Pride Month Movie - Day Thirty: The Kings of Summer

The Kings of Summer (2013)

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Screenplay by Chris Galletta

Stars: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Erin Moriarty, and Alison Brie

Wow! This blog-a-thon has took me on a bumpy journey. I have seen some great movies and terrible shit piles. I've had a great time.

To close out Pride Month, I wanted to watch a movie that had a non-binary person in it. I happened upon a list on Letterboxd that suggested this movie. I have one question. Was this movie supposed to be a comedy?

High school is out for the summer. Joe (Robinson) is having trouble connecting with his father, Frank (Offerman). He tries to bring his best friend, Patrick (Basso) and the "weird boy in the school" Biaggio (Arias) to build and live in a house in the middle of the woods.

Again, I pose the question; was this film supposed to be a comedy? The "humor" in this movie went down like the Titanic. Talk about clunkers. I guess the movie was supposed to be a coming of age film, but it didn't quite achieve that in my eyes.

Being as Nick Robinson's big screen debut, I found that his Joe was just like Simon in Love, Simon-- which I did not care for. Both characters were stubborn assholes that didn't care about the people around them.

Was the movie trying to be them "growing up" and "being men," because they ran away from home so they don't have to deal with their weird families? 

The ending of this movie was a huge "fuck this movie" for me. Trying to wrap up everything in a nice little bow. I did not care for it.

Rating: 4/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Nine: Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée

Screenplay by Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack 

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O'Hare, Deneen Tyler, Michael O'Neill, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts and Griffin Dunne

This was a big deal at the time of its release. McConaughey was on an upswing in his career with The Lincoln Lawyer, Mud, and Killer Joe. This movie nabbed him the Best Actor Oscar along with Jared Leto for Supporting. Did I love this movie? No.

Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) is a down on his luck electrician that finds out that he has tested positive for HIV. He doesn't beleive it at first, because it was a gay disease. Then, he has a change of heart and researches everything about it. The CDC, FDA are trying to control a trial of AZT to treat AIDS symptoms. Woodroof circumvents the red tape to provide medicine for people not on the trial.

I have some thoughts. I was not rooting for Woodroof. In the context of the movie, he was extremely prejudiced and homophobic. The slurs that were coming out of his mouth would make you blush. You expect me to root for this awful man. Was he trying to make a difference in treating AIDS? Sure. Should I clap for him? No. He was the main character of the movie. That does not bode well for me. I wanted him to fail. I didn't care about him.

This movie was trying to be so deep with the wailing, "oh, look at me, I lost all this weight so I can get an Oscar" and all that. I wasn't falling for it. Why did this story need to be told? I read up that one of the screenplay writers put a whole bunch of misinformation in the initial script with conspiracy theories that HIV do not develop into AIDS or how the early drugs like AZT worked in human body.

I have to get this off my chest. There were too many characters in this movie. I was confused who from whom. I didn't know who was Tucker,  T.J. or Clint. They all looked the same; white men with mustaches. Get rid of them. I don't care.

Did McConaughey and Leto give good performances? Sure. Oscar winning? Not really. It did not elevate the material in my eyes.

Rating: 5/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Eight: Pariah

Pariah (2011)

Written and directed by Dee Rees

Stars: Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, Charles Parnell, Aasha Davis, Sahra Mellesse, Pernell Walker, and Kim Sykes

I have heard of this movie from the indie circuit. What I didn't know that this is a full length version of Rees' original short, Pariah from 2007. I felt as this movie dragged a lot.

Alike (Oduye), a 17-year-old from Brooklyn is struggling with two identities. She knows that she is a lesbian. She goes to clubs with her friend, Laura (Walker) and she is free to dress more butch are her people. At home, her strict Christian mother, Audrey (Wayans) wants her to adhere to be more feminine. The two worlds collide and madness ensues.

The first moments of this movie, I was hooked. The vibe of the movie pulled me in. The problem with the movie is Alike. I understand being in the closet, requited love, living separate lives. I get that. I felt as though Alike was too awkward.

Alike's parents were the best parts of the movie. Sure, they fought like cats and dogs, but they love their daughters. They want different things from their daughters. Cool.

The pacing of the film is my biggest compliment. I wish that a couple of characters were cut. A couple of side plots would be jettisoned. I wanted to take more of the family dynamic.

Rating: 6/10

God's Own Country

God's Own Country (2017)

Written and directed by Francis Lee

Stars: Josh O'Connor, Alec Secareanu, Gemma Jones, Ian Hart, and Patsy Ferran

I haven't seen this movie in about four years. When I knew I was gonna hate My Beautiful Launderette, this film was gonna get me out of my foul mood. Thank you for this film existing.

Johnny (O'Connor) works for his family farm in Yorkshire. He spends his days working there and his nights drinking, puking his guts out and has casual sex with any man that shows interest.

Johnny's father, Martin (Hart) cannot work, because of a recent stroke. A Romanian nomad, Gheorghe (Secareanu) to work on the farm temporarily. Johnny and Gheorghe develop an unlikely relationship.

Let me count of the ways that I love this movie. There is not that much dialogue in the film. You can read their thoughts through those lingering glances. I love that Gheorghe came into Johnny's life to give him love. Johnny is used to having things done his way. Gheorghe challenges that with compassion, empathy and being nurturing.

The tone, the pacing, and the chemistry were impeccable.

Rating: 10/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Seven: My Beautiful Laundrette

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

Directed by Stephen Frears

Screenplay by Hanif Kureishi 

Stars: Gordon Warnecke, Daniel Day-Lewis, Roshan Seth, Derrick Branche, Saeed Jaffrey, and Shirley Anne Field

When I was doing this blog-a-thon, people were suggesting that I watch this movie. I don't see what the big fuss is about.

Omar (Warnecke) is a Pakistani young man taking care of his ailing Papa (Seth). One day, his wealthy uncle Nassar (Jaffrey) gives him a laundromat. Omar has an idea to transform the laundromat with his old childhood friend, Johnny (Day-Lewis).

This movie was not what I thought it was going to be. In my eyes, all of the characters are awful people. Most of Omar's family treated him like shit. Why do people love this movie?

The score. I hated the score by Stanley Myers and Hans Zimmer. What the fuck is up with the water droplets? Why? For the love of all that is holy. I can't. I can't with this movie. Sorry, not sorry.

Rating: 1/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Six: Victor/Victoria

Victor/Victoria (1982)

Directed by Blake Edwards

Screenplay by Blake Edwards

Based on the concept by Hans Hoemburg and earlier screenplay, "Viktor und Viktoria" by Reinhold Schünzel 

Stars: Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras, John Rhys-Davies, Graham Stark, and Peter Arne

With the fabulous Julie Andrews getting her AFI Lifetime Achievement Award recently, I wanted to see one of her Oscar nominated performances.

A down on her luck singer, Victoria Grant (Andrews) tries to audition for various nightclubs around Paris. She has a chance meeting with Toddy (Preston), an out of work lounge singer. Toddy comes up with a plan to have Victoria assume the identity of Victor, a famous female impersonator from Poland. Things get complicated with a nightclub owner, King Marchand (Garner) takes a liking to Victor.

This movie being the zeitgeist for the longest time; I thought I would have heard something about the plot. There was things in this movie that surprised me. I was glad that Blake Edwards did not make fun of gay men or drag queens. There was care with this screenplay. Treated the characters with respect for the most part.

The pacing of the movie dragged in the middle. Times I thought the movie was over and it kept going. I had a problem with Lesley Ann Warren's character, Norma Cassady. Was she trying to be annoying? Was that her acting choice or Blake's? Why was she nominated for an Oscar? I had the biggest problem with the voyeurism of the movie. It felt creepy. Lock that wardrobe. Let's leave it at that.

Rating: 8/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Five: Pride

Pride (2014)

Directed by Matthew Warchus

Screenplay by Stephen Beresford

Stars: Ben Schnetzer, George MacKay, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Joe Gilgun, Faye Marsay, Freddie Fox, Paddy Considine, Imelda Staunton, and Bill Nighy

In the times that we are living in, I wanted to watch an inspiring story. A Facebook group I'm in suggested this movie. Since I've never heard of the situation, I felt a little out of the loop.

We are plunged into the the middle of the miner's strike in 1984. A young activist, Mark (Schnetzer) organizes a group of people in the neighborhood to help out the striking workers to help feed their families. The Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners or LGSM is formed. They reach out of a small village in South Wales lead up by Dai (Considine) to bridge the gap between the different groups.

The biggest problem I had with the movie is that being an American, I have no clue about cultural movements in different countries. If the movie could have explained more about what the workers were striking, I would have enjoyed the movie more.

I was worried that the movie was going to be like Stonewall, a big screen misinterpretation of events. I don't know if that happened here. I felt as though I was being manipulated a little bit. The swelling score, character's making heel turns, AIDS, gay bashing, all of that.

I understand that there were some real people in the movie and some not. Cool. I didn't love the movie as some other people would.

Rating: 7/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Four (Part 2): (A)Sexual

(A)sexual (2011)

Directed by Angela Tucker

Stars: David Jay, Dan Savage, Anthony Borgaert, Lori Britto, Carol Queen and Cynthia Graham

I was trying to find a film about the subject of asexuality. Those films are few and far between. I managed to find this documentary on PlutoTV.

The subject of the documentary, David Jay, the founder of AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network). He is bringing awareness to asexuality, which is a person that does not have the desire to have sex. David goes on the talk show circuit to bring the subject to the general public. Sometimes, people treat it as a joke, but 1% of the population are under the asexual umbrella.

Being a genderqueer person of color that happens to be demisexual-- a person that can only have sexual attraction when you have strong feelings for someone-- I wanted the movie to be more informative. The thing is the information was good in the beginning of the movie. People have to realize that being celibate does not equate to being asexual. Is there a correlation between autism and asexuality?

The biggest problem I had with the documentary is that it was bogged down with the talking head segments. There is also a section where the documentary was focusing on a confusing story of David with his lesbian friend, a straight friend and her boyfriend. I was checked out from then on. I seemed that the middle section to the end credits meandered.

Rating: 5/10

 

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Four (Part 1): Glen or Glenda

Glen or Glenda (1953)

Written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr.

Stars: Edward D. Wood, Jr, Bela Lugosi, Lyle Talbot, Timothy Farrell, Dolores Fuller, and Tommy Haynes

I've heard of this movie. My thought was that the subject matter was going to be offensive. Surprised that the movie treated transgenderism and gender reassignment surgery fairly well.

Glen (Wood Jr) is a "typical" man living his life. He is engaged to Barbara (Fuller). Glen has a secret. He dresses as a woman named Glenda. Glen is afraid to talk to Barbara about this.

I applaud Ed Wood for tackling the subject matter with care. I was confused with the style of the film. It felt like a PSA movie like Reefer Madness or something. The voice-overs were disconcerting to me. What was going on in the middle of the movie were is turned into a silent film? Was it Glen's nightmare? Unclear.

Two things I wished that happened in this movie. First, I wished we learned more about Alan/Ann (Haynes), except the anecdote the therapist (Farrell) relays to the inspector (Talbot). Lastly, the movie is just over an hour in length. It felt like something was missing to me. I almost never wish for a film to be longer, but this one could have been better with a longer runtime.

Rating:7/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Three: Mulan

Mulan (1998)

Directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook

Story by Robert D. San Souci

Screenplay by Rita Hsiao & Chris Sanders & Philip LaZebnik & Raymond Singer & Eugenia Bostwick-Singer 

Based on "Ballad of Mulan" by Guo Maoqian

Stars: Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Fierstein, Freda Foh Shen, June Foray, James Hong, and Pat Morita

I was going to review Dog Day Afternoon, but I wasn't feeling the vibe of that movie. I was thinking that I didn't review an animated film so I chose this one.

Based on an old fable, Mulan (Wen) disguises herself as her father in order to fight in the Chinese army against Shan-Yu (Ferrer).

I didn't know that much about this movie unless you count Christina Aguilera singing "Reflection". The beginning what about honor, you dishonor me, you dishonor the family a lot. It was getting old. When Mulan leaves her village, that's when the movie got better.
I was expecting for Mulan, now as Ping and Shang (Wong) to have a moment. The surprising part is that Shang was respectful to Mulan. I appreciate that.
Rating: 7/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty Two: Carol

Carol (2015)

Directed by Todd Haynes

Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy

Based on the novel, "The Price of Salt" by Patricia Highsmith 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, John Magaro, and Cory Michael Smith

There have a been a slew of movies that I didn't like as of late. Before watching this movie, I heard from Harper's Bazaar named this one of the best lesbian movies. I would agree. Thank Goddess for Todd Haynes, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

Set around the Christmas season 1952, a shopgirl turned aspiring photographer, Therese (Mara) meets unhappy housewife, Carol (Blanchett). They strike up a friendship that leads to more.

Todd Hayne's movies are handled with care and brilliance. This one is up there with Far From Heaven, one of my favorite movies of 2002. I have never been so enthralled with a movie. The costumes, the score, Blanchett, Mara were superb.

The relationship between Therese and Carol is a slow burn. I loved it. The pacing was perfection. I was choked up. I wanted the world for them.

The only thing that bothered me was Mara was put in supporting at the Oscars. She was the co-lead with Blanchett. The audacity of The Weinstein Company for that bullshit.

Rating: 10/10

 

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty One: My Fake Boyfriend

My Fake Boyfriend (2022)

Directed by Rose Troche

Screenplay by Luke Albright, Greg Boaldin, and Joe Wanjai Ross

Stars: Keiynan Lonsdale, Dylan Sprouse, Marcus Rosner, Samer Salem, Sarah Hyland, Karen Robinson, Jaden Goetz and Simon Sinn

The trailer of this movie came out and I thought it would be a sweet movie. I need to stop getting hyped over trailers.

Part-time stuntman/self-defense instructor, Andrew (Lonsdale) is in an on/off relationship with soap opera star, Nico (Rosner). Andrew's friends, Jake and Kelly (Sprouse, Hyland) want to break the cycle of a toxic relationship. Jake's brilliant idea to create a fake boyfriend named 'Cristiano' using his graphic design prowess, but things become complicated when Andrew falls for cook, Rafi (Salem).

Oh, boy. This movie is not funny. All of the jokes are clunkers. I did not care about the plight Andrew's love life. Jake's obsession with the avatar of  'Cristiano' was so stupid. Rafi was wasted in this movie. The movie is so lazy that when the text screens pop up; you can see that Nico was spelled "Niko" the first time and then "Nico" for the subsequent times.

Avoid this movie at all costs.

Rating: 1/10
 

Pride Month Movie - Day Twenty: Mayor Pete

Mayor Pete (2021)

Directed by Jesse Moss

Script by Jeff Seymann Gilbert, Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss and Jay Walker

Stars: Pete Buttigieg, Chasten Buttigieg, Mike Schmuhl and Lis Smith

During this blog-a-thon, I wanted to watch a documentary to break the monotony of watching depressing dramas. I saw this movie on Amazon Prime and wanted to get a behind the curtains view of Mayor Pete. The view was an Iron Curtain.

This documentary delves into the 2020 presidential campaign of South Bend, Indiana mayor, Pete Buttigieg as he becomes the youngest openly gay candidate in an overstuffed field vying to be president.

I'll try not to get too political, but you know know with me. I thought it was nice for Buttigieg to run. Was I ever in his camp? No. I felt that he was delivering empty platitudes. He didn't give direct answers to questions about his stance on certain positions. When that officer involved shooting happened and his response to it rubbed me the wrong way.

The documentary feels like a vanity project. I had no new insight of who Pete Buttigieg was. It was surface level stuff that was probably approved the Buttigiegs.

There were a couple of highlights of the movie: first was Chasten, Pete's husband was breath of fresh air. Two was Lis Smith who sets Pete straight whenever he came across as stoic or disconnected from his audience. Lastly, was the part that the team were stuck in the elevator on their way to first presidential debate.

Rating: 5/10

Adam & Steve

Adam & Steve (2005)

Written and directed by Craig Chester

Stars: Craig Chester, Malcolm Gets, Parker Posey, Chris Kattan and Sally Kirkland

If the fives of you have been following along, when I hate a movie, I would watch a movie that I would like. This movie is one of those. I watched this movie so many times.

Hilarity ensues when a lonely birdwatcher Adam (Chester) meets a handsome psychiatrist, Steve (Gets). They start dating each other, but they have a past they don't know about.

When I was first out, I gravitated to this movie like a moth to a flame. Starting this movie, I had a feeling that it would not age well. Most movies from the early 2000s usually are. Yep. It didn't age that well. One character being a misogynistic asshole. The homophobic language made me cringe.

The best part of this movie is Parker Posey as Adam's best friend, Rhonda. She is fabulous. She elevates a piece of shit into a diamond.

Is this a good movie? No. It's fun, mindless entertainment.

Rating: 6/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Nineteen: Moonlight

Moonlight (2016)

Directed by Barry Jenkins

Screenplay by Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney

Based on the play, "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue" by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Stars: Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex R. Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Jaden Piner, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Janelle Monáe, and Patrick Decile

There was a time that I tried watching this movie and stopped because I was in one of those moods. Those moods where I knew it the first five minutes that I was not gonna like. I stuck with it and my opinion never changed.

The movie is separated into three moments of Chiron's life. One when he was ten befriending a drug dealer, Juan (Ali) as his mother, Paula (Harris) becomes addicted to crack. Then as a teenager, he is confronted of possibly being gay. Finally, him in his mid 20s trying to come to terms about being gay.

It bugged me that the Chiron had his head down through the whole movie. Say something! It was mopey Chiron throughout the two hours of this movie. It annoyed. Why was the movie getting so much praise and awards? Nothing happens.

Being a queer man of color, I did not relate to much in the movie. I understand that it's not a perfect exact journey to everyone. I did not see themes that were supposed to happen onscreen with blackness or masculinity. 

I see the same stereotypes that make it more palatable for commercial audiences; drug dealers, crack addicts, being "hood." I don't see the hype for it at all.

Rating: 2/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Eighteen: Bound

Bound (1996)

Written and directed by Lilly Wachowski and Lana Wachowski

Stars: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John P. Henry, Christopher Meloni and Richard C. Sarafian

This movie was in the queer movie lexicon ever since it premiered. My thinking was that it was going to be a movie with S&M vibes. Nope. It was not.

Corky (Gershon), an ex-con fresh out of jail gets a job working as plumber in an apartment. She meets Violet (Tilly), who happens to be the girlfriend of a gangster, Caesar (Pantoliano). They begin to have an affair where Violet wants out of her relationship, and enlists Corky in a plan to steal laundered money from Caesar.

I was back and forth with this movie. The relationship between Corky and Violet was good. There are some things that I didn't like about the movie. 

The Wachowskis love weird camera angles and such. It works for The Matrix and its subsequent sequels, but it doesn't work here. Seeing the barrel of a gun or following a telephone wires is not appealing to see. The thin plot is very transparent. You knew what was going to happen. The tension was not there in order for me to be invested in it.

Rating: 5/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Seventeen: Holding the Man

Holding the Man (2015)

Directed by Neil Armfeld

Screenplay by Tommy Murphy

Based on the book by Timothy Conigrave 

Stars: Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Sarah Snook, Lee Cormie, Camilla Ah Kin, Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Fox, and Guy Pearce

I was going to watch Y tu mamá también for today. Barely ten minutes into the flick, I was checked out. I decided to switch to a movie that I saw the trailer on IMDb. I heard rumblings about this movie that it will have you in the feels.

The movie chronicles the fifteen year relationship between Timothy Conigrave (Corr) and John Caleo (Stott). They meet in a Catholic school and fall in love. Their families are against their relationship, but the power of their love triumphs.

I was prepared to be weeping at this movie. It felt a tug. It feels that the movie skimmed the surface of their relationship. I'm guessing that a lot was trimmed from the book. I have not read said book, but I was not invested in the relationship that much. 

When tragedy strikes, I was not a puddle of tears. I was thinking about those wigs when it was 1977. No. Hated them. I was surprised when Geoffrey Rush came onscreen or Guy Pearce.

The failure of the movie is not establishing more of the relationship in my eyes. If I don't care that much about the relationship, then I'm not going to be invested in the story.

Rating: 6/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Sixteen: Freier Fall

Free Fall (2013)

Directed by Stephan Lacant

Story by Cooky Ziesche

Screenplay by Stephan Lacant & Karsten Dahlem 

Stars: Hanno Koffler, Max Riemelt, Katharina Schüttler, Attila Borlan, Stephanie Schönfeld, Oliver Bröcker, Luis Lamprecht and Maren Kroymann

I was looking at the movie poster. I saw the name Max Riemelt. Something triggered in my brain. I know that name. Turns out he was part of the cast of Sense8. I thought that I was gonna like the movie. I was wrong.

A soon-to-be father, Marc (Koffler) meets Kay (Riemelt) during police academy orientation. They begin have an affair.

I have never had a movie that made me so angry as this movie has. Were Marc and Kay supposed to be rivals-to-lovers? I didn't see that. The film made Kay the aggressor. A stalker. He was everywhere Marc is and I don't like that. I don't see the connection between them. It seems they have to, because the screenplay told them. No chemistry. 

Kay is not a good person. He basically assaults Marc in the woods. He keeps showing up at family nights or his police department. I don't get it. Marc fucks Kay with no preparation or anything. What the hell is happening? My brain shut down. I mute the movie and eventually, stopped it altogether.

 Rating: 1/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Fifteen: Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Directed by Billy Wilder

Story by  Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan

Screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond 

Stars: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Joe E. Brown, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joan Shawlee, Dave Barry, and George E. Stone

I have seen lot of dramas lately that made me depressed. I wanted to visit a comedy to break up a dower viewing experience from this month. This movie does not go there and I'm glad.

During the height of the Prohibition Era in Chicago, a saxophone player, Joe (Curtis), and a double bass player, Jerry (Lemmon) witness a mob hit. They go on the run by pretending to be new members of a female only band going to Florida for a gig. Hilarity ensues when Joe aka Josephine and Jerry aka Daphne meet Sugar Kane (Monroe) that throws a wrench in their plan.

I was surprised that the movie was based in early 1929. I love Marilyn, but her hairstyle was not accurate for the time. I had a good time with the movie. It was doing the trope of guys being in drag for laughs, but the movie was not making fun of people who wear women's clothes. Big kudos there. There was a smile on my face throughout the movie.

The one thing bothered me about the movie was the central romance of the movie with Curtis and Monroe. I didn't understand it. The movie made it seem that it was going to a love triangle of sorts.

Rating: 8/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Fourteen: XXY

XXY (2007)

Directed by Lucía Puenzo

Screenplay by Lucía Puenzo

Based on the short story, "Cinismo" by Sergio Bizzio

Stars: Inés Efron, Ricardo Darín, Valeria Bertuccelli, Martín Piroyansky, Germán Palacios, and Carolina Pelleritti

When I was compiling my list of movies to see this month, I wanted to watch one dealing the subject of intersex. There are not that many movies about it. I wished I would have like this one.

Alex (Efron) is a teenager struggling with bodies issues. A surgeon, Ramiro (Palacios) and his family stay with Alex's family home to try to convince everyone to have Alex has gender reassignment surgery.

This movie is depressing. For real. I understand that the subject matter is heavy. It has been treated delicately. I feel as though the filmmakers turned Alex into a sideshow freak. Everyone is so concerned about what's between Alex's legs. Who cares?

This movie made me very uncomfortable for everyone involved. I was checked out of the movie when a certain action happened on the beach. Let's say that. I was thinking, "Why do we have to see Alex's tits all the time?" "What's up with Alvaro's (Piroyansky) under bite?" "Should a parent see a topless female presenting person in the same room?"

What was the point of the movie? I don't now.

Rating: 1/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Thirteen: Atomic Blonde (2017)

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Directed by David Leitch

Screenplay by Kurt Johnstad

Based on the graphic novel series, "The Coldest City" written by Antony Johnston and illustrations by Sam Hart

Stars: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, Toby Jones, James Faulkner, Roland Møller, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Til Schweiger

I saw the trailer for this movie years ago. It wasn't on my radar to watch. Then, it was revealed that there were some sapphic scenes. Yes, there were.

The action takes place at the end of the Cold War in West Berlin. An undercover agent, Lorraine (Theron) is being interrogated by her superiors, Gray and Kurzfeld (Jones, Goodman) about a mission that went wrong. She was trying to secure a list of undercover agents from getting in the hands of the Soviets.

When I was watching this, I kept thinking about Wanted. A similar movie with James McAvoy in it, except this time it's agents, not assassins. The positives. The soundtrack was very good. Enjoyed the songs that were peppered throughout. The action sequences were visceral, brutal and well done. If you have seen this movie, do you notice the bi flag color scheme in Lorraine's room? 

The negatives. The plot of the movie was very generic. I knew the "twist" of the movie thirty minutes before it was revealed. I believe interrogation scenes are a hit and miss with me, especially in an action movie. There is no tension or stakes, because you know that this person survives at the end.

Rating: 6.5/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Twelve: Cabaret

Cabaret (1972)

Directed by Bob Fosse

Screenplay by Jay Presson Allen 

Based on the stage musical by Joe Masteroff 

Based on the play by John Van Druten 

Based on the stories, "Goodbye to Berlin" by Christopher Isherwood

Stars: Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem, Fritz Wepper, Marisa Berenson and Joel Grey

Since the Tony Awards are happening tonight as of writing this, I wanted to visit a movie I thought have seen. Turns out I only saw the first fifteen minutes and clips of the musical numbers over the years.

Berlin, 1931. A young man, Brian Roberts (York) arrives at a boardinghouse filled with colorful, including the illustrious Sally Bowles (Minnelli) that works at the infamous Kit Kat Klub.

For the longest time, I thought I knew what the story of Cabaret was about. Looking clips on YouTube will warp your mind into thinking was a movie was going to be.

The movie was more imitate than I thought. All of the musical numbers took place on the Kit Kat Klub stage. Nobody busted out into song out of nowhere. It was refreshing to see. Seeing the film, you feel like you are transported to Berlin during the time when the Nazi Party were gaining influence.

My only complaint with the movie is the whereabouts of some characters. You see them and they are gone. You don't know where they went some of the time. It left me puzzled.

Rating: 9/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Eleven: Maurice

Maurice (1987)

Directed by James Ivory

Screenplay by Kit Hesketh-Harvey and James Ivory

Based on the novel by E.M. Forster 

Stars: James Wilby, Hugh Grant, Rupert Graves, Billie Whitelaw, Judy Parfitt, Phoebe Nicholls, Mark Tandy, Patrick Godfrey, Simon Callow, and Ben Kingsley

I was going to review The Wedding Banquet or The Children's Hour on Pluto TV, but they are nowhere to be found. People were dropping suggestions in a Facebook group I belong to. They suggested this movie.

Taking place during the Edwardian era, Maurice (Wilby) finds himself falling in love with his fellow classmate, Clive (Grant) while they are studying at Cambridge. Circumstances at the time threaten to tear up them apart.

Withe my limited knowledge of the movie, I thought that Hugh Grant played the titular Maurice. The beginning of the movie takes a while to get into. I was under the impression that the whole movie was going to be about academia and all that jargon. It wasn't. It fades away after ten minutes.

This movie takes some turns that I did not expect. Did I agree with them? No. Some of the characters actions were a bit weird to me. During that time in England, being homosexual was a crime and would send you to jail.

This movie teaches me that love will come in unexpected ways.

Rating: 9/10

Sleepaway Camp

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Written and directed by Robert Hiltzik

Stars: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Christopher Collet, Karen Fields, Katherine Kamhi, Paul DeAngelo, Mike Kellin and Desiree Gould

To wash the taste of Everybody's Talking About Jaime out of my mouth, I wanted to revisit a movie that I knew I was gonna to love. I saw this movie about two years ago. I thought it was going to be a typical terrible movie, but this is different.

The film focuses on Angela (Rose), a shy girl along with her foul-mouthed cousin, Ricky (Tiersten) go to a camp, Camp Arawak for the summer. You think everything is fine until campers start dying.

I was so surprised that the movie was not spoiled for me before I had the chance to watch it. When you first watch the movie, you would think that it was just a bad movie. There is so much subtext that you don't see on your first viewing. Subsequent viewing would make you appreciate what is being unsaid.

You think you know what is going to happen, but wait until the end of the movie. It has one of the best ending ever. You will lose your mind. I try to spread the word of this movie over twitter every chance I get.

It's a terrible masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Ten: Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)

Directed by Jonathan Butterell

Co-directed by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae

Screenplay by Tom MacRae

Based on the stage musical by Jonathan Butterell & Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae

Stars: Max Harwood, Lauren Patel, Sarah Lancashire, Richard E. Grant, Sharon Horgan, Samuel Bottomley, Shobna Gulati and Ralph Ineson

There were rumblings about the stage musical that was a big hit in the West End. This movie was not on my radar, because it was one of many musicals that were coming out last year. I should have trusted my first instinct.

Jaime (Harwood) is a 16-year-old that has a dream of being a drag queen.

Excuse me, my lack of enthusiasm with this movie. I have a lot of thoughts. I wanted to watch a movie that was fun and whimsical. I thought this was it. The songs do not propel the story forward. It was more of a full stop. The sound mixing was muddled.

This movie reminds me of Love, Simon. A story with a protagonist that is an awful person. I did not like Jaime. I wondered why was the musical so popular in the UK. I don't see it.

Rating: 2/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Nine: And Then We Danced

And Then We Danced (2019)

Written and directed by Levan Akin

Stars: Levan Gelbakhiani, Bachi Valishvili, Ana Javakishvili, and Kakha Gogidze

When I was putting this blog-a-thon together, I was looking at certain movies to see. I saw this movie in the top 50 best reviewed movies on Rotten Tomatoes. I don't get the hype with this movie.

Merab (Gelbakhiani) is a b-squad dancer at the Georgian National Ensemble. He tries really hard to prove to the teacher, Aleko (Gogidze) and to himself that he can advance in his dance career. When a spot in the main dance company becomes available, he has to compete with a new dancer, Irakli (Valishvili) for it.

I might sound like an ignorant American here, but I don't know anything about Georgian culture. It was that disconnect that prevented me from liking this movie.

The motivations of some of the characters were strange to me. I understand that this is Merab's journey of self discovery. Cool. The "relationship" between him and Irakli felt strange to me. There was no connection there. I did not get why Merab acted the way he did. His spiraling felt odd.

I had this one question when the credits rolled, "What was the point of the movie?"

Rating: 3/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Eight: Teorema

Teorema (1968) 

Written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

Stars: Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti, Anne Wiazemsky, Andrés José Cruz Soublette, and Laura Betti

A YouTube channel that I followed mentioned this movie about a guy fucking the entire family. On the surface, it seems that what happens, but you have to look deeper into the movie to the true meaning of it.

A Milanese bourgeoisie family is visited a mysterious person called The Visitor (Stamp). Little by little, the people of the household are exposing to The Visitor in more ways than one until he leaves as quickly as he comes in. The family spirals in unexpected ways trying to go back to the normal.

I am unfamiliar with the works of Pasolini. It seems that his movies have a history drenched in symbolism and allegory. It was prevalent in this movie. 

If you don't know the hidden meaning behind what is happening onscreen, you will be bored out of your mind. There is not that much dialogue in the film. You have to read what is unsaid throughout the movie.

The one thing that bothered me is that the movie seemed to be spoken in English and dubbed in Italian. I was multitasking reading the subtitles and lip reading.

Rating: 9/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Seven: Priest

Priest (1994)

Directed by Antonia Bird

Screenplay by Jimmy McGovern

Stars: Linus Roache, Tom Wilkinson, Robert Carlyle, Cathy Tyson, Lesley Sharp, Robert Pugh, Christine Tremarco, James Ellis and Paul Barber

I was intending to see The Watermelon Woman or Victim today, but some weirdness with Amazon Prime Video happened and I came upon this movie. I was bored with the movie.

A Roman Catholic priest, Father Greg Pilkington (Roache) is brought to a new parish, St. Mary's. As he gets acclimated to the community, he realizes that his calling and his hidden gay life threaten to intersect.

I understood the internal struggle of Greg. Trying to hide who are you are from others so they don't judge you for being gay. I get that. 

I understood being scared, having internalized homophobia, struggling with dichotomy religion and being your true self. 

My biggest problem is Greg as a character. I felt that he was an asshole to everybody. I cannot reveal too much. I feel that some emotional beats of the movie felt inauthentic to me. It wasn't earned to me. I felt the movie was trying to beat me over the head with a message. I didn't like that.

Rating: 4/10
 

Pride Month Movie - Day Six: Ah-ga-ssi

The Handmaiden (2016)

Directed by Park Chan-wook

Screenplay by Sarah Waters &  Seo-kyeong Jeong & Park Chan-wook

Inspired by the novel "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters 

Stars: Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Hae-sook, Moon So-ri, Min-chae Yoo, Dong-hwi Lee, and Yong-nyeo Lee 

I saw the name of this movie pop on a best of list by Rotten Tomatoes. I have to say I was blown away by this movie.

Set in the backdrop of 1930s Korea under Japanese colonial rule, a young woman, Sook-hee (Tae-ri) is selected to be the handmaiden of a Japanese heiress, Hideko (Min-hee). The more time that they spend to together; the closer they become. Under the surface, Sook-hee is secretly trying to defraud her.

I did not know what to expect from this movie. It was like an onion. Layers upon layers are revealed. I loved every second of it. I was checking to see how much was going to happen. I was in for a wild ride. Every part of the movie tops another part. 

This is a movie that must be seen to be believed.

Rating: 10/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Five: Tangerine

Tangerine (2015)

Directed by Sean Baker

Screenplay by Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch 

Stars: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone, and Alla Tumanian

I heard of this movie a couple of years ago with Mya Taylor who plays Alexandra in the movie won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. Seeing the movie now. It was well-deserved. The rest of the movie does not fare so well.

Freshly released from Sin-Dee Rella (Rodriguez) learns from her best friends, Alexandra (Taylor) that her boyfriend/pimp, Chester (Ransone) cheated on her when she was locked up. She tears through West Hollywood trying to find him.

When I was watching the movie, I had a feeling that it was going to have the same narrative structure as Babel or Crash with interlocking stories that will converge. I don't particularly like this way of storytelling. I hate it so much.

The beginning of the movie was frenetic. The camerawork was shaky. I learned that the movie was shot on iPhones. No wonder it felt grainy with a bunch of lens flares.

I did not get the motivations of Sin-Dee. I saw shots of people walking repeatedly. I did not get the deal with Razmik (Karagulian). Why did he need to be in the movie? If the movie was about the friendship of Sin-Dee and Alexandra, then I would have like it more.

Rating: 5/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Four: Fire Island

Fire Island (2022)

Directed by Andrew Ahn

Screenplay by Joel Kim Booster

Stars: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Margret Cho, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, Zane Phillips, and Nick Adams

I saw a trailer for this movie and I immediately wanted to watch it. Actually, this movie inspired Pride Movie Month in the first place. It is a nice, frothy romp.

A quartet of friends do their yearly pilgrimage to Fire Island. They stay with their mutual friend, Erin's (Cho) house. They realize that this summer might be their last.

I thought that the movie was going to be focusing around Noah (Booster) and Will (Ricamora) with their situationship. But it was their were equal time with them and Howie (Yang) and Charlie (Scully).

The movie hits on topics like fetishization, elitism, self-esteem, monogamy and consent.

The third act of the movie hit you with all the feels. Seek this movie out.

Rating: 8/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Three: Cruising

Cruising (1980)

Directed by William Friedkin

Screenplay by William Friedkin

Based on the novel by Gerald Walker

Stars: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Barton Heyman, Joe Spinell, Don Scardino, Randy Jurgensen, and Ed O'Neill

I have heard of this movie. It seems to have a polarizing response since it was released. I have to say that I was confused about the intent of the movie.

There is a serial killer on the loose in NYC. This killer is specifically targeting gay men in the leather/S&M scene. Capt. Edelson (Sorvino) recruits Steve Burns (Pacino) to go undercover in the scene to help sniff out the killer before he kills again.

This movie is weird. It feels as though the entire movie was re-recorded. The ADR was in full effect. It took me out of the movie. The music. Oh, boy. The music used in the movie was atrocious. I hated it. It was weird alternative rock or something. It was not good. 

I was bored. I did not get the point Friedkin was trying to make with this movie. It felt hallow. I did not care for any of the characters. The ending of the movie did not make sense to me.

There was a feeling in my gut that the book was written by a heterosexual man that tried to be edgy. 'Ooh, I'm writing about killing a whole bunch of fags.' So? It did not feel genuine, like Walker did his research of the subject. Granted, I did not read the original book. The reviews I saw for it, the book had the same reaction as the movie.

Rating: 3/10

Pride Month Movie - Day Two: But I'm a Cheerleader

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Directed by Jamie Babbit

Story by  Jamie Babbit

Screenplay by Brian Peterson 

Stars: Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty, RuPaul Charles, Eddie Cibrian, Melanie Lynskey, Katrina Phillips, Katharine Towne, Joel Michaely, Douglas Spain, Dante Basco, Kip Pardue, Bud Court, Mink Stole and Michelle Williams

This moment is serendipitous. I saw the fantastic Snatch Game with Jinx Monsoon portraying Natasha on All Stars 7 and mentioned this movie. It was meant to be that I was going to see it during Pride Month.

Megan (Lyonne) is a typical high school girl. She is part of the cheerleading team,. She has a boyfriend that mouth assaults her with his kisses. She is a good Christian. She cannot get the images of women out of her mind. In order to put her on the right path, Megan's parents (Court, Stole) send her to "True Directions," an gay conversion camp to help her to become straight.

Full disclosure. I have not seen many-- if any lesbian centric movies-- so I am only basing my feelings of the movies with my own queer experiences. The topic of this movie very prevalent. There are a lot of families are taking their kids to these ex-gay camps to try to "cure" the homosexuality. It is a terrible practice that I'm glad is being outlawed in some states.

I liked the movie. I wish I would have gotten the motivation on why Mary Brown (Moriarty) started True Directions. Is it because of her son Rock (Cibrian) that is clearly gay with his booty-shorts? A clear example why the program does not work. Wait a minute. Maybe that's the point. Clearly the campers and the counselors still have the urges. I wish we got to see more of the other camp with Richard Moll's character and his onscreen partner more.

Mary tries to teach the campers archaic lessons from the 1960s. The gender dynamics have to be firm in her eyes. Girls like boys, pink, housework. Guys like girls, chopping wood and throwing a football around. The colors of this movie were intense. Certain shots assault your eyes with bubble gum pink in one frame then purple the next. Monochromatic dressing. 

Rating: 7/10

Pride Month Movie - Day One: Jongens

Boys (2014) 

Directed by Mischa Kamp

Screenplay by Chris Westendorp & Jaap-Peter Enderle 

Stars: Gijs Blom, Ko Zandvliet, Jonas Smulders, Ton Kas, Stijn Taverne, Myron Wouts and Ferdi Stofmeel

To celebrate Pride Month, I wanted to watch a movie under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. I was looking the Rotten Tomatoes ratings of the best of the genre and I came up with this movie. A Dutch TV movie from 2014.

This is a coming of age story about a track athlete, Sieger (Blom) trying to keep his burgeoning feelings for his fellow teammate, Marc (Zandvliet) at bay.

It is a sweet story. The pacing of the movie was a bit off, because you can feel the commercial breaks were in.

I understood that Sieger was so deep in the closet that he almost got lost. I was praying that Marc would not get back together with Sieger. He treated Sieger like shit. The ending of the movie was not earned in my eyes.

Rating: 6.5/10