Opposite of Sex (1998)

On the death of her stepfather, perky 16 year-old Louisiana girl Dede Truitt (Christina Ricci) moves in with her gay schoolteacher half-brother Bill (Martin Donovan) and immediately starts coming on to his sexual partner Matt Mateo (Ivan Sergei), finally forcing him into an affair in which she becomes pregnant. She tricks him into believing he impregnated her, but in fact the father of her child is her ex-boyfriend Randy "One Ball" Cates (William Lee Scott). She and Matt elope, leaving Bill and his uptight best friend Lucia DeLury (Lisa Kudrow), the sister of Bill's deceased previous lover, to try and track them down and sort out the mess.

In the meantime, Matt's "bit on the side," Jason Bock (Johnny Galecki), attempts to blackmail Bill, claiming he sexually assaulted him while he was a student, causing much media attention. As the situation snowballs, the only person who sees what Dede is up to is the frustrated acid-tongued Lucia. The whole affair blows into a scandal exposing her school teacher brother and the true parent of the child is called into question as it is revealed that there have been a series of lovers. The film's climax is set in Canada where all of the characters finally meet up, and where Deedee gives birth to her son Randy Jr.

After the birth, Dede goes to prison for a few months, then moves back in with Bill, while Matt and Jason travel together, and Lucia marries her old friend Sheriff Carl Tippett (Lyle Lovett). Narrating the ending, Dede sarcastically concludes that sex is the opposite of what people really want, leading to kids, disease, and relationships. At the end of the film, the vignettes of the various caring relationships among the characters shows the opposite of superficial sexual gratification.

This film is a black comedy, narrated by and centered around self-absorbed, manipulative, cynical teenager Dede who manages to destroy the lives of everyone she meets. There is some heart underneath all the back-stabbing, betrayals, crime, and seediness. Janet Maslin in The New York Times called it a "gleefully acerbic comedy". Film critic Roger Ebert enjoyed the voice-over narration supplied in-character by Ricci, calling it "refreshing" and comparing it to "Mystery Science Theater 3000". Mason Daring composed the original music, and Don Roos wrote the screenplay and directed.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

James Leo Herlihy's 1965 novel was made into a great motion picture by director John Schlesinger. It's a graphic character study of two very different men who become close friends in the decaying 42nd Street area of New York City in the late 1960's.

(first lines)
Joe Buck: "Whoopee-tee-yi-yo. Get along little dogies. It's your misfortune and none of my own."

Jon Voight, in his film debut, plays Joe Buck, a handsome but naive hick who moves to NYC to work as a freelance gigolo and hustler. He ends up being out-hustled by everyone else in the Big Apple. Wearing a cowboy costume, he says, "I ain't a for real cowboy, but I am a hell of a stud." He tries to hustle rich middle-aged Cass, who angrily tells him, "You were gonna ask me for money? Who the hell do you think you're dealing with, some old slut on 42nd Street? In case you didn't happen to notice it, ya big Texas longhorn bull, I'm one helluva gorgeous chick!" Cass cries and Joe Buck gives her most of his money.

Dustin Hoffman plays Enrico Salvatore "Ratso" Rizzo, a sleazy derelict of a con man who is tubercular and has a limp. Originally he was a shoe shiner, as was his father. Hoffman put pebbles in his shoe to make his limp consistent. Ratso cons Joe Buck out of $20, but later becomes his friend and inept "manager". He tells Joe Buck, "Frankly, you're beginning to smell, and for a stud in New York that's a handicap."

Joe Buck: "I like the way I look. Makes me feel good, it does. And women like me, goddammit. Hell, the only one thing I ever been good for is lovin'. Women go crazy for me, that's a really true fact. Ratso, hell! Crazy Annie they had to send her away."
Ratso Rizzo: "Then, how come you ain't scored once the whole time you been in New York?"

One of the many highlights of the film is a party scene that captures the groovy 1960's perfectly. Some of Andy Warhol's "superstars" make cameo appearances. Ratso says, "You want the word on that brother-and-sister act? Hansel's a fag and Gretel's got the hots for herself. So who cares, right? Load up on the salami." Joe Buck leaves the party with a woman customer, but suffers from temporary impotence. Ratso fills his pockets with food and is noticed by Gretel McAlbertson (Viva).

Gretel: "Are you stealing food?"
Ratso: "I was just noticing that you're out of salami."
Gretel: "Gee, well, you know, it's free. You don't have to steal it."
Ratso: "Well, if it's free, then I ain't stealin'."

Joe Buck and Ratso struggle for survival in the harsh and squalid nightmare of an urban jungle. They dream of making it big and retiring to Florida as Ratso's health continues to deteriorate. Ratso says, "Here I am goin' to Florida, my leg hurts, my butt hurts, my chest hurts, may face hurts, and like that ain't enough, I gotta pee all over myself." The film is clever, perceptive and captures two brilliant performances. Events are largely chronological, with flashbacks to Joe Buck's grandmother Sally (Ruth White) and his promiscuous girlfriend Crazy Annie (Jenifer Salt). The ending is tragic.

Also in the cast are: Sylvia Miles (Cass), John McGiver (Mr. O'Daniel), Brenda Vaccaro (Shirley), Gilman Rankin (Woodsy Niles), Gary Owens (Little Joe), George Eppersen (Ralph), Jonathan Kramer (Jackie), Waldo Salt (Joe Pyne), John McGiver ( Mr. O'Daniel), Bernard Huges (Towny), Gil Rankin (Woodsy Niles), T. Tom Marlow (Little Joe), George Eppersen (Ralph), Al Scott, Linda Davis, J. T. Masters, Arlene Reeder, Georgann Johnson, Johnathan Kramer, Anthony Holland, Bob Balaban, Jan Tice, Paul Benjamin, Peter Scalia, Vito Siracusa, Peter Zamiagias, Arthur Anderson, Tina Scal, Alma Felix, Richard Clarke, Ann Thomas, Gastone Rossilli, Ultra Violet, Paul Jabara, International Velvet, Cecelia Lipson, Taylor Mead, Paul Morrissey, Joan Murphy, and Al Stetson. Waldo Salt wrote the screenplay. Original music is by John Barry. John Schlesinger directed.

When the movie was released in 1969 it was X-rated. In 1971 the rating was changed to R, with no changes to the film. It is 113 minutes long, but the TV prints are drastically censored and somewhat incomprehensible. MIDNIGHT COWBOY is one of the best films of the 1960's, a landmark in cinema history with a simple, sentimental story. It's a true classic, very touching, poignant, realistic, compelling, but disturbing and ultimately depressing.

"Midnight Cowboy" won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. It is the only X-rated movie ever to win for Best Picture.

The Joe Buck role was first offered to other actors. Elvis Presley was considered, but Colonel Parker turned down the part without consulting Elvis. Originally Nilsson wrote "I Guess the Lord Must Be In New York City" for the film, but "Everybody's Talkin' At Me" was used instead, written by Fred Neil with Nilsson singing it.

Privates on Parate (1982)

In 1948 the British are fighting a Communist insurrection in the Malayan jungles. For the British Army in Malaya, WWII has hardly stopped. Acting Captain Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley) heads up a ragtag group of inept soldiers whose job it is to improve morale by staging song and dance shows for the troops. Since there are few women available, most of the troupe doubles in full drag, including--with great enthusiasm and queenly putdowns--Dennis. The troupe performs routines that parody Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda, marching production numbers, and Vera Lynn-type ballads. There is some obscenity, and the dialogue is full of sexual innuendo, bawdy one-liners, and gay stereotyping, especially in Denis Quilley's great performance. But in between the numbers are bitter messages targeting the British empire, the behavior of British officers, the repression of gay love, and the hypocrisy of some men toward women.

The troupe is under the command of rigid Major Giles Flack (John Cleese), a Bible quoting anti-communist Army man who is more inept than the soldiers under him. He likes to give impromptu seminars to his troops on the two principal causes of the decline of the West, ''luxury and blasphemy'', and to toast ''the victory of Christian enlightenment". In a serious subplot British arms are being stolen from a depot and being sold to the guerrillas. The ringleader is Sergeant Major Reg Drummond (Michael Elphick), a treacherous coward in the group who gets the only real woman in the troupe pregnant and then abuses her. He steals armaments and information to give to the enemy. In the end, a terrible battle ensues at his hands. One thing leads to another and soon the troupe is on a tour of remote outposts in the northern jungle. Unknown to them, they are transporting one last big haul of rifles and ammunition.

"Privates on Parade" at times is funny, witty, and very black, but can't seem to decide which sacred cows it wants to gore or which messages it wants to deliver. It's something of a curiosity piece, a melodramatic farce adaptated from Peter Nichols' stage play. The actors are good, including John Cleese who plays John Cleese to give this movie star power. Denis King composed the music, Peter Nichols wrote the screenplay from his own play, and Michael Blakemore directed.

Priest (1994)

Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is assigned to St. Mary's parish in Liverpool, and startled to discover Father Matthew Thomas (Tom Wilkinson) is engaged in a sexual relationship with rectory housekeeper Maria Kerrigan (Cathy Tyson). While his conservatism and religious beliefs are offended by the older priest's disregard for his vow of celibacy, he struggles with his own homosexual urges, especially after he meets Graham (Robert Carlyle) at a local gay hangout and the two begin a physical relationship. Meanwhile, student Lisa Unsworth (Christine Tremarco) confides she is the victim of incestuous sexual abuse by her father, who confirms her story. But both have revealed their secret in the confessional, and Father Greg is required to honor the sanctity of the Sacrament of Penance and not reveal what he has been told, despite the fact the girl is suffering emotionally and physically. He tries to warn her mother to keep a close watch on her, but the naive woman believes her daughter is safe with her husband.

When Mrs. Unsworth (Lesley Sharp) discovers her husband molesting Lisa and realizes the priest knew what was happening, she lashes out at him. Adding to his torment is his arrest for engaging in sexual activity with Graham in a parked car. When he pleads guilty to the charge, the story is front page news in the local newspaper. Unable to face his parishioners, Father Greg relocates to a remote rural parish headed by a disapproving and unforgiving priest. Father Matthew convinces him to return to St. Mary's, and the two preside over a Mass that is disrupted by the protests of those opposed to Father Greg's presence on the altar. Father Matthew demands the protesters leave the chapel. The two priests then begin to distribute the Eucharist, but the remaining parishioners ignore Father Greg and line up to receive communion from Father Matthew. Lisa finally approaches the younger priest, and the two fall into each other's arms sobbing.

Although at times serious and distressing, "Priest" also has some moments that are funny. When Pilkington asks a woman with a neck-brace if she has hurt her neck, she replies "No, I'm a dedicated follower of fashion." The scenes where Pilkington is with his partner Graham are sensual and do not flinch from portraying their homosexual relationship erotically and candidly. Film critic Roger Ebert rated the film one star out of a possible four, calling the screenplay "shallow and exploitative." He added, "The movie argues that the hidebound and outdated rules of the church are responsible for some people (priests) not having sex although they should, while others (incestuous parents) can keep on having it although they shouldn't. For this movie to be described as a moral statement about anything other than the filmmaker's prejudices is beyond belief." Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle called it "an exceptional movie," "powerful drama," and "a curiously inspiring statement about faith and morality." Don't get me started. Andy Roberts composed the original music, Jimmy McGovern wrote the screenplay, and Antonia Bird directed.

Advice from a caterpillar (1999)

Missy (Cynthia Nixon) is a pop artist who has great success with her family's cheesy home movies, copying them on video, and then adding wry commentary. She is having an affair with married man "Suit" (Jon Tenny). Her best friend Spaz (Andy Dick) can't seem to keep a relationship or art gig going, and has turned to catering to pay the bills. Afraid of commitment, Missy is happy with her affair with "Suit", provided he remains casual about their relationship. Add to the mix bi-sexual Brat (Timothy Olyphant) who has captured both Spaz and Missy's eyes. Missy and Brat are attracted to each other, but is she willing to ruin a long-term friendship for a one night stand? After all, her artistic career is flourishing, her NYC loft is fabulous, and her relationship with a married man is totally uncomplicated. Brat, who's sweet, genuine and shares her fondness for 1970s sitcoms, is also dating her pal Spaz. When Missy and Brat unexpectedly fall for each other, will she lose her identity and her best friend? As soon as Missy spies the naked Brat sleeping in her gay friend's bed and her eyes betray her interest, we know that they will be together by the end of the film. The final confrontation scene in the diner with a commenting chorus of patrons is meant to be hilarious. But it's too far-fetched and contrived, and there can be no romantic movie if one doesn't care about the characters involved.

This film tells us that any bi-sexual man can be "cured" by the love of a good woman. Yet even accepting this preposterous and insulting premise, it is inconceivable that Brat would have Spaz's homely, effeminate character as a regular sex-partner or fall in love with the irritating Missy. There is little chemistry between Missy and either man. The most interesting thing in this film is the title, derived from "Alice in Wonderland", which plays a key role in the film. Basically it's just another pretentious low budget movie released under the guise of independent film making. John Hill composed the music, and Douglas Carter Beane wrote the screemplay from his own stage play. Don Scardino directed.

10 attitudes (2001)

40 year-old Josh (Jason Stuart) is a mild-mannered gay caterer who came to LA from Cleveland ten years earlier with his significant other, Lyle (Rusty Updegraff). While Lyle has eased comfortably into the LA lifestyle, Josh is still a Midwesterner at heart, and he becomes aware of just how far off base he is when he learns Lyle has been having an affair. He spots Lyle being sexually serviced by a man in the front seat of his red Jaguar convertable and Lyle is tossed out of Josh’s house and his life. Now he finds he's out of step with the Hollywood dating scene. Encouraged by an assortment of cameo players including his sister Leslie (Alexandra Paul), Josh starts to venture out. His friend Brandon (Christopher Cowen) assures him it will only take 10 dates for Josh to find the new man of his dreams, and after getting some fashion advice from flamboyant wardrobe adviser Tex (Jim J. Bullock), Josh hits the Internet looking for love.

However, Josh ends up kissing more than his share of toads as he searches for Mr. Right. He runs through his dates with his sense of humor intact, and he tosses around plenty of funny putdowns along the way. In the funniest moment, Josh finds himself on what he thinks is a date with David Faustino of "Married with Children", playing a version of himself. It turns out David isn’t looking for a boyfriend but rather a gay guy to serve as person number three in the threesome his girlfriend is hoping for. With increasing disbelief, Josh rolls his eyes as David deadpans his way through increasingly perverted scenarios, one of which he’s sure will appeal to Josh. Soon it’s back into the dating pool once again. The movie comes to a abrupt conclusion that makes it seem like the film crew ran out of time and had to wrap things up that very afternoon.

"10 Attitudes" is one of those movies that serves to confirm your suspicions that everyone in the world is crazy except you. Everyone Josh meets is crazy: an actor/hustler, a druggie/actor, a waiter/actor, a waiter/actor/hustler, and a personal trainer/hustler. The screenplay was written by Jason Stuart and Michael O. Gallant, who also directed.

美少年之恋 (1998)

Jet (Stephen Fung) is a handsome gay hustler, the star gigolo in Hong Kong, whose sex appeal and arrogance seem to have no bounds. Everyone wants to make love to him, but he is in love with no one but himself. Things change drastically when he notices a young couple in a shop, Sam Fai (Daniel Wu) and Kana (Qi Shu). At first sight, he falls in love with Sam and begins following the two around. Jet's friend Ching (Jason Tsang), who is also a hustler, places an ad in a gay magazine for Jet, imploring Sam to contact Jet. At first, Jet is angry with Ching for not asking him, but his wrath ends when he meets Sam again in what seems like a chance encounter, but actually is an outcome of the personal ad. Sam turns out to be a police officer, the hunkiest policeman to ever pound a beat on Hollywood Road, and Jet starts to befriend him, hoping it will turn into a relationship. But Sam does not seem to notice Jet's intentions towards him. Jet tries to change into someone he is not: innocent, sweet, clean, and pure.

Unknown to Jet, Sam had a homosexual affair with pop star K. S. (Terence Yin) five years earlier. At the same time, Ching had been in unrequited love with Sam (then calling himself Fai) when the two were still office workers. Ching goes to his apartment shared with Jet when Jet and Sam are there, instantly recognizes Sam as Fai and is furious with Jet for stealing his beloved.

A gay romantic mystery, this film is based on the biggest scandal to hit the Hong Kong Police force. A cache of photographs was discovered of handsome young men in police uniforms, some of them half nude, others holding law enforcement paraphernalia such as clubs in suggestive poses. An investigation by the Police revealed that some of the men were policemen, whereas others were hustlers and gigolos. The focus of the movie is not the scandal, but the unusual meeting of two different worlds, illustrated in the romantic entanglement involving a policeman, two male prostitutes, and a gay pop singer. The film starts with a simple love story, but tragedy is inevitable. It begins on a good premise, however it slowly slides into comfortable melodrama with a predictable ending. Chris Babida composed the music, and Yonfan wrote the screenplay and directed. The English titles for "Mei shao nian zhi lian" is "Bishonen". The language is Cantonese, with English, Chinese, Bahasa, and Thai subtitles available.

A low down dirty shame (1994)

Andre Shame (Keenen Ivory Wayans) is a black private detective formerly of the LAPD, who left the force after failing to crack the case on notorious drug lord Ernesto Mendoza (Andrew Divoff). The investigation of Mendoza's case was a personal one for Shame, because his ex-girlfriend Angela (Salli Richardson) was caught in the middle of a love triangle with the two men. He now works as a private eye, taking on cases for peanuts and barely scraping by. His disapproving secretary Peaches (Jada Pinkett) wants him to get his act together but he's too busy wallowing in self-pity. Just when things are about to collapse, Shame is hired by an officer of the Drug Enforcement Agency to find $20 million dollars in missing drug money. Sonny Rothmiller (Charles S. Dutton), Shame's ex-colleague who is now working for the DEA, tells him that the Mendoza case is being re-opened, and though he has his doubts, Shame decides the case is too intriguing to pass on, and tells Sonny to count him in.

Shame's drug czar adversary, Mendoza, is rumored to be dead but actually alive and well and living with Shame's former sweetheart, Angela. In a movie in which almost everyone is a crude stereotype, Mendoza conforms to the typical Hollywood image of a Latin American drug czar. The situation gets rather complicated when Shame's old flame Angela resurfaces in his life, and he also realizes that some of his allegiances aren't what they seem to be on the surface. The film is partly a comedy, so Shame deflects the charge of three vicious Dobermans by doing a James Brown imitation. From a private dick, Shame abruptly transforms himself into a caricature of the godfather of soul, barking instructions to his backup singers on how to perform "Say It Loud, I'm Black and Proud." Caught up in the spirit, the dogs stop their attack and begin rotating their heads in time with the beat. The movie isn't afraid to offend. One running gag involves an interracial gay couple who are presented as mincing, lisping clowns.

"A Low Down Dirty Shame" is not much more than all the cop movie clichés arranged in an order to make a coherent story. It is funny, entertaining, unpredictable (except for the ending), with realistic action scenes. It's the "Shaft" of the 1990s. The production design is dated because action films have evolved and Wayans often shoots non-action scenes like a TV sitcom, and his light-hearted editing reminds you this is not a totally serious movie. Marcus Miller composed the original music, and Keenen Ivory Wayans wrote the screenplay and directed.

Coming Out (1989)

High school teacher Philipp Klahrmann (Mathias Freihof) during his first day at work collides with female teacher Tanja (Dagmar Manzel) in one of the school's corridors. As a result Tanja and Philipp get to know each other and develop a romance. While going out with Tanja, Philipp gets dragged into a gay party and meets Matthias (Dirk Kummer), a shy 19-year-old who becomes interested in Philipp. After they meet again by chance, Matthias invites Philipp to his birthday party that evening. After some hesitation Philipp ends up going and the two of them go back to Philipp's apartment and sleep together.

The situation with Tanja deteriorates as Philipp becomes distant and worried, as he begins to come out to himself. He is forced to come out to Tanja, after he and Matthias embrace during the intermission at the opera. Matthias is distraught upon learning that Philipp is married and runs out of the opera house. Over the next few weeks Philipp searches for Matthias, until one night he finds him in a bar with another man, one of Philipp's students. Matthias, still very hurt, pushes Philipp away. Philipp goes to another bar and becomes aggressive with an older gay man. He calms down and tearfully listens as the older man explains that he understands what Philipp is going through, because 50 years earlier he and his boyfriend were arrested by the Nazis and imprisoned in a concentration camp. In a speech designed to please the SED and DEFA, the older gay man explains how the communists helped him through his struggle.

The film ends with a scene in the classroom, as the headteacher--who obviously has discovered Philipp's sexual orientation--says that she and a group of teachers need to observe his classes to see if he's still suitable to teach. Philipp is quiet for a long time and this prompts the headteacher to say "Kollege Klahrmann!" to which Klahrmann simply replies, "Ja." Actor Mathias Freihof claims that this single utterance signifies the recognition by Philipp of his sexual orientation and all its baggage. In a depressing classic German cinema ending, Philipp loses his boyfriend, his girlfriend, and his job. The film closes with a shot of Philipp leaving his apartment block on his bicycle.

This is a predictable, drawn out, but good film--the first and only film about gay life produced in the former communist East Germany. "Coming Out" debuted the night the Berlin Wall fell. Stefan Carow composed the music, Wolfram Witt wrote the screenplay, and Heiner Carow directed. In German, available with or without English subtitles.

Victor Victoria (1982)

Set in 1934 Paris, starving opera singer Victoria (Julie Andrews) is helped by gay cabaret performer Toddy (Robert Preston). When Victoria wears Toddy's ex boyfriend's clothes and then sends the abusive ex away with a loud shout and a right hook, Toddy is hit with inspiration: he'll pass her off as a female impersonator. She asks, "You want me to be a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman?" With the help of the flamboyantly gay nightclub singer, she invents her alter-ego "Count Victor Grezinski", a female impersonator who is hired to sing at a fashionable night spot. Interwoven throughout the comedy and musical numbers are some astute observations about gender perceptions, discrimination and the battle of the sexes. It all goes well until Chicago mob boss King Marchand (James Garner), starts to investigate, sure that a man like himself could never fall for another man. The revelation of King's infatuation with Victoria brings his gay body guard "Squash" Bernstein (Alex Karras) roaring out of the closet and sends his spurned moll Norma Cassady (Leslie Ann Warren) off to Chicago to take revenge with King's other "business associates". Victoria must decide what she really wants: to be true to herself by giving up her career in Paris to be with her lover, or to continue with her show biz career and risk losing Marchand.

This classy slapstick musical farce involves transvestism and sexual identity as central themes. It's a character driven film where everyone is allowed to shine. Musical highlights include Victor/Victoria's "Le Jazz Hot" and "The Shady Dame from Seville"; Toddy's ode to "Gay Paree"; Warren's funny burlesque number, "King's Can-Can"; and "You and Me," done in a small club by Toddy and Victor in tuxedos. Legendary composer Henry Mancini won his last Oscar for the music score. Blake Edwards wrote the screenplay derived from Reinhold Schünzel's 1933 script, based on a concept by Hans Hoemburg. Blake Edwards directed.