Sebastiane (1976)

Filmed entirely in vulgar Latin, this experimental film recounts the life of Sebastian (Leonardo Treviglio), a puritanical but beautiful Christian soldier in the Roman Imperial troops who is martyred when he refuses the homosexual advances of pagan Captain Severus (Barney James). It depicts the 4th century Roman soldier, who was later canonized as Saint Sebastian, as a revered gay icon. The film balances a cinéma vérité depiction of the everyday life of common soldiers and a visionary exploration of one man's defiant growth in faith, even as it subtly questions the nature it. But the film takes some liberties with the historical Sebastian, who was never exiled to a remote outpost, and was supposedly not killed by arrows. Emperor Diocletian (Robert Medley) ordered him killed with a second execution and he was clubbed to death. Historical facts are only a backdrop, serving the filmmakers' intention of presenting the other well known aspect of Sebastian's claim to fame: his link to homoeroticism and sadomasochism. How this relation came about historically is unclear. Some stories have it that Sebastian was homosexual himself. Others that he had to refuse the emperor's advances on the grounds of his Christian faith.

When this film was released, it was the only English-made film to have required English subtitles. "Sebastiane" works brilliantly on many levels: cinematic, psychological, spiritual, aesthetic, and political. The vividness and authenticity of the ancient world it depicts is striking. Despite an over-the-top prologue at the decadent court of Diocletian, and its strategic use of famous Renaissance paintings of St. Sebastian in the final scene, this film feels like a lived experience. Shot on location in Sardinia, every well-worn costume and dusty prop seems genuine. This film deals with some complex themes, as important now as 1,700 years ago, including the meaning of spirituality, the place of sexuality in life, and the contradictory nature of reality. Brian Eno composed the music, and Derek Jarman wrote the screenplay and directed this self-indulgent debut feature.

Une Amour Ataire (2006)

"Une Amour Ataire" tells the story of Sara Morgenstern (Louise Monot) and Jean (Jérémie Renier), close friends from childhood who meet again years later during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Sara, who is Jewish, sees her parents and sister killed by the Gestapo after being double-crossed by someone who was paid to safeguard them, and seeks out Jean, the only other person she knows in Paris. Jean, now in his late 20's, works for his family-owned laundry business, and is secretly in a four year relationship with his boyfriend Phillipe (Bruno Todeschini), who is involved in the French underground. The gay couple must keep their relationship a secret for fear of persecution. Phillipe gets Sara a new identity, and Jean gets her a job in the laundry. When Jean's brother Jacques (Nicolas Gob) is released from prison on a smuggling charge, he is attracted to Sara, and first sees Jean as competition for her affections. When he finds out that Jean is gay, he arranges for one of his smuggler contacts to have him detained for an evening by the police, then get released due to his "connections", thinking that would make both Jean and Sara indebted to him. This backfires when Jean's sexuality becomes known, and Sara watches in horror as her homosexual protector is sent off to prison and eventually a Nazi concentration camp as a tragic result of a bad decision made by Jacques. Things start to fall apart at home.

This highly emotional and engrossing film is about family, friends and love, at a time in history when there was little else one could depend on. There is little actual violence in the film, yet the sense of danger is ever present. The violence that is portrayed is graphic and and based on actual events documented by survivors of the gay holocaust. An expertly crafted movie, the cinematography is excellent, and well acted by a talented cast. It's a bit melodramatic, with a multi-layered complex twisting plot. Charles Court composed the music. Pascale Fontanille and Samantha Mazeras wrote the screenplay. Directed by Christian Fauré. The English title is "A Love to Hide". In French with English subtitles.

När alla vet (1995)

16-year-old Sebastian (Hampus Björck) has good parents and a great circle of friends, is doing well in school, has good looks, and leads a happy life -- or at least that is what everyone thinks. Secretly, he has been brooding for some time over the fact that he is in love with his best friend, hunky Ulf (Nicolai Cleve Broch). One evening, after some playful frolicking around with Ulf, Sebastian kisses Ulf, who does not like it. Being sexually rejected in this way throws Sebastian into an even deeper depression about his sexuality. He refuses to discuss it with his parents and only after a long talk with a female friend of his, who is also in love with Ulf and guesses correctly what Sebastian's problem could be, he opens up to his family and friends, only to find that it is not problematic to them. Even the coming out to Ulf, which he anticipated to be very painful, turns out to be not so bad and takes a comical turn when Ulf admits to having had a homosexual experience himself some time ago. In the end, basically nothing has changed, except that Sebastian no longer has to live a secret life and can concentrate on being happy, having fun with his friends, and finding a real boyfriend.

Film critics usually dismiss "När alla vet" as escapist gay youth fare that does not address any deeper issues. However, the film is about the coming out process, which is not exactly easy. Hansi Mandoki, Petter Vennerød, and Svend Wam wrote the screenplay derived from Per Knutsen's novel "Svart Cayal". Svend Wam directed. The English title is "Sebastian". In Norwegian and Swedish with English subtitles.

Harry & Max (2004)

Harry (Bryce Johnson) is a 23 year-old former boy band idol who is helping his younger brother Max (Cole Williams), aged 16, follow in his footsteps. Although Harry is at the end of his career, Max is just starting his. Harry seems to be primarily heterosexual, whereas Max is primarily gay and has come to terms with his sexuality. They detour on their way to a Japanese concert tour for a long-promised camping adventure. Their trip begins on a note of camaraderie but quickly turns serious as old wounds resurface, forcing them to come to terms with their dysfunctional past: Harry's drinking problems, his disconnection from the family, and most of all his relationship with Max and the emotional dependency that keeps them from moving into adulthood. During the camping trip, matters are further complicated by the resumption of an incestuous affair between the brothers. The fallout from this further muddles both their lives, as they attempt to understand their feelings for each other and to protect each other in a world in which everybody, including their own mother (Michelle Phillips), seems to want to take advantage of them for financial gain.

This movie doesn't have very good production values. The camera is jerky, the sound is uneven, and the acting is not the best. Homosexual incestuous romantic scenes may make you cringe. Michael Tubbs composed the music, and Christopher Munch wrote the screenplay and directed.

In the Gloaming (1997)

Danny (Robert Sean Leonard), a gay man in his 20s with AIDS, returns to his suburban family to die. Always close to his mother Janet (Glenn Close), they share moments of openness that tend to shut out Danny's father Martin (David Strathairn) and his sister Anne (Bridget Fonda). They live a privileged upper-class existence in a grand house, but Martin is a stiff workaholic and Janet is a bored woman numbed by her insular life. Anne is a cold complaining yuppie with a razor sharp iciness. The emotionally repressed family allows years of pent-up tensions, resentment, and insecurities to explode to the surface. The film moves quickly through Danny's final months, which are monitored by live-in nurse Myrna (Whoopi Goldberg) in a small role that isn't much more than a cameo. This movie is not another attack on suburban life, but a look at an intensely loving relationship between Danny and his mother. They reminisce, cry, and make jokes, and Janet's renewed bond with Danny makes her realize what she's been missing.

The theme of the movie is that Janet comes to life as Danny dies. "Gloaming" is a Scottish term for the hazy, glowing time of day just as the sun begins to set. The title comes from the popular 1877 song "In the Gloaming" by Annie Fortescue Harrison and Meta Orred. This acclaimed made-for-cable drama marks the directorial debut of actor Christopher Reeve. It was filmed in Westchester, New York. Dave Grusin composed the music. Will Scheffer wrote the screenplay from Alice Elliott Dark's 1993 "New Yorker" short story.

It's In the Water (1996)

When an AIDS hospice opens up in Azalea Springs, Texas, the local homophobes over-react and polarize the community. The movie is about a lesbian and a gay man coming out to their socially prominent families in a small southern town. Alex Stratton (Keri Jo Chapman) is a married woman who begins to have second thoughts about her sexual orientation. She has not had sex with her husband in months, and doesn't even talk to him anymore. Alex infuriates her mother by volunteering at the AIDS hospice. There she meets and becomes romantically involved with Grace Miller (Teresa Garrett), an old school friend who has just left her husband. He is now in jail for beating her up because she was having an affair with another woman. While Alex's self discovery is rather quick due to the constraints of movie timing, it is well handled.

The main gay chararter is Mark (Derrick Sanders), who has known that he is gay ever since he was a teenager. At "homo-no-mo group", an organization that is supposed to turn its members into "ex-gays", he meets Thomas (Timothy Vahle), is immediately attracted to him, and starts pursuing a relationship. There is also a minor subplot involving a rumor that drinking the local water turns people gay. Other subplots follow the coming out story of a young newspaper boy who ends up in bed with a sexy Latino artist, and the death of the town's openly gay interior designer.

This sexy enjoyable over-the-top comedy masquerading as a Southern potboiler has a predictable plot. The acting is not the best but it's more believable than most movies. While the straight characters tend to be rather broadly drawn, "It's in the Water" is a gentle film with stereotypical characters that allows its message to be more universal. The DVD includes a commentary by the director and leading actresses, including a discussion of what it was like for two straight actresses to play their first lesbian love scene. It's one of the few recent films with both gay men and lesbian characters. Kelli Hurd wrote the screenplay and directed.

The Deep End (2002)

Margaret Hall (Tilda Swinton) lives a happy middle-class life in Tahoe City, California. Her husband is a pilot on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. She is startled to discover that her son Beau (Jonathan Tucker), a high school senior, has been having a sexual affair with 30 year-old night club owner Darby Reese (Josh Lucas) in Reno, Nevada. The affair becomes apparent when a drunken Beau wrecks his car returning from Reno one night. The next day, Margaret visits Darby's nightclub, The Deep End, to demand that he stay away from her son. Darby offers to stay away for $5,000. Margaret attempts to discuss her son's gay orientation, but Beau refuses. They argue and Margaret forbids Beau to visit Reno again. That night, Darby secretly visits Beau and the two meet in the boat house. Beau confronts Darby about asking his mother for money. The two argue, eventually coming to blows. As Beau flees back to the house, Darby leans on a railing which collapses. Darby falls below, impaling himself on an anchor.

The next morning, Margaret discovers Darby's body on the beach. She deduces that Beau and Darby had an altercation which resulted in Darby's death. In a panic, Margaret decides to get rid of the body by dumping it in a cove. The body is soon discovered and the police investigate it as a homicide. Soon after, Alek "Al" Spera (Goran Visnjic) confronts and blackmails Margaret with a tape that Darby recorded of one of his sexual encounters with Beau. Alek demands $50,000 in 24 hours or he and his partner will turn the tape over to the police which would implicate Beau in Darby's murder. He says, "You have to get the money. Is that not clear enough?" Margaret tries everything to get the money, however she does not have enough time. Surprises keep coming and the plot thickens. The bad guys are caught by the end of the movie, but there are several flaws in the plot, including why the mother didn't just call the cops in the first place. If she thought her son had actually murdered the victim, why didn't she even mention it to him?

The theme, settings, plot, and dialogue are very good in this movie. It holds the viewer's attention and the emotions run high. It's a drama as well as a thriller, with twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Peter Nashel composed the music. Scott McGehee and David Siegel directed and wrote the screenplay from Elisabeth Sanxay Holding's novel "The Blank Wall".

Innocent (2005)

Eric (Timothy Lee) is an innocent and shy teen from Hong Kong, whose family emigrates to Toronto primarily for financial reasons, but also because they didn't like his friends back home. He tries to adapt to the new Canadian culture and the very different approach to education, while dealing with his homosexual crushes on his hunky cousin (despite the fact the cousin has a girlfriend), a classmate, a band member, and eventually an illegal immigrant who is working at his family's restaurant. Eric also meets a much older man, with whom he has an affair, but the man's former boyfriend returns and he bows out. His parents are superficial and lack affection for each other. Family life is not stable, his father and mother eventually separate, after keeping Eric and his sister in the dark about what was going on. All the deception he experiences at home causes him to be deceptive about his true feelings with others, distancing him from his family and causing him disappointment and pain. But he tries to be happy and the prevailing tone of "Innocent" is hopeful rather than depressing. The ending is abrupt and ambiguous as the film slows and stops without resolution.

This movie is relevant on many levels addressing the issues of family bonding after migration to another country, sexual coming of age of a young man without support systems, mixing of cultures at polar opposites, and coping in a strange land without adequate preparation. It handles the sexual encounters Eric has with taste, yet still captures the erotic tension of a young gay man's journey of self discovery. Kevin Poon composed the original music, and the film was written and directed by Simon Chung, his first feature length motion picture. DVD extras include two earlier gay-themed shorts by Chung, commentary by him and Timothy Lee, a photo gallery, and trailers.

Ja Zuster, Nee Zuster (2002)

Based on a 1960s Dutch television series, this delightful musical comedy chronicles the lives of a group of tenants in a guesthouse filled with eccentrics. The movie's plot involves at least three romances, a threatened eviction, a series of robberies, and a pill that change personalities from bad to good. One romantic interlude includes a muscular thief in his underwear singing on the rooftop to his pet pigeons. All the inhabitants of the guesthouse are very cheerful and good-hearted people whose open communal lifestyle is contrasted with the life of the nasty and complaining neighbour Mr. Boordevool (Paul Kooij). He has spent ages looking for a way to close the guesthouse. One day a girl from the the guesthouse meets young hunky Gerrit (Waldemar Torenstra), a bleached-blond burglar with a heart of gold. Sister Klivia (Loes Luca) lets Gerrit stay even though he is a thief. Mr. Boordevool thinks this is his chance to have his neighbours evicted. When a flamboyantly gay hairdresser opens up a shop across the street, the plot takes a number of queer twists as both Boordevool and the neighborhood begin to change. The gay plot may be small, but the gay sensibility is overwhelming in this campy motion picture.

"Ja Zuster, Nee Zuster" is a colorful 1960s movie world where the streets are filled with singing and dancing, carnivals come to town, and everyone's problem is the mean old nasty neighbor. It's hilarious camp fun and unusual in that it doesn't take itself seriously. Raymund van Santen composed the original music. Harry Bannink, Frank Houtappels, and Pieter Kramer wrote the screenplay from the story by Annie M. G. Schmidt. Pieter Kramer directed. The English title is "Yes Nurse, No Nurse". In Dutch, with English subtitles.

Jerker (1991)

In 1985 young gay Bert (Tom Wagner) in San Francisco receives a call from a complete stranger in the middle of the night who engages in explicit sex talk. The men have phone sex over the next few months with Bert never knowing who the caller is. He calls himself J. R. (Joseph Stachura) and is a partially paralyzed Vietnam veteran who saw Bert at a party and was attracted to him, then found his phone number. “Jerker” unfolds in a series of 20 phone calls. At first the men only engage in sex game playing, but after several months Bert becomes serious when he discovers that a lover and frequent sexual partner is dying of AIDS. The phone relationship suddenly becomes deeper and more intense, developing into a profound if isolated intimacy. It soon becomes apparent that Bert also has the disease. Before going on a business trip to New York, J. R. talks with Bert and becomes concerned with how he sounds. After returning from the trip J. R. calls for several weeks, then he realizes that Bert has died.

This hard to find film of a play by Robert Chesley uses strong graphic sexual language at first, then shifts to intensely emotional dialogue when the specter of AIDS suddenly comes into their lives. Tom Wagner as the attractive, sexually promiscuous Bert, and Joseph Stachura as the calm, assured J. R. give very fine performances in this filmed play. It is intelligently staged and produced, but it's very low budget and home videoish. Mark Thompson, senior editor of the Advocate wrote, "Robert Chesley was one of the most significant gay playwrights of his time. ‘Jerker’ remains to this day one of the most important pieces of gay theater ever created." Film critic Dan Sullivan wrote: "I’ve never seen a play that went from the near-pornographic to the tragic, but ‘Jerker’ achieves it." What does "Jerker" mean? It has the sexual connotation of masturbation, but it is also quite deliberately a tear-jerker. Music was composed by Michael Angelo. The screenplay was written by Hugh Harrison, and he also directed

Lie Down with Dogs (1995)

Recent college graduate Tommie (Wally White) is a young gay in NYC with a dead-end job handing out fliers in Times Square. At the beginning of a fateful summer he has a chance encounter with a friend who tells him that he's headed to Provincetown, Massachusetts for a long weekend. Tommie makes his own trek to Provincetown, where he goes on a long quest for Mr. Right, even though he has no money and holds his breath each time he uses his American Express card. Over the course of the summer, Tommie looks for a work as a house boy at various inns, works several jobs, benefits from the kindness of a stranger, and gets involved with a series of men.

Working as a houseboy, Tommy encounters many characters as he navigates the carefree gay community, betrayed by employers and friends alike, and always coming up short in friendship and in love. He does find lots of casual sex, but is devastated when his favorite dream guy dumps him after a one-night-stand. Tom (Randy Becker) is a con artist who takes advantage of the good-natured Tommy, and Ben (Darren Dryden) is the superficial and unattainable object of Tommy's affection. Tommy takes a bike tour through the nature trails with Ben. One of his new best friends is an alcoholic who does not help him when he is sick, Tom is a dangerous combination of beauty and stupidity, and we are supposed to root for shallow, self-centered Tommy at the end when Ben starts a relationship with another man.

This independent feature film is surprisingly well made for a low-budget effort. It's an offbeat diversion and a slice of life not often seen on the screen, notable for its whimsical lack of substance, its self-effacing sense of humor, and choppy editing. Some viewers enjoy "the fresh and wickedly funny humor", whereas many viewers dislike it. One wrote, "This is gay filmmaking at it's shabbiest and most incompetent. Every moment of this film is a nightmare of mind and nerves." Another wrote, "This film is not an honest portrayal of Provincetown...the movie is a slanderous portrayal of gay life." Wally White must take full responsibility. He not only stars in this film, but he wrote, produced, and directed it. He frequently pauses throughout the film to address the audience directly. Douglas J. Cuomo composed the music.

The Line of Beauty (2006)

Set during the 1980s, this is a story of love, class, sex and money. Young gay Nick Guest (Dan Stevens) an Oxford University graduate student moves in with the rich conservative family of his best straight friend Tobias "Toby" Fedden (Oliver Coleman). He becomes part of the family and also part of the gay scene. Nick has his first romance with black council worker Leo Charles (Don Gilet), and a later relationship with Wani Ouradi (Alex Wyndham), the son of a rich Lebanese businessman. There is an unbelievable party scene at the Feddens where Nick persuades Margaret Thatcher to dance with him, much to the delight of the crowds. The film shows Nick's euphoria of falling in love to the tragedy of AIDS. Framed by the two general elections which returned Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative government to power, the film unfurls through four extraordinary years of change and tragedy. The ending is abrupt.

This three-part mini-series for BBC Two was broadcast in 2006. It's a sophisticated social analysis, not a funny, typical gay story. Sex and drugs mix, love ends by social pressure and ignorance and everything begins to be overshadowed by HIV. It is sad to watch and most of the characters are unsympathic and unlikeable. Nothing that seems perfect in the beginning stays that way, rather the reverse. "The Line of Beauty" is a 2004 Booker Prize-winning novel by Alan Hollinghurst. It was adapted by Hollinghurst and Andrew Davies. Original music was composed by Martin Phipps. Saul Dibb directed. The title has many meanings, ranging from Nick's company name Ogee taken from the sinuous double curve cited by Hogarth, to a line of cocaine, to a man's lower back.

La Ley del deseo (1987)

Pablo Quintero (Eusebio Poncela) is a gay filmmaker whose erotic films become something of an obsession for youthful Antonio Benítez (Antonio Banderas). They meet at a party after the premiere of his latest movie, go home together and Antonio experiences gay sex for the first time. Pablo is considering ending an affair with his boyfriend Juan Bermúdez ( Miguel Molina), who has left Madrid to return to his home village in southern Spain. Meanwhile, Pablo’s sister Tina (Carmen Maura), an aspiring actress, is outraged when she learns that the director has used her real-life experiences as the basis of his next film. Tina is a transsexual, angry at men, raising niece Ada (Manuela Velasco), and trying to make it as an actress. She isn't the only one to have the knives out for Pablo.

When Antonio learns that his new-found lover still has feelings for Juan, he becomes very jealous. Antonio tracks down Juan, tries to rape him and throws him off a cliff. The death leads to Pablo's grief and a temporary loss of memory. When his memory returns, he learns that Antonio has taken up with Tina. The police suspect both Tina and Pablo for the murder--only a sympathetic doctor keeps them at bay. Tina decides to reveal to Pablo why she is a transexual, and announces Antonio is now her lover. Antonio holds Tina and Ada hostage in order to demand an hour alone with Pablo. A stunned and limping Pablo agrees, and experiences some tender moments with Antonio before Antonio suddenly kills himself.

This is a tragic love story of Antonio's obsession for Pablo. The mix of romantic intrigue, suspense thriller, and black comedy works very well, making it an entertaining and unpredictable film. It features direct and honest portrayals of gay relationships and stylishly homoerotic love scenes, with bizarre twists in a complex love triangle. But by today’s standards, the portrayal of gay men, lesbians, and transsexuals looks somewhat dated, with some of the characters coming across as caricatures. Bernardo Bonezzi composed the music, and Pedro Almodóvar wrote the screenplay and directed. The English title is "Law of Desire". In Spanish with no subtitles.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

In Albuquerque, chain-smoking housewife Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) brings her suicidal brother Frank Ginsberg (Steve Carell) into her dysfunctional and bankrupt family. Frank is a gay professor, an expert on Proust, and tried to commit suicide when he was rejected by his graduate student boyfriend who was in love with another man. Sheryl's husband Richard (Greg Kinnear) is a motivational speaker trying to sell his self-improvement technique using nine steps to reach success, but he is actually a complete loser. Her son Dwayne (Paul Dano) is a rebel and follower of Nietzsche who has vowed not to speak until he gets into the Air Force. It has been 9 months since he's talked. Dwayne's grandfather Edwin (Alan Arkin) is addicted to heroin and was sent away from "Sunset Manor", an old folks home. When her seven years old daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) has a chance to enter the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant in Redondo Beach, California, the whole family travels together in their Volkswagen van in an amusing journey of hope to make Olive's dream come true.

The film begins with Olive watching a taped beauty pageant, where the winner is shocked to hear that she won. Olive mimics the winner's shocked expression. The Hoovers drive off for California and have many adventures. Grandpa dies, but they take his corpse along in the van. Olive gets to meet Miss California, who autographs a picture of herself. At the pageant Olive does a hilarious striptease dance to the song "Superfreak", which outrages many in attendance, especially Pageant Official Jenkins (Beth Grant). Olive is forever banned from entering beauty pageants in California. Even though she was disqualified and didn't win the "Little Miss Sunshine" contest, her family congratulates her on her performance. They drive off towards the security gate, where Jenkins is waiting to pass through the security bar. The Hoovers exit through the wrong way, driving through the security bar while Jenkins looks at them shocked.

This dark comedy about a quirky, dysfunctional family is quite funny. These people drive each other crazy, don't communicate very well, but they do love each other. Music was composed by Mychael Dana and DeVotchka. Michael Arndt wrote the screenplay, and the film was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.

The Lost Language of Cranes (1991)

Young gay Philip Benjamin (Angus Macfadyen) comes out of the closet because he is madly in love with American graphic artist Elliott (Corey Parker). His friends support him, but when he comes out to his parents, he stirs up hidden feelings and secrets in their relationship. His book editor mother Rose (Eileen Atkins) believes that "keeping certain secrets secret is essential to the general balance of life," but Philip's honesty precipitates a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart. This is because Philip's academic father Owen (Brian Cox) leads a secret life, hiding his own homosexuality from Rose while spending his Sundays in porn cinemas. Owen has been crippled emotionally by years of deceit, and he is incapable of having an honest relationship with his wife, his son, or any of the men whom he meets. When he learns that Philip is gay an emotional dam breaks, years of self-loathing pour out, and he decides to tell the truth. Philip and Owen find freedom when they come out, but in many ways Rose's dilemma is the key to this film. Philip's revelation helps her to understand that she has known all along about her husband's homosexuality, and that keeping secrets is far more damaging than revealing them. Yet she is left feeling "like the punch line of some terrible joke" even as her husband and son are set free.

"The Lost Language of Cranes" is a compelling examination of the consequences of honesty, both good and bad. Acting is top-notch in this BBC made for TV movie. The film was censored in the US for both its PBS airing and its VHS release. PBS was coming under fire by conservative groups in the early 1990's for presenting programming showing homosexuality and nudity. Original music was composed by Julian Wastall. Sean Mathias wrote the screenplay from David Leavitt's acclaimed novel. The book is set in NYC with American characters, but the film takes place in London with most of the characters British. Nigel Finch directed.

Love Is the Devil (1998)

In the 1960s, British artist Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) surprises a burglar and makes a proposition: if the robber comes to bed with him, he can have anything he wants. The burglar, a working class man named George Dyer (Daniel Craig), 30 years Bacon's junior, accepts. The next thing you know, they're a couple. In their sex life, Dyer dominates and Bacon is the masochist. Bacon craves being totally dominated by other men, but outside the bedroom Bacon is in complete control of his lover, who falls to pieces. Bacon refers to Dyer as his ''odd job man", and locks him out of the house when he's entertaining other sexual partners. When Dyer tells Bacon he loves him, the artist wonders out loud what bad television show those lines came from. Bacon finds Dyer's amorality and innocence attractive, and introduces him to his Soho friends. Dyer's bouts with depression, his drinking, pill popping, and his nightmares strain the relationship, as does his pain with Bacon's casual infidelities. Bacon paints, talks with wit, and as Dyer spins out of control, begins to find him tiresome. The arrogant Bacon says, ''Champagne for my real friends. Real pain for my sham friends." When a young painter who idolizes Bacon begs him to come see his work, Bacon replies that the young man's taste in neckties is proof he couldn't possibly have any talent.

This movie about painter Francis Bacon (1909-1992) at the height of his fame in the 1960s, is one of the nastiest and most truthful portraits of the artist as monster ever filmed. The story of a self-absorbed painter and his self-destructive younger lover makes a fascinating cult film. Using twisted dialogue with creative and strange camera angles, it captures the distorted viewpoint of Bacon and how he perceived his grim surroundings. Made for TV by the BBC, it doesn't show any of Bacon's work, although the look of the entire movie resembles a Bacon painting. Ryuichi Sakamoto composed the original music. It was written and directed by John Maybury. The film draws heavily on the authorised biography of Bacon, "The Guilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon" by Daniel Farson, and is dedicated to him.

Loggerheads (2005)

Mark Austin (Kip Padue), a soft-spoken drifter in his 20s, travels to a small coastal town near Wilmington, North Carolina in order to save the endangered Loggerhead turtles that nest on the beach in the summer. Mark's journey brings us into contact with three other characters, each at the crossroads of their lives. George (Michael Kelly) is a local motel owner who has avoided dealing with his emotions. Grace Bellamy (Bonnie Hunt), a middle-aged airport car-rental agent recovering from a breakdown, has returned to her hometown in the mountains near Asheville to stay with her mother Sheridan (Michael Learned). Plagued by the desire to fill an emotional void, Grace embarks on a search for the child (Mark) she secretly gave up for adoption when she was a teenager. Elizabeth Austin (Tess Harper) has lived a fishbowl existence as the wife of minister Robert (Chris Sarandon) for 25 years in the small town of Eden. The Austins are the adoptive parents of Mark, but he ran away when they punished him for kissing a boy. Neighbor Rachel (Robin Weigert) says she knows his whereabouts, perhaps allowing for a chance of reconciliation for Elizabeth.

George, who is mourning the loss of a male partner who drowned, offers free lodging to Mark, who confesses that he is HIV-positive. Marc and George develop a romantic bond that is haunted by the tragedy of their pasts. As they become closer, Mark's spirit hovers over the lives of Elizabeth and Grace. Caught between maternal love and religious dogma, Elizabeth misses her only son terribly. She can't accept the fact that her son is gone, yet his homosexuality sits too uncomfortably with her husband. When two men and a little boy move into the house across the street, Elizabeth speculates that their new neighbors might be same sex lovers with an adopted son. Grace feels incomplete and has years of pent-up shame. She aches to reconnect with her long-lost son, and must fend off the judgment of her mother who would prefer her to forget it all and just move on.

Inspired by a true story, and set in three different geographical regions of North Carolina, the movie unfolds in three carefully layered separate storylines. The tale involves adoption, conservative Christianity, homosexuality, AIDS, intolerance, and the different layers of maternal guilt and grief. The script jumps around but eventually comes together in a kind-hearted melancholy way. It's slow, and the final ten minutes leads to a denouement that never takes place. It ends with unanswered questions. Filmed on location primarily in Wilmington, North Carolina in May, 2004. Mark Geary wrote the original score as well as two songs for the film. Tim Kirkman wrote the screenplay from Caitlin Dixon's story, and also directed.

Madagascar Skin (1995)

Surrounded by muscle boys at the gay disco, Harry (John Hannah) is alone. The large birthmark on his face sees to that. In the dark room he enjoys the touch of other men but once the lights come on, he is alone again. Depressed to the point of madness, Harry contemplates suicide. He drives to England's north shore and breaks down, both physically and mentally. One day, while walking along the beach he comes across an overturned bucket. When he kicks it he discovers that beneath it is a head! Buried to his neck and comatose is Flint (Bernard Hill), a strange enigmatic man whom Harry nurses back to health. Flint has felt the pains of time and lives on the beach eating spiders and mice. He is heterosexual and the two are wary of each other to begin with. But they set up house together in a little clay cottage by the sea. Flint is older and crusty and his background is mysterious. Harry is attracted to Flint but is in fear of rejection. Slowly mutual affection rules and the way it happens is both touching and believable. They realize that they are outcasts in an unfeeling society. There always remains the threat of outside forces ripping apart their idealistic life. These two men begin an odd yet rewarding relationship that proves that all of us can find someone we can trust, need, and love. The movie focuses on how their relationship is transformed from distrust, through respect, and ultimately to attraction.

Harry has a birthmark in the shape of Madagascar across much of the left side of his face, hence the title. The photography is beautiful, the plot is good, and the acting is well done. But it tends to be artsy, using a lot of symbolism and stilted dialogue. Sarah Hopkins, Thurlow Lieurance, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Patrick Prins composed the songs on the soundtrack. Chris Newby wrote the screenplay and directed.

A Man of No Importance (1994)

Alfie Byrne (Albert Finney) is a middle-aged bus conductor in Dublin in 1963. He is gay, but firmly closeted, and his sister Lily (Brenda Fricker) is always trying to find him "the right girl". His hero and role model is Oscar Wilde, and his hobby is putting on amateur theatre productions in the local church hall. Alfie has directed "The Importance of Being Ernest" using bus passengers as the cast, and it was a flop. He wears Wilde's trademark green carnation while riding an emerald-green double-decker bus. The passengers on his bus route are treated to daily excerpts from Oscar Wilde. We follow him as he struggles with temptation, friendship, disapproval, and the conservative world of Ireland in the early 1960s.

One day he spots a beautiful young woman named Adele Rice (Tara Fitzgerald) who inspires him to attempt to stage "Salome" with her as the title character. Wilde's play causes outrage from the more conservative members of the community, who attempt to stop Alfie. Rather than giving in, Alfie chooses to be true to himself, a decision that forces him to face his true feelings towards his young handsome co-worker Robbie Fay (Rufus Sewell), who dislikes his flowery language. Alfie calls him Bosie, the pet name Wilde used for his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas. "I'm going to find out who this Bosie is," Robbie says warily, but he never asks. Alfie becomes unhappy when Lily tries to match him with Adele. Meanwhile, the local butcher Ivor J. Carney (Michael Gambon), along with Lily, try to stop the production of "Salome". Alfie is rebuffed by the church and encouraged by the ghost of Wilde. Coming out results in initial disaster--a brutal gay bashing which is nothing compared with complete exposure to family, friends and co-workers.

This charming and witty film with a shaky plot has a great cast, and a wonderful performance by Finney. The movie shows pain and bigotry, but it also has comedy. Especially funny are the scenes in which Alfie tries to make actors out of bus passengers. The slow pace allows for plenty of character development, and the soundtrack features Eartha Kitt's version of "Let's Fall in Love". Original music was composed by Julian Nott, Barry Devlin wrote the screenplay, and Suri Krishnamma directed.

Mr. Smith Gets a Hustler (2003)

Set in a bar in the meat-packing district of NYC, this drama is about a group of male prostitutes managed by creepy pimp Mr. Lapp (Benjamin Hendrickson). One of his boys is Bobby (Alex Feldman), a handsome athletic 18-year-old who supports himself and his alcoholic mother Doreen (Anna Thompson) by hustling businessmen. Mr. Smith (Larry Pine) is a married banker who engages Bobby's "services". But Mr. Smith isn't like other johns. He's a repeat customer who spends $600 a night with Bobby, asking him about his hopes and dreams, but seems oblivious to Bobby's physical attractiveness and more interested in conversation than sex. This makes Bobby suspect there's more to Mr. Smith than he lets on. Bobby isn't the only one kept under the thumb of his sleazy, drug-dealing pimp. Abe (J. D. Williams), a new boy arrives on the scene, driven by the desperation of a debt that must be repaid. One day, a sinister customer comes sniffing around asking the new hustler questions about Mr. Smith. It isn't long before an amazing past is revealed, and the lives of both Bobby and Mr. Smith are changed forever. Bobby's world is shattered by Mr. Smith's secret: he is a former bank vice-president on the run after bilking a customer out of money, and he's in New York to try and reconcile with his son Bobby.

If you can't figure out who Mr. Smith is ten minutes into the movie you need to get out more often. Ian McCrudden's direction is spare in style and rich in character development, and the rough-edged production design and cinematography suit the story perfectly. The acting performances are fine, and Mathew Swan's script has good dialogue. Original music is by Tom Paul and Jesse Selengut.

P.S. Your Cat is Dead (2002)

On New Year's Eve, unemployed LA actor and writer Jimmy Zoole (Steve Guttenberg) is having a terrible night. His girlfriend Kate (Cynthia Watros) has just left him, his latest play has been cancelled after only one performance, and he has just learned that his cat has died in an animal clinic. Then Zoole discovers burglar Eddie Tesoro (Lombardo Boyar) hiding under his bed and decides to teach him a lesson. Zoole ties him to the kitchen counter, and drunk on power tortures and torments the gay Mexican burglar for the next 24 hours. He learns Tesoro had broken in a few times before, stealing his manuscripts and other things. Tesoro fights back with clever words and the two argue during a claustrophobic evening. Trapped together in a standoff, what initially begins as a game of cat-and-mouse becomes a strange experience, as the two different men bond over their situation and their shared struggles. Their relationship takes on a homosexual dimension when Tesoro tells him he is gay and Zoole interviews him about his love life, supposedly "to get material for a novel". Zoole, who was earlier shown as being in mourning for a male friend, begins to question his own sexuality. He gets revenge on his girlfriend when she shows up at his apartment with her date, only to find him chatting with a young bare-butted male tied to his sink. Eventually, Zoole and Tesoro come to terms with each other and the last scene hints at a deep friendship.

This witty, bizarrely twisted black comedy is based on the novel and play by James Kirkwood, Jr., who also helped write the screenplay. Eddie is named Vito in some earlier versions. Director Steve Guttenberg combined the play and the novel into a movie, which he co-wrote with comedian Jeff Korn, starring himself as Jimmy Zoole.

Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)

Daniel Hirsh (Peter Finch), a gay Jewish doctor, and Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson), a divorced middle-aged recruitment consulant, share the same answering service. They also share the same lover, because both are both having affairs with the same male sculptor, Bob Elkin (Murray Head). He is much younger, bisexual, and quite self-absorbed. Not only are Hirsh and Greville aware that Elkin is seeing the other but they actually know each other as well. Despite this, they put up with the situation through fear of losing Elkin, who switches freely between them. For Greville, the relationship is part of the growing disillusionment with her life, failed marriage and difficult childhood. For Hirsh, it is an escape from his repressed Jewish upbringing. He is not concerned or obsessed with his homosexuality. Both realise their situation is temporary, and when Elkin decides to leave the country, they both come face to face for the first time, at the very end. Despite their competitive situation and love for Elkin, both know that it is time to move on.

This drama about the bisexual love triangle between three characters navigating the changing mores of the early 1970s sexual revolution straddles the line between character study and social commentary. Considered groundbreaking for its frank depiction of homosexuality, including one of the first onscreen same sex kisses, the film's nonjudgmental approach to its characters' loneliness is shaped by Penelope Gilliatt's screenplay, John Schlesinger's direction, and the excellent performances of its two leads. Ron Geesin composed the original music. Schlesinger's film highlights some facts about how people's attitudes to relationships and each other have changed over just two generations.

The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me (2002)

This is a concert film of David Drake's one man stage show about growing up gay in the 1990s. Those who missed his off-Broadway smash hit that opened in 1992 can now see the very talented Drake in his largely autobiographical performance piece. From his opening monologue describing the impact playwright Larry Kramer's "The Normal Heart" had on him, to his amusing story of "Why I Go to the Gym," Drake gives a brilliant multi-character performance, playing many gay characters through the show: from an innocent child, to a lovestruck teenager, to a happy man in a long term relationship. The ease with which he abruptly switches roles is startling, honest, and impressive. He plays the range of characters not only to make a statement, but to also include us in the piece as well. Sketch after sketch, you come to accept his perspective, as he speaks about politically and emotionally charged issues. The play concludes with a rather warm-hearted look at a decade into the future, which Drake envisions as fantastic. David Drake's second one-man play is a riveting, artsy, gutsy, and wonderful piece of writing and acting, sparingly enriched by sound and visuals. The DVD includes two older endings that show how our lives have changed since the play was first produced. Written as a message of hope and performed by David Drake. Directed by Tim Kirkman and filmed at the Baltimore Theatre Project.

No One Sleeps (2000)

Stefan Hein (Tom Wlaschiha) is a doctoral student from a German university who visits San Francisco to make a presentation at a university. He explains an old idea, originally adopted by his father (Ed Burke), that AIDS was created around 1978 when the US government tested varieties of sheep viruses on prisoners in return for releasing the prisoners earlier than expected. Although the reception to his presentation is impolite, Stefan is determined to spend some time in SF to see if he can find any more evidence to substantiate the theory. At the university, Stefan makes three acquaintances: friendly graduate student Sascha (Michael Lovaglia), neurologist Dr. Richard Burroghs (Richard Conti), and enigmatic bearded hunk Jeffrey Russo (Jim Thalman). A serial killer is haunting the gay bars of the city and killing HIV positive long-term survivors, and he paints the bodies of his victims with a red cross. One dead body shows up in a Presidio fortification, and Stefan's research leads him to a club kid, whose entrance is as a corpse. At both deaths, witnesses heard music from Puccini's last grand opera, "Turandot".

Homicide Detective Louise Tolliver (Irit Levi), the SFPD officer in charge of the investigation joins Stefan to investigate. Connections gradually appear between the characters. Some people hum tunes from "Turandot" and one character is on the board of the San Francisco Opera, which is currently performing the work. Stefan is very determined to meet a promising but dangerous character who works as a waiter. Is it love, lust, or research? The FBI is unusually interested in the situation. Stefan discovers that Burroughs is probably in possession of secret government lists and his influence is not confined to SF. But by this time Stefan is the hunted, just as Louise Tolliver begins to focus her investigation on him. There is a climax with an incomplete resolution.

"No One Sleeps" is an erotic thriller set against the backdrop of an AIDS conspiracy fantasy. It was filmed in English, but was produced by a German production company with a primarily German crew. The movie combines suspense, tension, drama, and romance with mediocre writing, direction, and acting. James Hardway composed the music, and the script was witten by Michael Nelson Finn, Jochen Hick, Irit Levi, and Arthur Martin. Jochen Hick directed.

Rope (1948)

Brandon Shaw (John Dall) and Philip Morgan (Farley Granger) are two young men who share a New York apartment. They consider themselves intellectually superior to their friend David Kentley (Dick Hogan) and decide to murder him as an intellectual challenge. Together they strangle David with a rope, stuff his body into an antique chest, and throw a dinner party serving their guests from the tabletop of the man's grave. In attendance are: Mr. Henry Kentley (Cedric Hardwicke) and Mrs. Anita Atwater (Constance Collier), the victim's father and aunt; Kenneth Turner (Christopher Tremain), the victim's rival for the hand of Janet Walker (Joan Chandler), David's fiancée, who also attends; Mrs. Wilson (Edith Evanson), the servant; and Rupert Cadell (James Stewart), the murderers' former teacher. Brandon's feelings of superiority swell to reckless levels throughout the evening as he makes a game out of dropping his guests hints about the crime. Meanwhile, Phillip grows increasingly afraid and guilt-ridden as Rupert inches ever closer to discovering why David hasn't yet arrived at the party. As Brandon becomes increasingly more daring, Rupert begins to suspect.

Alfred Hitchcock's version of the Leopold/Loeb murder case features two obviously gay characters played by two gay actors (John Dall and Farley Granger) and was written by gay playwright Arthur Laurents. It is Hitchcock's first Technicolor film and has been largely ignored since its release. But it's a nail-biter with homosexual overtones. They don't call him the "Master of Suspense" for nothing. David Buttolph composed the music. "Rope" is based on the play of the same name by Patrick Hamilton, which was based on a real murder case in 1924. Hitchcock wanted it as close to a stage play as possible, and the entire movie has only nine breaks, taking place in real time and being edited so as to appear as a single continuous shot through the use of long takes. The real genius in "Rope" comes from the acting and direction.

Trembling before G-d (2001)

Shot in six countries, this documentary shatters assumptions about faith, sexuality, and religious fundamentalism in Judaism. It took the director six years to get enough people to speak out on film about the topic. Some of them are out of the closet, but a number of them are not. Built around personal stories of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are gay or lesbian, the film portrays a group of people who face a dilemma--how to reconcile their Judaism with the Biblical prohibitions that forbid homosexuality. The advice given to homosexual men by their rabbis is to overcome their "affliction". Strict interpretation of biblical texts holds that certain types of sexual intercourse are an abomination. Therfore, homosexual men are encouraged to marry women despite their sexual orientation. As the film unfolds, we meet a range of complex individuals, some closeted, some out: from the world's first openly gay Orthodox rabbi, to closeted, married Hasidic gays and lesbians, to those abandoned by religious families, to Orthodox lesbian high-school sweethearts. Many have been rejected, yet with irony, humor and resilience, they love, care, struggle, and question their old traditions. Ultimately, they are forced to question how they can pursue truth and faith in their lives, while upholding the struggle to belong. Some remain sympathetic to their faith, but some have all but abandoned it.

Israel is a 58-year-old New Yorker who decided he couldn't be gay and Orthodox, and turned his back on his religion, though not before his family forced him into electroshock therapy to try to "cure" him. Rabbi Steven Greenberg is the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi, and discusses parents' reactions to their children coming out, as well as traditional interpretations of the prohibitions on homosexual acts in the Torah. Shlomo Ashkenazy is a gay psychotherapist who has run a confidential support group for Orthodox gay men for nearly 20 years. Mark is the English son of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi. Coming out at 15, he was expelled from seven yeshivas for homosexual activity before becoming a drag queen, and is now dying of AIDS-related illness.

Directed by Sandi Simcha Dubowski, the documentary features a soundtrack by John Zorn. There is no narration, and the film may be considered to be an example of cinéma vérité. The title refers to the word Haredi (חֲרֵדִי‎), which can be interpreted as "one who trembles" in awe of God, and the spelling of the word "G-d" in the film's title reflects the Jewish practice of avoiding writing the name of God. The DVD has the usual commentary and theatrical trailers, plus one disc devoted to special features. It explains the medieval rite of atonement for homosexual acts, and a panel of prominent rabbis discuss their thoughts on the issues raised by the film.

Philadelphia (1993)

Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) is a homosexual senior associate at the largest corporate law firm in Philadelphia. He lives with his lover Miguel Alvarez (Antonio Banderas) and hides his homosexuality and AIDS status from other members of the law firm. When they learn he is infected, he is fired because of fear they might contract the disease. Beckett sues his former law firm with the help of admitted homophobic lawyer Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). During the court battle, Miller sees that Beckett is no different than anyone else, overcomes his homophobia, and helps Beckett with his case before AIDS overcomes him. In court Beckett testifies that he was planning to tell his partners that he was gay, but he changed his mind after hearing them tell homophobic jokes in the sauna of a health club. Beckett collapses in court shortly after finishing cross-examination. During his hospitalization, the jury votes in his favor, awarding him back pay, damages for pain and suffering, and punitive damages. Miller visits Beckett in the hospital after the verdict and touches Beckett's face. After Beckett's family leaves the room, he tells Miguel that he is ready to die. Immediately afterwards, Miller is informed that Beckett has passed away. The movie ends with a reception at Beckett's home following the funeral where many mourners, including the Millers, view home movies of Beckett as a healthy child.

This was the second Hollywood movie to tackle the AIDS epidemic, and it signaled a shift in the early 1990s for mainsteam films to have more realistic depictions of gays and lesbians. The movie won Oscars for Best Music, Song (Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia") and Best Actor (Tom Hanks). In an interview for the documentary "The Celluloid Closet", Hanks said some scenes showing more affection between him and Banderas were cut, including a scene showing him and Banderas in bed together. Howard Shore composed the original music. Ron Nyswaner wrote the script, which was inspired by the story of Geoffrey Bowers, an attorney who in 1987 sued the law firm Baker & McKenzie for unfair dismissal in one of the first AIDS discrimination cases. Jonathan Demme directed.

Poster Boy (2006)

Henry Kray (Matt Newton) is a young gay man in college enjoying the freedom of coming out away from his family. His father is powerful U.S. Senator Jack Kray (Michael Lerner) from North Carolina, with a national reputation as a right-wing homophobe. Around campus Henry's homosexuality is an open secret. Anthony (Jack Noseworthy), a 28 year-old gay activist looking to party, meets several campus gays, including Henry. When Senator Kray finds himself fighting for his political career, he enlists his son to be the "posterboy" for the campaign. The campaign will begin at a luncheon at Henry's college campus. Anthony and his friend Izzie (Valerie Geffner) have an argument about outing Henry, and Izzie (who is HIV-positive) leaves. She is hit by the limousine transporting the senator and his wife Eunice (Karen Allen), then invited along for the campaign luncheon. Henry invites Anthony as well, insisting that he sit with him. Henry introduces his father, who begins his speech. As the speech continues, Henry stands up, pulls Anthony to his feet and kisses him in full view of the national media, outing himself before the activists have a chance to. Senator Kray and his team decide to spin the event by stressing that the Senator still loves his gay son. The film closes with Henry summarizing the aftermath. He and Anthony don't see each other again. Izzie has died of AIDS. The Senator won re-election despite or perhaps because of the controversy.

This dark edgy drama is told mostly in meandering flashbacks unfolding over 6 months as Henry tells his story to a reporter. It's almost a low-budget docu-drama attempting to make a point about politics, sexuality, and family values. Mark Garcia composed the music, and Lecia Rosenthal and Ryan Shiraki wrote the screenplay. Zak Tucker directed.

Noah's Arc (2005 -2006) (2008)

Logo Channel's TV series "Noah's Arc" is a black "Queer as Folk" with some "Sex in the City" thrown in. Set in Los Angeles, the show features the lives of four black gay friends dealing with everyday events. At the center of the circle is soft-spoken Noah Nichols (Darryl Stephens), a young struggling screenwriter with romantic ideals who is new to having a boyfriend. Surrounding him are uptight professor Chance Counter (Doug Spearman), flamboyant Alex Kirby (Rodney Chester), and unrepentant Ricky Davis (Christian Vincent). Noah struggles as a screenwriter, and in his dating life becomes very attracted to successful closeted film writer Wade (Jensen Atwood). Neither Noah nor the audience can tell if Wade's attracted to him or not. The cast rallies round one another for adventures great and small, and that's what makes it enjoyable, whether you're single, gay, black, or whatever. Often referred to as a comedy-drama, the show integrates socially-relevant issues such as same sex dating, same sex marriage, HIV awareness, infidelity, sexual curiosity, promiscuity, gay bashing and same sex parenthood.

"Noah's Arc" premiered on October 19, 2005 on the Logo TV network, and was Logo's most popular program. It ended October 4, 2006. Only two seasons were made. Season one was filmed in Los Angeles with nine episodes. Season two was filmed in Vancouver, Canada with eight episodes. Plus there is the pilot, included in the season one DVD release. Runtime is 23 minutes per episode. The original title of the series was "Hot Chocolate". It was announced that the show had been canceled a few months after the post-production of the film based on the series, and a few years after the cliffhanger finale. The melodramatic film adaptation "Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom" served as a follow-up of the series. Patrik-Ian Polk created the show, directed some episodes and wrote the scripts for 3 episodes. Brent Belke composed the original music for 5 episodes. Laurie Lynd and Mina Shun directed 2 episodes each.

"Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom" (2008) takes place two years after the second episode and features Noah and Wade prepaing to marry in Martha's Vineyard. In attendance are Alex, managing the food and preparations; Chance, accompanied by his neglected partner of four years, Eddie (Jonathan Julian); the promiscuous Ricky, who secretly covets Noah; Brandon (Gary LeRoi Gray), a student of Chance’s, who is dating Ricky and afraid of coming out to his family; and a closeted British rapper, Baby Gat (Jason Steed). The personal problems of their friends and the unexpected arrival of Baby Gat threatens to end their relationship. With the Jacuzzi and two bachelor parties, the occasion prompts a flurry of flirtations, jealousies and sexy encounters. Emphasis is on communication, monogamy, and child rearing. The group shares a prayer at the dining room table. Written and directed by the show’s creator, Patrik-Ian Polk, the film ends with vows of commitment.

The Perfect Son (2002)

Ryan Taylor (Colm Feore) is a successful lawyer who has taken care of his father while younger brother Theo (David Cubitt), the black sheep of the family, has distanced himself from his family and become a drug abuser filled with self loathing. The death of their father reunites thirty-something Ryan and Theo. Hesitant to acknowledge emotional bonds between them, Theo soon discovers Ryan's secret homosexuality and AIDS infection. It is from this point we see the two characters slowly come together. Theo is an unpublished writer who spends more time inside of drug rehab centers than in the real world, and appears to be not the perfect son of the title. His girlfriend is Chandra West (Sarah Parker). Ryan is in charge of all the funeral details, and appears to be the perfect son until we accidentally discover that his gay lifestyle has contributed to a secret 10 years of IV infusions for AIDS. In talks talks about their father's estate, Theo learns about his brother Ryan's sexuality and that he is in the final stages of AIDS. Theo becomes one of Ryan's caregivers, and as they draw closer together the relationship helps him to better deal with other issues in his life.

"The Perfect Son" touches on many taboo topics such as gay sexuality, AIDS, death, euthanasia, and abortion. However the main purpose of this movie is showing two brothers dealing with their emotions. The DVD is well presented considering it is a small budget Canadian Film. It goes through the motions to hit all the politically correct notes, but the moralistic script and the choppy editing create a sloppy film with a slow fade in/fade out technique. Moreover, it's predictable, too familiar, forced, and somewhat depressing. Ron Sures composed the original music, and Leonard Flarlinger wrote the script and directed.

Caravaggio (1986)

This film is a fictionalized biography of Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Nigel Terry), the 16th-century artist. It explores the love triangle of Caravaggio, Lena (Tilda Swinton), and Ranuccio (Sean Bean) and dwells upon Caravaggio's use of street people, drunks, and prostitutes as models for his dark and dimly lit paintings. The movie begins with Caravaggio as a youth (Dexter Fletcher) who charges for everything he sells, whether it's his paintings or his body. All gay and bisexual characters live life to the hilt. There are many anachronisms, such as Caravaggio's use of contemporary dress for his Biblical figures, a bar lit with electric lights, and a character using an electronic calculator. Caravaggio is presented as one of the founders of the chiaroscuro technique, which uses selective light to illuminate form in contrast to the deep shadows around it. His genius made him a legend, and the film suggests that the legend ultimately eclipsed his enormous talent. After Ranuccio has stabbed him in a fight, Caravaggio tells his mute servant Jerusaleme (Spencer Leigh): "All art is against lived experience. How can you compare flesh and blood with oil, ground pigment?" Lying on his deathbed, delirious with fever, Caravaggio recalls his life, loves, and obsessions. A monk tries to force a crucifix into Caravaggio's hands, but he uses his last strength to hurl it away.

"Caravaggio" was shot entirely at Limehouse Studios, in the central London dockyards on the Thames River. It is director Derek Jarman's most ambitious, popular, and acclaimed film, typical of his style, one of his greatest works, and features an engrossing plot. It took eight long frustrating years before he could finally bring it to the screen. The dialogue is in unrhymed verse, and Jarman did not create a Hollywood reproduction of Caravaggio's world, only "an Italy of the mind." Simon Fisher-Turner composed the original music, and Derek Jarman wrote the script from a story by Nicholas Ward Jackson.

L.I.E. (2001)

15 year-old Howie Blitzer's (Paul Dano) mother has just died in a car accident. His father Marty (Bruce Altman), an unscrupulous workaholic building contractor who's constantly having sex with his girlfriend, has no time for his own son. Therefore, the teen must navigate his adolescence virtually unsupervised. Howie joins a gang of boys who break into houses for kicks and they rob houses in the middle-class neighborhoods off the Long Island Expressway. Together, he and his best friend Gary (Billy Kay) break into a place belonging to an old guy named Big John (Brian Cox), a local man who is a respected pillar of the community. When Big John fingers Gary for the crime, Howie learns that his pal has been keeping a secret: he is in a sex-for-pay relationship with Gary. Big John is a former Marine with a taste for young boys. He not only desires young teenagers, but young adult men and women as well. Except for a short glimpse inside his bedroom, we don't find out what makes Gary tick. A relationship develops between Howie and Big John that surprises them both. Big John becomes Howie's caretaker when Howie's father is sent to prison in a tedious subplot. Unlike Howie's father or friends, Big John answers his questions about his worth and place in the world, and also about sex. For a while their lives intersect, and neither of them knows quite what to do. Howie walks away with the knowledge of his own value as a human being. He's able to assert himself in a confrontation with his father later in the film, and proclaim himself to the world. Big John walks away knowing that he's made a permanent and vital difference in the life of another person, and that he's finally loved someone.

There are references to homosexuality and pedophilia in the movie, but this is not a movie about homosexuality or pedophilia. It is a story about a boy who finds that important something in his life that is missing. It's controversial because one of the main characters is a pedophile. However, there are no inappropriate sex scenes, excessive violence, or vulgar language. But Howie does masturbate in bed, and Gary takes his shirt off at every opportunity in a clearly erotic manner. "L.I.E." (a double-meaning acronym for the Long Island Expressway) captures male adolescence more genuinely than most films, with realistic relationships, great performances, and an interesting plot. Pierre Földes composed the original music, Stephen M. Ryder wrote the screenplay, and Michael Cuesta directed.