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.

Gosford Park (2002)

In early 1930s England, Gosford Park is an estate owned by Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon). His bored wife Lady Sylvia (Kristen Scott Thomas) and his frumpy daughter Isobel (Camilla Rutherford) are served by staff who include Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren), the butler Jennings (Alan Bates), and the head of the kitchen Mrs. Croft (Eileen Atkins). A weekend hunting party is underway and as the guests arrive the distance between the wealthy and the serving class is emphasized. Among the odd assortment of guests are: Maggie Smith, Tom Hollander, Charles Dance, Bob Balaban, Jeremy Northam, James Wilby, and their valets and servants Clive Owen, Kelly Macdonald, Ryan Phillippe, etc. The hunting party is scarred by a minor accident, but the real problem starts with the murder of the grumpy William McCordle. Police are called and Inspector Thompson (Stephen Fry) uncovers some evidence that leads to the events of the murder and also unveils many of the secrets of both guests and servants. There is a surprise ending that makes all of the characters seem more human than the artificial roles they have assumed.

This film is a study of the British class system during the 1930s. Some secondary themes are also explored, such as sexual mores during the 1930s, gay issues (the relationship between Henry Denton and Morris Weissman), WWI, the decline of the British Empire, and so on. The film was shot with two cameras, both filming in opposite directions. The cameras usually pointed toward no specific area, intended to cause the audience to move their eyes throughout the scene. "Gosford Park" received an overwhelmingly positive response from film critics. Patrick Doyle composed the original music. The screenplay is by Julian Fellowes, based on an idea by Robert Altman and co-producer Bob Balaban. Robert Altman co-produced and directed.

A Different Story (1978)

In the late 1970s Albert (Perry King) is an illegal alien from Belgium working in LA as a chauffeur and lover to a string of powerful men. Stella Cooke (Meg Foster) is a real estate agent dealing exclusively in mansions, and she has several women lovers. She meets Albert through one of her wealthy clients, then she finds him camping in a palazzo she is trying to sell. Albert is unemployed, so she temporarily takes him in to sleep on the sofa of her comfortable apartment. He stays for good, and soon Albert cooks, vacuums, fluffs pillows and hangs up Stella's clothes. He becomes her cook and housekeeper, time passes, and they marry so he won't be deported. Later, after a boozy birthday celebration with him, she finds herself pregnant. The "gay" couple have a baby, buy a Mercedes, move into a big house, and squabble just as other couples do. They try to be a family, love grows, and she puts her career on hold as his fashion designer career takes off. Supposedly the gay man and his lesbian wife live happily ever after in this absurd scenario.

The Gay Activists' Alliance has circulated a letter expressing alarm about "A Different Story". The movie's use of their homosexuality is exploitative, insensitive, and offensive in many ways. Futhermore, it is unconvincing. Albert's mincing homosexuality is nothing but a gimmick. Reversing sex roles has comic potential, but this film uses homosexual stereotypes in a very twisted and perverse way. It's not a very good movie, partly because scenes end at uninteresting moments, making the film's chronology completely obscure. Original music was composed by David Michael Frank. Henry Olek wrote the script, and Paul Aaron directed.

I Think I Do (1997)

Bob (Alexis Arquette), Brendan (Christian Maelen), Sarah (Marianne Hagan), Matt (Jamie Harrold), Carol (Lauren Vélez), and Eric (Guillermo Díaz) share an off-campus apartment at George Washington University in Washington DC. Bob is in love with his room-mate Brendan. At a Valentine's Day party, Bob makes a clumsy pass at Brendan and is punched, then sleeps with Sarah.

Five years later, the former flatmates gather again for Matt and Carol's wedding and sparks fly as the ex-roommates navigate through their reunion. Bob is accompanied by his soap-star lover Sterling Scott (Tuc Watkins). Sarah still carries a torch for Brendan but Brendan now realizes he's gay. Carol has such an untraditional attitude toward her wedding that she invites everybody back to the bridal suite for an after-party. Brendan declares his love for Bob, while elsewhere a drunken Sterling announces he and Bob are going to "marry". Having been accidentally locked out of their room by Sterling, Bob ends up sleeping with Brendan. At brunch the next morning Bob's love-bite gives the game away. After some soul-searching and discussions, Bob and Brendan eventually leave happily together.

This 1930s-style screwball comedy with a modern twist is funny, witty, intelligent, heartwarming, but requires a taste for topical humor and clever conversation. It's a Gen-X "Big Chill" update without the politics, with characters who are funny and sympathetic. Brian Sloan wrote the screenplay and directed.

Doing Time on Maple Drive (1992)

Phil Carter (James B. Sikking) is a successful restaurateur, married for many years to Lisa (Bibi Besch). They have three grown children: Karen (Jayne Brook), Tim (Jim Carrey) and Matt (William McNamara). Karen is married to Tom (David Byron), Tim works in his father's restaurant, and Matt is a Yale student. Matt brings fiancée Allison (Lori Loughlin) home to meet the family. While there the relationships between the family members are tested, and the secrets hidden behind the "perfect family" image are exposed. Allison discovers that Matt is gay and has left a long-term boyfriend to marry her to please his parents. She leaves and he has to explain to his family why Allison has abandoned him.

Matt is injured in a car crash, and he returns home to recuperate. As he recovers, the family is revealed to be dysfunctional. Tim is an alcoholic. Matt's car crash was a suicide attempt from the pressure of being gay and closeted from his parents and lying about Allison breaking their engagement because of it. Lisa is in complete denial about all of the family problems. Karen's husband Tom learns that Karen is pregnant and she's considering having an abortion. Tom angrily confronts her father Phil, saying that while Phil may be destroying his own family he won't allow Phil to destroy his. He takes Karen away. Matt confronts his parents, and tells his mother that she already knew he is gay because she saw him with another boy. Lisa continues to struggle with denial, but Phil begins to take steps toward understanding.

So, the family includes an alcoholic son, a gay son who is trying to be straight to please his family, a daughter and her husband with marital problems, an ultra-conservative father who is hard on his children, and a mother who cares too much what other people think and hides behind a lie. Plus a girl who thinks her fiance is straight, but has to face the truth.

This Fox made-for-TV drama is an honest, respectful, and tasteful look at a dysfunctional family. Great performances, a good script, and a compelling story with no melodrama make it worth watching. Laura Karpman composed the original music, James Duff wrote the screenplay, and Ken Olin directed.

Les Petit Fils (2005)

84 year-old Jewish grandmother Mamie Régine (Reine Ferrato) is growing old in her cluttered Paris apartment. Every two weeks her 24-year-old grandson Guillaume (Guillaume Quatravaux) travels from his seaside home to visit her. But he is sullen, argumentative, insulting, and sometimes extremely distant. Régine puts up with it, and simply offers him more to eat. His mother died two years ago of breast cancer at the age of 47, and he keeps coming back to Régine’s because he has nowhere else to go. She is, and has always been, his only family. Guillaume's mother's ashes are kept in an urn on Grandma’s balcony. Régine is a worldly woman, not at all sentimental. As Guillaume quietly weeps over the dinner table, she says, “Stop that, don’t do that.” When she hires handsome young housekeeper Maxime (Jean-Philippe Sêt) to help her with cleaning, Guillaume becomes suspicious and then jealous of him. He and Régine begin to bond, Maxime points out Guillaume’s mean behavior to Régine, but she is forgiving, saying it’s to be expected considering what he’s been through. Maxime and Guillaume slowly build a friendship, and they are both probably gay. Guillaume starts to relax, even as he plans to scatter his mother's ashes in Scotland to honor her final wish. The ending is upbeat and offers hope that the characters will have a better relationship.

"Les Petit Fils" is a charming and heartwarming tragi-comedy about family dynamics and the inter-action of a grandmother, her gay grandson, his lover, and a new gay housekeeper. It's a character-driven movie, shot on video. Bertrand Bonello composed the music, and Ilan Duran Cohen wrote the screenplay and directed. In French with English subtitles, the English title is "Grand Sons".

Gone but not Forgotten (2003)

Drew Parker (Aaron Orr) is a small town forest ranger who meets yuppie Mark (Matthew Montgomery) after he falls while rock climbing. Mark wakes up in the hospital with amnesia and sees that Drew has remained by his side since the accident. As he recovers, he and Drew form a close friendship that slowly grows into something much more. Drew offers to move in with Mark to help him out until he regains his memory, which propels the two men into a passionate affair. But things start to change as Mark's memory slowly returns and their time together is cut short when the hiker's old life comes back to reclaim him. The scene in the living room where Mark asks Drew to tell him about the rescue is riveting, and their love scene goes beyond the typical Hollywood sanitized nonsense, and is tastefully done.

This sexy and intriguing love story has a soap opera plot with a balance of humor, happiness, hope, sadness, and seriousness. The dialogue and scenes do jump awkwardly occasionally, but the good cast has great chemistry, acting is simple and natural, with good dialogue and great cinematography. The supporting role of Ariadne Shaffer as Catherine Reeves is like watching Kathleen Turner 20 years ago. The musical score is great, especially "Staring Straight Into The Sun" by Jared Young. Incidental music was composed by Shaun Cromwell, and Michael D. Akers wrote the screenplay and directed.

Consenting Adult (1985)

Young and shy college sophomore Jeff Lynd (Barry Tubb) discovers his attraction to men. After struggling with himself he comes out to his parents with details of his sexual preference. His mother Tess (Marlo Thomas) is shocked beyond belief but eventually listens to her son and tries to understand his feelings. She is convinced that Jeff can be "cured" through psychiatry. However his proud father Ken (Martin Sheen) is unable to accept his son for what he is--as much as he wants to. Recovering from a near-fatal stroke, he feels devastated and betrayed. Only Jeff's married sister Margie (Talia Balsam) approaches the situation with understanding. Ken dies, leaving behind a mother, her son, and his friend to work out the things Jeff and his Dad never had the courage to talk about.

This pre-AIDS TV drama about a gay young man who comes out to his parents is a restrained exploration of the controversial subject. It's a "message" movie filmed on location in Vancouver with too little focus on the gay son. Sheen and Thomas are the stars, and the mother is portrayed as the courageous one, noble enough to offer her hand in friendship, and reassuring when she calls at the end with happiness in her voice. "Consenting Adult" is adapted from the 1975 novel by Laura Z. Hobson, based on her experience with her son, and was first telecast on February 4, 1985. Laurence Rosenthal composed the music, John McGreevey wrote the script based on Hobson's novel, and Gilbert Cates directed.

Ordinary Sinner (2003)

Peter Onorati (Brendan Hines) is a divinity student who questions his calling to the priesthood and drops out of the Episcopal seminary after his failure in counseling a gay youth. He moves into a shack near the campus where his lifelong best friend Alex (Kris Park) is attending college and where Father Ed (A. Martinez), a young Mexican Episcopal priest, has his congregation in the small Vermont college town. Father Ed has been an adviser and friend to Peter for some time and questions Peter's decision to give up his calling. The entire movie is centered around Father Ed, who uses his pulpit to question the preaching of a radical Christian cell on campus that is promoting prejudice and the hatred of homosexuals. He says if the bible states to kill homosexuals, then the town should start with him. His outing eventually results in his death which is surrounded in mystery. We see the aftermath and are forced to confront our prejudices as the details slowly come to light. Peter is impressive as a man who stands up to wrong and attempts to bring justice in the end. This is a murder mystery and the victim is a cliff diver. The murderer takes a rowboat and makes hundreds of trips to pile many rocks in the lake for the victim to hit his head.

Filmed with flashbacks that only make sense as the film draws to a close, the point of the film is to show how things get out of hand with tragic results when someone gets a crazy idea in his head. Ordinary people can end up doing horrible things, hence the title "Ordinary Sinner." It's an intriguing coming-of-age drama with romance, action, and social commentary--a good story, with a flimsy plot not very well told dealing with spiritual faith, sexuality, and homophobia in a small town. The coming out scene of the priest is the best part of this low budget film. Brian Adler composed the music, William Mahone wrote the script, and John Henry Davis directed