Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

This movie is a mix of comedy, drama, satire, spoof and trying to be a little bit of everything, the film at some point in my opinion loses its whole point. Agreed maybe 13 years ago, when the film came out, most of it would have make sense but in today's time, it doesn't anymore. That does not mean that the film doesn't entertain you. It does but at the same time, some repetitive scenes and mostly one dimensional acting prevents it from becoming a better film.  16 year old Dede runs from her mother's home and goes to live with her half bother Bill. Bill is gay and is a school teacher whose partner Tom died of aids few years ago which brought Tom's sister Lucia and Bill very close. Lucia pretty much doesn't have a life outside Bill. Bill now has a new boyfriend Matt. Ever since Dede moves in, she tries to seduce Matt because he is hot and young and eventually succeeds. The affair goes on till Dede finds out that she is pregnant. She convinces matt that he might ...

Now that was a complete surprise. A film that you would have not expected to go the way it did. It makes you think, you sometimes feel for the characters but you also feel repulsed by some of the acts they did. The movie was intense, it was gripping and it keeps you hooked throughout. You wanna know what is going to happen next. I was very pleasantly surprised with this film. Lars has just quit army because he could not get promoted to being a field sergeant. One day when he is hanging out with friends, he meets some people from a new-Nazi group who are all about just having pure white people led by Michael known as Fatty within the group. Everyone and everything else is against the nature. Initially, Lars distances himself from their ideology and methods, but fuelled by defiance against the system in general - and his parents in particular - Lars decides to join the group. Michael for some reason think that Lars has potential even though his right hand man Jimmy does not agree. Soon L...

This is a glam rock musical made to a movie after a successful running on the broadway. This film might not be everyone's cup of tea but you can't ignore it. Considering is a debut of a director who also acts as the principal character of Hedwig makes you sit and take notice of him and the film. I had heard a lot about this film specially in the realm of queer cinema which of course raised my expectations over a period of time. We will have to read further whether the expectations were met or not.  The film is set in a mocumentary style where Hedwig is doing commentary and singing songs based on her life. Hedwig born as hansel in East Germany fled to US when he met a soldier in Berllin. he wanted to bring Hansel with him but for that he will have to undergo sex change surgery. The surgery goes bad and he is left with an inch of mass in his front and has to now live with it. Unfortunately, things didn't work out with the guy in US. He is now following this very popular rock...

Thank God, after a series of watching really bad gay films (which seems to be the trend these days), I got to see a decent watch. In fact I was pretty surprised by the whole premise. What I loved specifically was it was a great blend of drama, comedy and social message. The gay characters are not just a walking collection of stereotypes, and the actors do their job well enough that you actually believe the characters love each-other.  The film starts with Katharina receiving a letter from her son Hans that he will bring Nicki with him whom he wants to marry in their small town of Bavaria. Katharina is very happy and tells her best friend and almost everyone in the small town. What she doesn't realize is that Nicki is a man. When Hans shows up with Nicki, she gets the shock of her life and immediately throws her son out. Initially they wanna go back to Berlin but Hans decides to stay and change people's mindset. Hans and Nicki check into a local hotel which again becomes talk of...

The heart of this film was in the right place but I cant even begin to describe how faulty the direction and editing was. The film was going all over the place between past and present and even just random scenes popping here and there. If the makers had kept the film linear and simple, it would have had so much more sense to the audience. As of now, this film was nothing but a huge disappointment. Father Gillie, stripped of his priestly garb and is marched through the recognisable process of being showered and dressed in prison clothes. Housed in his cell with a younger troubled man it doesn't take long before rumours abound that the Priest is really a paedophile. Now an easy target thanks to the insinuations he becomes hunted. Security comes in the form of a prison guard who befriends him and with whom love and an affair develops. When safely behind locked doors their illicit relationship blossoms and only then do we learn of the true crime that has put our priest inside. He he...

This was an interesting thought. There are quiet a few things that we all do when we are young without even thinking of what repercussions it might have in our old age. What we might think of it and how it is going to affect us psychologically. Using this as a primary theme, this film takes us through the life of Harry Sweeney.  Handsome Harry as he is called by his friends is 52 years old, divorced and has a son who lives in Chicago. He is ex army servant and is carrying a secret with him. He also does not allow anyone to come close to him. He gets a call from his friend Kelly who is dying and who wants him to find out their friend Kagan and ask for forgiveness. Thirty years ago, these guys were a group of 5 friends in navy who always used to hang out together. In a drunken brawl all of the the group subjected Kagan to a beating because of homophobia: all of the men participated in the cruel act but one crushed the jazz pianist Kagan's right hand with an armature, destroying the h...

This film was weird. It was just going nowhere. Looking at the poster, you might think that it might be somewhat like Summerstorm but it doesn't even come close. This is one of those really bad foreign / independent films where all that happens is bicycle riding. Trust me, thats exactly what they show for a good 30-40% of the initial time in the film. 2 young men Johann 7 Robin are on a train bound for some country-side experience. Half of the film just focuses on them and their adventures of biking in the woods. When their bikes get ultimately stolen, they look for shelter and find a 40s woman with her son. The woman is interested in gay men but her son is not. He is just used to being a bored teenage who just does random things to kill his time. Then random things happen. The 2 boys spent sometime with mother and son and then go back to woods. And then something happens in which one of the boy either gets lost or killed or something. It is not very clear. Trust me, the film was...

This film though might give an impression of a biopic, is really not. Its the directors fantasy that he plays on the screen around the idea of Callas starring in a film production of Carmen at a time where she was losing her command of her magnificent opera voice. Larry is a famous singer who meets Michael, an artist on one of his trips to France. They have an instant attraction and slowly start dating. remember that Larry is much older than him but that means nothing. Michael idolizes Callas, a very very famous opera singer. She is now losing her voice and confidence and prefers to live in seclusion. Larry used to be Callas' agent in her heydays. Larry proposes a film version of her famous opera Carmen to Callas so that the younger generation gets to see her work and see her perform which they have never had the opportunity to. Initially reluctant to star in a film that will use her old recordings dubbed on the film soundtrack, she ultimately gives in. The projects is launched an...

L.I.E. is the coming of age story of a boy who must quickly develop resiliency to cope with the loss of the things closest to him; his mother to the L.I.E., his father to the criminal justice system, and his best friend Gary to the lure of California. This story rings true because it's something that happens in the real world all the time, whether people want to admit it or not. The film captures events and emotions that are complex, challenging, and confusing. But does it make up for an interesting viewing, lets see ahead. Howie belongs to a well affluent family and his father is a lawyer. He alongwith his friend Gary, and a few others have been robbing the expensive houses of their Long Island neighbors just for the excitement of seeing how much they can get away with. Howie clearly doesn't need any money but Gary does. One of their escapades takes them to the house of Big John, a macho ex-marine well known in the neighborhood as a man who likes to have sex with young men. D...

What the hell was that film. Certain things about this film just made no sense whatsoever. What was the point that the film makers were trying to put across? Why did they have to set this film in future? It was all just too bizarre. Agreed they wanted to show what could potentially our life be in next 50 years or so but it is still not good enough reason to make a bad film with some really bad acting. We are in future where every human body has a chip and that is how government keeps a track of you. Somehow there are a couple people here and there who have managed to stay away from being chipped. Middle aged Gary keep all to himself till he meets 20 something Danny. Danny and his mother have just moved to town to stay with her mother until they can find work. It turns out that David's mother was once married to Greg's lab partner. Greg and his partner were the ones who invented the idea of human chips. She is furious with both men for selling out humanity with their invasive ...

The film is named Kambyo because of the term “Joy ride”. It is about the journey of 4 gay men (we dont even know if they are really gay) wanting to take a break in their own busy and sometimes pointless life. During the trip, they soon discovered themselves and find the direction they take to move on in their own lives. The film originally hows 2 of the 4 men questioning about their sexuality but then after a while it just presumes everyone is gay and goes along with that assumption. Cousins Macky and Manuel start on a road trip to look for the Macky's long lost friend Philip. They bring along with them their fun loving friend Xavier, who tags along a hunky guy named Aldo, whom he just met right before their trip. Along the trip they just talk about normal regular stuff that doesn't add much value (actually no value at all) to the movie. As they drive their way up north of Manila, this unrestrained group of three friends and a stranger explore the boundaries of their friendshi...

This was such a bad film on all accounts. I waited for a while hoping there would be something nice and tender that the film has to offer but I was so wrong and finally I reached a stage where I just could not wait any more or bear the film. There is no concept of screenplay in this film. Combined with a pathetic direction and acting, this film tests your patience.  Based on the real lie story of poet William Meredith and his partner of 17 years Robert. When William suffered a stroke that left him almost helpless, Richard stood by his lover and fought for the right to be his caregiver against the wishes of William's family and aware of the restrictions that would be put on his own life. The film is set against the backdrop of training for and running of the New York marathon. We watch Richard gain the strength to work with his partner and see him help him through his illness, therapy and healing and we certainly feel the love they share.  The film was like random scenes put to...

I saw this film the second time recently. I have to admit that I did not enjoy it as much as I did the first time. I still remember when I saw it the first time, I was completely bowled over but then that was the time when I had just started watching gay cinema. This does not mean it is not a good film. It is a gay romantic comedy which also uses some of its time to also focus on a straight couple as well who happen to be friends of Adam and Steve.  In the 80s in New York, goth makeup guy Adam meets a glam rock dancer Steve and they end up back in Adam's apartment. All the drugs and laxatives get the worse out of them and because of some very unhygienic reasons they never have sex. Fast forward to 17 years Adam again meets Steve who is now a doctor and love blossoms over a period of time. Neither of them remembers the past. Their affair starts with awkwardness, angst over saying ' I Love You' and weird meetings with respective parents. In the meantime we also have Adam'...

This film was made for TV Uk film. I am by now very surprised how open Uk is about telecasting TV movies on gay subjects on BBC channel. I wonder when will America ever be so open about these things. Anyway. coming back, this film is autobiography of famous write Christopher Isherwood and his life in Berlin in early 1930s. The film is based on his book which itself became controversial when certain things were written about certain people who now enjoyed a healthy, successful and scandal free life. Christopher is leaving England to go to Germany against the wishes of his mother. He meets Gerald on the train who suggest he can live in the same boarding house as him run by the landlady. Once in Berlin Christpher meets his friend Wystan (who we later find out that Wystan actually loves Christopher) who takes him to a seedy gay club populated by hustlers. In the boarding house, he becomes good friends with Jean, an aspiring actress. Christopher stars an affair with Caspar who is a hustler...

Drowning (Australia) Things are changing for Mik. His world has been turned upside down by the sudden death of his big brother forcing him to redefine his place in his family and the world. The one solid thing in Mik s life is his best friend Dan. But Dan has a new girlfriend. BUt dan also will go to any length to be there for Mik because he knows Mik is gullible and all he has is Dan. Franswa Sharl (Australia) On a family holiday to Fiji, twelve year old Greg s creative pursuits fail to amuse his father. Setting out to win back his admiration, he enters himself into a competition for a beauty pageant and wins. Apparently based on a true story, this film for a change has a happy ending. Tanjong Rhu (Singapore) A former military officer makes a film about a man he encountered in Tanjong Rhu, a secluded cruising ground. He narrates his experiences of how he was caught and put in jail and publicly ridiculed in the media. Again, inspired from a real incident that happened in 1993 in SIngap...