Category Archives: LGBTQ+ Drama

2013 Films, Drama, German, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International

Free Fall-2013

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Free Fall-2013

Director Stephan Lacant

Starring Hanno Koffler, Max Riemelt

Scott’s Review #641

Reviewed May 3, 2017

Grade: A-

Free Fall is a 2013 German-language film that is very reminiscent of the highly influential LGBT film, Brokeback Mountain (2005), only set in Germany in the present day.

The loneliness, struggles, and deceit the characters face are similar in both films, and both are arguably bleak overall.

I, however, truly enjoyed this film and appreciated its touching moments and truthful writing.

In the case of Free Fall, as compared with Brokeback Mountain, only one of the male characters is a family man- coming to terms with his sexuality at a very bad time. In contrast, the other male character is more comfortable in his skin.

A case could be made that a similar characterization is apparent in Brokeback. In both films, a love story develops between two men, and outside forces thwart their happiness.

The film is a very good watch, and the love scenes are particularly steamy and emotional.

Marc Borgmann is a young police officer, fresh out of the academy, living with his very pregnant girlfriend, Bettina. They are temporarily staying with Marc’s parents until the baby is born.

Seemingly happy, Marc befriends a recruit, Kay, and they begin a ritual of jogging together in the forest.

Both men are young and handsome and very masculine- an aspect in an LGBT film that I find positive.

Kay is much more brazen about his sexuality than Marc, and they eventually fall in love with the added pressure of their very macho surroundings, and Marc’s pregnant girlfriend to contend with.

Free Fall, as the title implies, is not a cheerful, romantic film as a whole- nor is it completely bleak either.

Yes, Marc and Kay’s love affair has some happy moments, but more often than not they face peril and don’t get much time to relax and enjoy each other.

As circumstances begin to unravel, Marc’s girlfriend slowly suspects something is going on with Marc. Still, when Kay is outed (the film suggests he purposely outs himself) during a gay nightclub raid, their lives spiral out of control.

The film feels very realistic and doesn’t come across as forced or plot-driven. The acting by both principal actors (Koffler and Riemelt) is quite strong, and I buy their attraction instantly.

The scenes where Marc questions whether the pair are buddies while internally fighting his attraction for Kay are excellent and very passionate.

The range of emotions on Koffler’s face is excellent.

Passion comes through in every scene the pair share.

The way many of the supporting characters are portrayed, however, is disappointing,  yet also a brutal strength of the film.

Marc’s parents are unsympathetic to both Marc and Kay and are written as stereotypical, anti-progressive, and rigid.

When Marc’s mother catches Marc and Kay kissing, she coldly chastises Marc for being “raised better than that”. In her mind, being gay is bad- the father wholeheartedly shares her beliefs.

Another of the cops in the police academy is written as homophobic. Still, the film wisely writes Marc and Kay exceptionally well, proudly, with none of the unfair effeminate qualities films and television still seem to cling to.

The characters are not written for laughs, nor should they be. They are strong men.

The film wisely throws in a handful of supportive characters, like the police force as a whole- teaching and recognizing diversity and inclusion- and a fellow cop who is supportive of the situation with Marc and Kay, but most of the characters come across as harsh and unfeeling toward same-sex attraction.

The conclusion of the film is slightly disappointing, as the story ends abruptly and in a rather unsatisfying way- rumors of a proposed sequel have circulated about the film.

Shot on a very small budget, the film still needs funding for a follow-up, which hopefully will happen. A nicer (and happier) ultimate resolution would be great.

American LGBT films, sometimes going too much the comical, or worse yet, the sappier route, can take a lesson from this treasure of a German-language film.

Free Fall (2012) is a humanistic, realistic, and brave film that I hope more people experience. The film will resonate with those involved in or sympathetic to the LGBT community.

2011 Films, Drama, German, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International

The Visitor-2011

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The Visitor-2011

Director Tor Iben

Starring Sinan Hancili, Engin Cert

Scott’s Review #630

Reviewed April 4, 2017

Grade: B-

The Visitor is a 2011 LGBT-centered film set in Berlin, Germany, but featuring mainly Turkish characters.

While the film tells a nice story and features some cool shots of the metropolitan city, it is rather amateurish in style.

The pieces of the film don’t always come together or fit well, and there is little character development, but the film still has good intentions, with a nice message and theme that deserves at least a few props.

The story involves a young male and female couple, Cibrial and Christine, who are dating. Cibrail works as a policeman, and the pair seem to be in a happy relationship, enjoying walks and dinners together.

One day, when Christine’s gay cousin, Stefan, comes to town, the relationship between Cibrail and Christine sours.

The cousin is openly gay and comfortable with his sexuality. At the same time, Cibrail secretly harbors feelings for the same sex, which he dares not tell Christine about, though she eventually catches on dramatically.

Stefan is looking for action, cruising the city and parks for sex and companionship, while Cibrail is both lustful and jealous of Stefan.

Many scenes involve Cibrail looking longingly at Stefan and fantasizing about him. In that regard, the film teeters on being quite steamy and features more than one nude shower scene.

This smoldering element helps the film avoid complete doldrums.

Specifically, Cibrail showers alone during one scene, washing and presumably daydreaming about Stefan. But too many other scenes show a character jogging or walking around the park- too much like filler material.

The climax of the film is highly predictable, as the two men find their way into each other’s arms, though the passion isn’t exactly evident to the audience.

The lack of buildup is a negative aspect of the film because there is very little rooting value and too many questions.

Is the film a love story? Is it supposed to be about Cibrail coming to terms with his sexuality? Why do we not see more of a blow-up scene between Cibrail and Christine?

He moves out once she catches him in bed with Stefan, and before we know it, Stefan and Cibrail passionately embrace, and the film closes in celebration.

A side story involving a dead body found in the park- a park known for gay shenanigans- is included as Cibrail investigates the crime with his police partner, but this seems to have nothing to do with the main plot unless we are to suspect one of the two men as the killer, but this is hardly focused on.

Another shot of a gay pride parade in Berlin is included, but is this to make it known that The Visitor is a gay film?

Additionally, a statue of two men is shown in several scenes for seemingly no other reason than to reinforce that the film is gay-themed.

The Visitor is a simple story of two men finding each other, which is a nice message, but the film’s run time is a brief seventy minutes, hardly enough time for character development.

A muted, videotaped look doesn’t help the film feel professional and comes across as downright amateurish, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if a film student made The Visitor (2011).

1961 Films, Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Psychological Drama

The Children’s Hour-1961

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The Children’s Hour-1961

Director William Wyler

Starring Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine

Scott’s Review #620

Reviewed March 3, 2017

Grade: B+

The Children’s Hour (1961) is one of the earliest films to center around an LGBTQ+ theme and the subsequent scandals the subject would provoke in the innocent year of 1961, pre-Civil Rights and pre-Sexual Revolution.

However, since the film was made in the year that it was, homosexuality was presented as something dark and evil rather than something to be accepted or even embraced.

Still, the film and its director, William Wyler, are brave enough to recognize the topic. They create a compelling film rich with well-written characters and some soap opera-style drama.

The Children’s Hour is based on a 1934 play by Lillian Hellman.

The setting appears to be New England, perhaps Connecticut or Massachusetts, though the film never identifies the exact area.

College friends Karen (Audrey Hepburn) and Martha (Shirley MacLaine) open a private all-girls boarding school catering to their affluent community. They run the school with Martha’s Aunt Lilly, a faded Broadway actress who often hen-pecks the women.

Karen has been dating handsome obstetrician Joe (James Garner) for two years. When he proposes marriage, she hesitantly accepts, which saddens Martha.

All the while, spoiled brat child Mary, furious over being punished by her teachers, plots revenge against Martha and Karen and embellishes a heated discussion between the ladies into a scandalous lie she whispers to her grandmother (Fay Bainter).

The grandmother promptly tells the parents of the other students, who remove their children from the school en masse. The lie is that Karen and Martha are lovers, and Mary witnessed the two women kissing.

Meanwhile, Mary is blackmailing a fellow student, Rosalie (Veronica Cartwright), over a stolen bracelet.

The town ostracizes Martha and Karen.

The Children’s Hour becomes even more compelling when one of the women begins to realize that she does indeed have homosexual feelings towards the other woman and has always harbored anger and resentment as well as feeling “different” from other women.

As well-written as the film is, the fact that the audience does not get to hear what Mary whispers to her grandmother is telling and prevents the film from being even more powerful than it is.

Also, the downbeat conclusion to the film sends a clear message that in 1961, audiences were not ready to accept lesbianism as anything to be normalized or to be proud of.

The decision was made to make it abundantly clear that one of the central characters is not a lesbian. Any uncertainty may have risked freaking out mainstream audiences at the time.

Since the traditional opposite-sex romance between Karen and Joe is at the forefront of the film, I did not witness much chemistry between actors Hepburn and Garner.

Still, I might have been at the point of achieving a subliminal sexual complexity.

The Children’s Hour and William Wyler deserve heaps of praise for going so far as to suggest that censorship in film in 1961 would allow them to offer nuggets of progressivism mixed into a brave film.

Incidentally, Wyler made another version of this film in 1936 named These Three. Because of the Hays Code, any hint of lesbianism was forbidden, causing Wyler to create a standard story of a love triangle between the three, with both Martha and Karen pining after Joe.

What a difference a couple of decades make!

MacLaine and Hepburn must be credited with carrying the film and eliciting nice chemistry between the women. However, it is too subtle to be realized if the chemistry is of a friendship level or a sexual nature.

And I adore how Wyler makes both characters rather glamorous and avoids stereotypical characteristics.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actress-Fay Bainter, Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Black-and-White, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Director-Motion Picture-William Wyler, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama-Shirley MacLaine, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture-Fay Bainter

2015 Films, Australian, Drama, International, International Drama, International Romance, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International, LGBTQ+ Romance, Romantic Drama

Holding the Man-2015

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Holding the Man-2015

Director Neil Armfield

Starring Ryan Corr, Craig Stott

Scott’s Review #612

Reviewed January 24, 2016

Grade: B+

Holding the Man (2015) is a brave love story centering on two young men and spanning fifteen years as the men begin as high school sweethearts and progress into adulthood, and sadly both contract AIDS.

This is a pivotal aspect of the film as it is set during the 1970s and 1980s- a time when this disease was dreadful and more or less a death sentence.

The film is tender and poignant, but despite these qualities, I felt it lacked something more vigorous. I didn’t have the exact emotional reaction I thought I might.

Set in Australia, the film is adapted from a 1995 memoir of the same name.

The action begins in 1976 as we meet Tim and John, both high school students. They come from different social groups: Tim is a theater student, and John captains his soccer team.

Surprisingly, they connect romantically as Tim asks John out on a date.

The pair receive little hassle and are quite open with their relationship. Certainly, they face a bit of opposition from officials at the school, but this is not the main aspect that the film goes for.

Instead, the main problems come from John’s family, specifically his father, but the film handles this safely. Tim’s family is much more accepting.

Over the next fifteen years, the couple encounters death directly when they are simultaneously told they have acquired HIV.

The film is mostly told chronologically but occasionally flashes back and forth.

Specifically, flashbacks remind us of John’s youthful good looks when he is close to death, bald and sickly-looking.

The main point is the men’s enduring love for each other, which is a nice message.

Otherwise, the film (2015 and long since the AIDS plague) goes for a reminder of how harsh those times were for gay men, though there is a softness to the film that I felt instead of the brutal reality.

The actors playing John and Tim (Craig Stott and Ryan Corr, respectively) have decent chemistry, but that may have been stronger than I perceived, and it’s why I didn’t feel emotionally invested in the film.

The film was nice and sweet-the romance part- but when one of the men succumbs to AIDS, I should have been a puddle of tears, and I just wasn’t.

I did enjoy how the film doesn’t focus too much on the opposition from John’s father (Anthony LaPaglia). He would wish his son’s sexuality differently but is more concerned with how his son’s relationship with a male looks to Dad’s friends and neighbors.

The deeper story was the love between the men who knew no barriers.

It was nice to see Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce in supporting turns as a drama teacher (Rush) and as Tim’s father, Dick (Pearce).

Both do well in limited roles, and I adore how the film portrays Dick as a supportive father, even dancing a slow dance with his son at a wedding, without embarrassment.

Also notable is the sweet ending, where a photo of the real Tim and John appears during a narrative from an interview with the real Tim before his death.

Holding the Man (2015) is a nice film, but it doesn’t have the power other LGBT films in recent decades did.

Brokeback Mountain (2006) immediately comes to mind as a similar film, but one that was more emotional and engaged me much more.

An honest effort, though.

2009 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Los Angeles, Romantic Drama

A Single Man-2009

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A Single Man-2009

Director Tom Ford

Starring Colin Firth

Scott’s Review #577

Reviewed January 1, 2017

Grade: B+

A Single Man (2009) is a dark film fraught with meaning and honesty-it is a very good movie.

It is a melancholy film and a bit surreal, but worth seeing.

The acting, especially from star Colin Firth, is first-rate.

The subject matter involves being gay in the 1950s and 1960s and the ramifications of living a forbidden and secretive life.

The intelligent film is based on the novel of the same name, written by Christopher Isherwood.

The film is written as a sad tale of a day in the life of a gay man living in the 1960s.

Firth portrays George Falconer, a British college professor living in liberal-minded Los Angeles. When his much younger lover (presumably a student) dies, George plans to commit suicide.

Moore plays his best friend and confidante, Charley, who is dealing with her own demons.

Through flashbacks, we learn about George and his lover Jim’s secret life together and the challenges that ensued. George also had a strange relationship with a male prostitute.

We learn the path of life George leads following Jim’s tragic death; we also see them happy at one time.

A Single Man (2009) is a bit of a downer, containing a definite dream-like feel and is heavy on the flashbacks, but this is intriguing to the picture and not a complaint.

A very good, but not an uplifting film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-Colin Firth

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Male Lead-Colin Firth, Best First Screenplay, Best First Feature

2010 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Comedy, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

The Kids Are All Right-2010

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The Kids Are All Right-2010

Director Lisa Cholodenko

Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore

Scott’s Review #560

Reviewed December 24, 2016

Grade: A

The Kids Are All Right is a fantastic film!

In my opinion, the film is one of the best of the year 2010 and was rewarded with a deserving Best Picture nomination.

Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo were also honored with acting nominations. Bening gives the best performance in the film.

Continuing the trend of more exposure to LGBT issues, The Kids Are All Right tells of a same-sex-centered family dealing with real issues.

Though not dark, the film is not light or played strictly for laughs. It is a family drama that shows how same-sex family units face problems like everyone else, and how they deal with them, never forgetting how much they love each other.

The writing is intelligent, deeply layered, and rich. The acting is superb, and the characters are complex.

The best scene is one where the entire family is eating dinner- suddenly the camera focuses on one person and goes into slow motion; the other voices become muffled and distant, and painful emotion is portrayed on one of the characters’ faces as a revelation comes to the surface.

Brilliant.

Even the seemingly unimportant dialogue throughout the film is smart, as it shows the bond of the family that cannot ultimately be broken.

The Kids Are All Right (2010) is a worthwhile and compelling film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress-Annette Bening, Best Supporting Actor-Mark Ruffalo, Best Original Screenplay

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Director-Lisa Cholodenko, Best Female Lead-Annette Bening, Best Supporting Male-Mark Ruffalo, Best Screenplay (won)

1998 Films, Comedy, Coming-of-Age, Drama, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International, Romantic Comedy, Swedish

Show Me Love-1998

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Show Me Love-1998

Director Lukas Moodysson

Starring Alexandra Dahlstrom, Rebecca Liljeberg

Scott’s Review #496

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Reviewed October 22, 2016

Grade: B

Throughout the latter part of the 1990s, films with a more LGBT perspective (then referred to as the gay and lesbian genre) were being released more readily.

It was not until the 2000s that mainstream offerings on the subject (Monster, 2003, Brokeback Mountain, 2006) hit the big screen to wide acclaim.

Show Me Love (1998) is a Swedish coming-of-age story about two high school girls, who are opposites in terms of social acceptance, who find love.

Interestingly, the film was directed by a male, Lukas Moodysson.

Show Me Love originally had a different title, a crude reference to the town the film is set in, in western Sweden. Still, when the film was considered for Academy Award contention (it did not make the cut), filmmakers were advised to modify the film’s title to include any shot.

The film contains a grainy look- using handheld cameras in parts and, of course, is in the Swedish language.

Agnes is sullen, introverted, and brooding. Known throughout the high school hallways as the angry, weird lesbian, she has few friends, and the ones who are kind to her, she shuns away.

Elin, by contrast, is popular, lively, and charming- everybody loves her.

However, Elin is restless in the tiny Swedish town where she lives and yearns for excitement. When Agnes develops a crush on Elin, she confesses it all to her computer but to no one else.

The film is nicely put together and, given the year 1998, is quite brave. Today, many years have passed, and progress within the LGBT community has been made; a film like Show Me, Love is a more common occurrence.

Director Moodysson does not go for anything gratuitous or steamy but rather spins a sweet coming-of-age tale, not only of teen love and hormones but also of outcasts and feelings of loneliness.

It’s a film that most can relate to in some way.

The actresses portraying the leads (Dahlstrom and Liljeberg) are fantastic in their roles, playing them with conviction and believability.

Despite being opposites, we buy their attraction and chemistry. Nothing is forced or dishonest.

My favorite scenes are the awkward 16th birthday party for Agnes, thrown by her well-meaning yet clueless parents. When nobody except a disabled girl shows up, Agnes viciously insults her, causing her to leave.

The family sits in the living room, eating the food that was planned for anticipated guests. It’s a poignant, rather sweet moment. Despite Agnes’s unpopularity at school, she has a very strong, loyal family unit- that is nice to see.

Later, Elin and her sister attend the party, but more as an excuse to avoid another one. Finally, Elin and Agnes share a kiss, but is it a mean dare or is it authentic?

A clever aspect of the film is how Moodysson distinguishes between Elin’s and Agnes’s sexualities. Agnes is gay, open, and out. Elin is very different and has boys interested in her.

The girls could not be more different, and this adds a layer of complexity, as each is at a different stage in self-discovery. This feature also makes Show Me Love very honest in its storytelling.

The film is not a masterpiece and could have ventured into more controversial territory. Could they be harmed for being lesbians, given the town they live in? Why is Agnes so sullen?

This is a stereotype (the brooding lesbian) that needs to be changed, though, given the time of the film, I will give it a slight pass. Why not make Agnes a happy, cheerful, gay girl?

How will Elin’s sister deal with Elin’s sexuality, or is it merely a phase for her?

All sorts of darker issues might have been explored, but Show Me Love (1998) is tender, sweet, and lighter fare, yet still an adventurous offering.

1970 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Trash-1970

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Trash-1970

Director Paul Morrissey

Starring Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn

Scott’s Review #490

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Reviewed October 7, 2016

Grade: B+

Trash (1970) is a very unique movie. It needs to be experienced firsthand to be believed.

Produced by icon Andy Warhol, it is both creative and raw, and certainly not for those seeking a basic film that can easily be digested and contained in a box.

Rather, the gritty and controversial aspects percolate into something edgy and creative. In essence, it is a day in the life of a junkie.

An indie drama with documentary aspects, made in 1970 and set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Trash tells the story of a young heroin junkie named Joe (Joe Dallesandro) along with his sidekick Holly, who wander throughout the city picking through trash in desperate need of their next heroin fix.

The film is hardcore, and that is what I admired most about it. Not always compelling and certainly not always story-like, it is an experience.

Trash would likely not be made today, but, alas, in the 1960s and 1970s, films like this could be made.

Sigh.

Its rawness, explicit nudity (and I mean full-frontal folks), and blatant IV drug injections are not for the perky or conformists.

It reminds me quite a bit of a John Waters cult exploitation film, but interestingly, it preceded John Waters.

Trash (1970) is very well made, and I’d like to see it again sometime.

2013 Films, Biography, Comedy, Drama, HBO, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Behind The Candelabra-2013

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Behind the Candelabra-2013

Director Steven Soderbergh

Starring Michael Douglas, Matt Damon

Scott’s Review #411

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Reviewed June 18, 2016

Grade: A

I thoroughly enjoyed this HBO film about Liberace, whom I was too young to know much about before seeing it.

The film fully explores the excesses of his lavish lifestyle.

The standouts are Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, who are both exceptional in their portrayals of Liberace and his young lover. At times, both are unrecognizable and fully embody their characters.

I can’t attest to the story’s absolute truth, but the HBO film does a nice job of mixing joy, passion, heartbreak, sadness, and competition throughout.

The story undoubtedly bears a likeness to many Hollywood troubled relationships past and present.

2015 Films, Drama, French, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International

The New Girlfriend-2015

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The New Girlfriend-2015

Director Francois Ozon

Starring Romain Duris, Anais Demoustier

Scott’s Review #382

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Reviewed March 5, 2016

Grade: B

The New Girlfriend (2015) is a French, and lighter, version of The Danish Girl, a similarly themed film also released in 2015.

The story involves gender identification confusion among the central character, though the time in The Danish Girl is the 1920s, The New Girl is set in present times.

The film begins with a brief montage of the lives of two best friends,  Laura and  Claire, inseparable as children, young adults, and even as married women.

Sadly, we learn that Laura has recently died of a terminal illness and this is where the film begins. Claire embarks on a unique friendship with Laura’s husband David when she catches him wearing female clothing and acting as a “mommy” to his infant daughter.

They form a bond and Claire agrees to harbor David’s secret and even accompany him in public as he slowly takes on the persona of “Virginia”.

I found the film quite compelling throughout most of the running time as we see David’s burning desire to dress as a woman and feel like a woman.

We mostly see the bond develop between Claire and David, who sometimes is Virginia, and other times David. Claire is happily married to her successful, handsome, husband Gilles and the three individuals are friends. They share dinners, tennis matches, and evenings consuming wine.

Gilles is unaware of David’s secret and begins to fear an affair between his wife and friend. Likewise, during moments, Claire imagines David and Gilles beginning a torrid affair.

Interestingly, the film does not go full steam ahead with the love triangle between Claire/Gilles/David (Virginia), a wise choice. That would have made the film more typical and perhaps even one-note.

Rather, the point is struggles by David to feel like a woman and how his friends support him. When he kisses Claire and snuggles with her, it is not sexual, it is to feel close to another woman.

This makes the film more character-driven.

As with many foreign-language films, The New Girlfriend is liberal with nudity, male and female. When nudity is featured in American films typically it is gratuitously or sexually.

This film is French, so the nudity is tasteful and even beautiful. When Claire is topless it is more expressive as the mystique of the female body than in a showing of a chesty woman, which Claire is not.

The ending slightly disappointed me. The idyllic, fairy tale way it wrapped was romanticized and unrealistic. I would have liked to have seen more of David/Virginia’s struggles and how his in-laws might have wrestled with their granddaughter being raised by a single man dressing as a woman.

Another flaw was the lack of explanation as to whether David, as a male, desired and yearned biologically to become a woman or if he was satisfied to dress up and publicly look like a woman.

The film chose not to go this route and undoubtedly would have made the film darker, containing a much deeper story.

Instead, The New Girlfriend (2015) was light, fun, and wholesome in its overall story.

2015 Films, Biography, Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Romantic Drama

The Danish Girl-2015

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The Danish Girl-2015

Director Tom Hooper

Starring Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander

Scott’s Review #310

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Reviewed December 29, 2015

Grade: A-

The Danish Girl (2015) tells the loosely based story of Danish painters and married couple Lili Ebe and Gerda Wegener and Lili’s struggles as the first known recipient of sex reassignment surgery, unheard of at the time that it was (1930).

The film showcases terrific acting (Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander especially) and a journey of one person’s struggle with gender identity.

The subject matter is important and timely as the recent transgender movement has emerged at the forefront of social issues today.

A happy, young couple living in Copenhagen, and married for six years, Gerda and Einar are inseparable and madly in love. They are best friends and help each other with their art. Because of a female model’s tardiness, Gerda convinces Einar to stand in for the female model.

This event triggers a lifelong identification as a female named Lili Elbe. Lili has emerged sporadically since childhood.

Through painful self-assessment and encouragement from progressive loved ones, Lili decides to go through with a highly experimental and risky sex change operation.

Gushing with sensitivity and tenderness and groundbreaking, though I bet even more so if made ten years ago, one feels for both lead characters as it is important to note that they both go through emotional turmoil.

It would be easy to lessen Gerda’s emotions and, perhaps with a lesser actress this might have happened, but Vikander (unknown to me before seeing this film) gives an emotional performance that is raw and exudes empathy.

One can imagine how they would feel if their spouse identified as the opposite sex. Confusion, blame, anger, and sorrow, would all be common reactions. Gerda is strong, brave, and helpful while crumbling beneath the surface.

Vikander brings all of this to the screen flawlessly.

Similarly, Redmayne brings depth and empathy to his role.  Redmayne’s Einar is masculine, but there is something sensitive and slightly feminine to him from the start.

Was this purposely done to soften the blow? He also appears to be very slightly built. Redmayne lost weight to portray this role and have a softer appearance.

Actors can easily dress up in drag, but the emotional investment needs to be there and Redmayne makes the viewer care about Lili. One is teary-eyed along with Lili as she sees no other choice but to undergo the risky operation. We see the desperation in Lili’s eyes thanks to Redmayne’s acting skills.

I loved how supportive the characters are in the film. Granted, Einar/Lili and Gerda travel in liberal and progressive circles, but for 1930, this was wonderful to see.

Of course, Copenhagen and Paris are open-minded cities, but Lili’s childhood friend Hans, a sophisticated, macho guy, offers support. The same goes for the Doctor taking on Lili’s surgery.

These aspects lend to a delicate, peaceful film of encouragement.

To be clear, Lili is not gay, and this is made crystal clear during the film as she meets a gay man, and the distinction between them is made. She does, however, identify and feel that she is a woman. She was born with the wrong parts.

The greatest aspect of The Danish Girl is its powerhouse acting and compelling subject matter. One’s gender is a given for most, but watching a riveting drama about someone who is unrestful with their gender is eye-opening and still rather taboo.

2015 was a year of progressive transgender films and The Danish Girl is towards the top in its class and graceful in dealing with the subject matter in a judgmental-free way.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Actor-Eddie Redmayne, Best Supporting Actress-Alicia Vikander (won), Best Production Design, Best Costume Design

2015 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Tangerine-2015

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Tangerine-2015

Director Sean Baker

Starring Mya Taylor, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, James Ransone

Scott’s Review #301

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Reviewed December 17, 2015

Grade: A

On the rare occasion that I am lucky and privileged enough to stumble upon a gem like Tangerine (2015), it reaffirms my faith in film and creative filmmakers in general.

Here is a universal lesson- it does not require oodles of money to make a great film. This film was shot with three smartphones!!

It takes talent and creativity.

Tangerine is a groundbreaking film- the first (that I am aware of anyway) to feature transgender actresses at the forefront of the feature.

The film has been honored with multiple Independent Spirit Award nominations.

Shot documentary style, with grittiness and a frenetic pace, while mixing in unique styles of music (hip hop to classic) as the musical score (a child-like tune begins the film), Tangerine is unique from both a story perspective and a visual style.

The film’s first scene begins with two transgender sex workers- Sin-Dee Rella and Alexandra, having a conversation in a coffee shop. Sin-Dee has just been released from jail and learns that her boyfriend, and pimp, Chester (James Ransone), has been cheating on her.

It is Christmas Eve.

The film explores Sin-Dee’s rage and subsequent search all over Los Angeles for Chester, and the girl he has been with. She vows revenge on them both.

However, beyond this story point, the heart of the film is of loneliness and isolation that most of the characters (trans and otherwise), share, in one form or another.

Interspersed with the Sin-Dee story, are stories involving Alexandra’s feud with a “john”, and her pursuit of a singing career.

Another interesting story is that of a straight male, Razmik, an Armenian cab driver who is enamored with transgender sex workers.

This may sound bizarre or too out there for some, but Razmik’s story is quite tender and compelling. He has a wife, child, and other relatives and is the breadwinner. He is also very conflicted. He does not “use” the sex workers, but rather cares for them and admires them.

I found all three principal characters interesting in different ways- Sin-Dee and Alex are over-the-top, yet sensitive. While Sin-Dee is aggressive and vengeful, Alex is the kinder of the two and the more sensible and rational.

She is a sex worker but aspires for more out of life. Razmik is even more interesting- does he have a fetish? Is he shameful for spending money on prostitutes while supporting a wife and child?

All of the characters are victimized in one form or another and all are dysfunctional- at the same time, they are all weirdly likable.

I witnessed moments of Quentin Tarantino’s film style coming across the screen- most notably in the coffee-shop scenes (the beginning and final scenes) as all hell breaks loose, and the characters delve into all sorts of crazy behavior.

Tangerine is a sweet tale about friendship too.

It is a memorable and powerful film experience.

In the end, all the characters are hurting, living such sad lives, especially since the time is present-day Christmas Eve, which might make this film sound depressing, but it is not.

I found it almost uplifting in a way.

Tangerine (2015) is a completely original, groundbreaking film that I hope will be remembered and appreciated fifty years from now.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Feature, Best Director-Sean Baker, Best Female Lead-Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Best Supporting Female-Mya Taylor (won), Piaget Producers Award

1968 Films, Drama, French, International, International Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International

Les Biches (Bad Girls)-1968

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Les Biches (Bad Girls)-1968

Director Claude Chabrol

Starring Stephane Audran, Jaqueline Sassard, Jean-Louis Trintignant

Scott’s Review #292

Reviewed December 3, 2015

Grade: B+

Les Biches (translated as “Bad Girls” in English) is a French-Italian film from 1968 about a peculiar relationship between two women: one a wealthy, gorgeous, sophisticated woman named Frederique; the other a poor, waif-like, struggling street artist named Why.

They embark on a tumultuous love affair marred by competition for handsome Paul Thomas, the local architect.

At its core, the film delves into the class struggle, lust, and violence.

The beginning of the film sets the tone as Frederique gives a large sum of money to Why as she stops to admire her art on the streets of Paris. She invites Why back to her lush villa in gorgeous Saint Tropez, where Frederique lets two outrageous gay men cohabitate with her.

The household is a circus of sorts as the men prance around wildly, but Frederique teaches Why about high society and good living.

Soon, Paul is introduced to the story and takes a shine to Why. She calmly rejects him, and Frederique then begins to fancy him, thereby emotionally rejecting Why and leaving her feeling out in the cold.

The film then takes a psychologically dramatic turn as the characters turn against one another.

I admire this film for its unorthodox story, especially for 1968. Same-sex stories are not the norm these days, and the interesting key is that the classes are different.

Frederique has control and power over Why because she has money. Paul admires Why, but he cavorts with Frederique. Is he genuinely interested in her, or does he value her money most of all?

The film never makes the distinction crystal clear, but one speculates it is the latter. Frederique uses her wealth (and beauty) to obtain what she wants- namely, Paul to spite Why.

Why is younger and fresher, and has not been marred by the world… yet? The gay men are cartoon-like. It is not clear exactly who they are or why they live in the villa. Little background is known about any of the characters.

Foreign-language films, especially of the 1960s and 1970s, are fascinating- filled with life and interesting facets, and Les Biches is a prime example of interesting filmmaking.

A trip down the bi-sexuality lane with two gorgeous women at the forefront of the story, both struggling for power over the other, though one with a clear advantage.

Interesting to note that at the time of release, the film was touted as a lesbian skin-flick and humorously mis-thought to be entitled “Les Bitches” (perhaps to get audiences in the door), but it is hardly a sex romp- quite the contrary, as the psychological elements overtake everything else.

Les Biches (1968) is an odd little adventure, but one to be appreciated and traveled with an open mind if the mood is right. Stylish, interesting, and certainly non-mainstream, it challenges the social norms of the day and offers Hitchcock-like elements, especially in the final chapter.

2014 Films, British, Comedy, Drama, Historical Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Pride-2014

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Pride-2014

Director Matthew Warchus

Starring Dominic West, Ben Schnetzer

Scott’s Review #215

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Reviewed January 17, 2015

Grade: B-

Pride (2014), based on a true story, deserves props for delivering a nice message about inclusion and groups of vastly different people coming together as human beings.

While it’s a nice film, the filmmakers play it a bit too safe, and it has a definite formulaic feel to it.

Surely the real story of Pride wasn’t as simplistic as this film felt at times.

The setting is 1984 England. A group of British miners goes on strike over wages.

A group called Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, made up of gay men and women, became interested in the strike and decided to help the miners and their families.

Why they decided to take on this cause is not fully explained. The National Union of Mineworkers hesitates to accept funds because it fears the publicity a group thought to be perverts would bring.

The film is riddled with clichés- the macho miners resist the help from the gays, many of whom are portrayed as effeminate. The characters who are lesbians look as though the filmmakers wanted to “butch them up”, thereby overdoing the stereotype.

There is a subplot of one gay young man who has not come out to his parents, a well-to-do, pretentious couple. When the truth inevitably comes out, the parents are angry and turn their backs on the teen.

He leaves home to join the gays and lesbians who accept him into their lives with open arms.

The female head of the committee is homophobic and vows to do everything in her power to make sure the gay and lesbian group does not succeed in aligning with the miners.

These clichés seemed way too overdone to make the film more dramatic. As a result, some characters come across as one-dimensional.

Even the story revolving around a character with AIDS seems watered down and soft.

On the plus side, casting the brilliant Imelda Staunton as the sympathetic, maternal Hefina is a strong point.

A huge supporter of gays and lesbians, she comically befriends all of them and is curious about their lifestyles. Bill Nighy is also excellent as Cliff, the older miner who turns out to be gay.

Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister at the time, is presented as greedy and selfish, with little regard for the miners or labor unions.

Pride (2014) is an earnest, sentimental, feel-good film that deserves adoration for bringing different communities together.

I would have liked to see the film take more risks.

2014 Films, Drama, HBO, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Social Issues

The Normal Heart-2014

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The Normal Heart-2014

Director Ryan Murphy

Starring Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer

Scott’s Review #198

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Reviewed December 1, 2014

Grade: B+

The Normal Heart is a 2014 HBO television movie based on the true story of Ned Weeks, an openly gay AIDS activist/writer, played by Mark Ruffalo.

The film is set during the period when the epidemic first surfaced, from 1981-1984, and the challenges and frustrations faced, mostly within the gay community, to bring exposure and assistance to the disease.

Weeks was famous for building a group of passionate members who banded together to overcome these struggles.

Brad Pitt produced the film.

This is wonderful to know, as films with this content (AIDS) are often tough to produce. It’s wonderful that Pitt’s wealth and influence were used effectively.

At a vastly different time in the country to be gay, the government did very little to assist with financing for treatment or researching a cure for it, which is the main point of the story.

The talented cast makes this film what it is.

Matt Bomer plays Ned’s closeted gay lover, Felix Turner, one of the many casualties of the deadly disease. Bomer lost 40 pounds to prepare for the role.

Julia Roberts plays polio-stricken doctor Emma Brookner, who helped the sick when few others in the medical community would.

Other supporting actors include Alfred Molina, who plays Ned’s supportive, powerful attorney and brother, and Joe Mantello, who delivers a terrific meltdown scene as his anger and anguish over the government not taking the disease seriously finally bubble to the surface.

Finally, Mark Ruffalo plays Ned competently, but why the slight feminization? The real Ned Weeks was masculine. A needless stereotype the film (or Ruffalo) chose to pursue.

The film shows the discrimination faced by people living with AIDS, from an airline pilot refusing to fly a plane carrying a sick patient, to an electrician refusing to enter a patient’s hospital room to fix a television set.

It is sad to realize how ridiculous these unfounded fears proved to be.

According to the film’s statistics, a major point of the film is how the United States Government, specifically President Ronald Reagan, did very little in the way of funding or even wanting to discuss the issue for years following the initial outbreak, resulting in thousands of lost lives.

And why exactly is Reagan considered a great President?

It makes one ponder. It was only due to beloved Hollywood star Rock Hudson contracting and dying from the disease. Elizabeth Taylor used her star power to get people involved, which finally led to the topic being discussed and action taken on a federal level.

My slight criticism of the film is that it looks and feels like a television movie, similar in texture to HBO’s Behind the Candelabra (2013).

The colors are bright and vivid, and it looks television-like. It could have used darker lighting and perhaps a gloomier, more dour feel, especially given the subject matter.

Otherwise, thumbs up, and respect for bringing this story to millions of viewers and hopefully educating those who weren’t there.

1985 Films, Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Portuguese

Kiss of the Spider Woman-1985

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Kiss of the Spider Woman-1985

Director Hector Babenco

Starring William Hurt, Raul Julia

Scott’s Review #187

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Reviewed October 24, 2014

Grade: B+

1985 wasn’t the best year for film, nor was much of the 1980s, but there are unique standouts, and Kiss of the Spider Woman is an unusual, artistic film.

Set in present-day South America (Brazil), two men are imprisoned for very different reasons and become cellmates.

Complete opposites, they form an unlikely bond rooted in friendship but also flirting with romance and, at times, love.

Luis Molina is outwardly homosexual and extremely flamboyant and perhaps out of touch with reality as he fantasizes and describes romantic Nazi films.

He is imprisoned not only for being homosexual but also for having sex with an underage male.

The other man, Valentin Arregui, is a liberal political activist who has been beaten, tortured, and interrogated due to his revolutionary-leaning politics. He has a rough, macho edge.

On the surface, the two men have nothing in common, but their proximity leads them to forge a close bond and mutual respect as they explain their pre-imprisonment lives to each other and to the audience.

The film’s true strength is William Hurt’s performance, very much against type, the best of his career by a mile. He fully embodies Luis’s effeminacy, yearning, pain, and obsession with escaping reality through film.

Raul Julia has the same effect, though in a completely different way, in his portrayal of Valentin.

Luis tenderly comforts Valentin, who is poisoned by prison officials who incorporate his stories of films into Valentin’s real life, as he yearns for his separated lover, Marta.

As Luis falls in love with Valentin, and one seems to double-cross the other, they face a test of courage and dedication to each other.

The ending of the film is a sad one, dark, yet thought-provoking, and shows love, tenderness, and bravery.

My only negative about Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) is that, at times, the flashback structure and Luis’s narration make it hard to follow exactly what is going on.

Still, Hurt and Julia’s performances, and the chemistry between them, are the film’s major strengths.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Hector Babenco, Best Actor-William Hurt (won), Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Picture-Drama, Best Actor-Drama-William Hurt, Raul Julia, Best Supporting Actress-Sônia Braga

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best International Film (won)

2014 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, New York City, Romantic Drama

Love Is Strange-2014

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Love Is Strange-2014

Director Ira Sachs

Starring John Lithgow, Alfred Molina

Scott’s Review #174

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Reviewed September 24, 2014

Grade: B

Love Is Strange (2014) is sweet, though not nauseatingly sentimental, and explores many different types of relationships; at the forefront is the same-sex couple Ben and George, played by John Lithgow and Alfred Molina, respectively.

They are a successful New York City couple of a certain age, together for nearly thirty years, and finally legally wed in a low-key ceremony surrounded by friends and family.

George teaches music at a strict Catholic high school where the students and staff know and love him and his new husband.

The bishop doesn’t support his marriage, and he’s fired unceremoniously.

This causes Ben and George to become homeless and rely on family and friends for a roof over their heads.

The film features several secondary character relationships.

Ben’s nephew and wife balance busy careers with a temperamental, rebellious, confused son; Ben’s niece from Poughkeepsie seems neurotic.

Neighbors who are gay police couples have loud parties seemingly every night.

Marisa Tomei, who plays Ben’s niece by marriage, Kate, and Charlie Tahan, who plays Joey, Ben’s great-nephew, are probably the most prominent in the supporting cast.

While well-meaning and accommodating, Kate bottles up her anger and comforts herself with nightly red wine.

Joey lashes out at his great-uncle in frustration, criticizing his artwork and scolding him for using his teen friend in a portrait, a friend whose sexuality is unclear.

Most other characters are not fleshed out well and are there to move the plot along. This is slightly disappointing. I would have preferred a bit more backstory regarding the rest of the cast.

Throughout the film, a few clues about Joey and his friend’s sexuality surface, but they don’t go beyond the surface.

I was curious about the cop’s backstory. How long have they been together? Do they face conflict at work?

Numerous scenes show both cops in uniform running errands or visiting the hospital, which seems to emphasize that cops can be masculine and gay, a fact I love, yet the characters are one-dimensional.

Why is Ben’s niece neurotic? The film doesn’t pursue this at all.

The film belongs to Lithgow and Molina.

The two have such effortless, natural chemistry that the audience instantly believes they have been together for decades. The fact that Lithgow and Molina are lifelong friends in real life surely adds to the realism and naturalness.

Ben is the yin to George’s yang. Lithgow and Molina’s performances are so understated and calming that you might overlook how excellent they are, since they are both low-key characters.

Love Is Strange (2014) is a film about strength, courage, loyalty, and perseverance through life’s challenges.

It is a sensitive and lovely film.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Male Lead-John Lithgow, Best Supporting Male-Alfred Molina, Best Screenplay

2013 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Pit Stop-2013

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Pit Stop-2013

Director Yen Tan

Starring Bill Heck, Marcus DeAnda

Scott’s Review #168

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Reviewed September 10, 2014

Grade: B

Pit Stop is a small independent film from 2013 that centers on a group of gay men living in rural Texas, outside of Houston or San Antonio.

The plot focuses on two men, Gabe and Ernesto, who don’t know each other. They recount their ups and downs, mostly about dating and relationships.

Gabe lives with his ex-wife Shannon, and they share a child they raise together as a family. They have a warm relationship and live together as friends.  Gabe was recently dumped by a married man who wants him to stop calling.

Ernesto lives with a younger man whom he used to date and is trying to convince him to move out and get his life together.

Ernesto also has a former partner who is comatose and whom he continues to visit in the hospital.

A subplot is Shannon’s struggles to date. She arranges a date with a co-worker and, after drinking too much, embarrasses herself by coming on too strong to him.

The point of the film is that all the characters are struggling to find love and companionship, and most are lonely, yet not unbalanced or neurotic.

They reside in the middle of nowhere, which dims their chances of finding love.

There are no villains, and all the characters are quite likable. There is a reason to root for each of them, especially Gabe and Ernesto, and I kept hoping they would be brought together, since they seem like a wonderful pair with real chemistry.

Both are caregivers in their current situations, so what transpires after the film is interesting.

Pit Stop (2013) is a feel-good, happily-ever-after type film, mostly screened at independent film festivals and the gay festival circuit.

The film is small and steady, but a nice, uplifting experience and worth checking out.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: John Cassavetes Award

2011 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, New York City

Gun Hill Road-2011

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Gun Hill Road-2011

Director Rashaad Ernesto Green

Starring Esai Morales

Scott’s Review #138

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Reviewed July 27, 2014

Grade: A-

Gun Hill Road (2011) is a very small, independent film set in the Bronx, New York, hence the title, which is a famous street there.

It tells the story of a Hispanic family: the father, Enrique (wonderfully played by Esai Morales), has recently been released from prison and is adjusting to clean living.

His wife Angela (Judy Reyes) has moved on emotionally and physically, and his teenage son Michael (Harmony Santana) is going through a sexual identity crisis and defines himself as a female.

Each of the three characters is sympathetic and well understood in terms of motivation.

The most interesting facet of the film is the father/son relationship, as Enrique must eventually come to terms with Michael’s sexuality and gender definition, which is not portrayed as easy in the Latino community.

The film has a rawness and realness.

Gun Hill Road is a dysfunctional family drama, character-driven, sometimes difficult to watch, and quite captivating, though the ending is slightly disappointing, as events were left open-ended.

Santana was nominated for the 2012 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.

I only wish this film had received wider recognition and acclaim, as it’s a marvel.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Female-Harmony Santana

2013 Films, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Concussion- 2013

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Concussion-2013

Director Stacie Passon

Starring Robin Weigert

Scott’s Review #111

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Reviewed July 15, 2014

Grade: B+

Concussion (2013) is a small, interesting, independent film that tells the story of an affluent Westchester County, NY housewife who is a lesbian.

Brilliantly played by Robin Weigert, the woman is married to another woman and decides to become an escort for other women experimenting with their sexuality.

On paper, it reads like a comedy, but it is a character study and strictly a drama.

The woman (Abby) has a seemingly happy marriage. Her wife is a high-powered attorney, and Abby stays home and raises the kids.

But she is bored and conflicted in her marriage, and something is missing. She loves her wife, and they have a wonderful circle of friends, both gay and straight.

They throw dinner parties and have a sense of togetherness.

The escort scenes aren’t what you might expect. Very little sexual content occurs, but rather bonds can form between escort and client.

I love the way no lesbian stereotypes are portrayed- both main characters are intelligent, attractive, and feminine.

The clientele is not dangerous, trashy, or flighty.

Concussion (2013) is not a lesbian film per se, but it’s a human film- anyone in a long-term commitment or anyone who admires a character-driven film will relate to this movie, and it should be viewed.

2013 Films, Biography, Drama, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films

Dallas Buyers Club-2013

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Dallas Buyers Club-2013

Director Jean-Marc Vallee

Starring Matthew McConaughey

Scott’s Review #54

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Reviewed June 24, 2014

Grade: A-

While Dallas Buyers Club (2013) is a well-written screenplay based on the true story of a straight Texas man who contracted AIDS circa 1985.

The film’s main appeal is the brilliant performances by Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto.

1985 was a different period as far as the deadly virus goes- people did not know then what they do now.

The fear and judgment featured in the film must be kept in mind for the time and location (Bible Belt Texas).

McConaughey’s physical transformation is an amazing feat, to begin with, a normally handsome, well-built actor, turned gaunt and hollow-eyed, but he completely encompasses this role with an intense, character, rich and flawed.

His body language and mannerisms are mesmerizing.

Leto’s performance as a transsexual, also stricken with the disease, is equally amazing.

The character is immediately sympathetic and vulnerable- a wounded bird you would like to take under your wing and save.

Despite the subject, the film itself is not a downer, nor does it attempt to be preachy. Rather, it is a tale of friendship, human growth, and survival in bleak times.

The film is dark, yet inspirational at the same time.

McConaughey and Leto deserve their Oscar wins for these roles.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins-Best Picture, Best Actor-Matthew McConaughey (won), Best Supporting Actor-Jared Leto (won), Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup and Hairstyling (won), Best Film Editing

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Male Lead-Matthew McConaughey (won), Best Supporting Male-Jared Leto (won)

1998 Films, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ Romance, New York City

High Art-1998

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High Art-1998

Director Lisa Cholodenko

Starring Ally Sheedy, Radha Mitchell

Scott’s Review #21

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Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: A

Superlative indie drama by acclaimed director Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right, 2008) and an incredible performance by Ally Sheedy, who makes viewers forget all her past, forgettable “80’s roles”.

She portrays a lonely, drug-abusing, star photographer, enamored with a new neighbor in her New York City apartment building.

Her life is spiraling out of control, and she is inspired by her new friend, who is on an upward career path.

The film is a dark love story with a raw, moody quality. It’s a raw, emotional, mesmerizing film.

Patricia Clarkson is her usual awesome self as Sheedy’s even more drugged-out, unhappy partner.

The love triangle is interesting and painful.

The three leads (Sheedy, Clarkson, and Radha Mitchell) all give knockout performances, but the film belongs solely to Ally Sheedy, who is spectacular.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 1 win-Best Female Lead-Ally Sheedy (won), Best Supporting Female-Patricia Clarkson, Best First Screenplay, Best First Feature, Best Cinematography

2012 Films, Independent, Independent Drama, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Romantic Drama

Four-2012

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Four-2012

Director Joshua Sanchez

Starring Wendell Pierce

Scott’s Review #20

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Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: A

Oh, how I wish more films like Four (2012) got mainstream support.

Movies like this are why I love and support independent films. Much better than much of the drivel at the local multiplex.

Four is a purely character-driven movie, not plot-driven, with silly special effects or CGI.

It centers around four people on the 4th of July evening.

The movie has two separate stories, and its heart is the characters’ loneliness, isolation, and need to reach out for human connection.

The stories interrelate at times throughout the film.

Exceptional acting is involved.

Four (2012) is an excellent little film.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Male Lead-Wendell Pierce