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

Jack Whitehall Gets Around – Live From Wembley Arena (DVD Review)

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Jack Whitehall is a bit of a Marmite comedian, although you do get the impression that his detractors are more annoyed that he’s young, good-looking and funny than being bothered about the edge of smugness that some accuse him of. He’s certainly come a long way in a short time, with this DVD documenting his Wembley gig, which was part of a huge arena tour that attracted audiences in the 10s of thousands. And he’s still only 26.

As with many young comedians who become a big headline act, there is undoubtedly a sense that he’s still learning his trade and coming into his own. That’s particularly clear by his reliance on ‘mistakes’, which probably work well when you’re watching him live, but on DVD it’s clear that these are not mistakes at all, or at least perhaps they were at one point during the tour but have now been woven into the act and are now very deliberate. Comedians making deliberate mistakes is extremely common, but it shouldn’t look like that’s what they’re doing. [Read more…]

Open Up To Me (Fringe! Festival Review)

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You could be forgiven for thinking that the only type of film and TV that Scandinavian countries make are moody thrillers, but that’s solely because the more diverse cinema that comes from that area doesn’t get much of an international release. And on the evidence of Open Up To Me, that’s a shame.

Maarit (Leea Klemola) has transitioned from male to female and is now trying to find her new place in life, something not made easier by the fact that she’s now estranged from her former wife and daughter. She wants to help people and an unexpected opportunity arises when she almost accidentally poses as a therapist for teacher Sami (Peter Franzén), who’s in the midst of a marital crisis. [Read more…]

Sharknado 2: The Second One (Blu-ray Review)

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Oh dear God, here we go again. Sharknado became a bit of an odd sensation last year, not because anyone thought it was going to be a good film, but purely because of the title. Indeed as director Anthony C. Ferrante openly admits in the Featurette on the Sharknado 2 Blu-ray, the first film was only made after the Syfy Channel liked a joke about a sharknado in one of Ferrante’s earlier movies and decided they wanted to create an entire movie based around that word being the title.

After the success of the first one – it was admittedly success mired in utter derision, but it was success nevertheless – a sequel was inevitable. And to be honest it’s rather like the first one – unable to decide how much of a comedy it is and what sort it should be, as well as constantly flirting on the line between trying to ensure the audience has a good time and having so little respect for them that there are moments that feel like the cinematic equivalent of someone giving you the finger. [Read more…]

Boy Meets Girl (Best Feature Film, Iris Prize Festival 2014)

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This is a beautiful movie.

Set somewhere in the Deep South of America, we meet Rikki, a transgender girl who laments that her small home town contains no boys she could fall in love with, so jokingly says she’ll try to find a girl instead. She almost immediately bumps into beautiful stranger Francesca, and the two hit it off as friends.

While Francesca is initially very naive about Rikki’s transgender issues, she doesn’t let that get in the way of their friendship. Slowly their relationship deepens and both girls begin to explore different aspects of their own sexuality, despite Francesca’s fiancée, a US Marine currently away on a tour of duty, expressing his disgust at everything Rikki represents. [Read more…]

Bruno & Earlene Go To Vegas (DVD Review)

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Drifting in LA, Bruno (Miles Szanto) meets the slightly older Earlene (Ashleigh Summer) and almost in spite of themselves they begin to bond, connecting over the fact they’re both outsiders. After deciding to get away from the City Of Angels, they head off into the desert with plans to get to the bright lights of Las Vegas.

It’s not a straightforward trip though, and along the way they come across a sexually uncertain outlaw, a pair of Scottish former strippers and the inhabitants of a desert ghost town. Although to the outside this collection of huts and ramshackle houses looks like a tenuous community, Bruno begins to feel that he might have finally found a place that is prepared to accept you no matter how atypical you are, while the alcoholic Earlene isn’t as sure she should even be allowed to find a home. [Read more…]

Frank (DVD Review)

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Michael Fassbender is a top actor who can have his choice of roles, so it initially seemed bizarre that he wanted to make a movie where he spends the vast majority of the runtime with a giant papier-mâché head covering his face. However as I watched more of the movie, I began to realise what an interesting role it must have seemed from his perspective.

For a start it means he has to create a performance and a character with just his body and voice, something he does an extremely good job of. It’s also gives him a chance to play a surprisingly interesting person as it begins to reveal more and more about the man inside the head. [Read more…]

Bad Neighbours (aka Neighbors) (Cinema)

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The title is the first clue. Any film with a duh title like that is clearly the product of the Hollywood sausage machine, and Bad Neighbours is a classic example. The script seems to be written on autopilot, or on a software programme that probably looks like settings>frat boy comedy>couple of stars>condom gags>90 minutes. It’s predictable, utterly unfunny, full of tiresome knob and beer gabs and a total waste of the talent involved. [Read more…]

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 (Blu-ray)

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Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs was a surprise success – a movie that on paper sounded too bizarre to find a mass audience, but thanks to wit, immense inventiveness and a clever use of its premise grossed over $240 million around the world. The sequel isn’t quite as good as the first movie, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Following the events of the first film, the island that inventor Flint Lockwood lived on is now covered in the food that his fantastical machine managed to create. As a result Live Corp and its chief, Chester V (who’s Flint hero), agree to step in with promises to clean things up, while giving everyone a home on the mainland in the meantime. Flint is given a job at Live Corp, where he’s always wanted to work. [Read more…]

Stand Up Guys (Blu-ray)

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Val (Al Pacino) gets out of prison after 28 years and is met by Doc (Christopher Walken), an old friend and former criminal associate. They catch up and Val wants to celebrate his release, which eventually involves robbing a pharmacy, finding hookers, stealing a car, and spring another of their old pals, Hirsch (Alan Arkin), from his old folks home so they can share one last hurrah.

However there’s one big wrinkle. Before he was locked up, Val accidentally shot the son of a major criminal. That had guy has been waiting all this time to get his revenge and has ordered Doc to kill Val before the following morning. [Read more…]

Bruno & Earlene Go To Vegas – Iris Prize 2013 Review

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After running away from a situation she cannot handle, Earlene finds herself at Venice Beach where she meets and soon becomes close to Bruno, a lost and wandering intersex skater. Together, they head into the desert to find themselves. Their search brings them to a sexually confused thief, a tap-dancing drag queen, a Scottish boyband and many other kindred souls, all drawn to a place where they can escape the world that seemingly has no place for them. [Read more…]