The Gardener’s Network declared January 10th Houseplant Appreciation Day! A day to buy, cultivate and celebrate house plants. As a child I was given a Venus Fly Trap. I adored it had no idea how to keep it alive. I … Continue reading The Houseplant Appreciation Night Thread
A writer investigates the suicide of a young woman. Eva Henning plays the role, in flashbacks, with a bone deep sadness. This quiet intensity allows men to paint their own fantasies upon her. Girl with Hyacinths has been called the … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Girl with Hyacinths (1950)
In 2020’s The Christmas House the Mitchell family dealt with the stress of divorce, adoption and potential unemployment. All while decorating their house for the holidays. Hallmark strayed from their romcom formula and audiences approved. In The Christmas House 2: … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (2021)
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
Is it possible to have too much Madeline Kahn? Happy Birthday, Gemini answers yes. But it’s not her fault. The role of Bunny Weinberger was a supporting part in Albert Innaurato’s hit Off-Broadway play. A blowsy neighbor who provided comic … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Happy Birthday, Gemini (1980)
We don’t talk about plot holes… … in a standard review so I’ve created a spoiler space to share my thoughts on Encanto. Disney’s 60th animated feature follows Mirabel, an empathic teen, and her magical family. The opening scenes quickly … Continue reading Encanto: Spoiler Space
Michael Urie drags his roommate, Philemon Chambers, from L.A. to New Hampshire for the holidays. Urie’s insufferable family wants them coupled. They will play dirty tricks to ensure it. Single All the Way shows the limits of shoehorning LGBTQ+ folks … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Single All the Way (2021)
Little Orphan Annie made her comic strip debut in 1924. The musical Annie opened on Broadway in 1977. The musical received seven Tony Awards, three film adaptations, two Broadway revivals and a sequel. Annie Live! premieres on NBC on December … Continue reading Annie Live! Thread
World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December each year. It’s an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an … Continue reading World AIDS Day 2021
Haley (Laur Allen) is a San Francisco power broker. Kate (Amanda Righetti) is a Nashville cowgirl. Can they overcome their differences to save Meemaw’s ranch? Christmas at the Ranch joins a growing list of holiday romcoms with queer protagonists. Writers … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Christmas at the Ranch (2021)
This one’s rough. A gay man marries a lesbian for a green card. They soon realize they are attracted to each other. Bisexuality is not discussed in A Different Story. Neither is pansexuality or sexual fluidity. Stella (Meg Foster) and … Continue reading LGBT Movies: A Different Story (1978)
During Brendan Behan’s short life, he joined the Irish Republican Army, served multiple prison sentences and became a celebrated writer. Then he drank himself to death at 41. His 1958 novel Borstal Boy recounts the years he spent in borstal … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Borstal Boy (2000)
In 1871 the poet Paul Verlaine left his wife and baby to live with an unstable boy named Arthur Rimbaud. Total Eclipse charts their abusive relationship. Leonardo DiCaprio and David Thewlis ham it up as the drunken French poets. They … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Total Eclipse (1995)
In 1890 Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde published the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. His star would rise quickly. In February of 1895 his play The Importance of Being Earnest opened in London. In May of that year, he … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960)
Countess Marya Zaleska seeks a cure for her vampirism. Her queer-coded tragedy is off-set by the comical mortals in her path. The 70-minute film ends just when the story’s gaining steam. But Gloria Holden gives a compelling performance in the … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Dracula’s Daughter (1936)
James Whale directed Hollywood classics like Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and Show Boat. Now he’s retired and he wants to see his gardener naked. Gods and Monsters examines how artists process death. Whale channeled the traumas of the closet and … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Gods and Monsters (1998)
Superboy is bi! Happy National Coming Out Day! Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 will feature the coming out of Clark Kent’s son Jonathan. He joins Iceman, Midnighter, Apollo, Batwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Tim Drake and countless other queer superheroes … Continue reading Jon Kent Comes Out!
Break ups were a common theme at Chicago’s annual LGBT film festival. Characters kept having affairs, getting dumped or running into their exes. I covered the recent Frameline Festival and How To Get Away With Mordor has covered Outfest. But … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Reeling Festival 2021
Well, it’s no Evita. On the other hand, it’s no Carrie. Instead, Diana the Musical settles into the bland territory of book musical 101. Diana (earnest Jeanna de Waal) sings a ballad. Charles (himbo Roe Hartrampf) fumes. The chorus lists … Continue reading Diana the Musical
Connor Murphy and Evan Hansen are a pair of emotionally unstable teens. When Connor takes his own life Evan is mistakenly labeled Connor’s “best friend.” He leverages this for personal gain. The musical Dear Evan Hansen works overtime to garner … Continue reading Movie Review: Dear Evan Hansen
The 74th Annual Tony Awards honor the shows that opened right before the quarantine. Tonight’s broadcast will be split across two channels. 7pm ET – Paramount + streams the main ceremony. Audra McDonald will host. 9pm ET – CBS Live … Continue reading 74th Tony Awards Live Chat
