LGBT - Page 7

Manufacturer: Criterion Collection Brand: CRITERION COLLECTIONS

Renato (La grande bouffe’s Ugo Tognazzi) and Albin (Diabolique’s Michel Serrault)—a middle-aged gay couple who are the manager and star performer at a glitzy drag club in St. Tropez—agree to hide their sexual identities, along with their flamboyant personalities and home decor, when the ultraconservative parents of Renato’s son’s fiancée come for a visit. This elegant comic scenario kicks off a wild and warmhearted farce about the importance of nonconformity and the beauty of being true to oneself. A modest French comedy that became a breakout art-house smash in America, Edouard Molinaro’s La Cage aux Folles inspired a major Broadway musical and the blockbuster remake The Birdcage. But with its hilarious performances and ahead-of-its-time social message, there’s nothing like the audacious, dazzling original movie.

Manufacturer: Showtime Ent. Brand: Paramount Model: 4970340

The lives and loves of several devastatingly attractive young gay men continue to be chronicled in candid detail during the second season of this pioneering series. Although it bears the same title as its British forerunner, this stateside version is as homegrown as Pittsburgh, where the action-amorous and otherwise-occurs. Each episode is densely plotted and definitely not for those who favor sanitized dialogue and characters stuck on the straight and narrow. 20 hours on 6 DVDs. They're still out and proud, and in their second season the boys (and girls) of Queer as Folk continued to break ground as the most gay-friendly show on television (sorry, Will and Grace). Some plot lines were a little over the top, others truly heartfelt, but they were never less than entertaining, even during their All My Children moments. Season two opened in the aftermath of the gay-bashing of Justin (Randy Harrison), the young artist who wondered if he'd ever be able to paint or draw again, and went on to face a variety of issues and plotlines as diverse as its characters. Some were timely (Michael negotiating a relationship with new HIV-positive boyfriend Ben), some romantic (lesbians Lindsay and Melanie tying the knot), some new to the show (Emmett embarks on a relationship with a--gasp!--older gentleman), and some, well, far-fetched (how many of you had to wrestle, like Ted did, with starting your own pornographic web site?). While the writing tended to flail about a bit, thankfully coalescing by the season's end, the show continued to be anchored by stellar actors, especially Peter Paige's Emmett, who grew the most during the second season; Michelle Clunie's Melanie, the alternately wry and sweet lesbian who became the show's secret weapon; and, as always, Gale Harold's Brian, the lothario with a heart of tarnished gold. Frustrating, fascinating, exasperating one moment and charming the next, Brian perfectly summed up the guilty pleasures of Queer as Folk, where humanity peeks out every now and then from behind the curtain of ...

Manufacturer: Wolfe Video

BOY MEETS GIRL is a poignant, sexy, romantic coming of age comedy about three twenty year-olds living in Kentucky. Robby (Michael Welch, Twilight) and his best friend since childhood, Ricky, a gorgeous transgender girl, have never dated. Lamenting the lack of eligible bachelors, Ricky considers dating a girl. In walks Francesca, a beautiful young debutante waiting for her Marine fiancé to return from the war. Ricky and Francesca strike up a friendship, and maybe a little more, which forces Robby to face his true feelings for Ricky.

Manufacturer: Canteen Outlaws

Sexual tension spills off the screen in this sweaty, titilating bromance from award-winning director Marco Berger Absent, Plan B, Sexual Tension: Volatile. Hawaii follows Martin and Eugenio (Manuel Vignau and Mateo Chiarino), two former childhood friends who reunite during a hot summer in the Argentinean countryside. As they work together to restore Eugenio s summer home, a game of power and desire ensues forcing the two buddies to grapple with their sexual attraction and reconsider their relationship. With gorgeous cinematography, a lush setting and compelling lead performances, Hawaii; is an intimate character study that pushes past social boundaries.

Manufacturer: Paramount Brand: Paramount Model: 2237846

Queer as Folk Season 5 continues to follow the journey of a group of gay friends and lovers living in Pittsburgh. This critically acclaimed series brings with it mature stories about facing the challenges of same-sex parenting, discrimination, AIDS/HIV, cancer and morality. Gay has rarely been so glamorous as in the American version of Queer as Folk. But the show's success rests on more than hard bodies and glossy, picture-perfect sex (though there's an abundance of that); this series gave its characters a multidimensional richness that rivals more high-profile programs like Six Feet Under or The Sopranos, while tackling an impressive breadth of social and political issues without ever (well, almost never) feeling preachy. The fifth and final season lays out its themes with authority: Alpha-gay Brian (Gale Howard) buys and revamps the sex club Babylon, declaring promiscuity and independence as a gay birthright, while Brian's oldest friend Michael (Hal Sparks, Talk Soup) embraces domesticity with his partner Ben (Robert Gant); the flamboyant Emmett (Peter Paige) finds success as a tv personality, only to find his persona may trap him in a stereotype; and Ted (Scott Lowell) grapples with body prejudices within the gay community. Meanwhile, the crumbling relationship of Mel (Michelle Clunie) and Lindsay (Thea Gill) takes a more troubling turn when Michael demands more rights as the father of their daughter. Most tv series would take a topic like this last legal wrangle and stretch it over an entire season, but Queer as Folk is more ambitious; the writers recognize that the resolution of one problem is rarely the end of the story, that muddy consequences can be as dramatically compelling as head-to-head conflict. This aggressive and effective plotting, combined with the show's willingness to explore the complexities of every issue--be it assimilation or the coming out of a celebrity--results in an increasing emotional power as the series steamrolls towards its final episode. Some subplots can be silly (Brian has a ...

Manufacturer: Strand Releasing Brand: Strand Releasing Model: 26229036

Pim and his ex-beauty queen, single mother, Yvette, live in a small town on the Belgian coast. Trapped, geographically and emotionally, they both yearn for unattainable things. As a boy, Pim occupies his time drawing and fantasizing while keeping his emerging desires for his older neighbor friend, Gino, a secret. As a teenager, his infatuation for Gino grows, but his feelings are unrequited and Gino leaves home to move-in with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Yvette spends her time drinking and entertaining unwanted suitors, longing to travel and see the world. When things at home take a turn for the worse, Pim finds comfort and solace in Gino s family who receive him with open arms and for the first time in his life he understands what it means to be loved. NORTH SEA TEXAS is a touching coming-of-age drama about sexual discovery and navigating through the emotions of first love. In Dutch with English Subtitles

Manufacturer: TLA Releasing

Does anyone ever forget the time they felt the incredible force of first love? When Mike's English teacher pairs him up for a class assignment on 'Romeo and Juliet' with hot new kid William, Mike can't believe his luck!. As the two spend more and more time working together on a monster movie version of the Bard's classic tale, they soon realize their feelings for one another may be more powerful than either is truly ready for. A touching and original take on the all encompassing power of first love, 'Monster Pies' is sure to move even the hardest of hearts. Special Features: Deleted Scenes Short Film 'Karmarama' Original Trailer

Manufacturer: Wolfe Video Brand: Wolfe Video Model: 2068D

Its In The Water It's in the Water is a charming little indie set in the sleepy, conservative Southern town of Azalea Springs. When an AIDS hospice opens up, the local homophobes go up in arms, polarizing the community. The heart of the movie, though, is the story of Alex, our listlessly married heroine who begins to have second thoughts about her orientation. (There is also a very slight "comic" subplot involving a rumor that drinking the local water turns people gay. Ignore it.) While Alex's discovery process is a rather quick one due to the constraints of movie timing, it is well handled, including an affectionate sequence during which Alex watches the entire Lesbian Film Canon. While the straight characters tend to be rather broadly drawn, It's in the Water is a gentle film at heart and well worth an evening. The DVD edition includes commentary by the director and leading actresses that is both funny and interesting--in particular the discussion of what it was like for two straight actresses to play their first gay love scene. --Ali Davis

Manufacturer: Ariztical Entertainment Brand: ARIZTICAL ENTERTAINMENT INC

Caleb, a hunky straight college student falls for fag-hag-gone-extreme Gwen, so Caleb's gay roommate Kyle convinces him that pretending to be gay will get Gwen's attention, and it does. But instead of hooking up with Caleb, Gwen decides to fix him up wit