As Good as It Gets (1997)

Set in NYC, Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson), is a cranky, bigoted, misanthropic writer who has his life turned upside down when neighboring gay artist Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) is brutally beaten and hospitalized. His dog Verdell is entrusted to Melvin. He insists on sitting at the same table at the same restaurant each day. Carol (Helen Hunt), the only waitress who will tolerate him, must leave work to care for her sick son, making it impossible for Melvin to eat breakfast. Because his obsessive-compulsive disorder requires a structured routine for him to maintain his sanity, Melvin arranges for a doctor to help her son at no charge. She shows up at his doorstep in the rain and tells Melvin she will never have sex with him. Melvin and Carol drive Simon to his parents in Baltimore to obtain money. They return to Manhattan, and Simon learns that Melvin has taken him in because Simon's apartment has been sublet, allowing Simon an opportunity to get back on his feet. Carol and Melvin resume their attempts at a relationship, with Carol resignedly telling Melvin it won't work because, "All you do is make me feel bad about myself." In unfamiliar territory, Melvin struggles to compliment Carol. He goes on to say that she represents everything that is good and right in the world, the balance he needs to deal with his disorder, and life in general. They kiss. The movie ends with Carol and Melvin walking into a bakery early in the morning, and Melvin no longer compulsively avoids sidewalk cracks.

Jack Nicholson won a Best Actor Oscar, and Helen Hunt won a Best Actress Oscar for their performances in this witty romantic comedy. Enough said? Mark Andrus wrote the screenplay from his own story. James L. Brooks directed.

Outrageous! (1977)

Gay Toronto hairdresser Robin Turner (Craig Russel) is a very talented female impersonator who does an act in local gay clubs. His roommate is Liza Connors (Hollis McLaren), a high-school friend who is now pregnant and recently released from a mental hospital where she was being treated for schizophrenia. She is determined never to return to the hospital again, and he wants to be a show-business success with his impressions. When Robin loses his job, the two try their luck in NYC at the "Jackrabbit Club". His perfect impressions of Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand, Carol Channing, Tallulah Bankhead, and Mae West make a splash. But as Robin's star rises, Liza spirals into misery and madness. Robin and Liza need each other, and this can be explained by their total acceptance of one another. They both have to take chances in life, but as Robin says, people treat, “life as though it’s a can of Coke, and they’re afraid to drink it too fast.” Hunky gay cab driver Bob (David McIlwraith) meets them, and as a former talent agent agrees to represent Robin and gets him a job at "Ziggy's Cabaret", where he becomes their sensational star attraction. Liza goes to the hospital to give birth, but the baby is stillborn. She goes into a deep depression, believeing she is "the one born dead." Robin replies "You're not dead. You're alive and sick and living in New York like eight million other people." He tells Liza that yes, she's crazy, but she has to make that crazy work for her. "You’ll never be normal," he says, "but you’re special.” The film ends with Robin and a recovering Liza dancing madly together.

This show-business cult comedy with a twist is a great, touching, and sincere 1970's period peice with charming performances by all. It's a gay classic with sad and campy fun moments. Craig Russel's many impersonations are the best in cincema history. He worked as the private secretary to Mae West, so he could impersonate her perfectly. Richard Benner directed from his own script based on Margaret Gibson Gilboord's short story.

"Too Outrageous" (1987) is the somewhat disappointing sequel to "Outrageous!". It is a better production, with a bigger budget, better cast, and Craig Russell has a very attractive boyfriend. Robin Turner, the hairdresser-turned-female impersonator who began his nightclub routine in the earlier film, is still playing in small clubs, and his devoted friend Liza Connors (Hollis McLaren) hasn't yet fulfilled her dream of becoming a successful writer. The film tells what happens after Robin is discovered by a pair of agents who are intent on making him a big star. The agents, particularly a woman named Betty (Lynne Cormack), gush about what great potential Robin has, and dream of revamping his act so antiseptically that they can bill him as ''Canada's Comic Illusionist", instead of the specialty performer that he really is. Robin gets even when he appears on a live talk show and lets the world know that its host is gay. They deal with AIDS in this one, but it seems out of place with the rest of the movie. Russell works best when left to his own devices. He's better off wisecracking and performing than he is anguishing over his professional future. The film also features a female impersonator named Jimmy James, who looks uncannily like Marilyn Monroe, and Robin exclaims "He's good!". Once again Richard Benner wrote the script and directed.

Apartment Zero (1988)

Set in Buenos Aires, the film centers around a relationship between two roommates. Adrian LeDuc (Colin Firth) is a lonely sociopath who is forced to rent out his crazy mother's room due to poor ticket sales at his revival-house cinema. Jack Carney (Hart Bochner), the mysterious new roommate, appears normal, charming, and outgoing at first but it becomes apparent that he is hiding something. They quickly settle into a domestic routine, with Adrian taking over laundry and cooking duties for Jack, and they also begin to bond emotionally. As their friendship develops, Adrian is attracted to him and suppresses his suspicions that Jack may be the government mercenary turned serial killer who has been terrorizing the city. Dead bodies are found in the streets, murdered for political reasons. The other eccentric residents of the building begin to worry as Adrian shows increasing signs that his mother's insanity may be hereditary. Jack has sex with a female neighbour, and it is implied that he also has sex with two male neighbours. Then he falsifies Adrian's passport and prepares to leave Argentina. Unfortunately, the passport is expired and he can't leave. Jack picks up a gay man at the airport and goes to a hotel with him, where he murders him for his passport. Adrian is devastated by the death of his mother, and Jack turns out to be Michael Weller, listed as "dead" by the death squd. Jack kills Claudia (Francesca d'Aloja), the ticket seller at the cinema and part of the committe investigating the political murders. Adrian helps dispose of the body, then eventually kills Jack. The shocking climax of this twisted tale of deceit, perversion and murder reveals the darker side of the human psyche. Suffused with homoerotic overtones and moments of black comedy, the name "Apartment Zero" comes from apartment number, 10 with the 1 missing. Martin Donovan wrote the screenplay and directed.

Tantrums & Tiaras (1997)

This documentary is about gay musical composer Sir Elton John during 1996. With unprecedented access to the star, it's a fascinating, funny, and honest fly on the wall look at the temperamental artist directed by his civil partner David Furnish. Excellent concert and behind the scenes footage leaves nothing to the imagination. Foul language abounds, but it all adds to the magic of this fascinating insight into one of Rock's most successful solo artists. Elton's tantrums are abundant, his performances on this film are great, and there is never a dull moment. There are only two major tantrums. In the first Elton becomes upset during a video shoot for "Believe", saying he hates making music videos. His second tantrum occurs when he is playing tennis and is recognized by a fan. Throwing the racket, he stomps off court, returns to his hotel, and makes arrangements to fly home. Later, we find out Elton had calmed down and canceled his plans to leave.

One interesting scene in the film comes when Elton John's mother sits down with her son to discuss his career. When she begins to recall his drug use in the 1970's, she asks that the camera be turned off. After Elton reminds her they agreed to do this in front of the camera, she continues the story and starts to cry. We are also briefly introduced to his very elderly grandmother. Elton is very open about his addictions to drugs, food, and shopping. He talks about his contract with his record company and the fact that his relationship with them is very good. The DVD has a 2008 audio commentary by Elton and David Furnish reflecting on the changes since 1996. There are also 11 deleted scenes, and they are all good. This made for TV documentary is a fine portrait of a legendary rock star. David Furnish directed.

À toute vitesse (1998)

This French drama explores the complex relationships between gay and straight youths in multi-racial France. During the prologue, shy Algerian teen Samir (Mezziane Bardadi) and his best friend Rick (Romain Auger) rub bloody fingers together as they make a blood-brother's pact. Suddenly a shot rings out and Rick dies of a bullet wound in Samir's arms. Gang leader Jimmy (Stéphane Rideau) is best friends with sensitive writer Quentin (Pascal Cervo), who wants to turn his back on his friends to pursue his career. He won a writers contest and signed a contract to publish his first book, a chronicle of his friends' activities. Now he pays more attention to his career as an author than to his friends or his girlfriend Julie (Élodie Bouchez). Meanwhile university student Julie is becoming attracted to Jimmy, while bereaved Samir is in love with Quentin, who meets him at a party one night. Interested in finding more material for a second book, he gets Samir to tell about his relationship with the late Rick. It's difficult, but Samir complies even as he finds himself increasingly attracted to Quentin. When Quentin rejects Samir, it encourages him to reject his own past and enter into an intense relationship with Jimmy and Julie that will end up changing his life.

Out" magazine wrote that "À toute vitesse" "plays like a modern "Rebel without a Cause'" or "Splendor in the Grass", but this movie never really gets out of first gear. Although it was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, it is somewhat of a disappointment. Paying tribute to the rush associated with reaching the age of 20, this fast-paced sexually charged drama with the metaphor of speed to life lumbers a bit in its symbolism. It has its moments, but its aim seems to meander a bit, leaving a few loose ends. Cinematically the film is strong, especially as a debut film for its director, Gaël Morel--who also wrote the screenplay with Catherine Corsini. The English title is "Full Speed".

Taxi zum Klo (1981)

Frank Ripploh (Frank Ripploh) is a bearded and shaggy-haired teacher. He's gay with a very active sex life and an interest in making films. Frank keeps his personal life and teaching separate, but he sometimes corrects student papers in public toilets as he waits to score. He cruises in porn cinemas, where one night he meets Bernd (Bernd Broaderup), a theater manager. They share a romantic relationship, but Frank's restlessness and need to cruise get in the way. Though he seems to enjoy Bernd's plans for retirement, he also wonders if he'll ever lose the urge to hunt the streets after dark, and have enough money after retirement to hire young boy prostitutes. While Bernd is attentive and caring, Frank gets bored and continues his promiscuous lifestyle. An explicit sex scene occurs mid-film and upsets Frank and Bernd's domestic bliss. How long will Bernd and Frank tolerate each other's habits, and for how long can Frank keep his sexual orientation out of the classroom? Ripploh's hairy bum crack plays a major role in proceedings--it's the first object we see in the movie, and he spends most of his home time in a T-shirt only, bending over and doing calisthenics with no underwear. One scene has Frank at the doctor for an anal wart examination, and nothing is left to the imagination. A lot of old black and white German gay porn is interspersed throughout. Things come to a head during Berlin's annual Queen's Ball and the morning after. The film ends with a pleasant party scene and everyone seems fairly happy with the free atmosphere and gay sex.

Director Frank Ripploh takes an autobiographical approach to filmmaking with this comic exploration of gay life in Berlin in which he plays himself. He also wrote the script. This edgy, intelligent movie has a high status in the history of gay-themed cinema. The Village Voice called it, "The first masterpiece about the mainstream of male gay life". Wayne Koestenbaum called it one of the greatest gay-themed films ever, and said it still blows his mind with its "happy explicitness, its cheerful liberatory politics". In German with English sub-titles, the English title is "Taxi to the John".

Dorian Blues (2005)

Dorian Lagatos (Michael McMillian), a small town young man in upstate New York, is in his final year of high school. He knows he's different and understands why when he reaches the conclusion that he's a "stereotypical gay." Dorian is a social outcast and the butt of his classmates' fag jokes at school. He meets another gay youth locally, but remains confused. So he tries "therapy" with an alcoholic counselor and a psychologist he comes on to, resorts to confession in the Church, and finally comes out to his athletic brother Nicky (Lea Coco). The latter teaches him how to fight and tries to have him spend a night with a prostitute to make him become straight, but it doesn't work. When Dorian decides to come out to his homophobic father Tom (Steve Fletcher), he gets kicked out of the house. He moves to NYC where he discovers a new world of coffee houses, sophisticates, and handsome men. Soon Dorian finds a boyfriend, but gets dumped after two months. His brother visits him and they learn their father has died of a heart attack. At the funeral, his mother Maria (Maureen Quigley) tells him she regrets not stopping his father from being angry with him.

A refreshing and witty coming of age comedy, "Dorian Blues" is a bright, cheerful film about a gay teenager coming to terms with his identity. This critically acclaimed gem won eight awards at the first nine film festivals it screened at and eventually won a total of 14 awards. Written and directed by Tennyson Bardwell, it is loosely based on Bardwell's college roommate.

Testosterone (2004)

Dean Seagrave (David Stucliffe) is a troubled and depressed gay novelist who found success with his novel "Teenage Speed Freak", which was a semi-autobiographical account of his teenage years. Suffering from writer's block, he hasn't written a book in a long time. His fans pressure him to write a new novel and his publisher Louise (Jennifer Coolidge) keeps hounding him and is mean to him. On probation for assaulting an elderly woman, he is also living with a low amount of money in LA. Dean misses his Argentine lover Pablo (Antonio Sabato Jr.), who left their California beach house saying he was going to get cigarettes, but disappeared. This troubles Dean because Pablo was the answer to all of his problems. Unable to work, sleep, or even shave, Dean throws some clothes in a bag and books a flight on Aerolineas, Argentinas. In Buenos Aires, Dean frantically tries to track down Pablo, but this is more difficult than he expected. In addition to the language barrier, Dean discovers that most people he encounters are not what they seem. By the time Dean and Pablo are re-united, the lines between art and life, resolution and revenge, man and maniac, have gone fuzzy. Dean abandons his better judgment, and with a broken heart and testosterone pumping through his veins, plans to have one last talk with Pablo. This comedy/drama is a film adaption from James Robert Baker's novel "Testosterone". It was filmed in Los Angeles, California at the beginning and later in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dennis Hensley wrote the screenplay and David Moreton produced and directed. The film is also known as "Clean Cut".

The Living End (1992)

Gentle film critic Jon (Craig Gilmore) hooks up with violent drifter Luke (Mike Dytri) in this HIV-positive road movie. Luke, a hunky gun-toting hitchhiker has just stolen a car from a pair lesbians and shot a trio of gay bashers. Jon lets Luke stay at his place and soon finds himself drawn into the stranger's world. Both are HIV-positive. Things get worse when Luke kills a homophobic policeman. The pair go on the lam, first to San Francisco, then all over the western United States. Their motto: "Fuck everything." Jon keeps his best friend, Darcy (Darcy Marta), apprised of his situation with infrequent collect calls. But as the road trip continues, Jon becomes increasingly disillusioned with Luke's belief that since they're doomed to die, they should lead consequence-free lives. The film ends on a Californian beach with the sun setting, and the two lovers lie down together. Luke ties up Jon, pulls down his pants and rapes him while holding a cocked gun in his mouth. The idea being, he’ll blow himself up as he climaxes.

Many references to rock bands and their members are made throughout the film. Joy Division's Ian Curtis is mentioned, along with Dead Can Dance, Echo and the Bunnymen and others. A Nine Inch Nails sticker is on the dashboard of Jon's car. The film's title comes from a song by The Jesus and Mary Chain, and a cover version of the song is performed by Braindead Soundmachine during the film's credits. In the movie, Luke is seen wearing a JAMC shirt. Braindead Soundmachine guitarist Cole Coonce is credited with scoring the film's original music. The many cameos include performance artist Johanna Went, director Paul Bartel, Warhol associate Mary Woronov, and Peter Grame, star of the obscure European film "Das Gluck Beim Haendewaschen". Gregg Araki wrote the script and directed.

Swoon (1992)

This film is the most homo-erotic version of the Leopold/Loeb case, a true story of gay lovers Richard Loeb (Daniel Schlachet) and Nathan Leopold Jr. (Craig Chester), who kidnapped and murdered a child in the early 1920s for kicks. Why did the two well-off 18-year-olds kill a 13 year-old boy by the name of Bobby Franks? "Swoon" answers that question in detail, using a style that is impressive but brings little emotion to the film's story. Shot in black and white, with some narration in the sequence of events, the movie provides us a look at the duo that is intriguing, but is tedious and dismal for some viewers. It starts out with a surrealistic reading of Leopold van Sacher-Masoch's "Venus in Furs." This sets the tone for the rest of the film. Told first through the journal entries of the two main characters and then with narration, "Swoon" presents the story of the murderers in a way that is accurate and cinematic. The film shows the relationship of Loeb and Leopold, whose sexual relationship serves as the drive for their crimes against others. Their murder of the Franks child was little more than a promise kept by Loeb to Leopold. In one scene, Leopold tells a psychiatrist of a slave/master fantasy, which describes his relationship with Loeb, who is a calculating intellectual. Leopold , an amateur ornithologist, is the emotional and weak one. In love with Loeb, Leopold is willing to do anything for him, and when Leob withholds sex, Leopold is even willing to commit murder to have sex. "Swoon" lacks energy. In the second half of the film, after their arrest and imprisonment, the movie loses what momentum it had and becomes somewhat boring. Leopold and Loebe escape execution due to a lack of understanding of homosexuality. They were declared mentally deficient according to phrenology and old Freudian neurosis theories. If the establishment of the 1920's understood homosexuality, Leopold and Loeb would surely have hanged, for they were certainly guilty. Scripted by Hilton Als and Tom Kalin, who also directed.