Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

I was really hoping that this film will be good. But as its title suggests, it was so vanilla and I wasn't sure what was it even trying to say. The synopsis says that it is a poignant exploration of gay relationships and infidelity between an interracial gay couple. To an extent yes it is, but the film never gos into the extent of details and everything is touched upon just superficially. I didn't connect with it at all. Bastien and Matt have ben together for a while, but they have hot a rough patch, since Bastien slept with a woman 8 months back. They are both now visiting Barcelona hoping to mend this rocky relationship. The communication between them seems strained. As Matt grapples with the lingering hurt and its impact on their intimacy, enter British guy Florent, who catches Bastien’s eye and offers top show them around the city. It is obvious that he finds Bastien extremely attractive and given his infidelity before, this just makes Matt more and more angrier. Of course ...

Continuing with the trend of feel good vertical shows, here comes one more. I am enjoying these, since you dont have to use too much of your brain. They are simple stories involving love, misunderstanding, a mandatory third guy who could be the negative lead, a chance hook up and a very happy ending. And most importantly, almost all of these shows (or the ones I have seen so far) have some really hot and good looking leads, which makes the viewing even more pleasurable. But of you take these seriously, this wil just be comical nonsense. Rookie agent Ryan is assigned to investigate powerful CEO Vincent. A chance kissing dare brings Ryan and Vincent together. To avoid a public scandal, Vincent proposes a fake marriage to Ryan to save his company, which Ryan agrees hoping that this way he can investigate Vincent. To stay on the case, he goes undercover as an intern at Vincent's company-only to find that another new guy Thomas is mistaken as the CEO's lover. He actually likes this ...

Yes, one more of those macro vertical dramas stitched into movie versions, the English BL format. I think I should take a break from here because things are starting to mix up now. Having said that hat, these are good fun for guilty pleasure viewing, easily done on phone, so I shouldn't really be complaining. After you have seen a few of these, you really know what to expect. Brian has had a crush on Terry an upcoming football star from his teen days. Now adult, Terry is a very famous football star and Brian is his manager, very good at his job. Terry knows that Brian has had a crush on "someone" for 7 years and that he is gay, but Terry never guesses that it could be him. HE is also extremely flirty with Brian on many occasions and doesn't like when someone doesn't treat Brian right. But Brian has had enough and one day he resigns, forcing Terry to think of his actions. Soon Terry's game starts to suffer. The agency rehires Brian again, but. This time to mana...

This mockumentary series, is not gay series. The two lead actors play almost all roles, including female and gay characters and the sensibilities of the humor is something that might align better with gay audience and hence the review here. The idea of the series is to poke fun at flying at the friendly skies. The duo portray nearly 50 different characters who work at or pass through the fictional airport's imaginary terminal, from pilots, stewardesses and baggage handlers to coffee-kiosk workers and assorted traveling couples. Also it is important to remember that this series came back in 2010. The show has 6 episodes of about 30 minutes each. The series satirizes people who have the time and money to use airports regularly - people with respectable dayjobs, authority and status; people with a shot at a managerial role. It features a wide array of characters such as owner of low-cost airline FlyLo Omar Baba, work-shy coffee kiosk worker Precious Little, highly camp passenger liais...

One more DramaBox series stitched together like a film for audiences like me, making it easier to watch it all at Ince on iPhone. I am not sire how many gay web series like these have been released by DramaBox so far, but I think this is the fourth one that I am seeing. The show was cheesy, a bit unbelievable, but somehow still quite engaging, thanks to the short format and two handsome leads. At their grandmother's insistence, Andrew and Frank marry each other but never see each other's faces. The show starts with Andrew leaving for 1 year business overseas and handing his husband his credit card with a promise to come back and get divorced. One year later, Frank is interviewing for Personal assistant to his new boss William. William gets totally smitten by Frank's hot face and body and hires him and tries to seduce him. But Frank resists temptation for two reasons: One, in his previous job he was seduced by his boss who ended up putting blame on Frank since he was married...

Continuing with watching DramaBox series, this is another series of multiple short episodes stitched together as a movie in vertical format so it is easily watchable on phone. As I might have mentioned before, these shows are total guilt pleasures and they beautiful fit within a 90 minute range (plus or minus) making it an easy watch. The shows starts with one mafia taking over another's business and agrees to let him love, as long as his son Pietro can get married to his daughter Alice. 15 years later, Alice's brother Augusto can't stand that Alice will marry to mob son Pietro. He finds. Loophole in the contract and instead says that he will marry Pietro. What Augusto doesn't know is that since they were kids, Pietro has always like Augusto and he changed the contract to have that loophole. So Pietro very much loves Augusto but he doesn't believe it. Also with this marriage, the entire mafia community goes against this bog mafia family because they don't accept...

Terry and Julian is a British sitcom that aired on Channel 4 in 1992. The show had only one season with 6 episodes of about 22-25 minutes each. Unusually for a sitcom, Terry and Julian breaks the "fourth wall" by recognizing the studio audience and viewers, and employs use of audience participation. I was quite surprised to see how they used this method back in the day by inviting at least one audience member, making them part of the skit midway and sending them back with flowers. Flamboyant Channel 4 television celebrity Julian moves into a flat with geeky well-meaning Terry, completely transforming his life and home and repeatedly upsetting Terry’s pint-sized moustached policewoman fiancee, Rene. Julian transforms Terry’s ugly flat into a Barbara Cartland-ish nightmare and takes over Terry’s life to the point of marrying him. The script consist of a lot of double meaning dialogues that are quite witty. Episode one is when Julian moves in and completely redo carets the flat....

This film is an ambitious costume drama with a very interesting storyline at its hand. Sadly, the low budget is very evident and for some reason, it takes away the fun because of it. I can totally see stuff like this happening in olden times when, just a. Whiff of homosexuality could land you in all kinds of troubles. Once you look past the budget, this film is actually not at all bad. Penelope is learning piano and has a crush of sorts on her teacher, but she doesn't control her destiny. She is married off, by her parents, to a shy and introverted Jonathan. They move into his family’s empty estate where not a great deal happens because of Jonathan’s hatred of social occasions and he generally prefers quiet life. The duo haven't even consummated their marriage and day by day Penelope's frustration grows. To her shock, one day when Penelope discovers that her new husband is having an affair with George the Butler, she finally understands Jonathan’s reclusive personality. Geo...

For a change, the lead trans character in this sitcom, is a self-centered, easily bored agent of chaos; unlike what we usually see as a serious subject. Inherently lazy and a person who doesn't hesitate to use friends and is constantly lying, this was indeed a different cast of trans character that I have seen in recent times. The sitcom is an easy watch with only 6 episodes each of about 22-23 minutes. This workplace comedy set in a supermarket packs its pacy storylines with plenty of gags, and from all sorts of angles and slapstick humor. Supermarket manager Simon is trying to have the most inclusive workplace having launched an accidentally transphobic advertising campaign. A female dwarf, Millie, and a tall, black woman, Beefy don’t cut the mustard, so he thinks the answer is to look up “transgenders in the area”. He remembers that his employee Tim has a trans roommate Olivia, who is inherently lazy. Tom emotionally blackmails her to join the job. Simon assures her “We want you...

Trust BBC to always come up with show that constantly redefine content but also find stories (this one is inspired by a true story), that give a great representation of the LGBTQ+ community. I have seen many stories about trans people, but I am not aware of a major production house creating a series of this magnitude, reminding people that trans lives have always existed, and will continue to exist long after this moment. Apparently the series brings in Paris Lees’ acclaimed memoir to the screen (in all honesty, I have no clue who Paris Lee is, but the fact that it is still an inspiration from someone's actual life, makes it so much more interesting). The series offers a fearless and deeply human portrait of a trans, working-class person rarely seen on British television. It is 8 episodes each of 50-55 minutes. The story follows 15 year old Byron, caught between the homes of his mum, dad and gran, finding ‘freedom’ in Nottingham’s underground club scene. Show starts with us meeting...

Set in 2006 in West Yorkshire, this is your simple boy-meets-boy teenage gay love story touching on nostalgia, teenage angst and indie pop with a gentle hand. We have seen many films in the same genre, so I was hoping for something different, but sadly the film follows a very predictable narrative approach. It's not bad at all, but how I wish there was something more. The film works only thanks to the charm of its two leading actors.  George is 16 year old teenager, navigating the difficult road of social and academic failure in a small town. George, who’s certain of his own talent even though no one else seems to share that belief, dreams of becoming a famous musician. He is not good at studies ether and his father and school teachers are very worried about his future. Enter Max, a handsome student, the son of a mega-famous musical duo, who much to surprise of George, takes interest in George and his music. Their budding friendship both excites and confuses George, leading him to ...

Trust BBC and UK to come up with these heartwarming stories that touch you to the core in the gay genre. This loving and heartbreaking three part (one hour each) series about a gay couple trying to adopt a kid feels like an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you are laughing, the other minute you are enjoying the music and suddenly then you find yourself looking for tissues to wipe your tears. It’s a story about when people collide with each other and try to build a family out of all of their various parts. A beautiful and honest portrayal of queer adoption that takes viewers through the highs and lows of the process.  We meet a Welsh gay couple Andy and Gabe, who have been together for 8 years, meeting a social worker Jackie to start the adoption process. Andy appears easy-going and comfortable whilst Gabe is defensive, with an assurance that suppresses a very dark backstory. Jackie becomes there guid min the whole process. Beyond facing personal doubts and disagreements on what ...

I just finished watching the second season of the semi-autobiographical British sitcom based on comedian Alan Carr's childhood in 1980s Northampton. The first season was funny but it did not have too many laugh out loud moments, but it was a nice heart warming show and so I was anxious about second season. Like its predecessor, this again may not be edgy comic show, but it still brings a smile on your face, on more than one occasion. We continue to see Alan's shenanigans in his conservative hometown where whatever may happen, his spirit remains uncrushed in this warm and witty coming-of-age comedy. We are reintroduced to Alan and other quirky characters. Still not quite the son his father expected, Alan is content to spend his Friday nights watching wrestling on the TV with his mum. Following the sitcom format, we see how Alan is trying to impress his classmates by going to a movie for 15 year plus and how hets the fake id. In another we see how he was thrilled when his detecti...

Write what you know, as the saying goes - so if you don’t know it, do the research. Take cue from this. Saying, this film is a wonderful exploration of a young queer writer, hoping to write his first novel, but his way of research ends up being him actually joining the world of sex work and what does that do to him personally and professionally. This film is a very interesting take on modern day love, sex and ambition. The story is about 25-year-old Max Williamson. He works as a freelancer writer in a London literary magazine. He has also published a couple of short stories and is also working on writing his first novel about male gay sex workers. What his publishers and friends do not know is that Max's written assignments and novel draft -describing a gay escort's encounters with men- are not based on interviews but on his personal experience. At some point Max has becomes Sebastian in the online escort world. We witness this in the first scene when Max (as Sebastian) gets hi...

Based on a novel by the same name, this TV series is a beautiful drama of two gay men in their 70s having hidden their identity all their life and finally coming to terms with it. Barry and Morris have been in love since their youth and emigrated from Antigua to London when they were younger. Now in their 70s, they remain committed lovers and partners in all ways except publicly. I had never heard of this series till the lead actor of this show recently won the BAFTA award for Best actor drama and that made me go and look for the show and boy am I glad or what! Even before I start writing more, I can say that this show is magnificent, beautiful, vibrant and very moving. The show is 8 episodes of 30 minutes each. Our lead character here is Barry, a charming 75-year-old Antiguan descent man and a successful businessman, husband, beloved father and grandfather. But he also has a secret. He has been lovers for over 50 years with his best friend Morris. They have been friends since their bo...

The practice of conversion and aversion therapies marks a very dark chapter in the gay history. Surgical, chemical and electrical experiments being carried out on gay men held in psychiatric institutions with the intention to alter their sexual orientation. One such historical piece is shown in this film, showing some of these traumatic practices and the impact it had on people, setting his film in the Britain of 1920s. At the same time, it's also a stunningly tender portrayal of love, loss, and the complexities of human emotion. The film swings back and forth between timelines to give us a glistening account of queer love and an account of the dubious conversion therapy in those times. The film begins in an asylum for gay men where the nurses work as “dates” to get these men back on track. Owen is lucky to have Dorothy, a good-hearted nurse who is new to both romantic novels and dating. Owen is going through a writers block for his second book and this is when through flashbacks w...

I am so glad that this show was not done after the second season, because as I said in my review, I Was not ready to let go off these characters. I was so happy to see the final season. Yes, this is indeed the final season, but what a finale!! This sucker punch of a show is as heartfelt and as funny as the previous two. From the very beginning, this tale of male bonding and sexual expedition – inspired by the comedian Jack Rooke’s university days – existed in the shadow of grief. And slowly the layers were being peeled about exploration, Grif and mental health and the journey continues with all our beloved characters back in the show.  We are back in the world of best friends Jack and Danny and the other two Corrin and Yemi finishing the friend circle. The first episode starts with Jack's causing Shannon winning a huge sum of money and they all go for a holiday in Greece. With comedy at the fore the episode is definitely funny focussing on evolving relationship of Danny and Corrin ...

With Midas Man, Brian Epstein, the manager of the Beatles, gets a biopic that’s TV-movie basic, with quite a few endearing moments. I am one of those very few people who did not know anything about Brian a or how did Beatles come about. So that way, I really enjoyed this film and getting to know this part of Beatles life and that of Brian. The fact that Brian was gay was probably a well known secret at a later stage, but while he was the manager, he tried his best to keep all that well-hidden. I debated whether I should review the film here, because sure Brian was gay and the film shows us some of his love escapades, but this biopic is not about his sexuality. It's all about how he discovered, and made them the chartbuster that they are know for today. But the fact that he was gay is as critical as anything else, so here we are. Brian was the third generation Jewish family in Liverpool who used to run a very successful furniture store. He also happened to be gay. In early 60s it wa...

Layla is a beautifully observed narrative of love, sex, gender and friendship. The summary of the film doesnt even encapsulate everything that the film is trying to show. It says "When Layla, a struggling Arab drag queen, falls in love for the first time, they lose and find themself in a transformative relationship that tests who they really are." It is a pleasure to have a film that revolves around drag performers; not having them at the periphery of the narrative as dressing, but centering their stories and granting visibility to their interiority. The love journey will be full of ups and downs, sometimes you may or may not agree to what you see, but rest assured that everything is handled with a gentle touch that a subject of this nature deserves. Layla is introduced living in London with their community of queer friends, performing drag and attending parties together. They have amazing rapport with each other. In one such parties, Layla meets Max, A conventional very stra...

I have quite mixed feelings about this film. A movie about the blossoming relationship between Adam and Lucas, whose paths unexpectedly cross in the picturesque French countryside, thanks to Brexit; sounded quite interetsing on paper, plus we do not really get to see many mature gay love stories, but this film has paper thin plot, that could easily have been put in a short form narrative. Plus a lot leaves to be desired in terms of direction, which felt a bot amateurish at a lot of places. More on that later. Tortu, a gay man in his 40s has just lost his job. Things get worse when he runs out of money, loses his home and despite his close friends trying to help him best, he is unable to get back on his feet. This is when he decides to go and stay with his uncle in a remote French village knowing very well that the visa will beveled only for 90 days. The uncle is dealing with his own issues. He had been in love with a straight man for many many years, who recently died and his son Lucas...