★★★★ Chosen family is the name of the game here, a term that queer people the world over have claimed as their own. In The Mattachine Family, writer Danny Vallentine and director/husband Andy Vallentine explore modern love, the strangeness of queer identity, fatherhood, and the true meaning of family with this charming little dramedy. As … Continue reading SIFF 2023: The Mattachine Family
BFI Flare 2023: Lie With Me
★★★★ Based on the novel by Philippe Besson, Lie with Me is a passionate, delectable queer drama that blends coming-of-age romance with poignant messaging about adulthood. Paramount at the center of its two converging timelines are themes of love and longing. A rich script penned by writer/director Olivier Peyon weaves a poignant longing and rich … Continue reading BFI Flare 2023: Lie With Me
Retro Review: Sparkler
★★★★ At long last, Jawbreaker writer/director Darren Stein’s debut feature Sparkler is finally available after fading to time! Look no further than the stunning cast roster (which includes 90s favorites like Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jamie Kennedy, as well as seasoned gems such as Veronica Cartwright and Glenn Shadix) with Stein behind the camera to … Continue reading Retro Review: Sparkler
Berlinale 2023: Femme
★★★★★ The modern queer thriller soars to previously unforeseen heights in searing, sexually-charged Femme. Based on the short film of the same name, writer/director duo Sam F. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping craft a harrowing revenge tale unlike anything I have ever seen before. After a shocking gay bashing, lust and longing give way to … Continue reading Berlinale 2023: Femme
Film Review: Of An Age
★★★★ Queer dramas frequently fall into trope territory, often without even doing so on purpose. How many times have we seen coming out stories, forbidden romances, or “bury your gays” cliches? Thankfully, the new film from writer/director/editor Goran Stolevski does not fall into any of these familiar patterns. Set in the summer of 1999, Of … Continue reading Film Review: Of An Age
Film Review: The Outwaters
★★★★ Found footage horror is one fickle beast, mainly because there is an extremely fine line between masterpiece and straight garbage. Audiences can quickly turn on a film they do not understand with little care for the craft that went behind it. No one is more aware of this obvious divide than writer/director/star of The … Continue reading Film Review: The Outwaters
Film Review: In From the Side
★★★★ Queer romance-dramas are always welcomed with open arms in my household, so the second In From the Side shot onto my radar, I was anxious to see how it would play out. A concept involving forbidden romance between rugby players could have been trite and predictable in lesser hands. One instantly imagines a heterosexual … Continue reading Film Review: In From the Side
Our Favorite Films of 2022
We can hardly believe that we are in the final days of 2022, and yet here we are again! We reveal our choices for our favorite movies of year, along with more yearbook-style superlatives! Hold onto your heads as we dive into the year's finest cinematic delights! Movie Yearbook Superlatives! Best horror movie JOSH: C'mon … Continue reading Our Favorite Films of 2022
Film Review: Spoiler Alert
★★★★★ Who doesn’t love a good tearjerker? Thankfully, there is so much more to queer romance Spoiler Alert than simply leaving the viewer in a huge puddle of tears, though it certainly does accomplish this feat. Driven by magnificent, emotional turns from Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge, Spoiler Alert, based on Michael Ausiello’s non-fiction book … Continue reading Film Review: Spoiler Alert
NewFest 2022 Wrap-Up
2022's NewFest is finally coming to a close, and with it came a variety of exciting LGBT+ titles for audiences to sink their teeth into. Unfortunately, I did not get the pleasure of attending many of the screenings in person, yet I found much to enjoy in this year's roster. After the jump, check out … Continue reading NewFest 2022 Wrap-Up