Gay-Friendly Blu-rays (1 Viewer)

[Steve Tannehill]

Sunday in the Park with George was the first Sondheim I saw on PBS in 1986. Then I bought a 3CD set called A Collector's Sondheim which was more or less a career retrospective. Then I got the cast recording of Sweeney Todd, then Into the Woods, then Merrily We Roll Along on CD. My collection has grown over the years. I saw that Lincoln Center production of A Little Night Music. Taped it but lost the tapes.

 

[bujaki]

I was living in NY during Company's original run. Didn't know Sondheim (although I had seen the film versions of West Side Story, Gypsy, and A Funny Thing Happened...). So, to my eternal regret, I passed.
The first musical I saw on B'way was the original Follies, and I've been a Sondheim groupie ever since. Saw the original productions of A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along (yes, the one only 6 people saw), Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods. I think I've covered them all until I moved to Dallas in 1988, so I missed the original staging of Passion. Since then, I've caught up with all of his shows, except for Anyone Can Whistle, and he remains my favorite composer of musicals. He makes me laugh; he makes me look at life in a different way; and, as my children always joke, he always moves me to tears.
He is without peer and will be missed when his creative output ceases; but his art will always remain with us to help make us better human beings.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I saw Passion with the original cast. Two weeks later, it closed. Fortunately, they filmed it. The DVD is OOP, but still available used at Amazon.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I always thought that in the absence of any filmed recording of the original production of Company it was great that DA Penebaker filmed Thomas Z. Shepard's recording of the original cast album.

What a hoot! And a pretty darned good representation of what things might've been like.

 

[Matt Hough]

I always thought that in the absence of any filmed recording of the original production of Company it was great that DA Penebaker filmed Thomas Z. Shepard's recording of the original cast album.

What a hoot! And a pretty darned good representation of what things might've been like.

Absolutely. One of the great documentaries of all time, and one of the first times a camera allowed the public to see what one of these marathon recording sessions of a Broadway show is really like.

I still never cease to be amazed at how much everyone smoked back then! And they're SINGERS!

 

[Mike Frezon]

And the guys running the board!

And probably the guys shooting the film, too!

We really have seen a huge change in that particular part of our culture over my lifetime (55 years).

 

[Mike Frezon]

Have you fellas ever seen Chris Elliott's send-up of the Company doc? I think it aired on the old Late Night/Letterman show.

I also don't think half the viewers had any idea what was going on.

Found it!

Enjoy!

 

[Mike Frezon]

"The Birdcage" was made for straight audiences.

By the way, we watched this last night (to get my Robin Williams fix).

My wife and I didn't laugh once. Oh wait, yes I did--when Hank Azaria's character put on shoes and fell down.

What a disappointment. Maybe it's one of those films that doesn't age well.

 

[Matt Hough]

I thought Hank stole the show frankly. And, of course, since we're talking Sondheim, he wrote some tunes for this movie but most of the music from the star act was scissored out to trim minutes from the running time.

 

[Jason_V]

By the way, we watched this last night (to get my Robin Williams fix).

My wife and I didn't laugh once. Oh wait, yes I did--when Hank Azaria's character put on shoes and fell down.

What a disappointment. Maybe it's one of those films that doesn't age well.

I really think The Birdcage is a "of the moment" film and story. Today, the hyper-conservative Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest would come off as unrealistic while Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are almost laughably simplistic. Still, the underlying story-parents doing anything they can for their child-is still sound. Maybe it just needs to be updated for 2014 sensibilities.

We watched a movie on Hulu tonight called "A Perfect Wedding." Jerry had seen it before and said it was cute and adorable...I'm not so much in either of those camps. More in the "oh, are you KIDDING me??" mentality. The film can't really decide what it wants to be about, so it shoves everything it can into the story: adopted kids, Alzheimers, being partially deaf, alcoholism, cheating, lying, wedding, mixed race kids...the only thing that's not here is AIDS (hallelujah). The cast is fine and I have no problems with them; the story needed some tightening up.

 

[Will Krupp]

I really think The Birdcage is a "of the moment" film and story. Today, the hyper-conservative Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest would come off as unrealistic while Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are almost laughably simplistic.

In all honesty, it came off that way in 1996, too!

 

[Jason_V]

I think it was probably a little more...novel, maybe...back in 1996. Kinda like how Boy Meets Boy, Queer Eye and Will & Grace were "cool" back in 2000/2001, but now feel tired and dated.

 

[Will Krupp]

Boy Meets Boy

Wow, Jason, I haven't thought about THAT train wreck in years! (whaddaya MEAN there's a TRIIIIICCCCKKK????? AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!! How could you?.....AAAAAGGGHHHH!!) Hahah!

Thanks for the tip about PERFECT WEDDING, it sounds like one to avoid!

I saw the BEST little movie this weekend called THE WISE KIDS. It's about three high school friends (two girls and a boy) in a tightly-knit SC Baptist community who are about to go off to college. One of the girls (a preacher's daughter, ironically) is questioning her very belief in God, the boy is gay and the other girl completely and unquestioningly believes everything the church has ever taught her and is terrified for the souls of her two friends. It managed to completely avoid the obvious cliches often found in movies like this (the gay boy, for example is the least conflicted and least angst ridden of the three and the story is devoid of the Christians vs. Gays story you might be expecting) and surprised me at every turn. Not that there were twists in the plot, but I found I was unable to predict where things were headed at any given moment.

The performances were sincere and believable and I found myself liking each and every character (there are no villains to be found here, just everyday people trying to make their way.) The three young leads were uniformly excellent but I have to make special note of an actress named Sadieh Rifai in a supporting role as the wife of the church's closeted choir master. She underplays every scene yet the whole history of their relationship can be read on her face and in her eyes every time the camera is on her. I really didn't want this movie to end and I really found myself wanting to spend more time with these people and see what happened to them next.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a low-key, sweet little movie with likable characters and a quirky plot. I, for one, can't stop thinking about it. Loved it.

 

[Mark-W]

Jason, you stated much better than I could what I did not like about The Perfect Wedding. That and the fake last minute chase just felt sooo TIRED.
Too bad, because the cast seemed likeable enough to me, but the plot just wanted to be five different films rolled into one.

I really think The Birdcage is a "of the moment" film and story. Today, the hyper-conservative Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest would come off as unrealistic while Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are almost laughably simplistic. Still, the underlying story-parents doing anything they can for their child-is still sound. Maybe it just needs to be updated for 2014 sensibilities.

We watched a movie on Hulu tonight called "A Perfect Wedding." Jerry had seen it before and said it was cute and adorable...I'm not so much in either of those camps. More in the "oh, are you KIDDING me??" mentality. The film can't really decide what it wants to be about, so it shoves everything it can into the story: adopted kids, Alzheimers, being partially deaf, alcoholism, cheating, lying, wedding, mixed race kids...the only thing that's not here is AIDS (hallelujah). The cast is fine and I have no problems with them; the story needed some tightening up.

 

[Mark-P]

I saw the BEST little movie this weekend called THE WISE KIDS. It's about three high school friends (two girls and a boy) in a tightly-knit SC Baptist community who are about to go off to college. One of the girls (a preacher's daughter, ironically) is questioning her very belief in God, the boy is gay and the other girl completely and unquestioningly believes everything the church has ever taught her and is terrified for the souls of her two friends. It managed to completely avoid the obvious cliches often found in movies like this (the gay boy, for example is the least conflicted and least angst ridden of the three and the story is devoid of the Christians vs. Gays story you might be expecting) and surprised me at every turn. Not that there were twists in the plot, but I found I was unable to predict where things were headed at any given moment.

The performances were sincere and believable and I found myself liking each and every character (there are no villains to be found here, just everyday people trying to make their way.) The three young leads were uniformly excellent but I have to make special note of an actress named Sadieh Rifai in a supporting role as the wife of the church's closeted choir master. She underplays every scene yet the whole history of their relationship can be read on her face and in her eyes every time the camera is on her. I really didn't want this movie to end and I really found myself wanting to spend more time with these people and see what happened to them next.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a low-key, sweet little movie with likable characters and a quirky plot. I, for one, can't stop thinking about it. Loved it.

Thanks Will, for yet another tip-off. I'll have to check it out. You don't mention it, but while there is no Blu-ray, it is available in HD streaming on Netflix, and also on iTunes for HD download.

 

[Will Krupp]

Thanks Will, for yet another tip-off. I'll have to check it out. You don't mention it, but while there is no Blu-ray, it is available in HD streaming on Netflix, and also on iTunes for HD download.

oops! You're right I DIDN'T mention it but yes, it's HD streaming on Netflix (thanks Mark!)

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I saw the BEST little movie this weekend called THE WISE KIDS. It's about three high school friends (two girls and a boy) in a tightly-knit SC Baptist community who are about to go off to college. One of the girls (a preacher's daughter, ironically) is questioning her very belief in God, the boy is gay and the other girl completely and unquestioningly believes everything the church has ever taught her and is terrified for the souls of her two friends. It managed to completely avoid the obvious cliches often found in movies like this (the gay boy, for example is the least conflicted and least angst ridden of the three and the story is devoid of the Christians vs. Gays story you might be expecting) and surprised me at every turn. Not that there were twists in the plot, but I found I was unable to predict where things were headed at any given moment. The performances were sincere and believable and I found myself liking each and every character (there are no villains to be found here, just everyday people trying to make their way.) The three young leads were uniformly excellent but I have to make special note of an actress named Sadieh Rifai in a supporting role as the wife of the church's closeted choir master. She underplays every scene yet the whole history of their relationship can be read on her face and in her eyes every time the camera is on her. I really didn't want this movie to end and I really found myself wanting to spend more time with these people and see what happened to them next. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a low-key, sweet little movie with likable characters and a quirky plot. I, for one, can't stop thinking about it. Loved it.

Thanks, Will, I really liked this movie.

 

[Jason_V]

And thank you Will! One more to add to the list!Sent from my iPhone using HTF

 

[Mark-W]

I saw Love is Strange last night.

I loved it. The soundtrack, mostly of Chopin, is fantastic.

Everyone does great work. While the film opens with the two leads getting married and one promptly losing his job as a result, the film is not political. It is clearly about these two men and the people in their lives.

There is a larger message here, but it is about love.

My favorite line comes when the two leads share a bunk bed. I won't spoil it here, but ah, it was so wonderful.

(Pardon me while I swoon for a moment.)

I look forward to the Blu-ray being released.

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks for the report. The (hoped for) Blu-ray will likely be my first exposure to this wonderful sounding film.