Pride 2017: But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)

In the late 90s and early '00s, Natasha Lyonne starred in several offbeat or irreverent films. While I'm partial to the 1998 coming-of-age movie Slums of Beverly Hills, one of her most iconic performances is definitely the lead role of Megan in 1999's But I'm a Cheerleader (dir. Jamie Babbit). Source: IMDb Megan, a cheerleader …

Pride 2017: Tangerine (2015)

When Tangerine was released, one of the main things that garnered attention was that it was filmed entirely on the iPhone 5s. As someone who is a sucker for creative, low-budget cinematography, Tangerine is worth watching for this factor alone. Director Sean Baker succeeds in making great use of the technology to capture some creative …

Pride 2017: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

I'm wrapping up reviews today, starting with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (dir. Stephan Elliott). Source: IMDb Priscilla stars Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp as two drag queens and a transgender woman who go on a road trip across the Australian desert to perform a drag show in a remote resort town. Traveling …

Pride 2017: Milk (2008)

I'm going to be honest: the hardest part of this review series was when I decided to try to review Milk. Source: IMDb Here's the thing: Milk is a very well-made movie. Gus Van Sant is perhaps one of my favorite directors. Dustin Lance Black's script is very good. The cinematography and production design do …

Pride 2017: Bound (1996)

While LGBTQ representation in film has improved greatly over the past couple decades, there's still a dearth of genre films about LGBTQ characters. So 1996's Bound, written and directed by the Wachowskis very early in their careers, is particularly significant. It would be hyperbolic to call it a perfect movie, because it's not, but it …

Pride 2017: Saving Face (2004)

As I finish up this review series, I'd like to review one of my all-time favorite LGBTQ-themed films: Saving Face (2004, dir. Alice Wu) Source: IMDb Michelle Krusiec stars as Wil, a successful New York surgeon. Having grown up in a traditional Chinese-American community, Wil is fiercely closeted about being a lesbian and tolerates her mother's matchmaking …

Pride 2017: The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Note: This review will contain some major spoilers, as I don't think I can do it justice without addressing them. But it's a seven-year-old movie, so.... You've been warned. Source: IMDb Critically-praised movies about LGBTQ characters starring A-list actors are something of a rarity, so Lisa Cholodenko's 2010 film The Kids Are All Right is promising …

Pride 2017: Big Eden (2000)

Even today, it can be difficult to find movies focused on LGBTQ characters where the focus isn't on being LGBTQ. Many films with LGBTQ romances still focus heavily on themes such as coming out or falling in love in the face of adversity. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I find it personally …

Pride 2017: Pariah (2011)

Note: I'm a little bit behind schedule, so this will probably be the only review for this weekend. I'll catch up later in the week or next weekend. Source: IMDb Directed by Dee Rees, Pariah is centered on Alike, AKA Lee (Adepero Oduye), a teenage lesbian growing up in Brooklyn. Lee juggles two personas. When she's at …

Pride 2017: The Normal Heart (2014)

So far, I've looked at a miniseries (When We Rise) and an HBO miniseries based on a play (Angels in America). Now, let's look at an HBO movie based on a play: the 2014 adaptation of Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. Source: IMDb I had no idea what to expect with this movie when …