The War Widow premiered on PBS on October 28, 1976. It was part of the Visions series of original teleplays. A repressed housewife (Pamela Bellwood) waits for her husband to return from World War I. She meets a photographer (Frances … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The War Widow (1976)
Antoinette Perry founded the American Theater Wing. When she passed the Tony Awards were created in her honor. The nominees for the 76th annual Tony Awards were announced on May 2. The ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 11. … Continue reading The Tony Awards Night Thread (May 4, 2023)
Shun Nakahara’s The Cherry Orchard (Sakura no sono) is not a direct adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play. Instead, it adapts a manga about a group of school girls producing the play. We follow the cast through the rehearsal hall. A … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Cherry Orchard (1990)
A self-righteous deacon (Željko Ivanek) comes under fire when he defends two gay seminarians. Jack Lemmon’s cynical pastor tries to teach him about church bureaucracy. Mass Appeal is better in concept than execution. Bill C. Davis’s screenplay, adapted from his … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Mass Appeal (1984)
Three Christian teens struggle with their faith as they plan for college. Sweet Tim’s coming out has sent devout Laura and doubting Brea into tail spins. Many stories address the rift between organized religion and human sexuality. Stephen Cone’s The Wise … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Wise Kids (2011)
A quippy bard and a deadpan barbarian seek to rescue their gullible daughter from a quippy con man and a deadpan sorceress. They recruit a deadpan paladin, a deadpan shape shifter and a neurotic wizard to assist them. Dungeons and … Continue reading Movie Review: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
Noah Schnapp plays a wealthy teen obsessed with his new tutor (Garrett Hedlund). Early press suggested a story in the vein of Fatal Attraction, Swimfan or The Crush. A chance for Schnapp to embrace his sexuality, as rising teen idols … Continue reading Movie Review: The Tutor (2023)
Last season the heroine of Shadow and Bone found herself trapped between two love interests and three warring kingdoms. Despite her magic powers, she spent her time playing damsel in distress. This allowed the vivid supporting characters to steal focus. … Continue reading Spoiler Space: Shadow and Bone, Season 2
A closeted Liberal Chairman (Björn Kjellman) falls for an out Social Democrat (a lovable Eric Ericson). Four More Years is an enjoyably fluffy romcom. The leading men have chemistry and charm. It’s refreshing to see a middle-aged actor in a … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Four More Years (2010)
Wreck was marketed as a comedy slasher series. Scream on a cruise ship. The ingredients are certainly there. The first episode introduces a killer in a duck costume, a saintly protagonist, hateful authority figures and an attractive ensemble of potential … Continue reading LGBT Media: Wreck (2022)
Alfredo Alaria plays an eccentric dancer. He clashes with his conservative family. They suspect he may be… different. His penchant for performing campy musical numbers in revealing costumes is a clue. Different couldn’t directly address homosexuality in Franco’s Spain. But … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Different (1962)
Nuno, a college student, visits his sister’s farm in Vouzela. He soon falls for Alberto, a moody farmhand. Nuno is a cheerful protagonist in an angsty film. He remains blissfully unaware of the limits that class and gender place on … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Where the Sun Beats (1989)
Sir Noël Coward (1899-1973) was a celebrated British playwright, songwriter, actor and wit. I was introduced to his work by the 1945 film of his play Blithe Spirit. A writer accidentally summons the ghost of his late first wife to torment … Continue reading The Noël Coward Night Thread (2/8)
This weekend the cinemas feature many tales of queer suffering and death. I wanted to highlight a film about surviving trauma. In Thomas Fitzgerald’s The Hanging Garden a gay man (Chris Leavins) visits his estranged family after ten years away. … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Hanging Garden (1997)
Should the LGBTQ community assimilate or rebel? Should we band together or pursue our individual goals? These arguments were explored in a television drama titled Coming Out. It aired On April 10, 1979 as part of the BBC’s Play for … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Coming Out (1979)
A married man becomes obsessed with a teenage hustler. His wife intervenes. Man of Desire aches with sexual frustration. Each character is afraid of what they want. The film is in no hurry to give it to them. Dominique Delouche’s … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Man of Desire (1970)
In 1971 Roger Hargreaves wrote a terrifying children’s book called “Mr. Tickle.” The title character would sneak up on people and tickle them with his stretchy arms. Tickle was the first of the fast growing “Mr. Men” series. The Mr. … Continue reading The Mr. Tickle Night Thread (1/22)
M3gan’s easy to pitch. Android babysitter goes berserk! Evil doll learns to dance! When the trailer went viral, I assumed I’d already seen the best material. It took rave reviews and some rowdy gay friends to get me in the … Continue reading Spoil Sports: M3gan (2023)
Different from the Others premiered in 1919. It told the story of a gay man who is blackmailed and driven to suicide. Filmmaker Magnus Hirschfeld was an outspoken advocate for gay rights. He was forced to flee Germany during the … Continue reading LGBT Movies of the 1910s
The Holiday Sitter is Hallmark’s first gay holiday romcom. A big city business man falls for a small-town hunk while babysitting his niece and nephew. Jonathan Bennett mugs like he’s channeling Lucille Ball. George Krissa underplays the guarded love interest. … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Holiday Sitter (2022)
Three people without housing find an abandoned infant on Christmas Eve. Hana, an optimistic trans woman, doesn’t want the baby left in the foster system. After many arguments they decide to search for the child’s mother. Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
