Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild (2008)
October 31st 2010 03:25
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A Single Man (2009)
September 15th 2010 04:43
all images sourced from google.com
Based on the groundbreaking novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man makes the directorial debut of American Fashion Designer Tom Ford. Ford also co-wrote the film with David Scearce.
A Single Man tells the story of a middle aged English Professor George Falconer (Colin Firth) disillusioned with life, and mourning the death of his partner Jim (Matthew Goode) who died in a car accident 8 months previously.
Set over a one day timeline, A Single Man follows George as he spends the day making preparations for the one thing he desires more than any other, reuniting with Jim.
Told in a series of flashbacks to happier days with Jim, George's world is coloured by his perception of isolation. Feeling as if his life is over, George makes plans to farewell the people he loves and end his pain.
Into George's clearly defined plan enters a student at the University Kenny Porter (Nicholas Hoult) who seems determined to get to know the quiet professor.
As evening arrives George has dinner with best friend Charly (Julieanne Moore) who is recovering from a divorce and feeling isolated herself, cheering herself up with alcohol. The two long-time friends who both came to California from England together find their lives have not gone in the direction they had dreamt of all those years ago.
After dinner George goes home to prepare for his suicide when a noise outside his home inspires him to go to the pub he and Jim met at for one last drink. It is here he runs into Kenny and the two spend time together, eventually going skinny dipping in the ocean. For George, this is a case of history repeating itself as that is how he and Jim met and spent that first night 16 years ago.
George hits his head and Kenny helps him home. The offer of friendship from the young man seems to be what George is looking for and having passed out he wakes up to find the Kenny asleep on his couch, the gun George had hidden earlier, empty of bullets.
A Single Man is an amazing film. Colin Firth's portrayal of the damaged, isolated and lonely George is a once in a lifetime performance. Firth was nominated for the Best Actor award for this role at the Academy Awards - he lost it to Jeff Bridges - and this was a performance that was truly worthy of the award, let alone the nomination.
Julieanne Moore does well with the alcoholic Charly, turning a character that risked being an "add-on" into a heart wrenchingly tragic figure. Considering the short amount of screen time Moore had, her amazing talent made Charly a tangible character in the film.
Nicholas Hoult was excellent as the young Kenny. The relationship between Firth and Hoult in the last portion of the film was beautifully crafted and well acted.
Beautifully crafted sums up A Single Man very well. The sets, costumes, and attention to detail were unsurpassed. In a film as much constructed of emotion as dialogue and action, A Single Man is a rare film indeed.
Not only does it address issues and society - both of it's day in 1963 and today - successfully, it brings the audience on the journey, inviting us into the lives of the three characters and carries the viewer through an emotional roller coaster ride.
The normality of the life of George and Jim, the fun, the bantering, the sitting on the couch together discussing music and the ease with which they show each other affection, shows the audience - regardless of sexual orientation - that love is truly all that matters. And it's to the talent of the Firth and Goode, that the audience is able to experience the highs of a relationship and the devasting lows which George experiences after Jim's death.
If you haven't seen this film, do yourself a favour and watch it. Make sure to have a tissue or two handy. This film is definitely a "must-own".
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Posted By: Mike Cullen - Category: No Category
Kiss The Bride (2007)
September 12th 2010 11:20
In the decade since leaving his small home town, Matt Roman (Philpp Karner) has carved a successful career in publishing, while remaining unlucky in love. As his publisher has commissioned a big gay wedding edition, Matt finds himself under siege as same sex couples innundate his office with invitations to their ceremonies.
Amongst these invitations comes a blast from the past in the form of an invitation to the upcoming wedding of Ryan Woodsen (James O'Shea) Matt's high school best friend and first lover. With the assistance of Stephanie (Jane Cho) Matt hunts down the other half of the invitation to get a look at Alex (Tori Spelling) Ryans finacee, and is suprised to see it is not a man, but a woman.
Determined to save his ex-love from a life as one of those "diner guys who looks at you across the room and then makes a grab for your crotch in the restroom" Matt flies home to Arizona to put an end to the wedding.
Arriving in the small town in which he grew up, Matt is mistaken for a stripper at Alex's Bridal Shower and is eventually reunited with Ryan. Over the last few days of singlehood for the bride and groom Matt tries to reconcile his past with Ryans new future, only to come to realise the reason he has never been able to be happy with anyone else is he's still in love with Ryan.
As family and friends descend on the wedding rehearsal, Matt gives Ryan a ticket to California, as that was their goal as teenagers to get out of town, head to Stanford University and have a life together. That Matt left Ryan behind has always been the biggest regret of Matts life. It is here that a secret Matt never knew comes to light and Matt leaves.
Meeting up again at the house, the two friends are able to put the past behind them and the film draws to happy outcome for all.
Written and directed by C J Cox (Latter Days) the film is a sweet comedy about first loves and honesty. I wasn't too sure about the ending. While it has it's place in the film, it seemed a little too dismissive of the past relationship the two male leads had.
Latter Days alumni Steve Sandvoss and Amber Benson appear in this film. Sandvoss in the role of a dumb yokel and Benson as Spelling's bitter dark cloud of a sister. The supporting cast of the film really do make a major difference to this production, and the only thing I was disappointed with was the lack of screen time for Stephanie.
The supporting cast of the film are fantastic, and the light comedic touches throughout the film make Kiss the Bride an enjoyable film. It's not a film that will linger in your thoughts for days afterwards, but it's message of honesty, letting go of the past and embracing the future make it a fun way to spend 90 minutes or so.
Kiss the Bride is a fun film, think My Best Gay Friends Wedding, with a male Julia Roberts and female Rupert Everett.
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Latter Days (2003)
September 12th 2010 10:02
Originally posted to my other review blog Film Mage and it was the reason that OutFlicks was born, so I thought I'd cross post it to OutFlicks.
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TransAmerica (2005)
September 11th 2010 03:12
A week from the surgery that will see Stanley Chupak (Felicity Huffman) realise his dream and become Bree officially, Bree receives a telephone call from a 17 year old street kid/hustler in New York City who claims to be Stanleys son, Toby (Kevin Zegers). Bree had no idea she had fathered a child all those years ago in college, and before her therapist Margaret (Elizabeth Pena) will sign the final consent for surgery, she advises Bree to go to New York and make peace with her past
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The Big Gay Musical (2009)
September 9th 2010 08:58
DVD Cover - images sourced from Google.
In the opening sequence to The Big Gay Musical, a patron at a small straight play, stands up and leaves the theatre. When questioned by the usher if there's anything he needs he turns to the camera and cries, "I need a musical, A Big Gay Musical." And boy does he get what he's looking for in the film that follows
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Posted By: Mike Cullen - Category: No Category
Straight Jacket
July 24th 2010 10:15
Straight Jacket
Set in 1950's Hollywood, Straight Jacket is the technicolour world of Guy Stone (Matt Letscher) Hollywoods most eligible bachelor, Hollywood star and closeted gay actor. Cast in the role of Ben Hurr through the wiles of savvy agent Jerry (Veronica Cartwright) Guy's picture perfect world is rocked when he is caught on camera by jealous rival Freddie Stevens (Jack Plotnick) being arrested in a gay bar
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Were The World Mine (2008)
July 9th 2010 13:14
Were The World Mine
Once in a while a movie comes along that I can't watch often enough. Were The World Mine is one of them. I think I've watched it ten times in the last fourteen days, but I could be wrong. It could be eleven times
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Mambo Italiano (2003)
July 9th 2010 12:40
Mambo Italiano
This sweet Gay themed film based around lives and loves of the Barberini familly, written by Steve Galluccio - and based on his play - is an enjoyable film that will keep you entertained from beginning to end
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Posted By: Mike Cullen - Category: No Category
Shelter (2007)
June 22nd 2010 07:31
Shelter Cover - image sourced from google.com
In writer/director Jonah Marlowitz' feature film Shelter, Zach (Trevor Wright) is a young man torn by his desires to fulfill his dream, and to support his ailing father, sister and nephew. Unable to leave his family to their own devices, Zach find himself trapped in a world he didn't chose
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Posted By: Mike Cullen - Category: No Category
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