Gay TV, Movies, and Books

[Joie J.]

3 hours ago, W_L said:

I got a few calls from TV producers, who saw my audition tape, I just ignored them.

You are a celebrity 🤩

 

3 hours ago, W_L said:

Netflix Special

It's in my binge list. I will watch it next year. Got no time for a series this year.

[Joie J.]

Now that books and movies are allowed here....

'Lie With Me' by Philippe Besson.

Warning, this story has a tragic ending but somehow it works! Maybe because the author reached that ending along with the character and not with his publishing company's demand.

The story has recently been adapted into a feature film and I'm dying to watch it!!! It was released last year and still, I can't find it on any streaming platform. Here's the trailer for you 👇

 

[Mancunian]

10 minutes ago, Joie J. said:

Now that books and movies are allowed here....

'Lie With Me' by Philippe Besson.

Warning, this story has a tragic ending but somehow it works! Maybe because the author reached that ending along with the character and not with his publishing company's demand.

The story has recently been adapted into a feature film and I'm dying to watch it!!! It was released last year and still, I can't find it on any streaming platform. Here's the trailer for you 👇

 

I'll be looking out for this one 

[W_L]

2 hours ago, Joie J. said:

You are a celebrity 🤩

 

Nope, the train left the station long ago  I'm just quirky and different.

--------------

For my current Gay Book, I am reading Bite Me! (You know I like it) by Fae Quin

Gay vampire meets grumpy goth vegan twink with a history of abuse and enough angst to run a teen soap for a decade  It's kind of fun and sexy

 

[W_L]

This should count, I just finished watching the anime movie Sasaki and Miyano: Graduation

For those that watched the anime last year or read the manga, Sasaki and Miyano are the purest and cutest gay leading couple. In the movie, Sasaki came out to his sister, but neither boy fell into the trope of gay panic or fear at the initial negative reception (Which is tamed if compared to western standards). If the anime producers can have such a positive portrayal of an important thing in a young LGBT guys life, I've got hope for future BL animes, or heck, maybe Miyano and Sasaki can start a new genre of positive gay anime/manga outside of the trauma/angst/hate trope in BL.

PS: Miyano is an uke (bottom), despite his protestations. Sasaki is confirmed in the movie as a switch/vers, plus he's the world's most patient boyfriend. No sex was involved, but you can tell based on their discussions and body language.

Edited November 12, 2023 by W_L

[Joie J.]

On 11/12/2023 at 8:22 AM, W_L said:

This should count, I just finished watching the anime movie Sasaki and Miyano: Graduation

For those that watched the anime last year or read the manga, Sasaki and Miyano are the purest and cutest gay leading couple. In the movie, Sasaki came out to his sister, but neither boy fell into the trope of gay panic or fear at the initial negative reception (Which is tamed if compared to western standards). If the anime producers can have such a positive portrayal of an important thing in a young LGBT guys life, I've got hope for future BL animes, or heck, maybe Miyano and Sasaki can start a new genre of positive gay anime/manga outside of the trauma/angst/hate trope in BL.

PS: Miyano is an uke (bottom), despite his protestations. Sasaki is confirmed in the movie as a switch/vers, plus he's the world's most patient boyfriend. No sex was involved, but you can tell based on their discussions and body language.

Last year, I watched the Sasaki & Miyano anime series and truth be told, I liked it. A good one time watch. If I remember correctly, I enjoyed the sound effects very much. 

[Joie J.]

A short film is also a film so I guess it counts...

 

[W_L]

12 hours ago, Joie J. said:

Last year, I watched the Sasaki & Miyano anime series and truth be told, I liked it. A good one time watch. If I remember correctly, I enjoyed the sound effects very much. 

Aye, the other aspect of the show that works out is that the characters were very likable in their reactions to one another. Sasaki was flirting better than most real gay and bi guys, while Miyano's insecurities about his sexuality were done well and allowed both boys to be platonic at first before romantic. 

Give the movie a try if you are okay with English Sub, if not wait for the voice actors to do the English Dub. Another key point to this BL anime was VCs were chosen well (Sasaki VC, Kellen Goff, voiced characters from Attack on Titan, Porco Gallard)

Edited November 20, 2023 by W_L

[Zombie]

Today is National Cake Day! 🎂 🍰 🧁 🎉 🎊 

I’ve been catching up (iPlayer if you can access it) last year’s “Hot Cakes” series about an adorably cute “couple team” running a cake shop in Cardiff
…and just in case the title joke flew past you, yeah🔥 *naughty BBC  *

 

 

 

[W_L]

@Zombie That makes me want to binge The Great British Bake Off   Thanks for the reminder !

 

[Dariusz Alexander]

Hey gang!

Just by way of introducing myself, I'm Dariusz - born in Poland, currently living in London UK. 

Purely because I have now plenty of time on my hands (not by my own choice), I stumbled on this topic and I have my own two favourites here...

"God's own country" - our British take on the "Brokeback Mountain" (in a way) - a touching, raw and uplifting film - largely overseen by the success of the "Call me by your name" in the same year. In my humble opinion, however - this movie was much more subtle, yet more inspiring and personable than any gay movie in recent years....

"Weekend" - a 2011 British small film, a tale of one weekend encounter - a love story compiled into one single gem of a movie... highly recommend it. 

On that note - I should probably watch both of them since I need some positivity in my life...

I'm curious if anyone else seen those and what was your impression of both of them?

Edited November 29, 2023 by Dariusz Alexander
Typing error

[Joie J.]

1 hour ago, Dariusz Alexander said:

Hey gang!

Just by way of introducing myself, I'm Dariusz - born in Poland, currently living in London UK. 

Purely because I have now plenty of time on my hands (not by my own choice), I stumbled on this topic and I have my own two favourites here...

"God's own country" - our British take on the "Brokeback Mountain" (in a way) - a touching, raw and uplifting film - largely overseen by the success of the "Call me by your name" in the same year. In my humble opinion, however - this movie was much more subtle, yet more inspiring and personable than any gay movie in recent years....

"Weekend" - a 2011 British small film, a tale of one weekend encounter - a love story compiled into one single gem of a movie... highly recommend it. 

On that note - I should probably watch both of them since I need some positivity in my life...

I'm curious if anyone else seen those and what was your impression of both of them?

I really enjoyed God's Own Country. The portrayal of loneliness and the sense of claustrophobia even in open fields were incredible.

Call My By Your Name - I mean, what can I even say about it 😊 Maybe most of you or all of you will disagree with me on this but, I liked CMBYN the film more than the book.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the book and the elegance of the language that has been used. But Luca Guadagnino is a master of visual arts. The film CMBYN leave such an immense and immortal impact on you! What I like most about the film lies in its palpable nature; you can easily sense how any object used in any of the scenes would feel under your fingertips if you were able to touch it. 

[Dariusz Alexander]

8 minutes ago, Joie J. said:

I really enjoyed God's Own Country. The portrayal of loneliness and the sense of claustrophobia even in open fields were incredible.

I used to live in the North of England... those are a very hard people... Friendly, but tough... Emotions and feelings are not very much in fashion, thus the portrayal of the main character unable to verbalise his true feelings is so touching. 

One other aspect of the film which strike me as very accurate was the act of sex which main protagonist has with strangers... Not sure how to describe it - was it to validate himself or escape from the truth which was the fact of developing deeper feelings for someone else? At the start of the film he has sex with someone else who would like to meet him again, but he is dismissive of it... Again - my theory is, he is locked in a perpetual sense of loneliness which he struggles to overcome. Maybe this film resonated with me, because I come from a deeply catholic country where being gay is still tough and lots of people struggle to overcome shame and stigma, thereby mostly living in the "closet" or on their own (unless you live in a big city). 

As for CMBYN - what I can't take away from that movie was the cinematography and overall production value. Definitely 5/5 stars on that.

I would definitely ask you to check the YouTube for trailer for "Weekend" and seek this film! Worth your experience!

[Dariusz Alexander]

Another European recommendation of mine is from 2013 - German film "Free Fall" 

This is yet another exploration of true emotions, struggle to express the feelings and love.

"Free Fall" trailer

[Zombie]

3 hours ago, Dariusz Alexander said:

"God's own country" - our British take on the "Brokeback Mountain" (in a way) - a touching, raw and uplifting film - largely overseen by the success of the "Call me by your name" in the same year. In my humble opinion, however - this movie was much more subtle, yet more inspiring and personable than any gay movie in recent years....

Agree. The story avoids the tired, cliched tropes of Hollywood, using instead a very British equivalent of the remote, very traditional and often brutal (as in life, rather than Hollywood’s predictable body-strewn violence) rural landscapes +communities depicted in BM.
The well-written family dynamic into which the foreign seasonal worker interposes is the heart of the story. And the graphic depiction of the frustrated +resentful son, releasing his  built-up anger against everyone including the foreigner, and his eventual realisation and, finally, acceptance of who he is and what he truly wants and needs in his life, is portrayed with beautiful subtlety by the writers, actors and filmmakers to deliver what is denied us in most gay movies - a credible and deeply satisfying ending.

Edit to add: if you do watch this, you need to see the full uncut movie (check the runtime). You’ll also probably need subtitles…

Edited November 29, 2023 by Zombie

[Joie J.]

1 hour ago, Dariusz Alexander said:

Maybe this film resonated with me, because I come from a deeply catholic country where being gay is still tough and lots of people struggle to overcome shame and stigma, thereby mostly living in the "closet" or on their own (unless you live in a big city). 

I can relate too! I'm from Kolkata, a metropolitan city of India and yet I don't want to be very vocal about my orientation just to evade troubles. 

It's like, you've left the closet but not the room - does that make sense? 

[Dariusz Alexander]

1 hour ago, Joie J. said:

I can relate too! I'm from Kolkata, a metropolitan city of India and yet I don't want to be very vocal about my orientation just to evade troubles. 

It's like, you've left the closet but not the room - does that make sense? 

I totally understand you my friend! If you live in the closet long enough - it becomes the comfort blanket and venturing to explore the outside world may be risky. 

I made the choice to live in London - just like any big city - is more accepting and progressive. But even here, after dark - if you step into the wrong neighbourhood - it may not be fun. 

On that note - and back into the subject of the movies - have you guys any thoughts about Nightmare on Elm Street 2 - gayest horror instalment of the franchise?

 

[W_L]

8 hours ago, Joie J. said:

I really enjoyed God's Own Country. The portrayal of loneliness and the sense of claustrophobia even in open fields were incredible.

Call My By Your Name - I mean, what can I even say about it 😊 Maybe most of you or all of you will disagree with me on this but, I liked CMBYN the film more than the book.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the book and the elegance of the language that has been used. But Luca Guadagnino is a master of visual arts. The film CMBYN leave such an immense and immortal impact on you! What I like most about the film lies in its palpable nature; you can easily sense how any object used in any of the scenes would feel under your fingertips if you were able to touch it. 

Well, I don't know, it's not like I reviewed that book 😛 (Call Me By Your Name is poetic, but after re-reads, it grows more melancholic after reflecting at the transitory nature of affections.) As for the movie, it made Timothee Chalamet the guy you wanted to fall in love with  

@Dariusz AlexanderGood choices for films, I don't review as many LGBT films as I do books, but I did enjoy God's Own Country. 

 

[W_L]

Question will anyone read this book that was just released today (and found itself in my recommended list on Amazon)?

The Old Gays Guide to the Good Life: Lessons Learned About Love and Death, Sex and Sin, and Saving the Best for Last

I am 30 years younger than the youngest guy among these gay guys, but I am interested in history and culture. Seems like a book some of our older members might be interested in. 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by W_L

[Joie J.]

New movie recommendation alert 🚨🚨🚨

 

[Page Scrawler]

Reid Miller plays Jadin Bell, a young man who publicly comes out, and subsequently commits suicide after being relentlessly bullied at school. His family (Maxwell Jenkins, Connie Britton) is devastated, but Jadin's father (Mark Wahlberg), sets out on a journey across the country to speak out against bullying and raise awareness for LGBT+ youth. Based on a true story.

 

[Zombie]

On 12/1/2023 at 7:52 PM, Joie J. said:

New movie recommendation alert 🚨🚨

straight romance flicks usually deliver the happy ending, gay movies rarely do. Why is that?

[Page Scrawler]

2 hours ago, Zombie said:

straight romance flicks usually deliver the happy ending, gay movies rarely do. Why is that?

I know what you mean. Even if the story doesn't end in outright tragedy, it usually has some sort of "bittersweet" or anti-pathetic angle in its thesis.

[Joie J.]

2 hours ago, Zombie said:

straight romance flicks usually deliver the happy ending, gay movies rarely do. Why is that?

Simply because most people still aren't very progressive about sexual orientations, gender identities and gender roles. So, gay tragedy sells well! 

Just replying this made me sad!!

[W_L]

@Zombie

Gay comedies or dramedies movies are also poorly casted and acted a lot. Yes I love snark and wit along with overacting characters, but when your joke is a stereotype, it falls flat after a few scenes.

Even classics like The Birdcage hasn't aged well due to stereotypes of LGBT people. Love the situational comedy, but cringe at the stilted acting. 

Even with happy endings, these movies deliver a lot of cringe acting and scenes.

Edited December 8, 2023 by W_L