19th Apr2020

The Invisible Man – Film

by timbaros
07-2An unseen stalker is wreaking havoc on the life of a San Francisco woman in the new version of ‘The Invisible Man.’

Elisabeth Moss plays Cecilia – who literally runs away from the her very wealthy tech genius of a husband Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) because of his mental and emotional abuse. But Cecelia has not completely broken away from trouble – she feels like she is being watched, spied on, and stalked by someone, something. But her sister Alice (Harriet Dyer) informs her that Adrian has committed suicide, and shows Cecelia the news on her smartphone. So her sister reassures her that she is free from Adrian and all the torment that he had caused her. But her unease continues, and racks up even more when strange things start to happen (a blanket pulled off from her bed, footsteps seen on the ground). This invisible stalker becomes more bold and violent, enough so that an unseen force murders her sister in plain sight, framing Cecila for the murder. She is convinced that her ‘dead’ husband is still alive, even after being assured that he’s dead by Adrian’s lawyer brother Tom (Michael Dorman). Writer and Director Leigh Whannel (’Saw’) really ratchets up the scare factor, including in quiet moments in the film when Cecilia is tending to normal activities. Moss is very good as the victim, and as the film creeps up to it’s 2 hour running time, the suspense builds, though there are a couple moments of disbelief. All in all ‘The Invisible Man’ is one scary film that successfully reimagines the very scary HG Wells original.
Now available on DVD:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Invisible-Man-DVD/dp/B084TJ6Y9S
Category : Film
Tags :
Off
11th Mar2020

Sonic the Hedgehog (Film)

by timbaros
Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.

Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.

Jim Carrey steals the show in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ – a new film based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise and cartoon. But let’s call it what is it – it’s a 90-minute animated film about a hedgehog!

Sonic, she speediest hedgehog in the world, has arrived on earth – his new home. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) meets small-time cop Tom (a charming James Marden) and they team up to defend the planet from the evil Dr. Robotnik (Carrey) and to defeat his plans for global domination. Yet roadblocks are thrown in the way – especially when one of Sonics magic time travelling rings gets stolen and lands up in San Francisco. So Sonic and Tom (and Tom’s partner the lovely Maddie (Tika Sumpter)) go to San Francisco to retrieve it but Dr. Robotnik gets there first. it’s good against evil in a film that’s bound to please the youngsters who are more than likely familiar with Sonic then the adults in the room.  
 
Carrey is just a bundle of fun in his role as Dr. Robotnik – it’s a character Carrey relishes as it’s a character role that he has played before. While there is no super wow moments in this film, it’s satisfying enough and at the end leaves the door open for a sequel, or sequels, as there are quite a few hedgehogs in the franchise – so if this one is successful (no doubt it will be), expect more to come.  
Category : Film
Tags :
Off
11th Mar2020

Emma (Film)

by timbaros

E M M A .The new film ‘Emma’ – based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel – is about a rich young woman who sees her friends all around her falling in love. But does Emma want love? 

Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays Emma with a spark, and lives a very comfortable life with her very rich father (Bill Nighy) – who always feels a draft in his house) much to the dismay of his butlers. But it’s Emma who rules the roost – and who plays matchmaker for her girlfriends – all hanging on her every word. Her friends include the daughters of Miss Bates (a hilarious turn by Miranda Hart), and her friend Miss Harriet Smith (Mia Goth). But while others around her are falling in love right and left, love eludes Emma – and it’s been under her noise all along! Will her knight in shining amor be George (Johnny Flynn) or Mr. Elton (Josh O’Connor) or Frank (Callum Turner)? ‘Emma’  – a story told many times in the past, is a fun film – perfect for Valentines Day. Directed by Autumn de Wilde, with sumptuous costumes and sets, and Anya Taylor-Joy is a joy!

Category : Film
Off
11th Mar2020

Parasite (Film)

by timbaros

pst_web_02-copyYes it’s true about all the hype surrounding the South Korean film ‘Parasite’ – it’s funny, dramatic, and very very different, and it sticks to you like, well, a parasite. 

Director Bong Joon-ho, who wrote the screenplay with Han Jin-won, tells the tale of the Kim family, who are all unemployed (they attempt to get a job folding pizza boxes but fail miserably) and live in a ground floor basement apartment where locals relieve themselves right outside their window. They also steal Wifi connections from neighbors. The son, Kim-woo (Choi Woo-shik) gets a job tutoring the daughter of the wealthy Park family who live in an architecturally stunning home. And soon enough, the daughter, Ki-jeong (a brilliant Park So-dam) poses as Kim-woo’s friend ‘Jessica’ who is then hired to be an art therapist for the Parks’ young son. And then eventually the father (Song Kang-ho) and the mother (Chang Hyae-jin) get jobs in the Park household as well, infiltrating the Parks’ home and their lives, like an organism (parasite). But their good luck just about comes to an end when the former Park housekeeper (whose job the mother stole) comes back to check on what she left behind (it’s quite a surprise!), and it’s then that the Kim family ruse starts to be discovered and it all slowly starts to unravel, especially when the Parks come back home early from a rained out vacation.
 
It’s such an extraordinary tale that could only come from the man who gave us ’The Host’ (where a monster kidnaps a young girl), and ‘Okja’ (where a young girl raises a large pig).’ Joon-ho elicits great performances from all of his cast, especially the younger actors of the Kim family – they are all very dastardly in their lies, and the Park family wife (Cho Yeo-jeong), who is oblivious to what is happening in her very own home.
Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival as well as two BAFTA Awards (Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Not in the English Language), and nominated for 6 Academy Awards, ‘Parasite’ is truly one of the best films of the year – it’s a dark comedy that’s very very dark – and delicious.
Category : Film
Tags :
Off
01st Feb2020

Uncut Gems, Richard Jewell, The Lighthouse, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, Queen & Slim (Film)

by timbaros

Uncut Gems

Uncut Gems (superb) – and other film reviews

Uncut Gems

An Adam Sandler movie connotes bad acting and a stupid plot. Not ‘Uncut Gems’ – it’s fast, furious, heart pounding and brilliant.
Shockingly and shamelessly ‘Uncut Gems’ has been ignored by the people who give out film awards – its Sandlers’ best film ever as well as one of the years top movies.
The action and plot in ‘Uncut Gems’ builds and accelerates into hyperdrive – a feeling probably akin to being on meth with the high becoming more and more intense until an explosive ending.
Sandler plays Manhattan gem dealer Harold Ratner, a man known to place a few bets in his time. He comes across a rare black opal which he wants to sell for a big score. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Other people (criminals) also want their hands on the opal, meanwhile Ratner owes money to loan sharks, he’s been cheating on his wife (Idina Menzel) with his sexy and saucy mistress who is his assistant in the jewellery shop (Julia Fox). Also involved is a professional basketball player dangling lots of money in his face to spend on jewellery. Combining all this and what you have is a man whose life is spiralling out of control to a point where it’s do or die for Ratner.
To say Sandler is brilliant is an understatement. I saw this film last year at the BFI London Film Festival and didn’t know what to expect going in. When I left the cinema 135 minutes later, my head was spinning and my mind took hours to process what I had just seen. The ending is such a crescendo it’s so unlike anything you’d expect from a Sandler movie. 
Directors (and brothers) Benny and Josh Safdie (who did the award winning 2017 film ‘Good Time’ starring Robert Pattison), with a script by both of them (and Ronald Bronstein), bring us a superb film that’s thrilling, intense, and will have you on the edge of your seat. And while all the cast is brilliant, ‘Uncut Gems’ is Sandlers’ movie. Go see it just for him, and expect the ending to just blow your mind.
‘Uncut Gems’ is on Netflix but is also currently playing in local cinemas.

 
 
Other films opening this weekend include:
 
Richard Jewell
 
89-year old Director Clint Eastwood shows he’s still got it. In ‘Richard Jewell’, he tells the story of the man who was initially blamed for the bomb that exploded in Atlanta, Georgia during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Paul Walter Hauser is fine as Jewell, an overweight security’s guard who still lives with his mother (Kathy Bates in overacting mode). A back story of a reporter (Olivia Wilde) who will do anything to get her story (including sleeping with FBI agent Jon Hamm) did not happen so take this film with a grain of salt. Sam Rockwell is very good as usual as the man who never doubted Jewell’s innocence. 
 
The Lighthouse
01-2.jpg
Powerful acting by both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, and superb cinematography by Oscar nominee Jarin Blaschke, are the highlights of this film about two men sent to a remote location to take care of a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere. As boredom, heavy and continuous rain, and monstrous waves take their toll on both men, they start grating on each other after too many meals and too much time together, and it all comes to a head as Pattinson’s Ephraim Winslow starts getting annoyed as Dafoe’s bossman character Tom Wake barks one order too many. A bit on the homoerotic side, ‘The Lighthouse’ is visually so unlike any film you’ll see this year, or even this decade. 
 
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
 
Going into this film I expected a story of the lovable Mister Rogers – the man who, for decades hosted the U.S. childrens’ television show ‘ Mister Rogers Neighborhood’, but it’s not a story about him. It’s the story of writer Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) doing a magazine article about Mister Rogers. Of course, Mister Rogers hypothetically stands in for Vogel’s father, a man he never got a long with and was never able to please (played a bit over the top by Chris Cooper). Hanks is superb as Rogers but after leaving the cinema I felt a bit ripped off as I didn’t get the film that was advertised. 
 
Queen & Slim
32262712431b.jpg
A Tinder date turns into a nightmare for Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya). Director Melina Matsoukas and writer Lena Waithe have taken their lead for this film from America’s racial problems by placing the titular black couple in a situation where they are, on their first date, pulled over by a white cop. It is just the beginning of their road trip that turns their relationship from strangers into lovers and partners in crime. A bit ’Thelma & Louise,’ ‘Queen & Slim’ will bowl you over by the very fine performances from the leads as well as the political message it sends about race, and the very dramatic ending.
Category : Film
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,
Off
30th Jan2020

Quezon’s Game (Film)

by timbaros
Quezon's+Game+#10It’s the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust, and there are necessary tributes and memorials being held across the world. There are also television and film tributes being shown, but if you can, please include Quezon’s Game in your schedule.
Quezon’s Game is the fascinating story of Manuel Quezon (Raymond Bagatsing), the president of the Philippines who rescued 1300 European Jews in 1938. Through many obstacles, including from the U.S. government to members of his own staff, and even his declining health, Quezon was able to get Jewish people out of Europe and obtain Visas for them for the Philippines (which at that time was a territory of the U.S.). Originally wanting to save 10,000, the 1300 were saved with the help of future U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower (David Bianco) the support of his wife Aurora (Rachel Alejandro), and the determination of several others including Jewish cigar factory owner Alex Frieder (an excellent Billy Ray Gallion). 
 
Quezon’s Game is an emotional journey of the decisions that Quezon had to make in a time when the world was waking up to the atrocities of Hitler in a least known story of WWII. Set to beautiful music, including the beautiful song ‘  ‘ with the amazing voice of Shulem Lemmer, that will leave you at the end with a lump in your throat and vivid images of the survivors, some of whom provide commentary while the credits role.
 
Quezon’s Game has won worldwide acclaim, and awards from several organizations. It’s beautiful filmed and acted, and definitely a must see. 
 
Quezon’s Game will be in UK Cinemas nationwide from 31st January 
Category : Film
Off
29th Sep2019

Hotel Mumbai (Film)

by timbaros
Hotel Mumbai

Hotel Mumbai

The true story of the Mumbai 2008 terror attacks is told in the gripping film ‘Hotel Mumbai.’

I guarantee you you won’t exhale until the film is over. ‘Hotel Mumbai’ is heart racing – when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks that lasted four days across Mumbai. People were going about their daily business while the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, which was hit the hardest, was getting ready for another work day. Then bam, 18 terrorists took to the streets of Mumbai and indiscriminately started shooting at people. Hotel Mumbai re-enacts these chains of events and is as realistic as it gets.
Dev Patel stars as Arjun who works at the hotel as a waiter in order to feed and take care of his young family. Armie Hammer plays David, married to British-Muslim heiress Zahra (Nazanin Boniadi). They, along with a few hundred other people, are trapped in the hotel while terrorists roam the hallways looking for more westerners to kill, and this is after they shot up the train station as well as a cafe killing most of its patrons. These scenes are harrowing – you know what’s coming but don’t really expect it when it does. And when the film moves to the hotel and the terror the people are going through it feels very palpable and very real. While David and Zahra’s nanny (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) hides in a closet in their suite with their newborn baby (the only unrealistic scene in the film as the baby is not quit quiet and it’s strange two of the terrorists don’t hear the baby), many other hotel guests are hiding in several secure pockets in the hotel, not knowing what is going on and why no authorities have entered the hotel to rescue them.
Directed by Anthony Maras and co-written by Maras and John Collee, ‘Hotel Mumbai’ vividly tells the tragic story when 174 people were murdered, hundreds more wounded, in the worst terror attack ever in India.
Category : Film
Tags : , ,
Off
29th Sep2019

The Shiny Shrimps (Film)

by timbaros

THE_SHINY_SHRIMPS_Locker_Room-Pep_TalkJC13340-300x200A gay water polo team struggles to compete amidst personal dramas on their way to the Gay Games in the fun, camp and hilarious film ‘The Shiny Shrimps.’

In French with English subtitles, and directed by co-directors and co-authors Cédric Le Gallo (a real-life Shrimp) and Maxime Govare, ‘The Shiny Shrimps’ is a cross between ‘Priscilla Queen of the Dessert’ and ‘Pride,’ with a road trip film interspersed with lots of melodrama!

When straight world champion swimmer Matthias Le Goff (Nicolas Gob) makes a homophobic remark on television, he tries to redeem himself, at the direction of the swimming federation, by being tasked to train The Shiny Shrimps – a Parisian gay water polo team (and purely not athletes) who are in the sport purely for the social aspect of it as well as to be able to perform dance routines and dress up in competitions. So Goff has a huge task ahead of him. all the meanwhile trying to impress his young daughter. Other men On the team have their own issues; Cédric is married with two kids and his partner says the water polo team is taking him away from his family, while Jean has health issues he’s yet to divulge to the team, and another team member is newly out and is about to have the time of his life. We are too when the Shrimps travel, by bus, to the Gay Games in Croatia. It’s a road trip like no other; they camp it up to the extreme while love, and sadly homophobia, comes into play. And once they get to the games they’ll attempt to make their mark in any way they can.

‘The Shiny Shrimps’ is so much fun to watch it’ll make you want to join some sort of sports team to experience what you’ve just seen in the film. And the cast are having lots of fun, with each actor perfectly suited for in roles. ‘The Shiny Shrimps’ is une joie.

Category : Film
Tags :
Off
22nd Jul2019

Only You (Film)

by timbaros
Josh O'Connor and Laia Costa in Only YouA contemporary romantic drama starring Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor, from first-time filmmaker Harry Wootliff. ‘Only You’ was shown as part of the London Film Festival’s First Feature Competition.
Elena (Laia Costa), 35, and Jake (Josh O’Connor), 26, meet by chance on New Year’s Eve, fighting for the same taxi. But, instead of going their separate ways after a shared ride, they start a passionate relationship. Within weeks they are living together, and not long after they talk about starting a family. But, as the seasons pass, reality catches up with them. Falling in love was the easy part, but can they remain in love when life doesn’t give them everything they hoped for? It’s as realistic a love story as you can get – and both Costa and O’Connor are electrifying.
‘ONLY YOU’ is now in Cinemas and On Demand by Curzon
Category : Film
Tags : ,
Off
12th Jun2019

Gloria Bell (Film)

by timbaros

image.php-289Julianne Moore is simply fabulous as a middle-aged woman going through the motions in the new film ‘Gloria Bell.’

Moore, who excels in every role she plays, is particularly good here in a film that is a remake of the 2013 film ‘Gloria.’ With the same director, Sebastian Lelio, this Gloria is more nuanced and, with Moore as it’s lead (Paulina Garcia played Gloria in the original film, and won lots of awards), takes this version to another level.
 
Gloria is a 53-year old divorced woman living in Los Angeles. She’s an insurance broker with two adult children, one son who just had a baby with a wife who has gone away to ‘find herself’, and a daughter who is getting ready to move to Sweden to be with her boyfriend. 
 
Gloria willingly attends singles events in the hopes of finding a new man; she’s very attractive and stable, so it should be easy for her to find a quality man.
 
She meets Arnold (John Turturro), who appears to be 100% available at the beginning of their relationship but somehow is tied to an umbilical cord to his two adult daughters, and leaves Gloria, literally, in situations she never thought she would find herself in. But nothing else much happens in ‘Gloria Bell.’ We see her driving around and singing along to the radio, a cat that somehow keeps finding it’s way into her apartment, and an upstairs neighbor who is a bit schizophrenic. But it’s the grace and allure in which Moore plays Gloria that is both mesmerizing and alluring. Moore is very good in these types of small roles (see ‘Still Alice,’ ‘What Maisie Knew,’ and ‘Freeheld’). She literally guides us through this film in one of her best ever performances. But it’s at the end of the film, where the camera is squarely focused on Gloria, who is a guest at a wedding. She gets up and dances with herself, a bit sad that she’s alone, but content, and dancing to the tune of Laura Branigans’ 1992 song ‘Gloria.’ It’s an image that lingers with you long after you’ve left the cinema.
Category : Film
Off
12th Jun2019

Can You Ever Forgive Me (DVD)

by timbaros
can-you-ever-forgive-meMelissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant both play gay characters in the fantastic ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me.’

Based on the life of book author, and Lesbian, Lee Israel, and fluidly directed by Marielle Heller, ‘Can you Ever Forgive Me,’ based on the late Israel’s memoir, tells about the misadventures of Israel’s life. She was a Manhattanite who didn’t have much money to rub together, so she starts forging signatures of famous people and then sells them to collectors, raking in big money. Questions start arising about her charade, and soon enough she has to pull back, and then enlists her gay best friend Jack (Richard E. Grant – in his best performance ever) to take over her sales duties to pawn more fakes to the collectors. It’s early 1990’s New York City, and one gets the feeling that anything can happen then (‘if you can make it there you can make it anywhere’), and that Israel will rise above it all, but in the end we know what is coming. But before, director Heller (working from a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty) perfectly sets the mood and vibe of New York, with bookshops almost at every corner (long gone now no thanks to the internet) and quite a few of the scenes in the film were shot in the West Village’s classic gay bar Julius. 
 
Can We Ever Forgive Israel? Yes, we can definitely forgive Israel for what she’s done, because it has brought us this fine movie. McCarthy and Grant have been nominated for Oscars, let’s hope that if anyone of them wins, it will be Grant. He is just superb in his role, debonair, chilled, and like a fine wine, getting better with age.
Category : Film
Off
14th Apr2019

The Best of Flare (Film)

by timbaros

BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival 2015BFI Flare, London’s LGBT+ Film Festival, had a successful 33rd year with over 50 features and more than 80 shorts, with special events, guest appearances, club nights – it was a very busy 9 days!

It is hard to compile a ‘best of’ list as myself, and everyone I know, did not actually watch ALL the films – but herewith are the best films that I saw at Flare, some of which will soon be at a theatre near you.
 
‘Mapplethorpe’ – the controversial American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe’s life is given a dramatic re-telling, and it’s just as sensational as it’s subject matter. Matt Smith gives it his all, and then some, for a movie that is just about perfect – a film that was lucky enough to get permission to use all of the sexy and dirty images that Mapplethorpe created in his lifetime. This film is already in limited release in the U.S., however, no UK release date has been announced, but this is a must see film for THE GAY UK readers.
 
Also a must for GAY UK readers is ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life’ – a documentary about sexy Israeli gay porn star of the same name. We are taken on a ride, and whatta a ride it is, in a documentary that’s emotional (we loved his mother), sexy (lots of gay sex is shown) and hard-hitting (drugs). Directed by Tomer Heyman, the man who brought us the excellent ‘Whose Gonna Love Me Now’ in 2016, ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life’ is both erotic yet car crash cinema. 
 
‘Consequences,’ starring the very sexy Matej Zemljič, who plays a teenager with behavorial problems. When his parents send him to a juvenile correctional facility, he bonds with a group of men who are violent yet fluid in their sexuality. He falls for the ring leader, who instructs Matej’ character to rob and steal, but consequences ensue until one final incident that changes everyone’s lives.
 
I am really glad that I saw ‘Transmilitary,’ a documentary about the lives of four soldiers who risk dismissal or demotion to fight for Transgender rights in the U.S. Armed Forces. Very very current – this documentary takes us up to early 2018 – it’s also very timely in light of President 45’s ruling to ban certain Transgender people from the military. And I guarantee you will fall for Senior Airman Logan Ireland; he’s sexy, muscular and with the most amazing smile and eyes. And he used to be a woman.
 
Another military-based documentary that also deals with discrimination – The Fruit Machine – is an historical account which exposes decades of governmental criminalisation of LGBTQ+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Yet many many years later, many of these members say that after being kicked out, disgraced, and, according to the Canadian Government at that time, criminalistic, they all agreed that they would proudly go back and serve their country.
 
‘Jose’ is a cute and light story of a young Guatemalan man who lives with his struggling mother all the while looking for love in, literally, all the wrong places. Kudos go to filmmakers Li Cheng and George F. Roberson for immersing themselves in Guatemalan culture and hiring locals for the film, which was all shot in Guatemala. 
 
Another great documentary was ‘Light in the Water,’ a look at the West Hollywood Swim Team. Of course we get to see many men and women in tight swimming costumes, but it’s the people in the swimming costumes that we really get to know and bond with, including a man in his late 40’s who was previously married with kids, then divorced, came out as gay, joined the swim team and met friends for life. Footage of previous Gay Games, as well as lots of shots in the California Sunshine, are an extra bonus. An overall feel good film.
 
‘Papi Chulo,’ starring Matt Bomer, is a sentimental film about a television weatherman who has a breakdown after the end of a relationship with an older Latino boyfriend. He instantly falls in love with the older migrant worker he hires to paint his deck. It’s a bit silly and sentimental, but the migrant worker, played by Alejandro Patino, is excellent. 
 
‘The Heiresses’ was just delicious. An older Lesbian couple are separated due to the actions of one of them, which gives the other one time to explore new experiences and venture into new territory, and this includes meeting a younger attractive woman who lights a spark in her. Both leads Ana Brun and Margarita Irun are superb. 
 
This is just a small taste of what was on offer at Flare this year. And now only 6 more weeks until the Cannes Film Festival!
Category : Film
Tags :
Off
20th Mar2019

BFI FLARE: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival

by timbaros

null

BFI Flare, London’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival, is back in its 33rd year and will take place from 21st – 31 March 2019.

It will be ten days of films and events for our community, a celebration of all things gay & lesbian & transgender that promises to offer a vibrant space for all of us who are able to attend. Flare will also be ten days of seeing people you only see during this festival – and a time to meet up and grab a drink or a cup of coffee in between screenings. It will also be a great opportunity to meet new friends and some of the filmmakers and actors.   
BFI Flare will present over 50 features, more than 80 shorts, and a wide range of special events, guest appearances, club nights and much much more. Here is a very brief summary of some of the highlights:
Flare will open with the period drama ‘Vita & Virginia,’ charting the passionate relationship between Virginia Woolf (played by Elizabeth Debicki) and aristocrat Vita Sackville-West (Gemma Arterton).
A must-see for the gay male crowd will most definitely be ‘Mapplethorpe,’ which stars sexy Matt Smith as the legendary photographer in this no-holds-barred exploration of the controversial and one of the most feted photographers. Another one for the boys is ‘Papi Chulo’ which stars Matt Bomer as a heartbroken gay television weatherman who forms an unlikely friendship with an older straight migrant worker.
Another must see will be the closing night gala screening of ‘JT Leroy.’ Starring Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart, the film tells the story of how Savannah Knoop (adapted from her memoir) became JT Leroy – a fictional character who came true to life and bedazzled New York’s downtown scene for years.
The UK premiere of ‘Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life’ takes place during the festival and paints a portrait of one of the world’s most successful gay porn stars – Agassi – in a life of highs and lows.
Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger portray two women who fall in love in 1950’s Scotland in the film ‘Tell it to the Bees,’ while in ‘Rafiki’ two young Kenyan women attempt a relationship despite it being illegal in their country.
On the documentary front, a queer lucha libre wrestler is profiled in ‘Cassandro, The Exotico,’ while ‘Halston’ is a portrait of the American Fashion legend, complete with rare archive footage. Another legend, ‘Montgomery Clift,’ is profiled in the self-titled film in the search to discover who was the real Clift. ‘Tongues Untied’ features the work of black gay filmmaker Marlon Riggs, while in ‘Transmilitary,’ four soldiers risk dismissal to fight for transgender fights in the U.S. armed forces.
Events/debates include: Trans Creative at the Movies: a discussion that will feature transgender moments in film; At Lethal Lesbians will be a talk about how queer females are deadlier than the male species. In Operation Spanner: Then and Now – 16 men were prosecuted in the late 1980’s for their participation in consensual S&M sex sessions, will be explored in two short film and in a discussion. The Big Gay Film Quiz is back as well as the very popular Club Nights that take place in the BFI Southbank’s Benugo Bar & Kitchen – great weekend nights out to let your hair down and boogie the night way.
Also, don’t miss the The 25th anniversary screening of ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ which will take place during the festival.
Full details, and to buy tickets, please go to this link:
Category : Film
Tags : , , , ,
Off
17th Mar2019

Benjamin (Film)

by timbaros
Image 15-03-2019 at 22.06Comedian Simon Amstell has directed and written his first film – it’s called ‘Benjamin.’
He actually also could’ve called it Simon. ‘Benjamin’ follows the life of filmmaker Benjamin (played by the charming Colin Morgan). He is a frustrated, self doubting filmmaker, and is not very optimistic about his latest film – ‘no self.’ He is also not very optimistic about his love life – an ex is very angry at him for writing negatively about him in a film. Benjamin’s best friend is comedian Stephen (Joel Fry), who after ten years on the stand up scene is almost ready to throw in the towel. But one day Benjamin’s publicist/friend Billie (Jessica Raine) takes him to a chair opening party (yes, that is what it is called) where Benjamin meets the adorable French Noah (Phénix Brossard). Noah is younger than Benjamin, but over time their relationship blossoms. But as Benjamin’s insecurities about relationships, and life, get worse, will he be able to confidently promote his new film while at the same time keep up his crumbling relationship with Noah?
Anstell wrotes scenes for this film from almost every relationship he has ever been in. And lead actor Morgan can actually pass for his younger brother, while Stephen, a comedian, was perhaps modeled on Anstel’s early career. ‘Benjamin’ is a great date movie – for both gay and straight couples. It’s charming and original.’ And while it won’t change your world, it’s a great first effort from Anstell – hopefully he can continue to make more charming movies such as this.
In Cinemas and on Digital 15th March 
THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK FOR
BENJAMIN IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM AND DOWNLOAD
Category : Film
Tags : , , , ,
Off
Pages:«12345678910...29»
« Previous Page — Next Page »