Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

I wanted to like this film. I really did, despite its erratic direction, sometimes split screen visuals and scenes jumping from one event to other without sufficient explanation. The story was fine and after initial discomfort, you kinda get a hang of things but the end was so abrupt. The shock value in the end was interesting but a proper culmination was also needed. You can't just shock the audience and leave the story just there. Gil is a 20 year old young man who lives with her aunt and her husband, since his mother died at a very young age. Gil loves his aunt to death but cannot stand his uncle. Due to the differences between then, the uncle throws Gil out of the house. Gil's life style is all about smoking, guitar, music and alcohol. When even his girlfriend cannot accommodate him at night, he is at the beach looking for alcohol where he meets 40 something Otavio. We earlier see that Otavio is with his boyfriend and he still very much remembers his teenage years when...

I can't really remember watching a sequel of a gay film before. Either there haven't been one before or I have missed them. When I say sequel, I mean real sequel that takes the story forward and not just series like 'Eating Out'. Yossi takes the story forward from 'Yossi & Jagger', where the protagonist Jagger dies in a tragic military ambush and how Yossi is going on with his life. Its been about 10 years since the incident had happened. Yossi is now a doctor but a very very lonely man. His anxieties are pushing their way into lonely nights with internet porn and growing detachment from his hospital's job. Yossi is still in closet, doesn't like to talk to anyone about being gay. A chance encounter with Jagger's mother at the hospital check up makes him to go to their house to tell Jagger's parents who he really is and what his relationship with Jagger was. Jagger's father is ok but the mother doesn't take it all too well. Being ...

I saw this film first almost 6-7 years ago, just about when I had started watching gay theme films but not reviewing them. I am glad I did see it again because I had forgotten how good and emotional this film was and now I can also put in my views on this film on my blog. The movie although shot pretty much with hand held camera, is still strikingly beautiful. I think this film also features in one of the top ten best gay films of all times. I am not sure if I will put it there on my ratings but still this one is pretty darn good film. Yossi and Jagger are both in military. Yossi, the company commander, is an introvert guy and largely a man-of-the-system. Jagger, the platoon commander, is an open and much more liberated guy. He is the star of the company. Yossi is determined to keep their love in secret. Whereas, Jagger, who is about to finish the service, believes that Yossi should leave the army with him. We get to see how Yossi and Jagger steal few moments here and there to be ...

My first Vietnamese gay film and I must say it wasn't bad at all. I will have to look into my collection to see if there are more of gay films from this country. It had very interesting 2 semi-parallel stories which shows how individuals can get lost in the par aside of a big city. A relative persuasive story line and a believable ending makes this film worth a watch. Khoi, a 20 year old guy moves to the big city with dreams in his eyes. Dong, an attractive young man befriends him to share his apartment with him when he sees Khoi looking for a place. Khoi meets Lam when he goes to check out the place. Dong and Lam turn out to be boyfriends, prostates and crooks, who won and steal all of Khoi's money and clothes. Not too later, Dong also dumps Lam. Lam starts working as a prostitute again on the streets till he once again sees Khoi and brings him home with him. The two become very close and eventually becomes lovers. Khoi constantly wants Lam to leave his job because it sca...

This short narrative feature is directed by Eytan Fox, a famous Israeli gay director. The film is set in a small town in Israel. Mizti and Guri are friends. Guri wants to relocate to Tel Aviv before he's "outed". Guri is the only one who knows about him. We also meet the very obviously gay Nohav as well who likes Guri. They all meet at a dance class. Enter the hunk and macho man Merito. He seduces Mizti on the first day and she ends up having sex with him. Guri and Nohav get some to talk where Guri tells him that yes he is gay but he just wants to get out. Nohav tells him that his dream is to dance with the love of his life and win a local song contest. After getting Mizti in bed, Merito's next target is Guri, which is also a mission successfully achieved. The film ends with Guri getting into an art school in Tel Aviv and he decides to have a final dance with Nohav because he knows the latter has a crush on him. The music has been amply used in this film. This fi...

This film is Ferzan Ozpetek's first film. I have mentioned numerous time on this blog on my fascination for the films he has directed, so I was eagerly looking forward to watching this film as this was his debut. I must say, my expectations were completely met and I was again very happy and satisfied watching his cinema. There is some sort of authenticity, simplicity, complexity of relationships and the family values that make you watch his films and appreciate them. Francesco and his wife Marta live in Rome and they run a small design company. One day Francesco finds out that his long forgotten aunt Anita has died in Istanbul and has left him her house. When he reaches Istanbul, he discovers that the house is actually an old hamam, in an old original part of Istanbul. Due to the downfall of the tradition, the hamam lost its appeal and had to be closed down. Francesco also finds the letters that his aunt wrote to his mom but never posted. He meets the family who was taking car...

Another one of gay cinema coming out of our very own USA. Independent cinema sometimes  can spawn up big surprises but this film has no genuine artistic merits. Even the way the story is told, gets confusing after a while. And why would you even do that? There are so many things in this movie that are unbelievable but that is besides the point! Anthony comes to San Francisco following Stephen who is a therapist there. Anthony is a budding poet and they both are on the verge of starting life together. Every now and then Stephen gets angry for some small reason and then gets back to normal. After 6 months of a semi-abusive relationship, Anthony has had enough and he breaks up with Stephen and moves out and get an apartment of his own. Anthony now feels very very lonely and ends up striking a friendship with a 17 year old Gavin, a homeless street hustler, who has his own rough past. However Gavin enjoys con games and scams too much and the novelty wears off for him. They both lon...

A Norwegian gay themed film. Now this should be interesting. And interesting it was till I thought they spent too much time in detailing out the blackmailing and all that was going on in the movie. It feels that the film-maker wanted to cover every aspect of Sebastian's life, which is fine but then it becomes hard for the viewer to keep a track of everything that's going on. Sebastian had a poor childhood. When he grows up, money is always on his mind and he will do anything for it. His best friend is Moon, who was smuggled for sex trade from Thailand. They met and a gym and have become good friends ever since. Sebastian is in a relationship with an old powerful man named Wilhelm. Initially started for money, this relationship is all about love and respect for each other. But Sebastian wants more. He along with Moon chalks out a plan, where Sebastian will be an escort to famous, elite, rich and powerful men and then blackmail them. His plan goes ok for a few times. Despite...

A very catchy title and once again we have a movie for straight people classified as "gay" because it has a gay character in it. This one even has a gay/straight theme, but if it was made by or for gay people, then it is even more absurd. This one probably looked like a good idea on paper but does not come across as entertaining as it probably could have been. Tony, a macho straight guy and Steve, gay man with a boyfriend end up being co-workers. Because of a childhood incident, Tony has always been against gays. He is the classic case of homophobia. He can't stand Steve one sec. At a Christmas party, they both get into a verbal spat, which neither of their partners is able to stop. They both end up saying to each other that " I wish you were gay" and "I wish you were straight". Guess what! The christmas angel fulfills their wishes and both Tony and Steve start to notice changes within themselves. Steve suddenly starts finding himself attracted to...

'Welcome To New York' is one of the better gay short narrative features that I have seen in a while coming from USA. I always complain how, we get to see some really bad gay movies made in US, with some good exceptions of course. So I was pleasantly surprised with this film. The humor and bitchiness of the characters were just spot on. And being New Yorker myself, I know it. The film features Sherry Vine as a shrink and we are introduced to 5 of her patients who are new to New York and how they are coming to terms with this vibrant city. We first meet Cassie, who is a little neurotic, 'high on life' and finds weird when strange homeless people talk to her. She starts hallucinating about making it big in life like Oprah ( quite a funny dialogue interaction here). We also meet her room mate, good looking Scotty and a trick that he has at home. Second is Mick, a drag queen who works hard to keep up with city life. Mick is propositioned by a good looking dude at a club...

It will be wrong to completely classify this film in the gay themed category. This i smog alike a coming of age film, in which a group of teenagers discover themselves amongst things that are going on around them. 3 boy son the verge of manhood and a girl in between. The interactions between the 4 protagonists forms the crux of the story. Francois and Maite are close friends but not lovers. Maite likes him but she knows she is not in love with him. One night Francois discovers he is gay, when he is seduced by an athletic guy Serge from his class. Serge i snot gay. It is just a sexual adventure for him in school. But post this encounter, the 2 of them become good friends and Francois keeps hoping that something more will follow. We also meet Henri, who is originally from Algeria, a couple of years older than the others and is try cynical. He ultimately ends up falling in love with Maite, who is supposed to be his enemy and a hated communist. Francois is also attracted to Henri but ...

I have always ben intrigued by black gay culture, more so because I barely know much about it. African American men have always fascinated me, and I am not talking just sexually. So, I was really looking forward to this film. Unfortunately, there're not many gay films about Black men for Black men. This film exactly does that and to a certain extent also does a pretty decent job of it. We meet Magnus and his boyfriend Ryan. Ryan refuses to have sex with Magnus for 6 months so that they can get to know each other better and make this relationship special. We later find out about Ryan's secret life and what this was all about. $ of Magnus' friend arrive NYC for gay pride weekend. We then meet Langston, a British lesbian, who can’t quite seem to connect with a sexy bartender despite her obvious receptiveness. Joey lives in Atlanta trapped in a stagnant life with no men or means to escape. Kyle is the opposite end who whores around all day, loves sleeping with men and fina...

"Black Briefs" is a gay short-film compilation featuring films that deal with darker themes. Even though the films are dark, they make you think. It’s always good to be adventurous every once in a while. Although I had already seen 2 out of the 6 movies in the series, it nevertheless was a decent collection. Spring Read here Spring Remission Sam, in a long cabin home in the woods, is just getting back from his oncology appointment is sitting and talking to his boyfriend about the results. Something makes him feel that he is being stalked. Upon letting his dog out the next morning Sam notices a bloody gauze pad on the floor with a string pulling it towards the basement. And the end is chocking. The film was interesting but I felt it was way too slow for whatever was going on. Winner Takes All Ryker cancels his theater performance for the night and invites the two guys who has been dating together; Brian and Ernesto. Ryker confesses to both Brian and Ernesto that he...

Until I started watching this film, I had no idea this film was based on a true story. Now, whenever films are made on true stories, it automatically adds to the curiosity because there must definitely be something very interesting about that story that prompted a ilm out of it. This film is a portrait of Joao Francisco dos Santos, a flamboyant, fiercely proud drag queen with a hair-trigger temper, who became a legend in the clubs and slums and prisons of Brazil. Joao Francisco is an aspiring performer and general seeker of the spotlight in Lapa, Rio’s bohemian district. While managing a life helping out at a local nightclub, he actually earns the bulk of his income from committing petty crimes – mostly robbing unsuspecting young men whom he takes to his bed and schemes with Tabu, his brother/sister/whatever "limp fairy queen" as he calls. He is street smart, hustler but also has a soft side. He gave shelter to Laurita and her bay daughter. The 3 of them form an odd fami...

Gayby is strikingly similar to a Will and Grace plotline that never materialized, following a pair of best friends aware that their time for parenting might soon pass them by. Other than the standard rom-com misfortunes of relationship misadventures, the charm that Gayby offers is what happens when a man and woman don’t find each other sexually attractive but still want to have a baby. An interesting plot line, that I am sure has been handled before, although somehow I can't recall watching any. Yoga teacher Jenn and Matt are best friends. When her biological clock is ticking, she asks Matt if he would like to make a baby with her. Matt, who has recently broken up after 6 years in a relationship agrees because he likes kids too. Turned off by turkey basters and fertility specialists, Jenn insists they conceive “the old-fashioned way.” This "old fashioned way" makes some of the most funny moments in the film. While this is going on Jenn is trying to find a guy and so ...