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Showing posts from October, 2012

Paper Dreams (Documentary)

This documentary is basically a love letter to a super specific and mostly forgotten slice of queer history—the world of all-male magazines between 1955 and 1973. It’s a really interesting guide that shows how these images changed over the years, eventually moving from still photos into the world of film. Before 1966, these gay magazines were all about musclemen in jockstraps posing like Greek Gods. But then, everything flipped. In this "golden window" from 1966 to 1973, the pages started featuring young guys between 18 and 22 who had boyish faces and totally normal bodies. They weren't gym rats; they were just ordinary kids, often drifters or runaways, who modeled for unknown photographers for just a few bucks. They’d show up in a magazine for a minute and then just disappear. After 1973, the "hardcore revolution" happened, and these softcore magazines became old news almost overnight. Just like that, the whole era was gone. The movie mixes together old photos,...

Gay Short Films : 14

Kampvuur (Belgium) [Campfire] A coming out story summarizing itches of love, pain and relationships. A young boy falls in love with his best friend who reciprocates one night in camping but things take 180 degree from there. The friend totally ignores him and things at the camp become very awkward. The guy's "girl" friend is the only one who supports him at this time. (5.5/10) Matroos (Belgium) [Sailor] A teenager adores his sailor friend. He dreams about the exotic countries, starry skies and the inevitable homesickness that would bring his friend back to him. In a colorful series of referential images, his fragile dreams get so unreal, that the enthusiasm for seeing his friend again turns into anxiousness. Weirdly shot film. I honestly did not get it. (1/10) Diccups (USA) What happens when you dick gets hiccups? Extremely funny short short film just for the concept alone. (7/10) Le Marais (France) A young male customer finds himself attracted to a young print...

Little Ashes (UK/Spain)

Following the lives of the famous trip of Spain; artist Salvador Dali, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and writer Federico García Lorca. this film takes us back to the early 20s in Madrid when it was a ripe time to live at the Students' Residence in Madrid and study at the School of Fine Arts. The film focusses on Dali and his unconsummated attraction towards Lorca and how Dali started to confuse sexuality with artistry. In 1922, Madrid is wavering on the edge of change. Salvador Dali arrives at the university; 18 years old and determined to become a great artist. His bizarre blend of shyness and rampant exhibitionism attracts the attention of two of the university's social elite - Lorca and Luis Bunel. Salvador is absorbed into their youthfully decadent group and for a time Salvador, Luis and Federico become a formidable trio, the most ultra-modern group in Madrid. However as time passes, Salvador feels and increasingly strong pull towards the charismatic Lorca - who is himself obl...

Magnifica presenza (Italian)

I have greatly loved and admired Turkish-Italian director Ferzan Özpetek movies and look forward to them. Hence my expectations for this film were also pretty high. I feel so sad to say, that unfortunately they were not met. There’s a lack of genuine narrative motivation that leaves this very promising film without oomph and substance. More on that later. Pietro is an aspiring gay actor and moves in a big house when he gets lucky with the pricing of the house. Pietro moves in and his life is going in order when he starts hearing strange noises in the apartment. He feels presence of people, whom he can see and feel. It turns out that the house in inhabited by a group of ghosts all dressed in from the 40s. Initially scared to death, Pietro soon realizes that all these ghosts are good souls and they are just stuck in a time-wrap. What can Pietro do to help? He listens to all the pieces of advice they give. To help these people move on, he will have to find out who gave them away duri...