Here, we have even more obscure but brilliant gay-themed films for you to check out. But before we do, I would like to express a complaint about the type of toilet tissue paper used in the bathrooms at some movie theaters. Now, really. I suspect that the quality of toilet paper is determined by the number of plies or layers in a sheet. You usually find toilet paper that is one or two-ply, but toilet paper can be made with up to four layers of thin paper. One ply toilet paper has a single sheet and marketed as a budget option and anyone who has used budget toilet paper knows it is rough and you end up balling a lot of it to do the job. Two ply tissue toilet paper has two layers that are bonded together. Mid-grade two ply tissue toilet paper is often textured to provide softness, and it is more durable than that this one ply. Usually two ply toilet paper is more expensive than one ply. And then there is premium toilet paper, made of best pulped paper with two to four plies. Now a days it may have lotion and / or wax. I actually would not mind paying five or ten cents more for a movie ticket, if the movie stalls would have a nice soft two ply roll of toilet paper. A good roll of toilet paper is also great for carrying around and using to blow one’s nose or wipe the tears from the face after watching a particularly emotional scene in a movie. Movie goers should unite and demand better toilet paper at their local movie theaters. What say you? Now to the Movies:
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, you can’t help but be reminded of Basic Instinct, a film that Verhoeven directed many years after this one. Running constant through both is a beautiful, sexy, and potentially dangerous blonde, the man that falls into her trap, hot passion, and a particularly sharp instrument that – if handled properly – can cause a bit more than a nasty cut. After viewing this film, two overused expressions come to mind: “don’t run with scissors”, and “it’s always funny until someone loses an eye”!
This film centers on the burgeoning attraction between an unpopular teenaged boy and a more popular athletic boy. Not only do they have to deal with the confusion they feel as they slowly realize their growing attraction to each other, they then have to contend with their family and neighborhood finding out. It’s a beautifully realized, tender love story that rings so true, it’s almost painful. And for some, enlightening.
Directed by Alain Berliner, this brave little gem of a film is – similar to the previously reviewed FAR FROM HEAVEN – a wondrous visual feast of primary colors. Digging deeper than surface, it’s also a moving film center around young Ludo, who can’t wait to grow up to be a woman, and talks about marrying his neighbor’s son. Only “problem”, as far as Ludo’s family and neighbors are concerned, is Ludovic’s a young cross-dressing boy.
This 1961 film starring Dirk Bogarde was extremely controversial in its day. Why? Well, it was the first British film where characters used the word “homosexual”, for one thing. The story follows a successful, married barrister who is blackmailed into revealing his sexual preferences. This film originally garnered an “X” rating by the British Film Board due to its thematic content, but has recently be re-released on DVD with a PG-rating!
FAR FROM HEAVEN
FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002). Todd Haynes’ loving homage to 1950s melodrama features a career-best performance from Dennis Quaid as a closeted husband and father. This film addresses many of the issues which have been dealt with in the same situation by countless men before. This is truly a masterpiece of the genre.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005). One of the great love stories the screen has ever seen. Many people identified with the characters regardless of their sexual orientation. One of the best performances offered by both young actors. This movie as well as The Dark Knight make me miss Heath Ledger so much. What a lost talent.
IN & OUT
IN & OUT (1997). Interestingly, the story is based on Tom Hanks’ Philadelphia acceptance speech, where he accidentally outed one of his old teachers. This movie makes great use of The Village People’s “Macho Man.”