Sibak (1995)

Three young and good-looking brothers live with and support their parents in Manila in the Philippines . They dance at the male "Club Exotica" and work as homoerotic Sibak or "macho dancers," better described as hustlers or male prostitutes. Joel at 21 has a wife and child, plus a regular boyfriend. Dennis, the middle brother, likes the wild scene of pick-ups. He and Joel are saving money to buy back lost family land on the island of Cebu. Sonny is the youngest and has dropped out of university. He sees dancing as a way to make money and spends time with Michelle, a transvestite. Dennis and his pals steal car radios. When a homeless youth who is not what he appears to be moves in, a chain of events is set in motion that brings tragedy. The colorful gay world of Manila livens up the almost documentary-style story of the daily lives of these men and their families, and the tale comes to a sudden, dramatic conclusion.

Overall the film is honest, disturbing, but ultimately depressing. This movie is not a typical gay film, although there are predominantly gay themes in the story that are treated with dignity and sensitivity. As well, there are some sexually explicit parts and some poorly choreographed violence. "Sibak" has a strong plot and gives a gritty insight into the way of life some people must follow. It has drama, comedy, tragedy, romance and kinship. One of the most popular Filipino films abroad, this is an acclaimed semi-sequel to Lino Brocka's "Macho Dancer" (also scripted by Ricardo Lee). Directed by Mel Chionglo, the cast includes: Ryan Aristorenas, Perla Bautista, Noni Buencamino, Richard Cassity, Grandong Cervantes, Luis Cortez, Lawrence David, Alex Del Rosario, Gino Paul Guzman, Leonard Manalanson, John Mendoza, Cherry Pie Picache, Danny Ramos, and Gandong Vervantes Jr. Ricardo Lee wrote the screenplay, and Nonong Buencamino and Ramon Reyes composed the original music. In Tagalog with English sub-titles. The English title is "Midnight Dancers".

Where the Truth Lies (2005)

In the 1950's, Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) and Vince Collins (Colin Firth) are the most popular entertainers in America. Lanny is the comedian and Vince is the straight man. They know how to make audiences roar with laughter at their jokes, or cry at one of their polio telethons. The pair is a favorite of Sally Sanmarco (Maury Chaykin), a mob boss who owns nightclubs up and down the East coast. He makes sure they have anything they want. The "anyone they want" is handled by Lanny's man-servant, Reuben (David Hayman). At the top, wealthy, and powerful, then something terrible happens to threaten their success. A dead beauty Maureen (Rachel Blanchard) turns up in their hotel suite. Their reputations are tarnished, but with perfect alibis neither is charged with the crime. Their partnership, unfortunately, is destroyed. Lanny and Vince manage to create separate careers. As the years pass, neither speaks to the other or to anyone else about the girl's death. The reason for the break-up of Morris and Collins becomes one of show business' greatest mysteries.

Then in the 1970's, writer Karen O'Connor (Alison Lohman) decides to turn this mystery into a hot story. Karen discovers a kinky menage-a-trois that may have led to murder, and unravels a shocking tale of love and lust, buried secrets, treachery, and betrayed trust. She persuades a publisher to offer Vince one million dollars to collaborate with her on writing the untold story of his life with Lanny. Karen hears that Lanny has written his own tell-all book, and flies to New York to meet her publishers. On the plane she comes face to face with sleazy Lanny himself and learns the truths are more complicated and dangerous than she thought. The story is fairly confusing and the movie is OK, but a lot of the plot is devoted to hiding the fact that Vince is gay. And the film is tepid, the sex is unconvincing, the mystery lacks a sense of danger, and the resolution is not shocking. The voice-overs and flashbacks are mostly confusing and distracting. Colin Firth is miscast, Kevin Bacon is alright, but Allison Lohman is a boring heroine. Mychael Danna composed the original music, Atom Egoyan wrote the screenplay derived from Rupert Holmes' novel, and also directed.

Swan Lake (1996)

Director and choreographer Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" is his third modern interpretation of a classical ballet for "Adventures in Motion Pictures", one of the UKs most popular dance companies. This made for TV production features the complete London West End Show that toured around the world. Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" is set in the present day and features a supporting cast of male swans. The unhappy and unloved Prince Siegfried (Scott Ambler) is mocked, betrayed and rejected by everyone around him. When he decides to commit suicide by throwing himself in a lake at a city park, a beautiful swan (Adam Cooper) emerges from the water. The Prince and the swan become close friends, but their friendship is destined to end in tragedy.

Act 1 of the ballet opens in the Prince's bedroom as he has a nightmare of the sexy swan above his bed. The next few scenes are of the Prince's life: the parties, his girlfriend, and a visit to a ballet. After the ballet the Prince and his girlfriend fight and he follows her to a Soho club. At the club he meets and goes home with a sailor--our first indication that this is no ordinary ballet. In Act 2 the Prince lands on a park bench, drunk, sad, and alone. He spies some swans and proceeds to enter their lives in a spectacular dance sequence. The lead swan (Cooper) dances a very sexual duet with the Prince. They almost kiss, flirt, and chase each other. The other swans dance topless around the two as the Prince is enticed into the swan's world. The swans, including Cooper, wear frilly pants but no shirts--which emphasizes the sexuality of the piece. Act 3 is set at a party where a young man courting the queen looks a lot like the swan causing an altercation. The Prince is distraught and in Act 4 he becomes quite ill and dies suddenly in his bed. Behind the bed is the swan holding his handsome young Prince as he finds peace at last.

The swan represents to the Prince everything he wants to be: strong, beautiful, and free. Matthew Bourne said, "We have gone for something much simpler and more universal. AMP's Swan Lake is about a man with no love in his life. He is rejected by his unsuitable girlfriend, his mother, the Queen, cannot express affection for her son, yet flaunts her young lovers in his presence. And his restricted lifestyle makes it impossible to connect with people without the threat of scandal." This "Swan Lake" was the big hit of 1996 with a myriad of modern influences and themes used to astonishing effect.

It's never an overtly gay ballet, although the pas de deux at the height of Act 2 delivers a strong homoerotic charge. It has humour and evokes feelings of sadness and sympathy for the characters. Adam Cooper is superb as the swan and his dance is breath-taking, and his performance as the evil doppleganger is equally impressive as he dirty dances his way into the queen's affections. Scott Ambler as the Prince mixes drama with dance perfectly, and without his performance as the weak, shy, loveless prince this production would be nothing. On DVD "Swan Lake" is presented in full screen 4:3 video format with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound to showcase Tchaikovsky's score performed by The New London Orchestra. Peter Mumford directed.

Wonder Boys (2000)

Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is the author of a very successful novel who is trying to write another, but is struggling with writer's block because of the success of his past and the weight of his future. His wife announces she's leaving him and he also manages to get the chancellor (Frances McDormand) pregnant--and her husband chairs Grady's department. In the meantime, he and his student James Leer (Tobey Maguire) are trying to find a jacket once owned by Marilyn Monroe, and a nubile college girl, Hannah Green (Katie Holmes) boarding with Grady has a crush on him. His literary agent/editor Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey, Jr.) pressures him to finish a novel seven years in the writing. James stirs paternal feelings in Grady and raises homo-erotic urges in Terry, who is accompanied by a transvestite. Terry is the highlight of the cast, stealing many scenes and is funny in a loud role. He spends a night with James and wants to publish his book, too. Grady's most gifted writing student is a pathological liar and also a pot head like himself. His peculiar behavior launches the professor on a odyssey of self-discovery and many misadventures. It all takes place over a long weekend of debauchery of one form or another.

Adapted from Michael Chabon's novel and distilling it to its amusing and melancholy essence, screenwriter Steve Kloves and director Curtis Hanson have created an unsentimental and darkly funny tale. These characters may be down on their luck, but they don't feel sorry for themselves. The cast is exceptional, with Maguire in a great performance and Downey at his manic best. The ending of "Wonder Boys" is a little too trite, but after everything these characters go through, a happy ending seems appropriate. Grady speaks the last lines: "As for me, I lost everything: my wife, my book, my job, everything that I thought was important. But I finally knew where I wanted to go. And now I have someone to help me get there."

Whole New Thing (2005)

Emerson Thorsen (Aaron Webber) is 13 years old and lives with his hippie parents Kaya (Rebecca Jenkins) and Rog (Robert Joy) in their eco-home in the wilds of Nova Scotia, Canada. He recently had his first wet dream, and completed writing and illustrating his first book. But the home-schooled youth can barely add two plus two, so his mother enrolls him in the local school. There he meets Don Grant (Daniel MacIvor), his English teacher. At age 42, Don is a closeted gay loner and has settled into a life of perpetual adolescence. He makes regular visits to a park washroom for dangerous anonymous sex.

In the classroom, Emerson stirs things up and Don sees a bit of himself in his new pupil. Emerson, who is initially scornful of his teacher, quickly develops a crush on Don. The overly confident boy, raised in a household of nudity and sexual openness, is too open for Don, who has to curb Emerson's feelings without crushing his spirit. In the process, both student and teacher learn valuable lessons about surviving growing pains. There is a sub-plot involving Emerson's mother cheating on his father causing their marriage to disintegrate. It is less interesting, though still good, but takes the focus away from the main plot. This Canadian film is very entertaining and well done. It's handled with good taste, intelligence, and the acting is excellent, especially by Webber in his first film role. David Buchbinder composed the original music, Amnon Buchbinder and Daniel MacIvor wrote the screenplay, and Amnon Buchbinder directed.

Juste une Question d'Amour (2005)

Twenty-three year-old student Laurent (Cyrille Thouvenin) lives with his parents Jeanne (Danièle Denie) and Pierre (Idwig Stephane) behind the family Pharmacy. Laurent is gay, though he soon shares an apartment with his "girlfriend" Carole (Caroline Veyt) who accepts his sexuality and serves as a front for Laurent's closeted role with his parents. He is doing poorly studying agriculture because his close cousin Marc died recently and had been disowned by his aunt and uncle for being gay. Laurent must keep his sexuality secret so his parents will not be hurt. His marks in school are so poor that he must do an internship in field agriculture to raise his academic standing. Cédric (Stéphan Guérin-Tillié) is his tutor, an openly gay man with an understanding and loving mother Emma (Eva Darlan) in a garden setting that also serves as Cédric's agricultural research lab. The two become happy lovers until Cédric insists that Laurent be in an open relationship, which means his parents will know his preferences. Afraid that his parents will disown him, he flees and Emma tells Laurent's parents the truth. The trauma of the characters resolves the story. This French made for TV movie is realistic, brave, intelligent, powerful, sensitive, and informative, with an excellent cast and a great soundtrack. It was made for the general public. Charles Court composed the original music, Pierre Pauquet wrote the screenplay, and Christian Faure directed. In French with subtitles, the English title is "Just a Question of Love".

Wilby Wonderful (2005)

Over the course of 24 hours, the residents of the tiny island town of Wilby, Nova Scotia, Canada try to maintain business as usual in the face of very unusual business. A scandal threatens to tear the town apart. Details are scarce, but there are rumors about two central characters in the film. Gay video store owner Dan Jarvis (James Allodi) repeatedly attempts to take his own life, but is constantly interrupted by hunky gay Duck MacDonald (Callum Keith Rennie), the town handyman who is attracted to Dan. The opening scene for the film shows Duck preventing Dan from suicide on a bridge. Real estate agent Carol French (Sandra Oh) prepares for the town festival while her relationship with her cop husband Buddy (Paul Gross) deteriorates. Mayor Brent Fisher (Maury Chaykin) wants to turn Wilby Watch, a gay cruising area, into a golf course. Wilby Watch is about to explode on Wilby when the local paper prepares to print the names of gays caught in an illicit same-sex rendezvous. Closeted Dan is on the list of names to be revealed, and he would rather do away with himself than deal with the shame.

This film doesn't explain exactly what happened, but instead drops hints along the way. “Islanders” are less tolerant then “mainlanders", two words heavily thrown about in the film. It's a funny dark comedy, filled with moments of gravity, with great acting and ensemble chemistry. The film succeeds by asking questions not only about the potential of small-town gay life, but about the difficulty of changing entrenched attitudes, values and behaviour in oneself and in others. Duck sums everything up by saying to Emily Anderson (Ellen Page) about her mother: "She wants to love and be loved, just like all of us". As if to acknowledge the concessions that must be made, this independent film ends not with a kiss but with a tentative embrace. Michael Timmins composed the original music, and Daniel MacIvor wrote the screenplay and directed.

Forbidden Letters (1976)

Larry (Robert Adams) is a cute, young, and innocent gay man whose lover Richard (Richard Locke) is in prison. Richard writes to Larry about the emptiness of prison life. As we hear Richard's letters, we see him jerking off behind bars. Larry writes to Richard, but his true feelings are written in letters that he cannot send because they will endanger his lover. The non-linear narrative of "Forbidden Letters", which skips back and forth in time, is told with these letters. They tell how Richard changed his life, causing him to discover the joy and pain of love with an older father-figure. Larry lives in San Francisco, just a stone's throw away from Alcatraz Prison where Richard is incarcerated, and he walks the streets in search of pick-ups. Two of his tricks, where Larry is a top, include Willie Bjorn in a tin-walled room and John Gustavson in a hippie pad. We see them walking through Land's End, hugging, kissing, and having sex.

The opening sequences are filmed in black-and-white, appropriate for the jail scenes and the metaphor of separation. Although the sex scenes are explicit, this is more of a love story than a porn film. It's a timeless display of the human condition, loss, fulfillment, and the search for and discovery of real love. There is a heavy reliance on voice-over narration, with some original corny-sounding folk songs. The music score is by Jeffrey Olmstead. Arthur J. Bressan Jr. wrote the screenplay and directed. Parts of the movie were actually filmed in Alcatraz. Jeffrey Olmstead composed the original music, and Arthur J. Bressan Jr. wrote the screenplay and directed. This film is no longer available.

Straight Jacket (2004)

In 1950's Hollywood, closeted gay actor Guy Stone (Matt Letscher) enters into a sham marriage with studio secretary Sally (Carrie Preston) when the tabloids start to question his sexual orientation as the "most eligible young bachelor". He spends most of his time prowling the gay bar scene for the next available hunk. In fact, Guy is so shallow that he doesn't even bother to learn the names of the star-struck men he sleeps with. His agent Jerry (Veronica Cartwright) struggles to keep him in tow, aware that if his sexual preference becomes public his acting career would be over. Soon after the marriage, Guy falls in love for the first time with Commie Rick Foster (Adam Greer), who has written Guy's latest movie script. They become lovers and the political and conscientious differences between the two are forgotten until their pairing is discovered. Guy is asked to go before the TV cameras to confess his homosexuality (which is equated with Communism) and to give names of others who are also gay.

Director Richard Day wrote a script based on his own stage play and filled it with wit and absurd situations. He casts a scathing eye on anti-gay prejudice, Hollywood phoniness, Red-baiting, and superficial relationships. The musical score is not good but it suits the era. Stephen Edwards composed the incidental music. This is an entertaining, thoughtful, and overlong film with an important re-enactment of a scary time in Hollywood. The conclusion resolves in a way to show comedy is related to tragedy.

Chuck & Buck (2000)

Chuck (Chris Weitz) and Buck O'Brien (Mike White) were childhood friends and sex partners until Chuck moved away at age 11. Sixteen years later, Buck visits Chuck (now called Charlie) in LA when Buck's mother dies. Buck is a man-child who never really grew up. He sucks on lollipops obsessively, and is now fixated on Chuck, who wants nothing more to do with his childhood best friend. Charlie is a music record executive and Buck begins stalking him and his fiancé Carlyn Carlson (Beth Colt) until Charlie is forced to re-examine their childhood relationship. Buck tells him, "When it's just you and me here, it's like I'm OK. And all this other stuff makes me feel dead. And I don't want to feel dead." He also writes a play and hires Beverly Franco (Lupe Ontiveros) to direct it for $25 per hour. It's titled "Frank and Hank", and Beverly tells Buck, "It's a homo-erotic misogynistic love story."

Finally Charles makes a deal with Buck. They kiss, have passionate sex, then separate forever. Buck is heart-broken, but seems to start growing up. The film's strength lies in characterizing Buck not as a caricature but as a real person we can pity, and even see a little of ourselves in. Chris Weitz, better known as a screenwriter, is reminiscent of Tom Cruise in every way. Director Miguel Arteta's film is somewhat unsettling, and scene after scene plays with discomfort. It's weird, creepy, fascinating, and never false. A shot-on-video indie about a sick infantile gay stalker obsessed with a childhood friend, it does pick up nicely as it progresses. This movie is watchable, funny, edgy, but often sad, and it sometimes stretches credibility--but movies often require us to suspend our disbelief. Gregory "Smokey" Hormel, Tony Maxwell, and Joey Waronker composed the original music. Mike White wrote the screenplay, and Miguel Arteta directed.

In & Out (1997)

Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) is a high school teacher in a small town in Indiana with a good job, an attractive fiancé named Emily Montgomery (Joan Cusack) and respect from everyone. Everything changes one night when a former high school student of his named Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon), now a famous actor in Hollywood, makes an acceptance speech after receiving an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay army soldier and 'outs' Howard Brackett as his inspiration for the role. A media circus begins as Howard desperately tries to keep his life from falling apart by protesting that he is not gay and that the whole thing with Cameron's speech is a simple misunderstanding. While most of the townspeople want to believe Howard, Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck), an openly gay TV reporter who arrives in town to cover the story, suspects that the teacher is in denial. Howard is fired, but attends the graduation ceremony to support his students. When the students learn that he was dismissed for being gay, they proclaim themselves to be gay themselves to show their support for Howard. His family follows suit, as do his friends, and all the townsfolk assembled.

This romantic comedy was inspired by Tom Hanks's speech when he accepted his 1994 Oscar for his role in "Philadelphia", and mentioned his high-school drama coach Rawley Farnsworth, and his former classmate John Gilkerson, "two of the finest gay Americans, two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with"--unaware that Farnsworth was still in the closet. This is one of Hollywood's few attempts at a gay comedy, and was notorious at the time for a 10-second kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck. The film ends with everyone dancing to the Village People's song "Macho Man". Marc Shaiman composed the incidental music, Paul Rudnick wrote the screenplay, and Frank Oz directed.

Best of Boys in Love (1998)

This is a compilation of 7 short films selected from "Boys in Love" and "Boys in Love 2". The original has 3 fictional political shorts, and the sequel has 6 that are more eclectic and edgy. The first in "Best of" is "Achilles", an animated film about Achilles and Patroclus who battle the Trojans and love each other. "Boot Camp" is about a shy gay (Mathew Solari) who sees a leatherman (John Cantwell) go into an S & M bar. They meet and break into a song! It's a cute gay parody of 1930's musicals. "Death in Venice" features a repressed academic who is seduced by his landlady's stepson. "Dirty Baby Does Fire Island" shows an animated baby-doll among deer, weightlifters, and humping men in a bedroom. Dirty Baby snorts poppers, hallucinates, and rolls outside into a pool. She tries cocaine, which causes her to freak out and fall down a hill to the beach. Later the doll is launched into space. In "Karen Black Like Me" nervous Emil (Ira Rosenberg) receives a huge dildo with a cock ring on it. After a visit from his mother, he is chased by the evil "King Dong". It's a comic homage to the cult film "Trilogy of Terror". Next is "SPF 2000" about two friends, J.J. and Pucci, who sunbathe in a park near cute young Kip and his mother. All the boys go swimming and a silver faced alien named Suroh tries to communicate with them by applying sunscreen to everybody.

In "Twilight of the Gods" a Maori named Toa (Greg Mayor) finds many dead tribesmen and soldiers in the jungle. One of the soldiers is alive and Toa nurses him back to health. They have a gay romance, and this exotic and violent entry is the treasure of this collection, the most explicit and with the best production. These aren't slick big-budget productions and some of them look quite cheap. But most are also funny. They are not raunchy sex films, but humorous and sometimes sweet stories of flirtation, love and occasionally sex. Avoiding homophobia and coming-out stories which have been done to death, the short films avoid such tedium in favor of imaginative and entertaining stories in which homosexuality is a given, not a cross to bear.

The Green Plaid Shirt (1996)

In 1978 Philip (Gregory Phelan) meets Guy (Kevin Spirtas) at a yard sale where they both want the same green plaid shirt. Shortly afterwards they become lovers. Their relationship is "open", allowing both partners to have outside sexual contacts. Philip finds that he is not as "open" as Guy, but they only cease to be lovers when Guy informs him that he's moving in with another man. Their friendship continues, however, until Guy's death of AIDS in 1988. Friends Devon (Russel Scott Lewis), Jerry (Richard Israel), and Todd (Jonathan Klein) also die of the disease. Even though the film's focus is on their relationship, it handles it without sentimentality.

The cheeky wit of the characters is one of the movie's highlights. Because of a low budget, this film has sound that warbles between indistinct and tinny. Also the camerawork and music are poorly done and distracting. It's mostly a flashback movie and events are sometimes shown out of chronological order, with scenes presented in a disorienting sequence. A green plaid shirt is worn in almost every scene, and it becomes an annoying gimmick rather than a symbol. This film has a passionate and clear message, but is not very well dramatized. Norman Noll composed the original music, and Richard Natale wrote the screenplay and directed.

The Dying Gaul (2005)

Based on the play of the same name by screenwriter and director Craig Lucas, this film is about gay screenwriter Robert Sandrich (Peter Sarsgaard) who has a tragic affair with bisexual movie executive Jeffrey Tishop (Campbell Scott) . Robert's lover has just died of AIDS and Jeffrey offers a fortune for his autobiographical screenplay. Of course it must be changed into a heterosexual script. Jeffrey says, "America hates gay people", although he approaches Robert for sex and and his wife Elaine (Patricia Clarkson) learns of their affair--leading to deceptions, confessions and betrayals. A pessimistic movie with three unsympathetic characters viewers will love to hate, it's about what happens when people choose money over integrity and sell out. There are no easy answers regarding compromised principles, the price of greed, and the closeted nature of Hollywood. Scott, Clarkson and Sarsgaard give great performances, but the film is too complicated, with a tragic climax. The title is taken from an ancient Roman statue, which is a copy of an earlier and lost Greek statue. Steve Reich composed the music.

Johns (1996)

Two homeless street hustlers in Hollywood with different ideals and goals struggle through a tough night in this bleak edgy drama. It's Christmas Eve, the day before John (David Arquette) turns 21. He wants to spend that night and the next day at the expensive Park Plaza Hotel, so he ripped off a drug dealer for $300 to pay the bill. But as he's sleeping, someone steals his shoes with the money in them. Meanwhile, Donner (Lukas Haas), a hustler new to the streets, is infatuated with John and wants to leave the city with him for Camelot, a theme park in Branson, Missouri, where they can work as lifeguards. Donner admits his homosexuality, but John believes that despite his occupation he's really straight, and he has a girlfriend Mikki (Alanna Ubach) to prove it. John tries to hustle the money for the hotel and pay back drug dealer Jimmy the Warlock (Terrence Howard), keep his girlfriend placated, and figure out how to deal with Donner's friendship. They meet several street people, including Crazy Eli (Christopher Gartin) and Homeless John (Keith David), and find a few customers, ranging from a closeted businessman (Elliott Gould) to others looking for violent, dangerous sex.

"Johns" is the first feature film for former TV documentary director Scott Silver. It is intelligent and realistic, with good performances, uneven editing, out of place symbolism, and a sad and tragic ending. Charles Brown and Danny Caron composed the original music, and Scott Silver wrote the screenplay and directed.

Du er Ikke Alene (1978)

A student strike at a Danish boys school in the 1970's is the backdrop for "Du er Ikke Alene", considered one of the best coming-of-age films ever made. The focus is on the conflict between the headmaster's old fashioned views and the liberal views of the boys. It explores the relationship between 15-year-old Bo (Anders Agensø) and 12-year-old Kim (Peter Bjerg), the younger son of the stern boarding school headmaster (Ove Sprogøe). Kim sneaks out into Bo's bed late at night where an intimate relationship begins. It is portrayed as something natural, and they do not hide it from the other boys, who consider it normal. Then a student is expelled for displaying pornographic posters and the other students decide to protest and hold a strike. Kim and Bo decide to "come out" to the school, and in front of parents and classmates show a video they made about their relationship that concludes with a long and passionate kissing scene. This film was made during a time when gay-themed movies were all but forbidden, and it is a brave, delicate, tender, unpretentious tale of the bonding that occurs between two boys. The story develops slowly, so some viewers find it somewhat boring. Directors Lasse Nielsen and Ernst Johansen made a groundbreaking film about first love without sentimentality, with depth, candor, and a sensitive handling of a controversial theme. The English title is "You Are Not Alone".

Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story (2004)

Set in the fictional working-class town of Inniston, Canada, this film is about Marc Hall (Aaron Ashmore), a popular student who manages to avoid harassment as a gay teen in a small town. However, when Marc decides to take his boyfriend Jason (Mac Fyfe) to the prom, he finds he has stepped over the line at the Catholic school he attends . Suddenly, with the spotlight of the nation's media on his struggle, he discovers he is battling not just for his right to date, but for the rights of gay people everywhere. The battle reaches all the way to the Canadian Supreme Court. We hear of Mark and Jason's breakup, but we never really see it, and the eventual court ruling comes via fax. The soundtrack often doesn't suit the dialogue, and the dance music sometimes is too loud and annoying. Based on a true story, this made for TV movie with a limited budget explores the clash between religion and sex, and shows gay teenagers are coming out at earlier ages, becoming increasingly politically active, and are more accepted by their peers. Gary Koftinoff composed the incidental music, Kent Staines wrote the teleplay from a story he wrote with Michael MacLennan, and John L'Ecuyer directed.

Morte a Venezia (1971)

In director Luchino Visconti's adaptation of the Thomas Mann novella, composer Gustave von Aschenbach (loosely based on Gustav Mahler) travels from Munich for a rest cure in Venice in 1911. He is suffering from a heart condition. In the lounge of the Lido hotel he spots a Polish family, headed by Mrs. Moore (Silvana Mangano) and finds himself attracted to her beautiful 14-year-old son Tadzio (Bjorn Andresen). Gradually his obsession increases while a cholera epidemic threatens the city. The pestilence represents the corruption that compromises and threatens his ideals. There are long periods without dialogue, and much of the story is told visually, with Gustave's lingering looks at Tadzio, crowds at the beach, and hotel dining rooms.

The film is elegant, sumptuous, lush, moody, and slow-paced, with little emotional center. Mahler's music is used in this film, although he was not homosexual as far as we know. Thomas Mann is alleged to have been gay or bi, and much of the storyline is supposedly based on Mann's own experiences. Dirk Bogarde portrays Gustave as an aging homosexual voyeur rather than Mann's disturbed artist struggling with an attraction to a boy that he does not understand. Not all of the dialogue is in English. Tadzio's family speak in Polish, and some of the minor characters speak in Italian. Subtitles are provided in ten languages. Luchino Visconti and Nicola Badalucco wrote the screenplay derived from the novella by Thomas Mann. Luchino Visconti directed. The English title is "Death in Venice".

Leather Jacket Love Story (1998)

An 18-year-old aspiring poet named Kyle (Sean Tataryn) leaves West Hollywood and relocates to Silver Lake where he meets hunky 30-year-old carpenter Mike (Christopher Bradley). An intense sexual relationship begins, crossing the complicated terrain of intergenerational love, class differences, and long term relationships. The dialogue is smart and colorful, the eccentric Silver Lake characters interesting, and the full frontal nude scenes are impressive. Jack (Nicholas Worth) plays a theatrical gay poet and steals every scene he appears in. His poetry readings are quite funny. Drag queens defend the community. There is a memorable stripper (Dennis Larkin) and cameos by Mink Stole, gay activist Morris Kight, and Bob Prest as a doctor who pierces nipples and other body parts for a living. Geoff Moody plays Ian. He was supposed to play Kyle, but refused to do a full frontal nudity scene.

This 83 minute b & w film was shot in ten days for $60,000 in 16mm, with the same camera used for "Medium Cool" (1969). It does not have the best picture quality and there are no captions or subtitles. The DVD includes commentary and 37 minutes of "erotic" material--all the footage they shot of the various sex scenes. Jeremy Jordan composed the incidental music, Rondo Mieczkowski wrote the screenplay, and David DeCoteau directed.

Boys Life (1995)

This three story anthology explores the reminiscences of directors Brian Sloan, Raoul O'Connell, and Robert Lee King. "Pool Days" and "A Friend of Dorothy" deliver the most fun about coming out of the closet. "The Disco Years" details the heartache and self-deception that is often a part of struggling through high school for gays. The protagonist of "Pool Days" is portrayed by Josh Weinstein , in "A Friend of Dorothy" it's Raoul O'Connell, and Matt Nolan plays Tom in "The Disco Years". Basically it's more "gay coming of age" stuff, too familiar but done quite well. Each 30 minute short is presented full frame only.
"Boys Life 2" (1997) is a 4 story anthology. Three are about homophobia, and all 4 are artistic, realistic, and episodic. "Must Be the Music" is about 4 gay teens; in "Nunzio's Second Cousin" a NYC cop takes a gay-basher home for a family dinner; "Alkali, Iowa" is about a farm boy who discovers his father was gay; and "The DadShuttle" centers on the communication breakdown between a father and his gay son.
"Boys Life 3" (2000) is a compilation of five short films that deal with coming out and the trials and tribulations of being gay in America. It includes: "Inside Out" with Jason Gould satirizing what happens when you come out in Hollywood, "Just One Time," a fantasy involving a groom-to-be; "Hitch" about sexual discovery on a road trip; "Majorettes in Space," a witty French spoof of post-modern sex; and "$30", centering on a closeted teen's experience with a prostitute (Sara Gilbert).
There are also: "Boys Life 4: Four Play" (2002), "Boys Life 5" (2006), and "Boys Life 6" (2007).

Fresa y Chocolate

In 1979 Havana, David (Vladimir Cruz) is a student and hard-core Communist whose personal life is in something of a slump. His girlfriend left him to marry another man, then he meets Diego (Jorge Perrugoria), a flamboyant gay eating strawberry ice cream, even though it's one of the rare days when chocolate is available. David is not impressed with Diego's criticism of Castro's regime, especially the government's persecution of gays, but he accepts his invitation to visit his apartment. David realizes that Diego has seduction on his mind, but this is outweighed by the fact that Diego's flat has forbidden things such as Time Magazine, American record albums, and Johnny Walker Red scotch. Miguel (Francisco Gatorno), David's friend, is convinced that Diego is a dangerous dissident and urges David to spy on him and pass along his findings to the government. But David enjoys spending time with Diego and also likes Nancy (Mirta Ibarra), Diego's sexy neighbor. This is a story of friendship and love between two men that overcomes prejudice and intolerance.

In 1993, "Fresa y Chocolate" swept the awards at the Havana Film Festival. The film won the top overall prize (the Coral), the Popular Choice prize, Best Director, Best Actor, and the International Critics' Award, among others. It's from the short story "The Wolf, the Forest and the New Man" by sceenwriter Senel Paz. José María Vitier composed the original music, and Juan Carlos Tabío directed. The English title is "Strawberry & Chocolate". In Spanish with English subtitles.

Amnésie: L'énigme James Brighton (2005)

Gay American James Brighton (Dusan Dukic) is found naked and amnesiac in a vacant parking lot in Montreal in 1998. He knows his name, but the only thing he's sure of is that he's gay. Based on a true story, the film's first half covers Brighton's months in Montreal trying to rediscover who he is. Volunteers from S.O.S Gay organize a media campaign to help him recover his forgotten past. After three months no one has claimed him. Then his Tennessee family find him when his brother, a Pentecostal minister, recognizes him on TV. Except his name isn't James Brighton, it's Matthew Honeycutt. He is arrested for committing fraud by faking his amnesia, but many are uncertain about the truth of his claims. A year later a student in criminology named Sylvie (Karyne Lemieux) begins to study it, only to discover that her own identity is becoming elusive. The second half of the movie picks up the pace, focusing on Brighton's adjustment to life in Tennessee and director Denis Langlois' disturbing fictional explanation about what led to Brighton's traumatic memory loss. Slow-paced and probably better suited to the small-screen, "Amnesia" is a reminder of the ravages of homophobia. John Lunn composed the original music, and Chris Lang wrote the screenplay. The English title is "The James Brighton Enigma". In Québecois, French, and English with variable subtitles.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)

This story of a gay man in Savannah, Georgia who shot his working-class lover focuses on the murder and the subsequent trial of Jim Williams (Kevin Spacey). He is a self made man, art collector, antiques dealer, and semi-closeted homosexual. John Kelso (John Kusack), a magazine reporter, is in Savannah to write a feature on one of Williams' famous Christmas parties. He is intrigued by Williams from the start, but his curiosity is piqued when he meets Jim's violent and sexy young lover, Billy Hanson (Jude Law). Later that night, Billy is dead, and Kelso stays on to cover the murder trial. Along the way he encounters Lady Chablis (Chablis Deveau), a drag queen, Sonny Seiler (Jack Thompson), lawyer to Williams, and Minerva (Irma P. Hall), a spiritualist. Becoming Jim's friend, cuddling up to a torch singer, meeting every eccentric in Savannah, participating in midnight graveyard rituals, and helping solve the mysteries surrounding Billy's murder, makes Kelso very busy.

The movie is loosely based on the first book by John Berendt, which became a New York Times bestseller for 216 weeks. Fans of the book are generally disappointed with the film, largely because of changes made by screenwriter John Lee Hancock and director Clint Eastwood. Lennie Niehaus composed the original music.

Le Fate ignorante (2001)

Antonia (Margherita Buy) is an AIDS doctor, has a stable marriage, and lives happily with her husband Massimo (Andrea Renzi) in an upscale district of Rome. But when he dies in a car accident, she falls into a depression and begins to recover when she finds out that Massimo had been unfaithful to her in a gay relationship. Massimo had a secret lover for 7 of their 15 years together. She's also surprised to discover that he and his lover Michele (Stefano Accorsi) were part of an extended "family" of gays, transgenders, and other social outcasts. As Antonia begins to understand her husband's secret, she becomes accepted into the commune. This film puts love and understanding before judgment or disapprobation. The Italian title means "The Ignorant Fairies" and refers to a painting that was given to Massimo by Michele. Andrea Guerra composed the original music. Gianni Roli and Ferzan Özpete wrote the screnplay, and Ferzan Özpetek. directed. The American title is "His Secret Life" and the international title is "The Ignorant Fairies". This Turkish-Italian production has Italian dialogue with various subtitles.

No Se Lo Digas a Nadie (1999)

This film is based on the autobiographical novel of gay Peruvian talk show host Jaime Bayly. Joaquin Camino (Santiago Magill), a young man from the upper class of Lima, deals with problems concerning his sexual identity as a child, then as a teenager pressured by his macho father Luis Felipe (Hernan Romero), then as an independent lazy pot-smoking college student, and later as a cocaine addict in Lima and Miami. The movie is a complex character study about the duality of most gay young men in Peruvian society, how they feel about casual sex, and their search for sexual identity in a country intolerant of open homosexuality. It shows the absence of a gay subculture in an honest and bittersweet story about the painful "coming-out" process. This unconventional film starts at the beginning and ends at the end with an ironic surprise, appropriately incomplete and somewhat ambiguous. It is well written and acted, with good production values and a great soundtrack. Giovanna Pollarolo wrote the screenplay from Joime Bayly's novel, and Francisco J. Lombardi directed. Dialogue is in Spanish and the English title is "Don't Tell Anyone".

The Boys of Cellblock Q (1992)

Timmy (Andrew Addams) is a cute convict in Australia's Sunnyvale Labor Farm, where all the prisoners are gay. The film's concept seems to be a gay spoof of the the 1950's women in prison B movies. Without the presence of women, the muscular prisoners indulge in regular steamy shower time trysts with one another, make full use out of the jail's supply of priests, turn the eyes of several handsome policemen, and help a young convict learn the ins and outs of the prison community. There are cop fantasies, and a slobbering priest who enjoys conducting in-depth strip searches of the hunky young inmates. The film seems like the intro to a hot porno flick, but nothing happens--it's like porn with the sex edited out.

This movie is so very bad it's good, or so bad it's funny. It's low budget, with terrible acting, poor lighting, bad sets, a horrible script, and viewers' comments like, "By far the worst movie I have ever seen. It looks like it was filmed in someone's garage." Another: "The storyline is simply corny and the cast is so pathetic. It is like a stage play gone bad with only one type of setting." The DVD has a photo gallery option that has almost nothing to do with this film. Out of 75 or so shots, only a half dozen come from the film--the rest are of naked men, probably from other videos. One reviewer wrote, " This video is a great, hot, 'boys in prison' spoof." Shaun Guerin composed the original music, and Ralph Lucas wrote the screenplay adapted from John C. Wall's stage play "Cellblock Q". Alan Daniels directed.

Tongues Untied (1991)

Director Marlon T. Riggs’s controversial classic documentary chronicles the black gay experience. The stories show homophobia and racism: a man refused entry to a gay bar because of his color; a college student left bleeding on the sidewalk after a gay-bashing; and the loneliness and isolation of a drag queen. Some also affirm the black gay male experience: protest marches, smoky bars, “snap divas,” humorous musicology, and vogue dancing. Poet Essex Hemphill recites his poetry as the film moves forward with Riggs telling his own story of growing up. A socio-political experiment to show the marginalized gay blacks, the movie shocks as it denounces popular stereotypes and takes a slap at conformity. It ends with obituaries to AIDS victims and footage of the civil rights movement alongside of black men marching in a Gay Pride parade. A short film with a runtime of 55 minutes, the DVD has special features: a 1991 interview with Riggs, other interviews, and 7 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes·

Le Hasard Fait Bien Les Choses (2005)

Jean-Pierre (Jean-Claude Brialy) is a Swiss professor, writer, and married man, and therefore he is a good candidate to take in a troubled teen. Switzerland has a law that every citizen can be assigned a live-in foster child. But when the court appoints him the guardian of 16 year-old Antoine (Julien Bravo), all hell breaks loose in Jean-Pierre's private life, which he has been secretly sharing with his Cuban lover and masseur, Armando (Antonio Interlandi). Jean-Pierre asks his long absent wife Alice (Sabine Haudepin) to help convince the judge that his is not a proper home for Antoine. He married 10 years ago in a "marriage of convenience" to satisfy his mother and to give Alice Swiss citizenship. He is forced to deal with his depressed wife, his hysterical boyfriend, an endearing "son", blackmail from the father of Antoine's girlfriend, a near fistfight with his wife's jealous ex-boyfriend, and the authorities hot on his tail.

This film is beautifully photographed, charming, comical, the cast is superb, and it gives hope that things will improve for gay people. It is a tender story that looks at the different ways in which love manifests itself, and the conflicts older gay men face in attempting to manage professional lives with personal lives. Sylvette Frydman composed the music score, Thierry Malet wrote the screenplay, and Lorenzo Gabriele directed. The language is in French with English subtitles. The English title is "As Luck Would Have It".

Man of the Year (1995)

This film is a fictionalized account of gay Dirk Shafer's reign as Playgirl magazine's 1992 "Man of the Year". It's a mockumentary, a combination of semi-documentary, drama, and comedy that includes real people as well as actors. Aspiring film-maker and male model Shafer leaves Oklahoma to pursue his dream of fame and fortune in Hollywood. After a series of degrading film jobs, he sends his photograph to Playgirl magazine and is delighted to become a sex symbol for millions of women as "Man of the Year". His gayness is kept secret from the magazine editors, fans and chat-show hosts he encounters as Playgirl's pin-up.

The camera follows him around in documentary style, showing that the entire sex industry is built upon appearances, fantasy and illusions. His lover Mike Miller (Michael Ornstein) was initially enthusiastic at the deception, while family and friends only later discovered the truth. Win-A-Date recipient Angela Lucassey (Mary Stein) travels to New York to enjoy a night on the town with her dream companion, and the theme is Dirk should be true to himself and his boyfriend, because masking his sexuality in this way only causes stress. Peitor Angell, Barry Stich, and Eric Vetro composed the original music. Dirk Shafer wrote, directed and starred in this ironic and interesting movie.

Drift (2000)

Ryan T. Lee (Reggie Lee) is a gay Asian screenwriter from Canada working illegally in L.A. On the eve of Ryan's third anniversary with boyfriend Joel (Greyson Dane), the struggling writer meets Leo (Jonathon Roessler), a college student and aspiring novelist, at his agent's (Jerry Lentz) trendy party. Though he loves Joel, Ryan feels stifled by the relationship's stability and believes Joel doesn't appreciate his artistic temperament. Ryan confides in his straight friends, Carrie (Desi del Valle) and Matt (Sebastien Guy), then breaks up with Joel to pursue a relationship with Leo. Joel, who's less flighty than Ryan, makes an effort to remain friendly with his ex. When Ryan leaves the party, he enters three different possibilities: he and Leo fall in love, they have a one night stand, and Leo doesn't like Ryan. In any love triangle, someone winds up hurt, and in each scenario Ryan is faced with the fragility of human emotions and the dangers in searching for a soul mate.

The "what if?" gimmick makes the film unique. It's a low budget erotic relationship drama, quirky, edgy, a bit cheesy, and often funny, but sometimes sad. This film is compelling, tightly edited, and the steamy sex scenes are believable because of the realism of the emotions portrayed. But what point is Lee trying to make? Perhaps the tentative nature of the title is the key. The film is set in a town where many are in a state of flux, not really settling down after making a commitment, and forever looking for the perfect partner. Steven Pranoto composed the music, and Quentin Lee wrote the screenplay and directed.

Head On (1998)

Nineteen-year-old Ari (Alex Dimitriades) walks out of a Greek wedding in Melbourne. He is young, handsome, unemployed, bisexual, and alienated. The movie follows him and his friends through 24 hours of excess, from a family party to a Greek nightclub, then to a gay nightclub where he meets up with Sean (Julian Garner), a dreamy college friend of his brother's who may offer a loving alternative to self-destructive excess. His father Dimitri (Tony Nikolakopoulos) calls him an animal and his mother Sophia (Eugenia Fragos) pleads with him not to leave home. Ari despises his once-beloved parents, former radical activists, for becoming traditional. His closest friend Johnny (Paul Capsis) is open about his cross-dressing, defiantly dressing up as his own dead mother, but Ari can’t face the consequences that would follow coming out. Instead he seeks short-term pleasure in drugs and anonymous sex in seedy alleys and public toilets. When Ari and Johnny are arrested and brutalized by a pair of cops, however, the chance for redemption seems very remote. The film does not have a happy ending.

This Australian movie directed by Ana Kokkinos is based on the acclaimed novel "Loaded" by Christos Tsiolkas. The film gained notoriety upon its release for its sexual explicitness, including a highly graphic male masturbation scene performed by Dimitriades, who is good looking, but a bit too old to play a teen-ager. Ollie Olsen composed the music. Ana Kokkinos and Mira Robertson wrote the screenplay derived from Christos Tsiolkas' book.

C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)

Zac Beaulieu (Marc-Andre Grondin) is a kid who thinks he has the coolest dad (Michel Côté as Gervais) on the block. Mom Laurianne (Danielle Proulx) dotes on Zac, thinking he has healing gifts from God. "C.R.A.Z.Y." tells the story of a young man dealing with his emerging homosexual feelings while growing up with four brothers and a conservative father in 1960s and '70s Quebec. The title is derived from the first letter in the names of the five brothers: Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zachary and Yvan, and also refers to their father's love of Patsy Cline's hit song "Crazy", written by Willie Nelson. When Zak's gayness emerges, his homophobic father becomes angry and distant, then eventually loves him for who he really is.

Yet another gay coming of age movie, this time from Quebec, Canada, where "C.R.A.Z.Y." was a huge award-winning box office hit. The movie is not easy to categorize. It's a drama, but also a flashback comedy. One of the film's themes is the waning influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec society during the "Quiet Revolution". Period music is an important element of the movie, and a good portion of the film's budget was spent on rights for songs by Patsy Cline, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, as well as David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and many others. The Charles Aznavour song "Emmenez Moi" is repeated over and over in the film, often sung by the father. He also sings another Aznavour song, "Hier Encore", as part of Zac's 20th birthday celebrations. Original music is by David Bowie. The film was directed and co-written (with Franחois Boulay) by Jean-Marc Vallיe. The language is French, and DVDs are available with and without English subtitles.

Food of Love (2003)

Adapted from David Leavitt's 1998 novel "The Page Turner", this film is the story of a love affair between an 18-year-old man and his much older mentor. Paul (Kevin Bishop) is a music student working as an assistant for a classical pianist, Richard Kennington (Paul Rhys). The two meet first in San Francisco, then in Barcelona and begin a relationship, but they must contend with Paul's neurotic mother Pamela (Juliet Stevenson) and Richard's boyfriend and manager Mansourian (Allan Corduner). Richard flees to New York, and when he meets Paul again, he is a Julliard student, promiscuous and in an affair with yet another middle-aged man. The movie has first and second acts, but no conclusion. Act I is the development of the relationship between Paul and Richard. Act II is about Paul's move to NYC, where he becomes a disillusioned jerk. No Act III. When the story begins to reach a climax, it ends with no resolution of any plot threads. The final scenes seem empty.

"Food of Love" is complex, interesting, polished, with occasional insights into the lies we believe and tell to others. The sad thing is that none of the characters really learn anything about themselves. They simply discover that people lie and life sucks. And the idea that a young sensitive gay pianist might be happy in the romantic clutches of leering, ugly, bald, and smug men who are in their fifties stretches credibility. This Spanish/German film is well-done on a low budget, with beautiful music, and some good acting. Charles Cases composed the music, and Ventura Pons wrote the screenplay and directed.

In the Flesh (1997)

Oliver (Dane Ritter), a 21 year-old clean-cut student, is living a double life. His upper-class family sees a decent young man, but they know nothing of his night life as a gay hustler. Suspected of murder, he turns to his lover Philip Kirsch (Ed Corbin)--a closeted undercover narc probing the drug traffickers involved in the homicide. Soon Philip becomes Oliver's reluctant alibi for the murder charge. Kirsch risks his job for Oliver, insisting he is innocent of the crime. He follows Oliver around like a lost puppy, searching his medical files, and inviting him to live in his house until he finds a place of his own. Soon the hustler becomes the hustled when he becomes the target of a murderer. What remains is the two attempting to stay alive amid corruption and greed in a seedy suburb of Atlanta. One of Philip's cop buddies plays a role in the film's finale, in a contrived twist.

It's a thriller/love story with interesting characters, from the attractive leads to the suspicious bartender, rent boys, and an older cop who has seen it all. Although low budget with some wooden acting, the character development is good and the film is quite appealing. However, some viewers describe it as cheesy, emotionless, predictable, with hackneyed plot twists and weak writing. We get to see a gratuitous sex scene between a male and female, but no gay sex. Eddie Horst composed the music, and Ben Taylor wrote the screenplay and directed.

Friends & Family (2003)

Stephen Torcelli (Greg Lauren) and Danny Russo (Christopher Gartin) are a gay NYC couple who have it all: a fabulous house, good friends, lots of money, and each other. When Stephen's meddling mother Ada (Beth Fowler) and undercover FBI agent father (Frank Pellegrino) show up for an unexpected visit, their lives are thrown into chaos as they try to hide their big secret. The parents know the guys are a gay couple, but they think they run a catering company for a living, even though neither of them can cook. What they don't know is that their son and his boyfriend are part of a gang of enforcers for Don Victor Patrizzi (Tony Lo Bianco), a notorious New York mob boss. They are hit men for the Mafia! If Stephen's father learns of their criminal activities he'll be obligated to report them.

Meanwhile, Don Patrizzi's daughter Jenny (Rebecca Creskoff) announces her engagement and her father decides to throw her an engagement party combined with Mr. Torcelli's birthday party. Mrs. Torcelli suggests the boys cater the party, sending them into a panic. Fortunately one of Don Patrizzi's sons is an excellent chef and the other is a master decorator, so the Patrizzi boys take care of the food and the decor. As a special treat for Jenny, Don Patrizzi forcibly "invites" US Senator Pete (Bruce Winant) under his control to the party. This guest is of the most interest to the parents of Jenny's fiance, Alma (Tovah Feldshuh) and Matt Jennings (Patrick Collins). They run a militia group which has declared war on the US government and they want to hold the Senator hostage.

Oblivious to this threat, Don Patrizzi's soldiers have been enlisted to serve as waiters for the party. Reasoning that a catering company owned by a gay couple would have gay employees, they have a flamboyant friend of the Danny and Stephen's give them a crash course on being gay--including the correct order of Elizabeth Taylor's husbands and the proper use of the expression "puh-lease!".

All goes well at the party until the Jennings and their militiamen strike. They take the guests hostage and force the Senator to record a message for the media. Stephen and Danny, fearful that the tape will lead to police action and a deadly shootout, neutralize the militia with the help of the newly gay-acting Patrizzi soldiers and some drag queens who came to the party. With their cover blown, Stephen and Danny tell Mr. Torcelli that they're ready for him to turn them in. However, the birthday he's celebrating is his 60th, meaning that he's been mandatorily retired and is no longer with the FBI.

This movie is often slow-moving, with too many stereotypes, predictable jokes, and forced situations, but it is entertaining. With too many characters interacting in too many ways, the film feels crowded, confused, and frenetic. Kurt Hoffman composed the original music, Joseph Triebwasser wrote the screenplay, and Kristen Coury directed.

The Business of Fancydancing (2002)

Seymour Polatkin (Evan Adams) is a successful American Indian gay poet who reluctantly returns to the reservation he left 15 years ago to attend the funeral of Mouse (Swil Kanim). "I've had sex with one Indian woman, 112 white boys and two black men," he laughs, "but I've never slept with an Indian man." His former best friend Aristotle Joseph (Gene Tagaban) views him as a pathetic token of his tribe, a "little public relations warrior" who "puts on little beads and feathers for all these white people." The film explores issues that contemporary American Indians face, including cultural assimilation, stereotypes, and substance abuse, with a sometimes strongly symbolic style. There are simple, dream-like interludes of individual characters performing ceremonial dances in complete blackness, and episodes of Seymour reading his poetry aloud.

Indian filmmaker Sherman Alexie (writer of "Smoke Signals"), does a good job of bringing to life the fear, frustration, tension, and bitterness of his cast of characters, as well as the blood ties that bind them together. The movie was shot on digital video and sometimes the image quality is not very good. Music was composed by Mohican composer Brent Michael Davids. The violin solos were composed and performed by Swil Kanim (Mouse), and the film also features Sherman Alexie's poetry, who wrote the screenplay and directed.

Cock & Bull Story (2004)

Jack "Jacko" O'Malley (Brian Austin Green) is a violent street punk who hates "faggots". His friend Travis Coleman (Bret Roberts) is a handsome boxer with a dream of getting out of Chicago's Soutside. His biggest problem is Jacko, who's always taking him out to cause trouble when he should be training. The two are very close friends and there is more fighting in dark alleys than in the ring. Virtually every scene is filled with homophobic language. Travis' sexual ambiguity is eventually exposed and this powerful film explores the roots of homophobia: repressed homosexuality. The film is about homophobia, and although it's a good movie to watch with good acting and a good plot, it's probably disappointing for most gay viewers. It was written and directed by Billy Hayes, the real-life protagonist of "Midnight Express".

American Beauty (1999)

(first lines)
Jane Burnham: I need a father who's a role model, not some horny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts whenever I bring a girlfriend home from school. What a lame-o. Someone really should just put him out of his misery.
Ricky Fitts: Want me to kill him for you?
Jane Burnham: Yeah. Would you?

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) are a seemingly perfect suburban couple who make life-changing choices mostly because of Lester's mid-life crisis. He is a father and advertising executive who serves as the film's narrator: "I'm 42 years old. In less than a year, I'll be dead. Of course, I don't know that yet. And in a way, I'm dead already." He describes himself as a loser in a dead end job with bosses he doesn't respect. Carolyn is an ambitious realtor who feels unsuccessful at fulfilling her potential, and his 16-year-old daughter Jane (Thora Birch) is unhappy and struggling with her self-esteem. Jane hates her parents and is saving money for a breast augmentation operation. Lester is reinvigorated when he meets Jane's sexually precocious friend and classmate Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari) at a high school basketball game. He immediately develops an infatuation for her, much to his daughter's dismay. Throughout the film, Lester has sexual fantasies about Angela and red rose petals.

His new neighbours are US Marine Corps Colonel Frank Fitts (Chris Cooper), his wife Barbara (Allison Janney), and their teenage son Ricky (Wes Bentley). Fascist Col. Fitts has homophobic disgust for a gay couple who are also neighbors, and believes Ricky is gay and having sex with Lester. This is not true, he only supplies marijuana for Lester, but Ricky claims to be gay to escape from his father. Frank controls Ricky with very strict discipline and gives him drug tests regularly. Ricky, a smoker and drug dealer, makes deals with a client of his so he can have clean urine samples to pass these tests. He frequently uses a hand-held video camera to record his surroundings and keeps hundreds of tapes in his bedroom.

Carolyn begins an affair with her business rival Buddy Kane (Peter Gallagher). Lester is about to be laid off, then he blackmails his boss, quits his job and takes up low-pressure employment at a fast food chain. He trades in his car for a 1970 Pontiac Firebird, starts running, and lifts weights so he can "look good naked" to impress Angela, whom he overheard tell Jane that she'd find him sexy if he had more muscles.

Brad Dupree: (reading Lester's job description) "My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell." Well, you have absolutely no interest in saving yourself.
Lester: Brad, for 14 years I've been a whore for the advertising industry. The only way I could save myself now is if I start firebombing. I guess I'll have to throw in a sexual harassment charge.
Brad Dupree: Against who?
Lester: Against you. Can you prove that you didn't offer to save my job if I let you blow me?
Brad Dupree: Man, you are one twisted f**k.
Lester: Nope. I'm just an ordinary guy who has nothing left to lose.

Carolyn: Uh, whose car is that out front?
Lester: Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I've always wanted and now I have it. I rule!

Lester: I figured you guys might be able to give me some pointers. I need to shape up. Fast.
Jim Olmeyer: Are you just looking to lose weight, or do you want increased strength and flexibility as well?
Lester: I want to look good naked!

After watching Ricky and Lester make a drug transaction through the garage window, Frank mistakenly concludes that the two are engaged in a sexual relationship. That evening, Ricky returns home, where Frank beats him and accuses him of being gay. Ricky falsely admits the charge and goads Frank into turning him out of their home.

Frank Fitts: Where did you get that?
Ricky Fitts: From my job.
Frank Fitts: Don't lie to me. Now, I saw you with him.
Ricky Fitts: You were watching me?
Frank Fitts: What did he make you do?
Ricky Fitts: Oh, Dad, you don't really think that me and Mr. Burnham were...
Frank Fitts: Don't you laugh at me. Now, I will not sit back and watch my only son become a c**k-sucker.
Ricky Fitts: Jesus, what is it with you?
Frank Fitts: I swear to God, I will throw you out of the house and never look at you again.
Ricky Fitts: You mean that?
Frank Fitts: You're damn straight I do. I'd rather you were dead than be a fuckin' faggot.
Ricky Fitts: You're right. I suck d**k for money.
Frank Fitts: Boy, don't start.
Ricky Fitts: Two thousand dollars. I'm that good.
Frank Fitts: Get out.
Ricky Fitts: And you should see me f**k. I'm the best piece of ass in three States.
Frank Fitts: Get out. I don't ever want to see you again.
Ricky Fitts: What a sad old man you are.

Ricky goes to Jane and asks her to flee with him to New York City. An emotionally distraught Col. Fitts kisses Lester in his garage. Later gunshot rings out and blood spatters on the kitchen wall in front of Lester as he is shot from behind. Ricky and Jane find him dead. Lester's final narration reflects on his life, and the actions of the other characters at the moment of his death.

(last lines)
Lester: I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.

AMERICAN BEAUTY is a cinematic triumph that is both funny and sad, disturbing, yet provocative and deep. This compelling well-paced film is an extraordinary achievement that reveals a tragic and realistic story about a family that is anything but ordinary. It has many layers and it deals with the disparity between appearances and their underlying realities. Lester's abrupt break with his superficial world is refreshing, and the circumstances that evolve from it are both provocative and entertaining. The beautiful cinematography, good music score, precise and evocative screenplay, and first-rate acting make this movie stand above most others. AMERICAN BEAUTY was a massive success both critically and commercially, and the film won a total of five Oscars, including Best Picture. Writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, Edward Guthman called it "a dazzling tale of loneliness, desire and the hollowness of conformity". Jay Carr for the Boston Globe called the film "a millennial classic". The New York Post called it "a flat-out masterpiece".

The cast also includes: Allison Janney (Barbara Fitts), Scott Bakula (Jim Olmeyer), Sam Robards (Jim Berkley), Barry Del Sherman (Brad Dupree), Ara Celi, Amber Smith (Christy Kane), John Cho, Fort Atkinson, Sue Casey, Kent Faulcon, Brenda Wehle, Lisa Cloud, Allison Faulk, Krista Goodsitt, Lily Houtkin, Carolina Lancaster, Romana Leah, Chekesha Van Putten, Emily Zachary, Nancy Anderson, Reshma Gajjar, Stephanie Rizzo, Heather Joy Sher, Chelsea Hertford, Amber Smith, and many others. Thomas Newman composed the original music. Alan Ball wrote the screenplay derived from his stage play. He saw a paper bag floating in the wind near the World Trade Center plaza and this inspired him to write it. Sam Mendes directed.