Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Orange Is The New Black Season 4 Trailer – Prison life isn’t getting any easier

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orange-is-the-new-black-season-4Perhaps more than any other series, Orange Is The New Black that proved streaming services could not just compete with the major TV networks but better many of them. The show is heading into Season 4, and the trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘From Jenji Kohan, the creator of “Weeds”, Orange is the New Black is a thought-provoking, funny and evocative show about life in a women’s prison. Based on the best-selling memoir by Piper Kerman, the newest season of Orange delves into the racial and economic tensions that run rampant in the halls of Litchfield. Overrun with new inmates and overseen by inexperienced guards, the prison undergoes an unprecedented culture war.’

All 13 episodes will be available from June 17th. Take a look at the Season 4 trailer. [Read more…]

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Carol Wins Big At The Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics’ Dorian Awards

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carol-review-slideWhile Carol may have missed out on a Best Picture Oscar nomination it’s gotten massive amounts of love from the Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association’s Dorian Awards, which bestowed five prizes on the movie, including Film of the Year, Director of the Year (Todd Haynes), Screenplay of the year (Phyllis Nagy) and LGBTQ Film of the Year. In addition, Cate Blanchett, star of the ‘50s-set lesbian romance, earned Film Performance of the Year – Actress for her titular turn. Haynes also was also hailed as Wilde Artist of the Year (named for the group’s patron saint Oscar Wilde). As for Film Performance of the Year – Actor, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant prevailed. Blanchett previously won a Dorian Award for Blue Jasmine.

Director Sean Baker’s Tangerine, the drama of a clique of transgender women navigating the mean streets of Hollywood, took Unsung Film of the Year, while George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road was deemed Visually Striking Film of the Year. Amy, the unvarnished account of the rise and fall of soulful singer Amy Winehouse, won Documentary of the Year.

In television categories, Fargo and Orange is the Black tied for TV Drama of the Year. Transparent won for TV Comedy of the Year, with star Jeffrey Tambor winning his second Dorian for TV Performance of the Year – Actor. Empire’s Taraji P. Henson was victorious in the Actress category (her series landed as Campy TV Show of the Year).

Taking a stand in less traditional categories, GALECA members chose edgy comic and society button-pusher Amy Schumer (Trainwreck, Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer) as Wilde Wit of the Year. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won TV Current Affairs Show of the Year. Campy Flick victor: Magic Mike XXL.

GALECA’s annual, Hasty Pudding-esque Winners Toast is set for Sunday, March 6, in Los Angeles. The week previous, GALECA added actress Jane Fonda – veteran star of the film classics Klute, Coming Home, 9 to 5 as well as the past year’s Youth and ongoing Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie – to their Timeless Star list, a career achievement kudos that also includes Sir Ian McKellen, George Takei, Betty White, Chloris Leachman and Fonda’s Grace costar Lily Tomlin.

Take a look at the full list of winners (with nominees) in bold:

[Read more…]

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Orange Is The New Black – Season 2 (Blu-ray Review)

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When Season 1 of Orange Is The New Black debuted on Netflix it proved that House Of Cards wasn’t a fluke and that the streaming service could compete with the US TV networks in terms of quality. However it was noticeable that while it was entertaining, it sometimes felt like its best characters were given short shrift, while the less interesting ones got all the screen time.

They seem to have realised that as with Season 2 the show manages to far better integrate the likes of the majestic Laverne Cox’s Sophia (although she’s still not in it enough), and Uzo Aduba’s ‘Crazy Eyes’. Indeed the show gives Uzo so much room to showcase her talents that she won an Emmy. It’s great that in a rare show that’s peopled almost completely by women, Orange Is The New Black has grown the confidence to realise that it has enough great characters that any of them can carry the story. [Read more…]

Orange Is The New Black Season 3 Trailer Arrives – What’s next for Piper & co.?

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orange-is-the-new-black-s3-slide2Just a couple of years ago many scoffed at the idea that an online service such as Netflix could produce television that could compete with network entertainment, and that the streaming service was just throwing money away by trying it.

However the likes of House Of Card and Orange Is The New Black have proven them very wrong. Indeed, with Golden Globe nominations and multiple Emmy wins, the extremely LGBT-friendly Orange Is The New Black is amongst the most acclaimed shows around.

Now it’s gearing up for Season 3, which will premiere on June 12th. And now we have the first trailer, which you can watch below.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, the award-winning and critically acclaimed Netflix Original Series, is back for an all-new season. Piper, Red, Crazy Eyes, Taystee, Poussey, Sophia, Daya, Gloria, Big Boo, Pennsatucky and all of Litchfield’s ladies are back for more drama and laughter…as Alex makes her return and a new inmate, Stella (Ruby Rose) joins the gang.’ [Read more…]

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Mark Ruffalo Takes Screen Actors Guild Award For The Normal Heart (& Accepts From His Bed In London)

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normal-heart-bomer-ruffaloThe LGBT brigade had a lot to cheer at the Screen Actors Guild, with two awards for Orange Is The New Black with Orange Is The New Black walking away with two awards and Mark Ruffalo winning Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie for his impressive turn in The Normal Heart.

Ruffalo played gay man Ned Weeks in the film, who ends up on the frontline of the fights against AIDS after the initially mysterious disease first started affecting the gay male community, and was met with antipathy, fear and outright hostility from many in healthcare and the government.

Orange Is The New Black meanwhile walked away with Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, while the wonderful Udo Uduba got some individual love winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. It’s particularly impressive for Aduba as the award usually goes to someone who’s a lead in a show, while Uzo won despite playing a supporting character. She can now add it to her Emmy and Critics’ Choice Award.

As the awards are voted for by actors, who make up the largest voting block for the Oscars, many see the Screen Actors Guild as one of the best bell-weathers for the Academy Awards. As such Birdman got a boost by winning Best Motion Picture ensemble, while Eddie Redmayne and Julianne Moore cemented their Oscar frontrunner position by winning the SAG Film Lead Acting gongs.

Rather entertaininly though, Ruffalo wasn’t on hand to pick up his award, so he ending up tweeting an impromptu acceptance speech from his bed in London, where he’s working on Avengers 2 reshoots. You can take a look at what he said below.

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Imitation Game, Pride & Normal Heart Lead A Great Year For LGBT Entertainment In The Golden Globe Nominations

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pride-better-slideIt seems far too early for the Awards Season to have started, but with the Oscars recently moving earlier in the year it’s pushed all the other shows up as well. That means that while 2013 hasn’t ended yet and several of the big award contenders are yet to be released, the Golden Globe nominations are already out, ahead of the ceremony on January 11th, 2015 (which is deliberately timed to be handed out just a few days before Oscar nomination ballots are due).

Often seen as the biggest (or at least noisiest) bellweather for the Academy Awards, this year Birdman led the movie list with seven nominations, while Boyhood and The Imitation Game got five each.

On the TV side Fargo led the way with five nominations, while True Detective scored four.

There were some surprises, with Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken being completely shut out, while Pride getting a Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical nomination was impressive for a film that had little awards buzz and which scored just $1.4 million on its US release (despite near universal rave reviews). The hope is that the Golden Globe buzz may encourage a few more Oscar voters to check out the British film about a group of gay men and lesbians who form a bond with the small Welsh villagers during the 1980s miners’ strike.

Imitation Game and Pride led a great year for LGBT entertainment at the Globes, which also included Transparent scoring a nomination for Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical, and the series’ star, Jeffrey Tambor, being acknowledged in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical category.

The Normal Heart was also included with a Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television nomination, while both Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer amongst the acting nominees. Similarly Orange Is The New Black is up for Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical, with acting noms for Taylor Schilling and Uzo Aduba.

You can take a look at the full list of nominations below: [Read more…]

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Laverne Cox Makes History As The First Transgender Emmy Nominee Ever

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laverne-cox-oitnbThe rise of Orange Is The New Black’s Laverne Cox continues with the actress scoring a Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy nomination, which marks the first time a transgender person has ever been so honoured.

Cox’s nomination is just one of 12 the show received, with the series’ actresses dominating the comedy categories. Alongside Laverne in the Guest Actress list are Natasha Lyonne and Uzo Aduba, Kate Mulgrew is up for Best Supporting Actress and Taylor Schilling will compete for Best Actress In A Comedy Series.

It was a good year for LGBT-themed entertainment, as along with Orange Is The New Black’s noms, The Normal Heart scored major attention for its actors, as Mark Ruffalo is up for Best Actor In A Miniseries Or Movie, while in the Best Supporting Actor category it scored an incredible four of the five noms for Alfred Molina, Jim Parson, Joe Mantello and Matt Bomer. Julia Roberts also got a look in on the Supporting Actress list.

Indeed, looking through the list of Emmy nominees the vast majority of shows included in the list include gay content, from Modern Family and Game Of Thrones, to Masters Of Sex and Downton Abbey.

However, while it’s been an incredible year for Laverne Cox, topped by her Emmy nomination and being featured on the cover of Time, the actress has been talking recently about how her rise to success has come with a dark side – as more public exposure has resulted in increased attacks on her on the internet. While it has often been noted that social media has allowed transgender people to start controlling their own public stories for the first time, the flipside is that it means the entire world can answer back, and many people are both cruel and almost stunningly bigoted.

In an emotional interview with BET, Cox says, “I’ve felt it since the cover of TIME Magazine, like all of a sudden like my Twitter feed and my Instagram there’s all this negativity. I was getting Google Alerts about me [somehow being in league] with Satan.”

You can take a look below. [Read more…]

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Orange is the New Black Writer Says The Show Helped Her Realise She Is Gay

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orange-is-the-new-black-bd-coverMuch has been written about how wonderfully LGBT friendly Orange Is The New Black is – including recently on this site – and that side of the show got very personal for one of the writers, Lauren Morelli, as she says working on the Netflix series helped her realise she was gay, even though she’d recently married a man.

Writing on Policymic, she says “[From my] first episode of Orange, my life fell into a parallel rhythm with Piper’s story in a way that went from interesting to terrifying in a matter of months”.

“The sound stage for Orange, where we proudly employ what has to be at least 64% of lesbians in the New York City metro area, is not a place where you can shy away from women or sexuality.

“As we started to shape our characters and debate fictional Piper’s ‘true’ sexuality that first season, we engaged in long discussions about sex, gender and our own experiences.

“I was finally forced to consider a question that had never, ever occurred to me before: Holy shit, am I gay?

“While it certainly would have been disorienting to begin to question my sexuality after three decades of knowing myself, it was particularly blinding because I’d gotten married only a few months before.

“It’s now a punch in the gut every time I have to say, ‘I’m getting divorced because I’m gay’. It’s a sentence I’ve said approximately 5,223 times in the last six months.

“I am now out to my family, my friends and most of my co-workers on Orange.

“Now, when I am in the writers’ room or on set, I no longer feel like I am stuck in the middle of two truths.

“I belong because my own narrative fits in alongside the fictional stories that we are telling on the show: stories of people finding themselves, of difficult paths and of redemption.”

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Orange Is The New Black – Season 1 (Blu-ray Review)

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When Netflix first announced it was going to make TV-style series, few people expected much. After all, most previous web content that stretched beyond a few minutes was absolutely dreadful. However the subscription-based internet upstart has proved they can equal or even better the US networks, with House Of Cards winning Golden Globes and Emmys, while Orange Is The New Black took TV Program Of The Year at the AFI Awards and received almost universal acclaim.

Loosely based on an acclaimed memoir, the 13 episodes of Season 1 follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who’s been sentenced to a term in prison for transporting drug money and is just about to enter a US women’s federal penitentiary. That means leaving behind her nice, middle-class life and her fiancé (Jason Biggs) and going to a place she knows nothing about. [Read more…]