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

Kubo and the Two Strings (Blu-ray Review) – Into Laika’s incredible stop-motion Samurai world

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Kubo is a young boy, living secluded with his mother inside a mountain. Each day he goes to the nearby village and tells stories, using his magic to enact them to the villagers with moving origami figures. He tells the story of his heroic father, who was killed trying to save Kubo from his evil grandfather, the Moon King. Kubo lost an eye in the attack, but he and his mother managed to escape.

Kubo’s mother has told him there is one big rule – he must be home before darkness falls. However, while trying to honour his dead father the sun goes down and he comes under attack from his aunts. His mother uses the last magic to get Kubo to safety, telling him that his only way to protect himself is to find three magical pieces of armour that will make him nearly invulnerable. With his mother gone, Kubo’s only protection comes from Monkey, a charm that his mother brought to life as part of her final act, as well as Beetle, a man-size warrior bug they come across, who’s had his memory erased. [Read more…]

Equals (DVD Review)

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Following a devastating war that has destroyed most of the Earth’s habitable surface, one of two remaining populations now lives in a sterile world, having completely suppressed and eradicated their emotions. However, sometimes the methods used to rid them of their primitive urges don’t work, and people end up with ‘Switched On Syndrome’, where their emotions begin to rise.

Silas (Nicholas Hoult) discovers that he is ‘infected’, and that he will eventually reach Stage 3, where he’ll be carted off and given a ‘death scenario’. He starts to fall for co-worker Nia (Kristen Stewart), who he discovers also has the ‘disease’ but is hiding it. They know that if their relationship is discovered there will be serious repercussions, but they cannot help but fall deeper in love. [Read more…]

Bad Bromance (The D-Train) (DVD Review)

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When Bad Bromance (under its original title, The D-Train) first debuted at film festivals, it was met with surprise largely for a single scene, which it appears no one watching was expecting. Indeed, it is perhaps the playing down of that scene that’s contributed to the film making little impact.

Jack Black plays Dan, who’s living a dead-end life in the same town he grew up in. He has no real friends – people actively avoid hanging out with him – and very little to get excited about. He is however the chair of the 20th Anniversary High School reunion committee, but he’s having difficulty getting anyone to attend.

Then he hits on an idea – talking Oliver Lawless (James Marsden) into coming. Oliver left the town behind for LA and now stars in a national TV commercial. Dan is convinced getting him to attend would ensure plenty of others would also turn up. To put his plan into action, Dan concocts a fake business trip to Los Angeles to woo Oliver. [Read more…]

Ricki And The Flash (Blu-ray Review)

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A film like Ricki And The Flash makes you realise just how good Meryl Streep is, as without her this film is likely to have gotten far worse reviews than it did. She is obviously having a great time in the lead role of an aging rockers whose dreams of stardom never really came to anything, and now finds herself somewhat estranged from her kids.

Ricki (whose real name is Linda) gets a call from her ex-husband, Pete (Kevin Kline), to tell her their daughter, Julie (Mamie Gummer), is severely depressed after her hubby ran off with another woman. Ricki jumps on a plane from California to Iowa and discovers things are worse than she thought, as Julie has attempted suicide. However, Julie seems to respond to having her mother around, even if her two sons are less impressed about having the mother who virtually abandoned them around. [Read more…]

In The Grayscale (US DVD Review)

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I’m starting to think we should just leave South America to make all the gay-themed movies, as they seem to have a knack for it. This Chilean effort follows architect Bruno (Francisco Celhay), who has a wife, child and a seemingly picture perfect life. However, he isn’t happy and is in the process of moving out in order to find himself.

Bruno is then offered the chance to design something iconic for Santiago by a businessman hoping to make his mark. This brings him into contact with history teacher Fer, who has been brought in to help Bruno with his new project. Fer is witty, lively and, as Bruno soon discovers, gay. Being around Fer begins to bring out something Bruno has been repressing, and soon a romance is blossoming. However, the reality of his former life and the big changes continuing his relationship with Fer will cause, ensure it won’t be an easy love. [Read more…]

Dressed As A Girl (Cinema Review)

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There are plenty of different opinions out there about drag queens, from those that think it’s a valuable part of the LGBT heritage or a harmless bit of fun, to those who feel it is a mockery of women and trans people, and plays into harmful stereotypes.

Dressed As A Girl should challenge a lot of people’s ideas of the world of drag – whether they’re positive, negative or indifferent – taking us into the lives of several members of the London East End alternative drag scene. Although there is a sort-of narration and interviews with the participants, there’s generally a bit of a cinema verité feel, with the camera following the performers around (it was filmed across six years) and allowing the viewer to contemplate what’s going on.

It’s a veritable bunch of eccentrics, from veterans such as Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, to up and comers like Scottee. There’s also Holestar, a drag performer who isn’t just dressed as a girl, as she was born one, and Amber, who has gone from the drag scene to transitioning to live as a woman full time. [Read more…]

Whiplash (DVD Review)

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It’s not too surprising that most of the posters for Whiplash, and indeed the DVD cover, is covered in quotes and star ratings from reviews. After all, it was always going to be a tough sell at the cinema to get your average moviegoer to give it a chance, as few people will go ‘Do you fancy seeing the one about the young drummer who gets shouted at a lot?’ – unless you give them a damn good reason, that is. JK Simmons deservedly winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar didn’t hurt either.

It’s actually not too bad a plot synopsis that this is a film about a young drummer who gets shouted at a lot. It’s about a lot more than that too, not least what it takes to make someone truly great at something, rather than just being good. [Read more…]

Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of (Cinema Review)

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Well done making me feel old Backstreet Boys. It was recently their 20th anniversary, which makes me feel ancient, as I can remember when they were the new kids on the block (who were constantly compared to the New Kids Of The Block). This documentary was made as part of the celebration of that milestone, as well as to chronicle a new page in the Boys’ book, with the return of Kevin Richardson to the group, along with a new album and tour.

It’s the sort of documentary project that could have been far too laudatory and vain for its own good, but it turns out Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of is much more interesting than that. The film mixes showing us what is happening with the boys as they record their new album – including some major bust-ups and Brian having massive issues with his voice – with the history of the band. [Read more…]

All Stars (DVD)

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This is one of those films that grown-up critics almost shouldn’t be allowed to review. It’s not for them. However the eight-year-olds who’ll probably love this aren’t known for their ability to write reviews and so it’s left to us oldies.

Okay, let’s start with the snooty film critic review: All Stars is derivative to the point that it almost feels like they took scenes from about a thousand other movies and merely changed the names. There is nothing in this film that hasn’t been seen many, many times before, which will have many people rolling their eyes at how unimaginative and predictable it is. [Read more…]

Alex Cross (Blu-ray)

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We’ve rather missed out on Tyler Perry here in the UK. While his self-written and directed movies have proved big hits amongst African-American audiences in the US and turned him into a multi-millionaire, many of his films never got cinemas releases in Britain. Some did get belated DVD releases, but a few have never come out here at all. Alex Cross is Perry’s attempt to segue over into the worldwide mainstream cinema success, as well as being the first film to have him in the lead that he didn’t also write and helm himself (he did pop up in a small role in Star Trek though). [Read more…]