Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

A very fascinating documentary,  “Memories of a Penitent Heart” is about woman trying to investigate what truly happened to her uncle Miguel, a homosexual Puerto Rican who died in the midst of the AIDS crisis, when she was herself just 6 years old. Working backwards through a network of friends, family photos, and newspapers, the film maker uncovers a story of heartbreaking tragedy, of loss and pain and fanaticism. Coming from a religious catholic family, with an extremely strict and conservative matriarch, young Miguel (renamed to Michael in NY) left his home in Puerto Rico and moved to New York to become an actor. He quickly made friends in the art circuit and before you know he was in a relationship with a gay ex-priest Robert. The maker tries hard to locate who this Robert is so that she can uncover the truth, she eventually succeeds in tracking him down through the film's Kickstarter campaign. He now is a Roman Catholic priest going by the name of Father Aquin. Thankfully the ...

This film is actually a collection of three short dramas focuses on the interconnectedness of Puerto Ricans living in both New York and on the island, while addressing the devastating effects of September 11, 2001. Three stories of couples passion, jealousy, doubt and infidelity - couples that are burned by sudden and unexpected feelings and are pushed to make the decision that will change their lives, forever. The first story follows frustrated baseball player Millo, whose efforts at getting noticed by a talent scout result only in an offer to become a coach. He takes his frustrations out on his wife, Luisa, whom he abuses physically before she finally decides to take some action of her own. She leaves him to go to New York, and her day of departure is September 11. In the second story, a pilot leading a double life maintains a family in Puerto Rico while keeping a gay lover, who is a flight attendant with whom he works. His life is rerouted, along with his plane, on the morning ...

I loved this film. There are very few gay comedies and if there are they are usually romantic comedies. This was comedy and drama and I absolutely loved it. I have a feeling if this film was in English, it would have lost its charm. I am so glad that I saw it in the original SPanish version with subtitles. Something about the Spanish language that makes this film even more interesting and a whole lot of fun to watch. Manuel has always lived as Manuela, a drag queen full of energy and talent whose job in the local nightclub is secure along with his fellow 'lady performer' Fararona. But in private his heart is broken because the love of his life Tono has left him. His landlady DOna Rosa is the mother figure in his life who although bitches, looks after him as her son. Her life is spent waiting for a letter from a man who she alway loved. Her niece also now lives with her whose husband Ramon left her for another woman. His best friend Coca confides in him that she is pregnant by a...