In the early aughts Queer as Folk and its remake were the primary sources of gay men on television. Peacock’s re-imagining arrives amidst a wave of queer programming. This takes pressure off the writers. After a shocking opening they transition … Continue reading LGBT Media: Queer as Folk (2022)
Fire Island is a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. An arrogant jerk (Joel Kim Booster) clashes with an uptight lawyer (MVP Conrad Ricamora) while vacationing in Cherry Grove. His sad bestie (Bowen Yang) falls for a dopey … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Fire Island (2022)
Julian Fellowes introduced Downton Abbey to the world in 2010. A classy, campy soap about a feuding family and their hostile servants. People schemed, screwed and died. By the time the 2019 film released the characters had made peace with … Continue reading Movie Review: Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022)
The kids are grown, the episodes are long and the reviews are mixed. But Netflix needs subscribers. So we’re getting 13 hours of content today and 4 more on July 1. Plus a promised fifth season guaranteeing we’ll have no … Continue reading Spoil Sports: Stranger Things 4a
In 2022’s Three Months an acerbic teen awaits the results of an HIV test. Pop star Troye Sivan gets to be funny, vulnerable and sexy. His smooth vocals dominate the soundtrack. He and his repressed love interest, Viveik Kalra, have … Continue reading LGBT Media: Three Months and YA Tropes
The L Word follows a group of lesbian and bisexual women living in Los Angeles. They hang out, gossip and hook up. The first season is short on plot and momentum. It takes eight episodes to introduce a serious conflict. … Continue reading LGBT Media: The L Word. Season One (2004)
COVID ran wild through Broadway this spring and gave the understudies a workout. The Tony nominating committee didn’t get the chance to see all the latest shows. But they still found plenty to honor in a crowded season. The nominees … Continue reading Tony Award Nominations 2022
An art student (Girl Meets World’s Rowan Blanchard) is accused of vandalizing her school. As punishment she’s forced to join the track team. There she meets two sisters: extroverted Isabella Ferreira (Love, Victor) and introverted Auli’i Cravalho (Moana). Who will … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Crush (2022)
Boy meets boy. Boy dates boy. Boys kiss without tongue. Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper is a slow burning comic. It’s happiest when the leads are simply hanging out. The series has been adapted to television with a strong cast and smart … Continue reading LGBT Media: Heartstopper (2022)
Greetings, Avocadoans! Welcome to the weekly discussion of LGBTQQIA+ issues! Rules for this discussion: All are welcome! However, please be respectful that this discussion is specifically about issues and topics related to lesbian, gay, bi- or pansexual, trans, queer, questioning, … Continue reading Weekly LGBT Discussion
Timothy, a gay teen, is cast in a musical version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He uses the play’s love potion to curse his tormentors with same sex attraction. Were the World Mine uses themes from Shakespeare’s play to create … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Were the World Mine (2008)
In Better Nate Than Ever a gay teen auditions for a Broadway musical. Writer/Director Tim Federle translates his 2013 novel to the screen with Nate’s queerness intact. The tradeoff involves sanding away every rough edge. Rueby Wood’s Nate is talented … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Better Nate Than Ever (2022)
Two women, married to cruel husbands, find solace in each other. Deepa Mehta’s Fire finds moments of black comedy in a bleak situation. She excoriates a culture that demands selfless devotion from the women it abuses. The film inspired violent … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Fire (1996)
Fashion Victims (aka Reine Geschmacksache) sends a bitter salesman and his closeted son on a road trip. Dad (Edgar Selge) alienates his family and customers with his smug lectures. The son (Florian Bartholomäi) resents the quest until he meets a … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Fashion Victims (2007)
A Dutch housewife leaves her volatile husband for a taciturn woman. Then begins a custody battle for her children. But her new partner wants her to give up the kids and move to a lesbian commune. A Woman Like Eve … Continue reading LGBT Movies: A Woman Like Eve (1979)
A critic should review the film they see. Not the film they want. But while watching the romcom I Want You Back I kept thinking of ways to tighten the flabby 110-minute screenplay. So, rather than write a review, I’d … Continue reading Script Doctor: I Want You Back (2022)
Elvis Presley allegedly took fashion tips from Liberace, yet he was considered the epitome of heterosexual desire. There have been Elvis biopics before. But Baz Luhrmann’s bringing some fantasy elements to the performances. As for the dialogue? It’s traditional Walk … Continue reading Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Trailer Thread
This Valentines Day I’m going to dissect a bad queer romcom and see what makes it tick. Shake It All About (aka En kort en lang) stars Mads Mikkelsen as a cad who cheats on his boyfriend with a married … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Shake It All About (2001)
I’ve got Playskool Dinosaurs.They’re big and strong and tough.I can make ’em stomp.I can make ’em growl.I can play with them real rough! Definitely Dinosaurs Commercial Playskool’s Definitely Dinosaurs arrived in toy stores in 1987. Each dinosaur came with a … Continue reading Definitely Dinosaurs Night Thread
Olivia follows a British student transferred to a French finishing school. The school’s owners are a lesbian couple on the rocks. They compete for their student’s affection. The first half is a subversive treat full of intrigue, humor and bad … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Olivia (1951)
February 2 is World Wetlands Day. So lets have a look at my favorite wetland plant: the sundew. The sundew (or Drosera capensis) grows long leaves covered in thin hairs. Each hair produces drops of sticky red nectar. When an … Continue reading The Sundew Night Thread
