Gay-Friendly Blu-rays (1 Viewer)

[Konstantinos]

Well, this was in my wishlist (as you can see in the post quoted on top of the previous page) but unfortunately according to a bluray.com member report:

1080/50i btw. Colleague has a check disc.

No extras. LPCM stereo track. English HoH subs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilde-Blu-ray-Stephen-Fry/dp/B015T7D5GO/

 

[Mark-W]

While this Blu-ray does not port over the special features from the USA-released Sony/Columbia version, I went ahead and ordered this along with Farewell, My Concubine.


Thanks for posting!

Well, this was in my wishlist (as you can see in the post quoted on top of the previous page) but unfortunately according to a bluray.com member report:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilde-Blu-ray-Stephen-Fry/dp/B015T7D5GO/

 

[Konstantinos]

along with Farewell, My Concubine.

You mean you pre-ordered the BFI one?

I think it was delayed to March or something..

 

[Mark-P]

Much as I am dying for Wilde on Blu-ray, this is a no-go for me. My Sony Blu-ray players won't play back 50hz, or region B for that matter. And I wouldn't be happy with the 4% speed up if they could.

 

[Mark-W]

Yep. F,MC is a March release, but I am not worried about that so much as if I have two titles from that I have to order from the UK, where I always have to pay for shipping, I would rather order more than one Blu-ray at a time even if that means waiting months.

You mean you pre-ordered the BFI one?

I think it was delayed to March or something..

 

[Konstantinos]

Well, I always wait for reviews before ordering anything.

If Farewell my Concubine is the same with the existing releases, i don't think I'll buy it.

I'll wait for another version in the future.

 

[Mark-W]

While the pre-order for Edge of Seventeen at Amazon is currently $27.99, I checked other online stores and found it for $17.99 at BestBuy.com with free shipping to boot (Currently I do not see an order $ minimum to get free shipping, which I thought was odd.).


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/edge-of-seventeen-blu-ray-disc/30063156.p?id=29097&skuId=30063156


I try to avoid Amazon these days, as there are way too many credible reports that they are a horrible company to work for (for many) and too many complaints from book authors about their business practices, so any chance to buy elsewhere that the price is within the same range or less, I take.


Since buying from Amazon through links at this forum helps the HTF, I decided to support the HTF directly by paying $20 bucks a year through their "Support HTF" page, which is well worth it considering the information I get from this place.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/store/category/2-premium-subscriptions/

I love EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, too. The DVD version was non-anamorphic as I recall, so this "New Director Approved HD Restoration" on Blu-ray should be a real treat!


Vincent

 

[cinemiracle]

I'd like to see PSYCHO BEACH PARTY, HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, and all of John Waters' movies rele

What about the brilliant THE KILLLING OF SISTER GEORGE;OSCAR WILDE ;MAN WITH THE GREEN CARNATION and A TASTE OF HONEY. All brilliant British films

 

[Mark-W]

As part of my three day weekend, I finally got through a film I have been attempting to watch for the last month or so: Snails in the Rain

Here is a link to the trailer


Set in Tel-Aviv in 1989, one year after homosexuality was decriminalized in Israel, but before folks could openly serve their military, Snails in the Rain follows an anxiety filled few weeks in the life of super hunky Israeli linguistics student, Boaz, as he waits to hear if he is awarded a scholarship that will require him and and his long term girlfriend to relocate to Jerusalem.


Boaz checks his post office mailbox daily for a letter from the scholarship office, but starts getting letters from a male secret admirer. This reignites Boaz's unresolved feelings about his own sexuality, which he turns outward into paranoia, thinking every man gazing at him is his secret writer. (He is incredibly good looking, so being ogled should be something he is used to.)


The origins of Boaz's sexual identity crisis are revealed in a series of flashbacks to his time in the military.


I won't say more as to how the filmmakers have Boaz take some agency with his admirer and what the final outcome is.


What I will say is that I found the film's resolution entirely unsatisfying; I wondered who the filmmakers thought this film would please. It was shown at LGBT film festivals, but I cannot imagine anyone other than Aaron Schock types would be happy with this film about a gorgeous man suffering a bad case of gay panic.


On the plus side, the actor playing Boaz, a male model, is frequently in various states of undress. The filmmakers clearly understand the audience likely wants to ogle Boaz as much as his secret admirer does.


In the end though, the only character I felt any kinship with was Boaz's girlfriend, and this was not The Hateful Eight; I am sure the intention was to have the audience like and empathize with someone, which I didn't.


The film is available on DVD via TLA Releasing at Amazon,

rental through Netflix's DVD rental (which is how I had it),

and as streaming rental (7 days for $3.99) at TLAgay.com

(All links go directly to the purchase or rental of this film.)


The DVD is presented widescreen in Hebrew with English subtitles.

Bonus content is limited to trailers.

The film is ~85 minutes long, offered in Dolby Digital 2.0 sound (according to my Blu-ray player).


Rotten tomatoes score: 47% liked it


My score: 45% liked for the production values, acting, and eye candy; 55% disliked due to final resolution of Boaz's situation.


Cheers!

 

[Matt Hough]

I hadn't heard of this title, so thanks for the write-up without spoiling it for those who are interested in checking it out.

 

[Will Krupp]

So, while not on blu-ray as of yet, I just watched the five-episode BBC series LONDON SPY over the weekend and what a wild ride it is! It stars Ben Whishaw as a London party boy who falls in love (for the first time) with a beautiful but socially awkward genius played by Edward Holcroft. I want to be careful to avoid spoilers but let's just say "all is not as it seems," as you might be able to guess from the title. When the boyfriend disappears, Whishaw is thrust into a nightmare of deep secrets, counter-espionage conspiracies, and murder. Whishaw is ably supported by British stalwarts Jim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Adrian Lester, and the great Charlotte Rampling.


The good: A lot of fun in a twisty, unpredictable, "what's going to happen next?" kind of way. At its best, and most of it is quite good, IMO, it manages to invoke an overwhelming feeling of paranoiac dread that's reminiscent of a gay PARALLAX VIEW or THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR with a side of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN thrown in for good measure. The production values are absolutely top notch and I found the performances to be universally excellent. In addition to the always compelling Whishaw, we get the previously mentioned Holcroft (cute as an upper class, public school douchebag in KINGSMAN but here, in a much more understated, sympathetic role, he's achingly beautiful), Broadbent (has he ever been bad?) in a wonderfully complex role as Whishaw's friend and mentor, and Rampling doing her patented (but no less than fabulous) dragon lady routine. There is nobody, and I mean NOBODY, who can do Dragon Lady as well as Rampling. Unexpected guest shots pop up, including James Fox and Mark Gatiss, who is about as far removed from Mycroft Holmes here as is possible to get. It's obvious that some real care went in to this.


The bad: As much "edge of your seat" fun as it is, the minute you step away from it (which I did between episodes three and four) and your head clears, you quickly realize that most of the plot (and the conceit at its heart) doesn't really hold up to any scrutiny. Your individual mileage and willing suspension of disbelief may vary but I was bothered by the absurdity of a main plot point and couldn't shake it (still can't.) That being said, I'd still recommend it as a great lark, if you don't mind your larks a bit on the dark side, that is.








It's airing in the US on BBC America starting January 21st but I imagine the episodes will be edited for content (being UK TV, there's frank dialogue, sex, a fair amount of booty shots, and an occasional testicle here and there) so you may want to seek out the episodes once they're released to home video.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, a friend had already alerted me to this series, and I'm looking forward to the BBC America run. Hopefully there will be a home video release which will let us see the show uncensored.


Thanks for the reminder, however!

 

[Konstantinos]

For anyone interested, I just realised that this film is available on Bluray in Australia:

It's a 1998 film that I had watched once at the cinema at the time of release.

I think the imdb rating (6.6) is pretty accurate.

Nothing great, but nothing bad either.

The male star was quite handsome though!


Here's a review of the Bluray:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Head-On-Blu-ray/93847/#Review

 

[Jason_V]

I feel like I've seen Head On at some point, but I can't entirely place it. The screencaps look familiar, though. In all likelihood, I've seen it and nothing really made an impression on me...

 

[Konstantinos]

I feel like I've seen Head On at some point, but I can't entirely place it. The screencaps look familiar, though. In all likelihood, I've seen it and nothing really made an impression on me...

It's in Greek + English language.

maybe you remember that?


Well, the sex scenes had made an impression on me.

After all I was 18 at that time..

 

[Jason_V]

Entirely possible. I blasted through so many movies the last few years I have a hard time remembering the ones that I didn't enjoy or find to have redeeming value.

 

[cinemiracle]

What about the brilliant THE KILLLING OF SISTER GEORGE;OSCAR WILDE ;MAN WITH THE GREEN CARNATION and A TASTE OF HONEY. All brilliant British films

Almost forgot the best of them all- GET REAL- another classic British gay film.

 

[cinemiracle]

It's in Greek + English language.

maybe you remember that?


Well, the sex scenes had made an impression on me.

After all I was 18 at that time..

An Australian film- you can get it on bluray for less than $US10. It is in English with some Greek dialogue (subtitled in English).

 

[Mark-W]

Get Real, was released by Paramount in the USA with a non-anamorphic transfer, too.

I Blu-ray would be most welcome, but Paramount...not likely.

Almost forgot the best of them all- GET REAL- another classic British gay film.

 

[Mark-W]

Thanks for posting this. I do remember liking this film.

As I recall, it was about an Ozzy who is disenfranchised from the country at large because he is Greek, and within his Greek community, he is closeted, so he is alienated twice and acts out as a result.

For anyone interested, I just realised that this film is available on Bluray in Australia:

It's a 1998 film that I had watched once at the cinema at the time of release.

I think the imdb rating (6.6) is pretty accurate.

Nothing great, but nothing bad either.

The male star was quite handsome though!


Here's a review of the Bluray:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Head-On-Blu-ray/93847/#Review