, who transforms their show (Maybelline is a choir director back in Texas) while at the same time transforming their lives. Will Maybelline sell and go back to her boring husband and life or will she add a bit of spice and magic to make the bar her own?
Weaver is wonderful as Maybelline – it’s a part that seems was tailor-made for her – it’s a perfect fit. At a bit over 90 minutes, there is a lot jam-packed into the film – smoothly directed by Thom Fitzgerald.
To say it’s a gay old time is an understatement. It’s instead a grand old time, and get ready for a very emotional ending.
‘STAGE MOTHER’ has arrived, ahead of its now earlier theatrical release across the UK and Ireland from Friday 24
A young man is sent to prison for killing another man in The Prince – a film which is not your typical prison movie.
The Prince (El Principe), a homoerotic prison drama, out now, is set in a 1970’s Chilean prison. Jaime (Juan Carlos Maldonado), secretly in love with his best friend, in a fit of jealous rage stabs and kills him when he has a dance with another man. Then it’s off to prison for Jaime, 20, young, sexy and good looking – he’s going to be eaten alive in prison. Put into a cell with four other men, one of them named ‘The Stallion’ (Alfredo Castro) takes Jaime under his wing, and then some. They maintain an unlikely romance, while two of their other cellmates cop with each other. But not everything is black and white. A rival gang leader lives on the other side of the prison but’s in the showers, where they all shower together, and where the men are shown in all their glory, becomes dangerous territory.
’The Prince’ is raw, bold, brave, intense and explosive, and it seems to have come out of nowhere. In a country (Chile) where a film like this might not be acceptable – it’s a welcome surprise that it is as good as it is. Grainy looking to give it a completely dark and old look and feel about it, and with very good acting to match – Director Sebastián Muñoz has made a memorable hard-hitting prison drama that is very good and sexy. Hell, even the poster is hot!
Meanwhile, another young very good looking prisoner, who is the lover of the other leader, takes a liking to Jaime and pursues him like mad. But after an incident with The Stallion’s cat tension and rage build up in the prison where it’s every man for himself.
Available On-Demand on all major platforms and on DVD on 7th December
The soapiest of gay soap operas arrives in the form of From Zero to I Love You.
Scott Bailey stars as Jack Dickinson, very handsome and successful, with a fun and lively and attractive wife Karla (Keili Lefkovitz), two adorable daughters, and of course a perfect job. But soon enough he realizes this is not who he is when he meets handsome Peter (Darryl Stephens), and this meeting turns Jacks life upside down. And while he knew he had a bit of a gay side to him, he didn’t really comprehend that this could eventually lead to him falling in love with another man. But Scott is not quite ready to leave his family, and Peter gets tired of waiting around, so they break up.
So Scott goes back to the straight life, his wife gets pregnant, and Peter lands quickly into another relationship that quickly leads to an engagement. But a chance (and very coincidental) meeting Karla has with Peter’s best friend who happens to tell Karla about the now finished affair. After this shock reveal Scott and Karla end their marriage while Peter gears up for his wedding. Scott is now a truly free gay and he’s left with meaningless one night stands while still pining for Peter. But of course there’s no surprise how this film ends once you get the soap out of your eyes.
Filmed over the course of four and a half years (it looks it) and giving us the old tried and true story of a ’straight’ man who turns gay is a plot we’ve seen quite a few times, and again in this super melodramatic film.
While the cast are all fine in their roles, and leading man Bailey is pleasant to look at, there is very little for us to take away from this film which has an ending that wraps things up all too neatly.
Enjoy t he shirtless scenes of Bailey – he’s sexy!
