SXSW Review: Mama Bears
“Mama Bears” is both a heartbreaking and uplifting portrait of families who have had their lives thrown into turmoil on a personal and increasingly, on a legislative level. Continue reading SXSW Review: Mama Bears
Tag: LGBTQ films
Exclusive Interview: “Lady Buds” Director Chris J. Russo
By Joan Amenn Last year at the Hot Docs International Film Festival, I was blown away by a debut film called “Lady Buds” (2021) (My review can be found here: https://intheirownleague.com/?s=Lady+Buds.) I am so honored that I got to speak to director Chris J. Russo just before the big premiere of “Lady Buds” on STARZ streaming service this week. We talked about the film, the … Continue reading Exclusive Interview: “Lady Buds” Director Chris J. Russo
Sundance 2022 Review: “Framing Agnes”
Year: 2022 Runtime: 75 Minutes Director: Chase Joynt Writers: Chase Joynt & Morgan M. Page Stars: Angelica Ross, Jen Richards, Silas Howard, Zackary Drucker, Max Wolf Valerio, Stephen Ira, with Jules Gill-Peterson By Morgan Roberts There are many stories omitted from history books. So, when filmmaker Chase Joynt and sociologist Kristen Schilt began archiving the work of UCLA’s Harold Garfinkel, they uncovered a trove of … Continue reading Sundance 2022 Review: “Framing Agnes”
Tribeca Film Festival 2021 Review: No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
Year: 2021 Runtime: 79 minutes Director: Vivien Kleiman By Joan Amenn There is something very poignant behind the generally light, amusing tone of “No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics” (2021). Beyond the funny drawings and zany situations they illustrate is real pain, as the LGBTQ+ artists tell their stories for the camera in this sometimes heartbreaking documentary by Vivien Kleiman. It is also … Continue reading Tribeca Film Festival 2021 Review: No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics
SIFF 2021 Review: Summer of 85
Year: 2020 Runtime: 91 minutes . Director: Francois Ozon Starring: Felix Lefebvre, Benjamin Voisin, Philippine Velge By: Tom Moore Writer/director Francois Ozon’s latest feature is a sun-soaked summer tale of love and friendship in France with “Summer of 85”. The film, partly based on Aidan Chambers’ 1982 novel “Dance on My Grave”, follows a wallflower teen named Alex (Felix Lefebvre) who begins a strong friendship … Continue reading SIFF 2021 Review: Summer of 85
Review: Beanpole
Perhaps it goes without saying that the Russian historical drama “Beanpole” (2019) is bleak. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, it’s a look at Leningrad after World War II as soldiers trickle back in from the front and people try to put their lives back together after the trauma of war. However, nothing could have prepared me for how twisted and depressing the film is. Continue reading Review: Beanpole
Review: Supernova
Year: 2021 Runtime: 94 minutes Writer/Director: Harry Macqueen Stars: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci By Nicole Ackman This year has not only one, but two poignant films about dementia between “The Father”(2021) and Harry Macqueen’s “Supernova“(2021). While the former is more focused on the experience of having dementia, Macqueen’s film examines the way that it puts strain on even the most solid of relationships as a … Continue reading Review: Supernova
Review: The Boys in the Band
LGBTQ movies have, at long last, flourished in modern years uncovering gripping tales of ‘hidden’ love stories. Netflix recently joined writer Matt Crowley by adapting his 1968 Broadway play “The Boys in the Band” (2020), reviving the truth telling depiction of a group of gay males living in New York. Director Joe Mantello takes the six excelling actors, showcasing intense monologues, to express the difficulties of being queer during this condescending era. Continue reading Review: The Boys in the Band
Scottish Queer International Film Festival: Queering the Script
“Queering the Script” is about the behind the camera battles to depict LGBTQ characters in television series with respect and compassion. From the seminal moment that “Xena: Warrior Princess” (1995-2001) arrived through all the TV characters that followed her, “Queering the Script” offers an enjoyable tour of the few steps forward and many stumbles backward in the quest for representation. Especially painful is the revelation that from 2015 through 2017, sixty-two LGBTQ female characters died in television series. Continue reading Scottish Queer International Film Festival: Queering the Script
Scottish Queer International Film Festival: Ashley
“Ashley” is the winner of the 2019/2020 Margaret Tait Award and is surprisingly complex for being a short film. Director Jamie Crewe, who also wrote and stars, gives an at times disorienting immersion into the mind of a deeply agonized and despondent soul. “Ashley” is brilliant in the use of sound to convey the inner turmoil of the title character’s struggle to affirm their identity. Continue reading Scottish Queer International Film Festival: Ashley
In Their Own League 