Category: Movie Review

The Perfect Wedding

ThePerfectWedding_DVDKeyArt_26_FINALTitle: The Perfect Wedding (2012)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Length: 1 hour and 22 minutes
Heat Level: Mild
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Tams
Blurb: Home for the Christmas holiday, a gay man starts falling for his ex-boyfriend’s lover, not knowing that the relationship is a mere pretense.

Christmas is approaching, and Paul’s adopted sister Alana is coming home for the holidays. This won’t be just a regular family celebration, as she’s recently engaged and the weekend will be spent planning her June wedding with her best friends Roy and Vicki. Problem is that Roy is Paul’s ex-boyfriend, and the two young men haven’t seen each other since their very messy breakup. Nervous about seeing his ex again, Roy talks his good friend Gavin into joining him for the weekend and pretending to be his new boyfriend.

When Paul and Gavin meet, sparks of attraction fly, but Gavin thinks Roy’s still hung up on Paul. This charming romantic comedy is a funny look at family bonds, misunderstandings and the “perfect wedding.”

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Wedding-Kristine-Sutherland/dp/B00FGG60XY

Movie details through IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2151863/

Movie website: http://www.theperfectweddingmovie.com/www.theperfectweddingmovie.com/Home.html

Review: Friends and family are coming together to celebrate Christmas and plan Alana’s summer wedding to her high school sweetheart, Kirk. Among the friends is one of Alana’s best friends Roy, who is also her brother Paul’s ex. A while back Roy told a little white lie to get Alana to stop trying to set him up on random blind dates with every gay man she met, and so now, he’s set to arrive with his “boyfriend” Gavin.

As the movie plays on, we learn that the reason Paul and Roy broke up was that Paul cheated. So when Paul is attracted to Gavin, he tries to hide that attraction due to what happened in the past. After all, as far as he and everyone else knows, Roy and Gavin are an item. Gavin and Paul bond over manuscripts, midnight snacks, a shared insomnia and trying to pull off the perfect wedding for Alana and Kirk. An all too brief but welcomed kiss sends Paul running and Gavin packing. When everyone wakes the next morning to find Gavin gone, will they blame Paul, or help him go after him?

The script for this movie was fantastic! There is the proposed love triangle, misunderstandings and obvious attraction between those three unfolding all the while there is another story running in the background within Alana’s family. And the acting was straight up spot on as well. Not the usual overly dramatic and angsty type of acting that we see in gay movies.

The Perfect Wedding was the Perfect movie! Mostly a romantic comedy with just a teensy bit of drama, a few tears and ending was a happy sigh. If you’re a fan of Rom Com Gay movies, you’ll fall in love with this one. I liked it so much. I think I’ll have to buy it.

Rock Haven

4250Movie Title: Rock Haven
Release Date: 21 June 2007
Director: David Lewis
Writer(s): David Lewis
Principal Actor(s): Sean Hoagland, Owen Alabado, Laura Jane Coles
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 78 minutes
Format: DVD
Reviewer: Roger Howell
Blurb: Brady (Sean Hoagland), who will shortly be going away to college, is a shy, introspective 18-year-old, who moves to the coastal seaside town of Rock Haven with his overprotective, widowed mother Marty (Laura Jane Coles), who is setting up a Christian school nearby. He spends a lot of time on the beach, either reading the bible or staring at the waves crashing on shore, until he meets a neighbor’s free- spirited visiting son, 19-year-old Clifford (Owen Alabado). There is an instant attraction to each other, even though homosexuality conflicts with Brady’s devoutly Christian beliefs.

Review: I went into this movie not really knowing what to expect. All I had read was the short synopsis on the jacket cover of the DVD I rented from Netflix. Brady is a shy and introverted 18-year-old boy. He is also devoutly Christian. Then he meets Clifford and his worldview becomes turned upside down. Clifford is totally out the closet. Bradley has to start dealing with his emerging sexuality and feelings, which to him are a conflict with his religion. He also has to deal with telling his mom about his feelings at one point in the movie. The anguish and torment occurring to Brady is something all emerging gays go through and it was really believable.

As for the plotline the movie seemed slow throughout. Maybe the director intended this to happen to give time for the relationship to build but it seemed to leave something lacking in my honest opinion. The actor portraying Brady did a great job in portraying the struggle homosexual Christians have in mixing their sexual identity with their faith. Clifford as his best friend trying to help lead him through the crisis was fantastic as well. All in all, the movie ended on a great note.

Oy Vey! My Son is Gay !

81UtVnETG0L._SL1500_Movie Title: Oy Vey! My Son is Gay!
Release Date: 24 Dec 2010
Director: Evgeny Afineevsky
Writer(s): Evgeny Afineevsky, Manahem Golan (as Joseph Goldman), Martin Guigui
Principal Actor(s): Carmen Electra, Lainie Kazan, Saul Rubinek, Bruce Vilanch, Angelo Ferraro, John Loyd Young
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Format: DVD
Reviewer: Roger Howell

Buy Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Oy-Vey-My-Son-Gay/dp/B00J925RX0

Synopsis: A romantic comedy featuring a Jewish family who struggles coming to terms with their son’s non-Jewish and gay boyfriend. When the gay couple adopts a child and it makes headline news, their families come to defend them and realize how much they love them.

Review:  This movie had me in stitches almost throughout the movie. I will grant there were a few serious moments. Lanie Kazan and Saul Rubinek as Shirley and Martin Hirsch were great as a couple trying to come to terms with their son being gay. John Loyd Young as their son Nelson was fantastic as well. Watching Martin interact in the gay bar was hilarious.

Nelson tries so many times to come out to his mom I think he was about to give up. The expression on his mom’s face is priceless when he and his partner are holding hands during the marriage scene. You have to give Nelson’s parents credit. Especially his mom as she is struggling to come to terms with her son being gay. Nelson and his partner Angelo wanting to adopt a baby hits the news and a protest ensues at the courthouse. Both sets of parents are there to support the young men. The moment when Shirley speaks to the reporter is what really makes the movie for me. It about brought me to tears as I vividly recalled the moment my mother accepted me for who I was as a person and a human being.

I would recommend this movie to anyone that wants a feel good comedy to watch. I would give it a four of five stars.

Brokeback Mountain ~ Movie Review

brokebackMovie Title: Brokeback Mountain
Release Date: 13 January 2006
Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Annie Proulx (Short Story), Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana (Screenplay)
Principal Actor(s): Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger
Genre: Drama/Romance
Running Time: 134 Minutes
Format: Blue Ray/DVD
Buy Link: http://www.brokebackmountain.com/
Reviewer: Roger Howell

In full retrospect, Brokeback Mountain is a very raw & powerful story. Two men, both cowboys, meet while shepherding. In turn they form an unorthodox but enduring life-long bond. In the vast wild countryside of 1963 Wyoming, these two men come to love each other and the story follows them through their lives.
The entire plotline is riddled with angst and in turns guilt. On the one hand, Ennis has always had to be responsible for his own survival. On the other, Jack has had a family his entire life. But still the love is not there for Jack from his family. It’s the catalyst that ignites the love and romance for both Ennis and Jack. Each man searching for love and acceptance and find it in each other. These are two men, as the story progresses, that can be seen to be fully in love with each other. Jack is the more self-assured man knowing that he likes to have sex with men. Ennis is conflicted most of the time in the movie. He’s done the right thing by society’s standards, married, and had kids.
But as I watched the movie, I could see that he yearned for true freedom and really wanted to be with Jack for life. Brokeback Mountain with powerful acting from Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal took me on a full emotional rollercoaster and I deeply recommend it as a movie to watch. The ensemble cast in the form of Michelle Williams as Alma Del Mar and Anne Hathaway rounded out a fantastic movie that should have won Best Picture.

Brokeback Mountain Trailer

Strapped

81lcCxYgAwL._SL1500_Title: Strapped

Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance

Length: 95 minutes

Distributer: TLA Releasing DVD (July 17th, 2010)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 7/10

Reviewer: Tams

Blurb: A routine trick propels a tall, dark, cynical hustler (the strikingly handsome newcomer Ben Bonenfant) into a series of life-changing encounters in this stunningly photographed drama. But this amicable and sexually efficient rent boy begins to look at himself differently when he finds himself lost in a maze-like apartment building. On his journey through the building, he tricks with a variety of johns; sex is the commonality, but out of that commodity comes raw, unguarded emotions for all. Witty, sexy and touching, Strapped is an unforgettable look into one young man’s moving journey to understanding.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Strapped-Ben-Bonenfant/dp/B0042L0OG8/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1392605892&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=sTrapped+DVD

Watch via Amazon instant video: Rent through Amazon for $3.99, buy through Amazon as a digital download for $9.99 {you can also view the trailer via this link} http://www.amazon.com/Strapped-Ben-Bonenfant/dp/B004GWVVT2/ref=tmm_aiv_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1392605892&sr=1-2-catcorr

Review: The DVD cover reads, “Honest and Intelligent.” And this is so true.

The Hustler learns about life and love during a sex fuelled trip through an apartment building that is straight out of The Twilight Zone. I seriously thought at one point he’d wound up in purgatory. And one of his tricks actually asked him if he seriously thought the building was some kind of purgatory, to which I chuckled.

Back to the Hustler, whose name changes with each trick. He initially came to the building with the Russian, John, who is an inexperienced and closeted homosexual looking for someone to pop his cherry, so to speak. As H is leaving Johns he runs into a full on Queen and he is convinced that H is someone he knows. One thing leads to another and H after accompanying the Queen back to his apartment winds up blowing another guy in the bed room.

Next up, we have David, a supposed Good Samaritan that will show H his way out of the building. They wind up in the basement and first David asks for sex but then goes kind of psycho and punches H. Sam happens upon them and rescues H, taking him to the top of the building to his apartment where they ponder their meagre existences. Sam ends up bending H over his bar and they both have a very happy ending. Mind you he’s gotten paid for all these tricks, and he’s managed to make himself into what each and every guy seems to want or need. Almost like a chameleon. And he’s versatile. But he doesn’t kiss because THAT is too personal.

All throughout the movie there is this one sort of geeky cute guy that is eyeing H. Gary is scared and alone and all he wants is for someone to make him feel something, feel anything. So he pays H to kiss him, that’s all he wants is a kiss. The two have a very steamy and passionate make out session that ends with another twin set of happy endings. And supposedly this is the end of the line for H, who finally finds his way out of the building.

But there was something about Gary. The way he kissed him, touched him and looked at him that makes H question leaving. In the end the story really does pass itself off as some type of purgatory in my opinion. H has to make his way through each of these tricks, all different in what they want and who they are, in order to find that light at the end of the tunnel. Imagine his surprise when his light is the cute little geek.

The acting in this movie was far better than I’ve seen in many gay movies. The storyline was plausible and the reality of it kept me engaged all the way. There is also a happy ending, another thing we don’t often see in gay movies. It’s like there is a mandate on angst and misery in LGBT movies, well not this time! I loved this movie and I highly recommend you watch it. If you are a fan of slightly weird stories with a little bit of sexy and some pretty decent make out scenes and sex scenes for a movie that’s not classified as soft porn.

Boy Culture Movie Review

Boy-Culture-PosterTitle:  Boy Culture

Genre: Gay Romance  

Length:  90 minutes

TLA Releasing August 2007

Heat Level:  Moderate

Rating:  7/10 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Synopsis: Director/co-writer Q. Allan Brocka has created a gorgeously textured film that not only explores the recesses of the human heart, but also is charged with sex and filled with laughter. Adapted from the outstanding novel by Matthew Rettenmund, Boy Culture is the story of X (Derek Magyar), a high-end prostitute, and his two roommates Andrew (Darryl Stephens) and Joey (Jonathan Trent), who together have created a family for the 21st century. X is the head of the household who brings home the bacon and sets the tone. He has a serious crush on Andrew, who works at a video store and is waiting for the right man…and in Andrew’s opinion, a hustler is just not the right man. Joey is a 17-year-old whirlwind of trouble, but there’s really only one man he wants: X. The sexual tension between these three men is palpable. X is not your typical hustler; he has only 12 clients and concentrates on making these men happy. When one dies, there’s room for a new client and he chooses Gregory (Patrick Bauchau), a rich, lonely man who hasn’t left his home in eight years.

Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Culture-Patrick-Bauchau/dp/B000R7G9JW

Watch on Amazon instant video: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Culture-Derek-Magyar/dp/B0047WV08I/ref=tmm_aiv_title_0

You can also get this one streaming if you have Netflix, or to rent through the TLA releasing channel on YouTube.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyxq3uXeJyE

Reviewer:   Tams

Review:  A successful male escort describes in a series of confessions his tangled romantic relationships with his two roommates and an older, enigmatic male client. 01

The story centers on these three roommates, all three are gay, and all three are unique in their own way. X is an escort with flair. He sees the same twelve clients, the most recent addition being a lonely and slightly eccentric older man. Andrew moved in a little over a year ago after breaking off his engagement to his longtime girlfriend. She was a beard to hide his true feelings for her brother. Joey is a hot mess! Barely eighteen and on the prowl, every night with someone new. But Joey is a man on a mission. While he plows through all these guys he really, only have eyes for one, X. But X is in love with Andrew, though he is hell bent on never admitting that to anyone, especially Andrew! While Andrew has spent the past year fully exploring his sexuality, he’s ready to settle down and have that lasting relationship with the right guy. And guess who he wants… X.

This movie had a solid script and above par acting. So often in gay films, your three choices are campy, cheesy, or psychotic. And oh joy if you happen to luck out and land all three, usually with lack luster acting. I wouldn’t nominate this movie for an Oscar, but it was interesting and kept me intrigued. The two main characters, Alex and Andrew, have to learn how to navigate within each other’s lives, deal with their unlikely career choices, raise a horny, gay teenager, and hopefully figure out how to love each other along the way.

The most interesting aspect to the movie for me was the telling of the story. Narrated completely from X’s POV through a series of journal entries, it adds a unique element to the plot. And how he’s always saying, “Lord Forgive Me.” Using pennies for penance at the end, or as he calls them, his Hail Marys. The guys grew and changed so much from beginning to end, and yet, they stayed the same. If you’re looking for a juicy gay movie with a balance of drama and romance, queue this one up! It’s streaming on Netflix, Amazon instant video and TLA releasing on YouTube for a just a few dollars.

White Frog The Movie

white-frog01Movie: White Frog

Genre: LGBTQ YA drama

Run time: 93 minutes

Movie website: http://www.whitefrogthemovie.com/

Streaming through Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/White_Frog/70260077

Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CKZE7FC/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=36162691960&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2038291635903222033&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_1nudvgmde7_b

Synopsis: High-school freshman, Nick (The Twilight Saga’s Booboo Stewart), is a neglected teen with mild Asperger’s syndrome whose life is challenged and ultimately changed forever when tragedy hits his family. WHITE FROG is a universal story of the power of family, friendship, and love positioned to appeal to a broad audience in the same way as ORDINARY PEOPLE and STAND BY ME. 

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Tams

Review:  Nick has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and the only person that can get close to him is his brother Chaz.booboo04 When Chaz is killed, Nick goes into a tailspin and only finds his way back through Chaz’s friends. But along the way Nick not only learns so much about himself, but he learns a secret his brother was hiding, a secret that threatens to destroy not only Nick and Chaz’s family but all the progress Nick has made.

The family dynamic that has always been closed knit and portrayed a level of perfections is torn apart when Chaz dies. His mother withdraws, his father who was never much present for Nick anyway becomes even more unavailable. And Nick reverts back to non-communicative. One of Chaz’s friends reaches out to Nick and starts including him in the activities his brother used to do with all of them. Slowly Nick comes out of his shell and Chaz’s friends become his friends. But then a picture changes everything.

The-Cast-of-WHITE-FROG-Directed-by-Quentin-LeeSo often, both of the major aspects of this movie are misrepresented in films. This movie was so spot on with the Asperger’s Syndrome idiocentricities and the little things that people who don’t live within the spectrum don’t know. They don’t like to be touched, they focus on certain or very few colors, and they are highly intelligent but socially awkward. And Boo Boo Stewart was so believable as Nick. He is such a great young actor. He has this innocence about him that translated to this role. Then there is the LGBTQ aspect to the movie that is conveyed in a positive manner as well. Nick has to decide how he feels about learning one of his new friends is gay, and this is a very hard thing for an Aspie to do. Not just figure out but deal with their feelings, and then to express them is a whole other ball game. Especially when he was raised in a church and within a family that is slightly homophobic.

I just loved everything about this movie. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me laugh while crying. Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. This is a must see movie, if you have Netflix it’s streaming! I would even say its family friendly. Even with the LGBTQ aspect, it’s not an adult movie. It’s a fantastic family movie. I think I’m going to have to buy a copy and add this movie to my collection.