Category: LGBTQ
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Why ‘G.B.F.’ (2013) is Pretty Good, Actually
This review contains mild spoilers. G.B.F. is a 2013 feature film written by George Northy and directed by Darren Stein (Jawbreaker). G.B.F., which stands for “gay best friend”, tells the story of Tanner Daniels (Michael J. Willett), a closeted high school student who is “more than content to fly under the radar and leave the trailblazing…
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Why “The Birdcage” is Still Worth Celebrating 25 Years Later
Perhaps the most amazing and groundbreaking quality about The Birdcage is how removed it is from both illness and insensitivity. Whereas films preceding it were often somber stories about the tribulations of being gay in a conservatively straight world, Nichols and screenwriter Elaine May expose the fallacies of conservatism as traditional values are thrown into…
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“She’s Gotta Have It” was Ahead of the Curve in Portrayal of Female Sexuality
In Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It (1986), we follow the love life of powerful female protagonist Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) and explore the relationship dynamics she has with her partners. She sees three men simultaneously: Greer Childs, (John Canada Terrell) Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), and Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks). Though an 80’s…
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Why You Should Know About ‘Welcome to Chechnya’, One of 2020’s Most Thrilling Films
CW: This article discusses forms of LGBTQ+ oppression that may be triggering to many readers. This is a spoiler-free article but it should be known that this film comes with a trigger warning. ‘Welcome to Chechnya’ contains strong violence and real footage of gay bashing. Welcome to Chechnya is a 2020 HBO documentary that explores…
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‘Thelma’ is a Chilling, Hauntingly Beautiful Story of Discovery
Thelma (2017) opens with a startling and chilling scene that perfectly sets the stage for the unnerving, quietly powerful, and hauntingly beautiful story that is about to unfold. A man and a young girl walk through a frozen landscape, hunting. When they stop to shoot a deer, the man, standing behind the girl so she…
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“Imagine Me & You” is a Sweet, if Dated, Rom-Com for the Ages
Imagine Me & You tells the story of Rachel, a newlywed bride who begins to question her sexuality after meeting Luce, an out lesbian who does the floral arrangements for her wedding. As the two begin to develop a closer bond, Rachel finds herself falling for Luce while trying to figure out what this means…
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‘Hysterical’ is an Absolute Must-See of 2021
In recent weeks, I’ve been on a quest to delve into the disparities in representation within the stand-up comedy community. With no shortage of stand-up specials constantly being released across every platform, it seems only fitting to dig deeper into a behind-the-scenes look at how certain advantages and disadvantages take their toll on diverse joke-telling.…
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Margarita with a Straw (2014) Movie Review
Shonali Bose’s Margarita with a Straw (2014) is a moving coming-of-age film. Its journey of discovery and self-love is tender and emotionally fulfilling. It also wrestles with important issues such as disability, inclusion, and sexuality. Unfortunately, its plot feels confused and convoluted at points, its second half lacking in a clear progression of story and…
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Throwback Review: The Dreamy Landscape of ‘My Own Private Idaho’ (1991)
The following review contains spoilers. My Own Private Idaho is a 1991 independent LGBT drama, the third feature film from director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). The story follows Mike Waters (River Phoenix), a narcoleptic street hustler in love with his best friend Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves). The film opens with the definition…
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‘She’s the Man’ at 15: The Gender-Swapping Amanda Bynes Vehicle That Aged Surprisingly Well
This review contains spoilers. Remember Livestrong bracelets? Flip phones? The All-American Rejects? Luckily, one could find each of these distinctly mid-2000’s characteristics in She’s the Man, a 2006 gender-swapping Amanda Bynes teen flick. She’s the Man is now fifteen years old, and what’s even harder to believe is the idea that it aged surprisingly well for a…