Found this gem almost by accident on HBO and immediately fell head over heels for it. “We’re Here” is about real-life stories with 3 drag queens – Eureka (David Huggard), Shangela (D.J. Pierce) and Bob the Drag Queen (Caldwell Tidicue) who traverse small-town America where they have residents from each town participate in a one night only drag show. Continue reading Review: We’re Here -Taking Pride Down The Drag Road
“Love, Simon” is not only an adorable high school rom-com but also made history as the first major Hollywood studio film about a gay teenage romance. The 2018 film was directed by Greg Berlanti and largely centres around the main character Simon coming out as gay. Many films about the LGBT+ experience are tragic or focus on the discrimination that they face, but this movie is more your typical teen film with angst rather than tragedy. Continue reading Pride Month, Restrospective Review: Love, Simon
Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was under the rule of Japan. The decades of ‘Japanisation’ saw Korea become the second-most industrialised country in the region, the creation of possibly-fake Japanese-Korean regions (notably Mimana), the destruction of the Korean royal palace Gyeongbokgung and, during the final years of Japanese rule, tens of thousands of young Korean women being enslaved as ‘comfort women’ for Japanese soldiers (please note: this piece is written by a British man with an at best pedestrian knowledge of Japanese-rule Korea. Read up on it if you want a fascinating deep-dive!). It is in this world that Park Chan-wook and regular co-writer Jeong Seo-kyeong brings us the story of handmaiden Sook-Hee (Kim Tae-ri) and her lady, Hideko (Kim Min-hee). Continue reading The Handmaiden: A Lesbian Con-artist Masterpiece
Nearly two decades since its release, “Mulholland Drive” (2001) remains a Rubik’s cube of plot twists and turns. No matter how many contradictory analyses have attempted to explain what it is actually about, there is no arguing that it is a masterful depiction of LGBTQ love and desire. All the quirks and oddities of a Lynch production are present but do not overwhelm what is basically a story of passion and loss, told from a woman’s point of view. Continue reading Pride Month, Retrospective Review: Mulholland Drive
There’s growth all around “Pain & Glory” (2019), personal, universal, and out with the film itself, and while there is an overarching narrative, Pedro Almodóvar’s film is as equally about his self journey as it is Salvador Mallo’s back and forth throughout life. A story of pleasure, it is Almodóvar after all, this film accounts for the lost opportunities, the rekindled friendships and plunges back into life, rebutting the dark stupors of depression, isolation and a rejection of the self – all in favour to produce a methodical, grim film which seeks as much enjoyment it can from the struggles of life. Continue reading Pride Month, Retrospective Review: Pain & Glory (Dolor y gloria)
By Morgan Roberts When “My So-Called Life” first premiered in 1994, it came across as a standard teen drama. However, the series, which introduced the world to the likes of Claire Danes and Jared Leto. And while the series was groundbreaking in many ways, the character of Rickie Vasquez played by Wilson Cruz. Even being introduced to the show a decade after its original airdate, … Continue reading Spotlight for Pride Month: Rickie Vasquez From “My So-Called Life”
On the wall of a LGBTQ+ safe house called Nem House located in Rio De Janeiro are the following words: I am a Feminist Whore. This could well be the motto for the transgender political activist, Indianara Siqueira, who we follow in this documentary from filmmaker Adam Golub. Of course, Indianara is so much more than just a “feminist whore”, throughout the documentary we see countless transgendered and queer indviduals come up to her and say how much of an inspiration for her. Continue reading Sheffield Doc Fest Exclusive Review: Your Mothers Comfort (Aconchego da tua Mãe)
Back in 2017 during preparation for the Oscars, I went into the first watch of “Call Me by Your Name” and I knew absolutely nothing about it. When the credits were done, I left the theater only because I was forced to get up because the cleaning crew had entered, which shows how badly I wanted to stay with these characters and their story. Continue reading Pride Month, Restrospective Review: Call Me By Your Name
If this first sentence is the only part that you read of this review, please know and understand this: the world needs more stories like “Jack & Yaya”. I immediately fell in love with these people, their families, and their mid-Atlantic accents. The only issue I had with this documentary was having to watch them boil their blue crabs—pure madness! As a native Marylander, the only way to cook and eat crabs is steamed and covered in Old Bay. Nonetheless, Jack and Yaya exude pure charm and share unwavering realness in their stories, it is completely captivating. Continue reading Review: Jack and Yaya
“Blue Gate Crossing” is a film as placid as a billowing cloud; you see it, and it leaves just as soon as it comes. Lighthearted, yet effective, writer-director Yee Chih-Yen (this is his sophomore film); ensures that the film’s strength lies in its simplicity. The setup is standard; boy meets girl, boy’s raging hormones make girl irresistible–in spite of her repeated rebukes. However, the depth comes from an interesting reversal of expectations; what might this reversal be? The aforementioned girl has her hearts set on someone else–another girl. Continue reading Pride Month, Retrospective Review: Blue Gate Crossing
In Their Own League 