25th Apr2021

Charlie Says (Film)

by timbaros
CharlieSays-Banniere-800x445-1In an interesting peak into the world of murderer and cult leader Charles Manson, ‘Charlie Says’ tells the story of three women who fell under his spell.
‘Charlie Says’ is based on the books ‘The Family‘ by Ed Sanders and ‘The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten’ by Karlene Faith, Ph.D. Faith worked with three women (Leslie Van Houten (Hannah Murray, Game of Thrones), Patricia Krenwinkel (Sosie Bacon), and Susan Atkins (Marianne Rendón) after they were sent to prison for murder.  Faith wanted to understand, firstly, why the women were attracted to the world of the Charles Manson, and secondly, why they killed for him. Faith, played by Merritt Weaver, attempts to rehabilitate the women when are we introduced to their backstory, how they entered into the Manson clan and who were mesmerized by Charles himself (played spookily to a t by Matt Smith). Mostly women, and a couple men, were part of the Manson family where they all ate together, hung out together, and even slept together, with Manson calling all the shots. And then the infamous murders took place. The women took part in the brutal 1969 murders of couple Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, as well as the murder of eight month pregnant actress Sharon Tate, who was Director Roman Polanski’s wife. They were sent to prison for life for their participation in these murders.
 
‘Charlie Says’, directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho) and written by Guinevere Turner, is an eye opener into the world of Charles Manson, with great performances throughout, and Smith all to spookily a dead ringer for Manson. 
 
 
Signature Entertainment presents Charlie Says on Amazon Prime Video
 
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25th Apr2021

The Best of Flare Film Festival 2021 (Film)

by timbaros

enfant-terrible-2020-leopard-printThis year’s BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival recently finished, and just like last year, it was a virtual festival. But that didn’t stop people from buying tickets to watch the amazing selection of films. Here are a few of the highlights:
Enfant Terrible
The life and loves of celebrated filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder was filmed in the style of a stage show, with the sets stepping in as a separate character, in a film that brings the bare bones of Fassbinder’s short yet volatile life to the forefront. Oliver Masucci turns into Fassbinder – a defining name in the radical German Cinema movement of the 1960’s and 70’s – right before our very eyes. Fassbinder made over 40 feature length films before his untimely death at aged just 37. Director Oskar Roehler paints a volatile portrait of the troubled man behind the camera, including his many loves, his films, and his downward spiral. Roehler does an excellent job painting a portrait of an artist who was a tormented genius, an addict (drugs and sex), and was perhaps ahead of his time.   
 
Poppy Field (Câmp de maci)

This Romanian film places the spotlight on a gay policeman, who while not out at work, gets involved in a tense standoff between a crowd at a gay film festival and a group of religious homophobic protestors. While Cristi (a brilliant Conrad Mericoffer) has a lover who is visiting him for the weekend from Paris, can’t show favor to the LGBT activists, even when one recognizes him. Conflict, and and tension, escalates, and Cristi is forced to act in a way that is against his lifestyle. Based on a true story, Director Eugen Jebeleanu’s excellently captures the life of a closeted police officer who has to make decisions that clash with his personal life. Written by Ioana Moraru

Boy Meets Boy
Johannes (Alexandros Koutsoulis) and Harry (Matthew James Morrison) meet one night on a sweaty dancefloor in Berlin and immediately take a liking to each other, spend the night, and the rest of the next day with each other.
Director Daniel Sánchez López films the two new young men on a warm summers day as they stroll through Berlin after their encounter. Harry, a doctor, has to catch the next day back home to the UK so they have to make the most of the time they have. But as the day goes by, they fall more and more for each other. But eventually the day must end….what will they do?
 
FireBird
Sergey (Tom Prior) is a closeted officer in the Soviet Air Force. He meets pilot Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii) during their time in basic training – and it’s instantaneous attraction. Roman’s friend Luisa (Diana Pozharskaya) also falls for the charms of dashing officer Sergey. Director Peter Rebane beautifully captures the conflicted Sergey, who falls in love with Roman, knows that as an officer he needs to marry a woman and start a family. With the backdrop being the war between the Soviet Union and the West, Firebird is based on a true story. This lavish and well produced drama captures Sergey and Roman’s fleeting time together against all odds.
 
 

Kiss Me Before It Blows Up (Kiss Me Kosher)

Israeli Shira (Moran Rosenblatt) takes her new German girlfriend Maria (Luise Wolfram) to meet her parents, and goofy brother, in this delightful first feature by Shirel Peleg. Shira has a reputation around town as a serial dater, but after a whirlwind romance with Maria they move move together and it looks like a wedding is on the horizon. Whilst Shira’s family welcomes Maria with open arms, grandmother Berta disapproves, wishing instead for a nice Jewish girlfriend for her favourite granddaughter. And as their cultural differences become apparent, will Shira and Maria’s relationship pass the test, even when Maria’s parents come to visit? Cleverly directed and written by Shirel Peleg.

The Dose (La Dosis)

A long-time nurse becomes suspicious of a new co-worker in this thriller from Argentina. Marcos (Carlos Portaluppi) is the senior nurse in the ICU but when Gabriel (Ignacio Rogers) joins his unit Marcos quickly takes a liking to the young and handsome man, but Gabriel is not who he seems, and neither is Marcos. Martín Kraut’s suspenseful thriller builds up the tension (both sexual and dramatic) in a film that takes twists and turns, unfortunately twists and turns that are not good for the patients.

Jump, Darling

In her very last film role, the late, great Cloris Leachman steals this movie as the grandmother to Russell (Thomas Duplessie). Russell shows up on her doorstep and Margaret (Leachman) takes him in. (Leachman was 94 when she made this movie). Russell is at a crossroads about his life but wants to be an actor. But in his hometown he was a drag queen performer so he takes his act to the local gay-friendly bar in his grandmother’s town. Of course Russell and Margaret bond in a way they never did before, and Russell excels. Unfortunately Leachman died earlier this year. Written and directed by Phil Connell.

Valentina
Young trans activist and Brazilian YouTube star Thiessa Woinbackk leads a superb cast in this impressive debut feature that sees a tough transgender teen demand her rights. Woinbackk plays Valentina. She’s a transgender teen in Brazil, and faces significant social hurdles and bureaucratic barriers. Her steadfast mum will do anything to smooth the path, so together they start over in a new town where nobody knows that Valentina is trans. She becomes goods friends with a gay boy and a pregnant computer nerd at her new school, while maintaining her secret. But will her secret remain a secret? Woinbackk is superb in a film delicately and expertly written directed by Cássio Pereira dos Santos. Highly recommended.
 
 

AIDS DIVA: The Legend of Connie Norman

A Los Angeles Act-Up organiser is remembered for her fierce resistance to both transphobia and the AIDS virus. Connie Norman, a local Los Angeles activist who worked tirelessly to make a difference, is profiled in this film. Director Dante Alencastre deftly handles this portrait of a woman who was way before her time who led the way in activism. Directed by Dante Alencastre.

 

Cured

A documentary that explores the campaign by key U.S. activists to remove homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of mental illness. It’s a fascinating look at the fight that not many people are aware of. The story of social and medical injustice carried out by medical boards in the U.S. is shocking, and more so as the victims recount their stories. Directed by Bennett Singer, Patrick Sammon

 

Mama Gloria

Mama Gloria is a fierce woman who has become a local hero to younger trans women in Chicago. In this documentary by Luchina Fisher in her debut film, Gloria Allen, who is Mama, is shown as a fixture in her community who, through hardship and turmoil, overcame this to become a role model, and a local celebrity.

 

P.S. Burn This Letter Please

Decades ago a successful Hollywood agent received dozens and dozens of letters from New York City drag queens. Why? He used to be friends with them in NYC back in the 1950’s. These letters were discovered after he passed away in Los Angeles, and these letters form the basis for this well-crafted and moving documentary. Some of the authors of these letters are alive to recount their lives during this time, recounting their stories as it was just yesterday, with photos used as evidence of their previous lives. A simply beautiful film, directed by Michael Seligman, Jennifer Tiexiera.

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25th Apr2021

Original Gangster (Film)

by timbaros
OG - Screenshot - 5-1Castor (Alex Mills) is orphaned when gangsters murder his parents, but sentimental assassin Milo (Ian Reddington) spares his life. Years later, once Castor has reached adulthood, the two are reunited when Castor steals from one of Milo’s men to survive. Milo sees a budding gangster in Castor, who has resorted to violence to sustain himself in his mostly homeless existence. Milo procures a job for Castor as an enforcer. Castor is happy to repay Milo for saving his life, but finds himself increasingly uncomfortable the cold, emotionless existence of a criminal. Castor must make a choice between living the violent, empty life of a gangster or to pursue his lifelong dream of having his own family. Also starring Steve Guttenberg as crazy drug kingpin Jean-Baptiste Philippe. Also starring Adam Deacon, Isabele De Rosa as Milo’s long suffering wife, and Sean Cronin in a memorable turn as bad guy Tony Thomas. Directed and written by Savvas D. Michael.
Original Gangster is now available on DVD & Digital Download.
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25th Apr2021

Martyr (Film)

by timbaros

MARTYR_06-1Director Mazen Khaled, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, has shot a film in his hometown that deals with the importance of friendship, in a film that resonates powerfully in its short 85 minutes.

Hassane (Hamza Mekdad) lives with his parents in a small apartment in a not so wealthy area of Beirut. He has no job to go to, and his parents keep on nagging him to get one. He is a procrastinator – and he enjoys spending days hanging out with his friends along the rocky city coastline along the Mediterranean Sea. Him and all his friends share a similar look (dark hair, fair skin, handsome), and they all love sitting around doing nothing all day. When some start diving off the edge into the rocky waters below, Hassane, while not a confident diver, takes a leap, and it’s a leap that costs him his life. It’s at this point that the melancholy of lounging around is over as ‘Martyr’ takes a dark turn when Hassane’s friends have to deal with the reality of the situation, and worse, take his body, by taxi, to his home. Then the grieving accelerates, especially for his dear mother (Carol Abboud), who can’t accept that her dear son has died.
 
Khaled masterfully captures the friendship, brotherhood, and love Hassane shares with his friends. There is also a touch of homoeroticism as Director Khaled vividly films lingering body shot, while the men are not afraid to touch each other which is customary in their culture. And at the end, in a death ritual, his friends bathe him to get him ready for his final journey. Powerful stuff.
 
‘Martyr’ premiered on Curzon Home Cinema on 12th March and was followed on all other digital platforms, as well as DVD, from 22nd March. 
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25th Apr2021

Luz (Film)

by timbaros
luz 2-1Ruben Gonzales is Luz, a young man sent to prison for causing the death of a young woman he was driving, a young woman he was smitten with.
The film, ‘Luz,’ has stayed on my mind ever since I watched it a couple weeks ago. It’s a very memorable love story.
Luz has ties to the mafioso, and the woman he was driving in the car was his cousin’s partner. Luz is thrown into prison for causing her death (he also had been drinking when he crashed), and he also has to worry about the wrath of his cousin when he gets out, a cousin who has taken Luz’s baby daughter after the death of his mother who was looking after her.
Luz is thrown into a cell with Carlos (an extremely excellent Jesse Tayeh), who at first practically bullies Luz. But as time goes on there is something in Luz that Carlos finds attractive, and Luz the same with Carlos. Before you can say ‘prison break’ they fall into each others arms and live prison life as a couple – surprisingly not causing much attention to themselves from the other prisoners. Then suddenly, Carlos is released, which comes to a shock to Luz – he had no idea this was going to happen but Carlos always kept cards close to his chest.
Eventually Luz gets released, and there is no one to pick him up, but he has two main concerns; to get this daughter from his evil cousin, and to find Carlos no matter what. He does eventually find Carlos working in a garage, but will their prison relationship hold up in the real world? And can Luz get his daughter away from the clutches of his kingpin mafia cousin?
Jon Garcia, an accomplished Emmy-nominated filmmaker and musician, directs and writes ‘Luz’ from his heart and soul. It’s a tender love story where two men, who fought for their lives in prison, fight for love on the outside. While Gonzales needs some more acting lessons to nail the emotions of his role, Tayeh is a natural – we can see why Luz has fallen in love with him. Tayeh has done lots of television work in the last ten years, and I am sure there are bigger things in store for him – he’s just fantastic in ‘Luz.’ The love story in ‘Luz ‘is unexpected, but it’s romantic and natural.
 
On DVD and Digital April 6 from Dark Star Pictures.
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25th Apr2021

Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker (Film)

by timbaros

3895B294-9018-4B08-B41D-22D994C4B914The deaths of many male artists in New York City in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s proved devastating for not just the closely knit artists community there but also for art in general. The list is endless, but the most famous were Keith Haring and Robert Mapplethorpe (both died of AIDS), Jean-Michel Basquiat (herion overdose) and David Wojnarowicz (also AIDS).

A new documentary –  Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker is a long awaited portrait of the artist who died at the young age of 37 in 1992. Wojnariwicz was a multi-media artist, writer, photographer – a man of many talents. And while he became famous late in his life, his radical art lives on way past his death, and still does.
HIV and AIDS became the focal point of his art, while his work waged war against the establishment’s indifference to the plague, and he made headlines, most of the time the headlines were attacking his work. As his gay male friends were dying all around him (photographer Peter Hujar was one of them), Wojnarowicz cranked it up and became as radical as ever, with some of his anger and rage stemming from the abusive relationship he suffered at the hands of his father when he was growing up. His anger and rage intensified after he was diagnosed with the devastating illness, and he fought and fought until the very end. 
Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker  includes exclusive access to his breathtaking body of work – including paintings, journals, and films – reveals how Wojnarowicz emptied his life into his art and activism. Rediscovered answering machine tape recordings and intimate recollections from Fran Lebowitz, Gracie Mansion, Hujar, and other friends and family help present a stirring portrait of this fiercely political, unapologetically queer artist.
Directed by Emmy-winning director Chris McKim – and produced by Chris and award-winning WORLD OF WONDER’s (RuPaul’s Drag Race) Randy Barbato & Fenton Bailey – it’s an eye-opening documentary about the man many of us don’t know much about. 
 
Now available through
Kino Marquee virtual cinemas
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25th Apr2021

Fukushima 50 (Film)

by timbaros
I86Oh01gTen years ago the world looked on as Japan battled to avert a potentially world-changing catastrophe after a massive earthquake and then an unprecedented tsunami – which then caused a nuclear reactor leak. This riveting, and true story is told in the new film ‘Fukushima 50.’
 
50 represents the number of men, and women – workers at the Japanese power plant – who worked days on end to prevent a catastrophe that could’ve caused radiation to leak, which would’ve affected most of Japan.
 
Based on the extraordinary, jaw-dropping book by Ryusho Kadota, On the Brink: The Inside Story of Fukushima Daiichi, the film, directed by Setsurô Wakamatsu (‘Whiteout’), rivals most of Hollywoods’ disaster epics.
 
Ken Watanabe stars as the head of the power plant who must act fast to prevent total destruction, and rally his workers to action while the higher-echelon bureaucrats fail to grasp the enormity of the situation. The film drives home the staggering impact of the incident on Japan, still being felt a decade later, but is a stark reminder that, had it not been for the titular 50, things could have turned out a lot, lot worse.
 
‘Fukushima 50’ is a moving and extremely timely human drama about people pulling together in a time of unprecedented crisis.
RELEASED ON ALTITUDE.FILM AND ALL DIGITAL PLATFORMS ACROSS THE UK & IRELAND FROM 8 MARCH
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