Gay-Friendly Blu-rays (2 Viewers)

[ptb2017fr]

just watched Spoiler Alert. In spite of how sad it is and the fact i still find Jim Parsons hard to take as a romantic lead its an engrossing movie and really well done and Ben Aldridge is just wonderful.

 

[Kenneth_C]

Ben Aldridge is just wonderful.

Ben Aldridge has been on my radar since I saw him in Fleabag, but I couldn't bring myself to see Spoiler Alert. It sounded like such a downer, especially since it was based on a true story.

Hopefully things will go better for Ben in his next movie Knock at the Cabin, which opens next week. However, since it is based on a book by horror author Paul Tremblay and is being directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I suppose I should prepare for the worst.

For the uninitiated: Ben plays half of a gay couple -- his partner is played by Jonathan Groff -- who are vacationing at a remote cabin with their adopted daughter, Wen. One day, a small band of people, led by Dave Bautista, arrive at the cabin with a shocking agenda. From there, things get pretty intense -- and I'm only part way through the book.

 

[ptb2017fr]

Ben Aldridge has been on my radar since I saw him in Fleabag, but I couldn't bring myself to see Spoiler Alert. It sounded like such a downer, especially since it was based on a true story.

Hopefully things will go better for Ben in his next movie Knock at the Cabin, which opens next week. However, since it is based on a book by horror author Paul Tremblay and is being directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I suppose I should prepare for the worst.

For the uninitiated: Ben plays half of a gay couple -- his partner is played by Jonathan Groff -- who are vacationing at a remote cabin with their adopted daughter, Wen. One day, a small band of people, led by Dave Bautista, arrive at the cabin with a shocking agenda. From there, things get pretty intense -- and I'm only part way through the book.

Spoiler Alert is a sad story but the adventure of the two guys meeting, falling in love, all the other stuff before getting to the sickness, which isnt' Aids for a change. and as i said Ben is wonderful in it, terrific performance, well worth seeing. And Sally Field's his mum!

 

[Jason_V]

Ben Aldridge has been on my radar since I saw him in Fleabag, but I couldn't bring myself to see Spoiler Alert. It sounded like such a downer, especially since it was based on a true story.

Hopefully things will go better for Ben in his next movie Knock at the Cabin, which opens next week. However, since it is based on a book by horror author Paul Tremblay and is being directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I suppose I should prepare for the worst.

For the uninitiated: Ben plays half of a gay couple -- his partner is played by Jonathan Groff -- who are vacationing at a remote cabin with their adopted daughter, Wen. One day, a small band of people, led by Dave Bautista, arrive at the cabin with a shocking agenda. From there, things get pretty intense -- and I'm only part way through the book.

Ah! Everytime I see the trailer, I always think "I've seen him before." I never remembered to look it up when I had a minute, so thank you for connecting Knock at the Cabin to Spoiler Alert.

I've gone back and forth on Knock at the Cabin for a while. I'd get a ticket, then, cancel it...and then get it again...and cancel again. I want to support a movie with gay characters and leads (and the leading men are always great to look at), but the combination of Shyamalan and horror really don't do anything for me. I've got 80 for Brady this week instead, a movie I have low expectations for but I also know won't keep me up all night or mess with my head.

 

[KeithDA]

Ben Aldridge has been on my radar since I saw him in Fleabag,

and also in 'The Long Call' - noted for playing the character of 'the first openly gay detective on a UK primetime TV show'.

 

[Mark-P]

Disney's animated films are doing better at inclusion.
While Lightyear had a side character/couple, the new film, Strange World had me pause and think, "Wait? Whaaat?!!"

My eyes got a little moist at how they included us.

Just finished watching Strange World and while there was one aspect of the movie I didn't like, I do love the characters and and familial relationships. It is an absolutely gay-positive world where there is not even a hint of stigma and it is obvious that Disney went to great lengths to get to this level of diversity without falling into any pitfalls that anyone could point to as being inappropriate for children.

Spoiler: These comments may reveal major plot points

It was also clever how they set us up to expect Ethan's Grandfather to object to learning that Ethan has a crush on a boy, but no, in this world being gay is completely accepted by literally everyone. Oh, and since this part is concealed in spoiler, I'll reveal that the part of the movie I didn't like was what the "Strange World" actually turned out to be. That was a bit over the top for me.

 

[ptb2017fr]

Argentinian movie Young Hunter is an interesting film if disturbing. It’s about. 15 year old boy falling in love with a gorgeous slightly older boy only to find out he’s been filmed while they were making out but an older man who is selling child porn videos. He then recruits the 15 year old to do the same and exploit a younger boy. There is no on screen underage sex, but the first seducer is beautiful Lautaro Rodríguez, and shows a lot of flesh. Not the kind of subject I’d find myself watching, but like the protagonist I didn’t know what was happening until it happened and then wanted to know how it would be resolved. And it has a very moral and satisfying conclusion.

 

[Mark-W]

Ben Aldridge has been on my radar since I saw him in Fleabag, but I couldn't bring myself to see Spoiler Alert. It sounded like such a downer, especially since it was based on a true story.

Hopefully things will go better for Ben in his next movie Knock at the Cabin, which opens next week. However, since it is based on a book by horror author Paul Tremblay and is being directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I suppose I should prepare for the worst.

For the uninitiated: Ben plays half of a gay couple -- his partner is played by Jonathan Groff -- who are vacationing at a remote cabin with their adopted daughter, Wen. One day, a small band of people, led by Dave Bautista, arrive at the cabin with a shocking agenda. From there, things get pretty intense -- and I'm only part way through the book.

Ben Aldridge is also in a gay short film, Thrive, that starts out as a phone-app hook up and ends up somewhere very different. Sexy, warm, and emotionally intense in all the right (and hope-filled) ways. I have watched Thrive multiple times in the last three months. It is on Boys on Film 22: Love to Love You from Picadillo Pictures:

Here is the trailer:


It can be bought on BluRay or streamed from Amazon or PicadilloPictures.com
Bluray: See on Amazon

Streaming: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B09ZYDTSBZ/ref=msx_wn_av
Picadillo: https://www.peccadillopod.com/page/boys-on-film/

Also from Picadillo,
I was having trouble with the subtitles on the streaming versions of Kenneth's recommended film, Wildhood; I ended up buying the Blu-ray from the UK

along with Boys on Film 22: Love to Love You, and In From the Side, which I particularly wanted to support with my money.

The Blu-ray of Wildhood is not regionally/Zone-locked, which I suspect is the general status of all of Picadillo Pictures films when you order them from the UK.
Here is the Amazon link for the Blu-ray:
See on Amazon

I am so glad I bought this Blu-ray. While we needed the subtitles for my mother to be able to enjoy the film, the disc also has a few bonus features, like cast and crew interviews, and short film by the Wildhood's director.
I don't want to say too much about the film other than how fresh it was to see an indigenous people's film with two-spirited characters as the primary focus. It is based the director's experience as a non-binary member of that community.

This is one of those films that I call "soul nourishing," where I feel like not only did I watch a great film, but I fell like watching it enriched my heart. Mom and I both LOVED this film.

Here is the trailer if you're looking for it:


I also pre-ordered Lonesome on Bluray from Amazon.co.uk. Lonesome which was featured (and won lots of awards) at LGTBTQIA+ film fest that I had to miss most of.

it was widely-praised when it made its way on the film festival circuit and the Blu-ray includes a commentary track, which is what often decides between streaming and discs for me these days.
Here is the trailer:


It can be pre-ordered here:
See on Amazon

Finally, all of you made me feel FOMO for having never seen The Ritz. I ordered the DVD from Amazon and expect to watch it in the next few weeks. Hello Rita Moreno!

Cheers!

 

[Mark-W]

"The Man With the Answers" - Does anybody die in this?

Not anyone you care about, no. It is a road movie. Friction, tension, sexual and otherwise.

 

[EricSchulz]

Has anyone tried Dekkoo? It’s apparently an LGBTQ+ streaming app. I found it when I tried to track down Young Hunter. They do offer a free trial…

 

[Kenneth_C]

I always like to share info about any upcoming gay-themed films. There are a number of potentially interesting ones ahead.

Opening this week, is The Blue Caftan (Le bleu du caftan); Morocco’s official entry for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards. It concerns a couple, Mina & her closeted husband Halim, who run a traditional caftan store in Salé, Morocco. They find their lives upended when they hire a handsome young apprentice.




Up next is Swallowed, being released digitally on February 14. Directed by Carter Smith (The Ruins, Midnight Kiss) and featuring Jena Malone and Mark Patton, it's a backwoods crime thriller with body horror elements.




Scheduled for theatrical release on February 17 is Of An Age, an Australian film being distributed by Focus/Universal. Set in the summer of 1999, the film follows a 17-year-old Serbian immigrant who has an unexpected and intense 24-hour romance with the brother of his ballroom dance partner.




Last but not least is one I've been wanting to see for awhile. Wandering Heart (Errante corazón) from Argentina, scheduled to be released on DVD and VOD on February 21. (I could not find a subtitled trailer.)



It stars Leonardo Sbaraglia (Burnt Money, Pain and Glory) as Santiago, a middle-aged gay man and soon-to-be empty nester on the verge of a total breakdown. His emotional crisis is exacerbated by a complex and intense relationship with his teenage daughter, who seeks to break free from him. Sbaraglia won Best Actor at the 2022 Málaga Film Festival for his magnetic, no-holds-barred performance.

 

[Matt Hough]

I read last night that Showtime has picked up the show Uncoupled and will produce its second season of episodes. I don't happen to subscribe to Showtime, but I guess I can get a free week's trial once the season is complete.

 

[uncledougie]

I read last night that Showtime has picked up the show Uncoupled and will produce its second season of episodes. I don't happen to subscribe to Showtime, but I guess I can get a free week's trial once the season is complete.

Well that’s good news - it was no masterpiece, but it was certainly well done enough it deserved to continue at least another season. If on Showtime I assume it will drop once a week for eight or nine or however many episodes are produced? Any time frame mentioned?

 

[Mark-W]

I read last night that Showtime has picked up the show Uncoupled and will produce its second season of episodes. I don't happen to subscribe to Showtime, but I guess I can get a free week's trial once the season is complete.

Considering that Showtime is giving us this and Fellow Travelers, I will likely subscribe when one or both of these shows are available and let them know why. I did the same thing with AMC+ when I saw how supergay the Interview with The Vampire series is.

Uncoupled was a fun, if mostly predictable joy ride, but I loved the cast, including some of the one-episode folx, I also want to see more of NPH.

Netflix is getting lots o hate right now for how many shows they've cancelled.

 

[Jason_V]

After getting home from dinner last night, my fiance said "let's put a dumb romantic comedy on." I was like...cool...thinking he meant something with Jennifer Lopez or the dozens of made for Netflix movies.

But no. He stumbles on this one on Prime Video.

It's...not good. I'm not even talking about the low-rent production. I'm talking the plot (yes, I know this is a take on Cyrano de Bergerac), the dialogue, most of the acting...all of it. It's not terribly sexy and these characters just grated on me for all their stupid decisions.

Though I made a game out of finding the props that date this movie. A Blackberry phone, a flip phone, a house phone with answering machine, chat and hook up websites (vs. apps)... I mean, come on, this movie came out 13 years ago and I easily pegged it for a '90s production based on context clues alone.

I don't need a movie-any movie-to have stellar production values or cost $100 million to make. I do ask they be compelling and draw me in. Is It Just Me? didn't do any of that for me (I actually fell asleep for 10 minutes and went back to watch that missing piece this morning).

 

[Kenneth_C]

I saw Of An Age in the theater yesterday.

This may prove to be a strange review, for reasons that will soon become apparent. For the first half, I really disliked the film. I suppose the director, Goran Stolevski, was going for a Cinéma vérité look, so everything was shot in extreme close-up, with ultra-shaky hand-held cameras, frenetic editing, and lots & lots of yelling. Coupled with some pretty strong Australian accents, sections of the film were almost unintelligible. (It didn't help that the character who was the worst offender in this regards was also incredibly annoying on top of it.) From what I could tell, there was an interesting story underneath all this hyperactivity, but the film was doing itself no favors and seemed to be actively working against my enjoyment. I honestly considered leaving at one point. And then...

Something happened. The film -- and my response to it -- shifted dramatically.

In the film's case, it time-jumped and picked up the story a decade later. Along with the jump, however, it also seemed to settle down considerably. Shots were allowed to breathe. Editing was no longer frantic. The whole tone of the film, while still energetic, became more measured and mature. At least that's how it seemed to me. But I could be wrong, and the change that I detected had less to do with the filmmaking and more to do with myself. You see, something happened in the film that had an incredibly close parallel to something that occurred in my own life. And so, the off-putting distance I felt for the first half dissipated and the film became, for me, incredibly moving and powerful. (I've read several reviews that say something similar; of course, YMMV.)

My final verdict, therefore, is thumbs up -- with the understanding that my recommendation should perhaps be qualified. I very much want to see the film again (to see if the first part plays better and also to get another read on the ending). I also hope that, if it is released on Blu-ray, it has some decent extras. (A director's commentary could be very illuminating. Subtitles would also be nice. )

In the end, I'm glad I saw it and I thank Universal/Focus Features for releasing it theatrically. Along with their recent releases of Bros, Tár, Spoiler Alert and Knock at the Cabin, they have established themselves as the only major Hollywood studio that actively supports LGBT+ films.

 

[Jason_V]

As of right now, I will be the only person in the theater on Thursday night for Of An Age.

I'm kinda worried about the accents, but I'll soldier through.

 

[EricSchulz]

I’m not sure if this has been discussed here but I HIGHLY recommend Giant Little Ones, currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Franky and Ballas are best friends, both on the high school swim team and very much the BMOC. Franky and Ballas have their lives changed after an incident after drinking at Franky’s 17 th birthday party. An honest portrayal of high school, coming out/teen sexuality, the pressures of high school popularity and trying to do what’s right. Throw into the mix Franky’s estranged dad (an excellent Kyle MacLachlan) who left his wife for another man. Thankfully the movie ends on a beautiful, positive note without wrapping everything up neatly. Definitely worth watching.

 

[Kenneth_C]

An opposing opinion:

I really disliked Giant Little Ones, but I have to go into spoiler territory to explain why.

Spoiler

The film centers its "homophobia is bad" argument around the character of the straight guy and effectively makes the conflicted gay guy into the villain of the piece. Since the straight guy is the focus, the message seemed to be that homophobia was bad because poor innocent straight boys might be unjustly accused and adversely affected. Little attention was paid to the internalized homophobia that caused the gay guy to lash out.

It's been a few years since I saw it and I may have a different take on it now. I have no desire to revisit it, however.

 

[Jason_V]

I started a thread in the Movies section for this one with some thoughts. Some more thoughts here for a different audience...

This may prove to be a strange review, for reasons that will soon become apparent. For the first half, I really disliked the film. I suppose the director, Goran Stolevski, was going for a Cinéma vérité look, so everything was shot in extreme close-up, with ultra-shaky hand-held cameras, frenetic editing, and lots & lots of yelling. Coupled with some pretty strong Australian accents, sections of the film were almost unintelligible. (It didn't help that the character who was the worst offender in this regards was also incredibly annoying on top of it.) From what I could tell, there was an interesting story underneath all this hyperactivity, but the film was doing itself no favors and seemed to be actively working against my enjoyment. I honestly considered leaving at one point. And then...

I was never at the point of leaving, and I was very worried about the accents, but I was able to follow 80-85% of the dialogue and I consider that a win. I do 100% understand how I could have easily not followed it and been lost.

The opening scene with Kol on the phone...very frantic, very crazed, but I also think that's his character at that point in the story. He is deeply conflicted and running around so fast in life so no one will figure him out. Being late for the dance final is just the cover for us to know this side of him.

The car sequence was amazing for me. At every turn, when Adam is talking about his ex, he was excruciatingly careful not to use a pronoun or a name. I kept waiting for it to drop...and it didn't. But then, at the end of the car ride... It was like a weight had been lifted.

Something happened. The film -- and my response to it -- shifted dramatically.

In the film's case, it time-jumped and picked up the story a decade later. Along with the jump, however, it also seemed to settle down considerably. Shots were allowed to breathe. Editing was no longer frantic. The whole tone of the film, while still energetic, became more measured and mature. At least that's how it seemed to me. But I could be wrong, and the change that I detected had less to do with the filmmaking and more to do with myself. You see, something happened in the film that had an incredibly close parallel to something that occurred in my own life. And so, the off-putting distance I felt for the first half dissipated and the film became, for me, incredibly moving and powerful. (I've read several reviews that say something similar; of course, YMMV.)

I get what you're saying. The pace slowed, everyone is more mature and we don't play any games. The last scene was brutal; I know exactly what they both thought and felt and I wondered if they would follow through.

The age difference didn't faze me at all; there's no predatory feeling to anything in this movie. I was also cognizant that whatever happened was between two consenting adults. Adam doesn't try to seduce Kol; Kol isn't playing seductive to get Adam's attention. We see their relationship develop over an hour-long car ride.

I want to point out one scene in particular without being terribly spoilery or inappropriate. What happens in the car after Adam and Kol just drive was one of the most erotic and sensual scenes I've seen in a while. It's not graphic, but it's full of exploration, trust, fun and turns into a catharsis for both of them (and the audience).

One last note: more Thom Green, please.