To be in for consideration, BGPS needed to have reviewed the movie over the last 12 months. It should also be noted it’s not based purely on the score out of 10 we gave the movie at the time of the review, but also how we view it in hindsight and whether it’s stuck with us over the months. So take a look below to see what we think is the best of 2016.
10. Fire Song
Synopsis: Canadian First Nations youth Shane is nearing the end of high school and hoping to escape the dead-end community he grew up in and head to university in the big city. However, his sister recently committed suicide, leaving him with an almost catatonic mother who he needs to support. While he has a girlfriend, he’s also been seeing David, the closeted grandson of a tribal elder, with both of them knowing that ‘two-spirited’ people aren’t always accepted. As he juggles his responsibilities and dreams, things begin to take darker turns.
From Our Review: A really good film, giving insight into a relatively little seen world in a way that may have anger, but tempers that with compassion, love and an unexpected sweetness. Anchored by an appealing romance between two young men living with massive pressures upon them, it’s difficult not to empathise and hope that somehow they can find peace and happiness.
9. Margarita, With A Straw
Synopsis: Laila has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. She’s in college and on the cusp of womanhood, but is becoming increasingly aware that due to her disability, people have difficulty seeing her as an adult, with her own sexual and emotional needs. After getting a scholarship to study in the US, she meets Khanum, who is blind, and Laila is surprised when she begins to fall for her. The two end up dating, but Laila is still in the midst of her journey of self-discovery, which results in a brief dalliance with Jared and problems when Laila and Khanum head to Delhi to visit Laila’s family.
From Our Review: Tackling so many ‘politically correct’ subjects, Margarita With A Straw was in danger of coming across as more of a public service announcement than a movie. However, from the first few minutes it becomes clear this will be nothing like that. Anchored by a truly excellent performance from Kalki Koechlin, the film is more interested in the central character and her journey than purely making points about sexuality and disability. There’s an honesty to the film. Laila isn’t a saint in a wheelchair, she’s a normal person, but who has to deal with other people’s narrow view of her, and her changing views of herself.
8. Closet Monster
Synopsis: Oscar is a teenager, just coming into his own in life. Coming from a broken home and living with a difficult father, he’s seeking an escape, which he hopes to get by being accepted into a makeup school in New York. His father thinks Oscar may be dating his female friend, but actually Oscar is more interested in his male co-worker at his new job. As the weeks go by, the pressure begins to build for Oscar as he increasingly feels trapped. Eventually they reach breaking point, with the memories of a horrific homophobic assault he witnessed as a child always haunting the back of his mind.
From Our Review: Closet Monster has a great sense for how teen life can sometimes feel both banal and extreme simultaneously, as well as how a series of relatively small things can build to the point where an explosion is almost inevitable… For the first 10 minutes I thought it was just going to be the same film we’ve seen hundreds of times before, but it surprised with both its depth and its maturity. With many films you can sit on the outside feeling empathy for the characters, but what Closet Monster does well is to let you feel like you’re on the inside of Oscar’s world.
7. Girls Lost
Synopsis: The movie follows teenagers Kim, Bella and Momo, who are the misfits of their school. They manage to grow a special flower, which when they drink its nectar, allows them to outwardly become boys. The nectar gives them a chance to experience life as young men, which includes both excitement and a feeling of power, but also confusion and the risk of violence. Bella and Momo enjoy their time as guys, but for them it’s a fun diversion. However, Kim increasingly begins to feel that being a man is right and who she should really be, while simultaneously falling for the troubled Tony.
From Our Review: Girls Lost is a great little film, using its magical setup to take a look at serious issues in an interesting and entertaining way. Unlike many young adult movies it doesn’t pull its punches, taking Kim’s gender issues seriously and also exploring how they intersect with sexuality. It also takes on issues such as violence and even attempted rape, weaving that into a rather smart look at gender that eschews simple stereotypes and instead looks a bit deeper into the positives and negatives of both ends of the gender spectrum.
6. Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer In Rural America
Synopsis: A documentary about young gay man Moises Serrano, who was born in Mexico but brought to the US when he was a toddler. Due to his background he is undocumented, and now campaigns for people like himself, giving the issues a human face. His status means he’s not just barred from many basic benefits naturalised citizens get, but when the documentary opens he’s potentially at risk of being deported to a country he hasn’t been in since he was two-years-old. However, as Obama plans changes to the rights of young undocumented people, and the Supreme Court makes decisions about gay rights, Moises world and possibilities start to change.
From Our Review: Moises is a pretty inspiring figure and the documentary that surrounds him is a fascinating watch, using him as a focus to explore the issues facing undocumented and LGBT people. It’s one of those films that makes you so mad about the issues it talks about that it makes you want to do something about it. It’s incredibly smart that in the credits it gives US citizens a simple way to do just that by contacting their elected representatives to show their support for immigration reform, to counteract the fact those against it are often more vocal.
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