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

The Way He Looks (Cinema Review)

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The Way He Looks is Daniel Ribiero’s masterful treatment of his Iris Prize 2012-winning short, and in what might be a rare case, the extended version is at least as good as the original short – indeed it won the Teddy Award for Best LGBT movie at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

As blind Leo (Gilherme Lobo) begins to grow into young manhood, his best friend Giovanna (Tess Amorim), who looks out for him, starts to get in his way, so he begins to plan an exchange trip abroad. However, when a new classmate called Gabriel (Fabio Audi) arrives, the three become friends and Leo begins to consider revising his plans. As the bond between Leonardo and Gabriel deepens, they start to realise there’s something beyond friendship brewing, but must also battle the social pressures of girls and drinking and schoolmates. [Read more…]

Walking On Sunshine (DVD Review)

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The musical Walking On Sunshine is undoubtedly a bizarre proposition. There’s virtually no part of it that doesn’t seem ill-judged and pretty bizarre, yet after 90 minutes of what feels like someone screaming in your face ‘HAVE A NICE TIME!’, it’s difficult not to succumb to a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome and submit (while hating yourself for it).

Walking On Sunshine was always going to have a difficult time from the moment that it decided that it was going to have as little plot as possible, but what it would have would revolve you hoping that one sister would be able to steal the other’s fiancé before the credits roll. That’s a tough sell in a drama, let alone a movie that’s essentially an excuse to string together a series of 80s pop songs. [Read more…]

Concussion (DVD Review)

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A film about a lesbian who decides to become an escort and then sleep with a variety of woman may sound like a sleazy straight-man’s wet dream, but Stacie Passon’s Concussion is actually a far rarer beast – a movie that takes women and their sexuality seriously as its central subject.

Abby (Robin Wiegert) is a women living what ought to be the perfect modern gay life, with a wife, beautiful children, a home in the suburbs and plenty of friends. However like many others Abby’s found the reality of suburbia isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be, especially as the life has gone out of parts of her relationship. [Read more…]

Leather (US DVD)

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After the death of his father, Andrew (Andrew Glaszek) returns from the city to the Catskill Mountains where he grew up, taking his rather fey boyfriend, Kyle (Jeremy Neal), along with him. They head to Andrew’s father’s house/cabin, only to find that rough-hewn mountain man/hunk Birch (Chris Graham) is living there.

Birch was a childhood friend of Andrew’s, however they haven’t spoken for many years, partly due to the fact Andrew’s father, Walter, was difficult and had trouble accepting his gay son, which led Andrew to leave the mountains behind completely. Birch and Walter grew close though, which Andrew has a difficult time dealing with, feeling that Birch essentially became the son Walter wanted, as he could never accept the one he had. [Read more…]

Out In The Dark (DVD)

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When I’m reviewing gay-themed films, I sometimes feel I’m using the word ‘forgive’ too much. With many of these films you can see there’s a lot that’s good about them, but you have to forgive the acting, the low-budget (and resulting picture or sound issues), the shaky direction or slightly unfinished script. It’s always great then when you find a gay-themed film that’s just a good movie, and Out In The Dark certainly fits in that category. [Read more…]

Breathe In (Blu-ray)

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I loved Drake Doremus’ Like Crazy, which managed the rare feat of making a love story feel fresh, real, new and passionate. I had high hope for Breathe In, but unfortunately while there are some things to admire, the overall feeling is that the film is slightly tedious and contrived.

Sophie (Felicity Jones) is a foreign exchange student who arrives in upstate New York to stay with Keith (Guy Pearce), his wife Megan (Amy Ryan) and daughter Lauren (Mackenzie Davis). Keith and Sophie share a love of music, and slowly their musical connection develop into feelings for one another, but neither is sure whether they should act upon them. [Read more…]

Berlin 36 (DVD)

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After the rise of the Nazis, young Jewish high-jumper Gretel Bergmann (Karoline Herfurth) is thrown out of her athletics club and so goes to England where she becomes British champion. While the German rulers are glad to be rid of her, protests in America suggest they won’t send a team unless Jewish people are allowed to compete in the upcoming Berlin Olympics. [Read more…]

Out in the Dark (Cinema)

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Nimr (Nicholas Jacob), a Palestinian psychology student, has been granted permission to study in Israel.  While on a night out in Tel Aviv he meets a charming Israeli lawyer called Roy (Michael Aloni) and the two fall in love.  It seems things are going well for Nimr,  but when Israeli secret police threaten to expose his sexuality to his deeply conservative family, should he refuse to supply information on his dissident brother? Nimr finds his world falling apart and his life in danger.  Roy is the only hope Nimr has, but will the secret truth about his brother’s extremism come between them? [Read more…]

Dara O’Briain – Craic Dealer Live 2012 (DVD)

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Tesco must have mellowed in the last couple of years. Right at the beginning of this gig, Dara O’Briain says he wanted to call as previous DVD Craic Dealer, but was prevented from doing so because a big retailer who likes to think ‘Every Little Helps’ refused to stock a disc with that name, as they felt it condoned drug use. As Dara points out, it’s very unlikely anyone is holding back on cocaine use, but would be tipped over the edge by seeing his DVD (btw, Craic is an Irish word for fun, in case you didn’t know). However now the title is back and I’ve noticed it’s for sale on Tesco’s website, so they must have had a change of heart. [Read more…]

The Doctor’s Wife (DVD) (US Release)

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This Aussie documentary follows director Jonathan Duffy and his boyfriend Vincent Cornelisse as they leave the Melbourne suburbs and head to rural Queensland, so that Vincent can take up a job as a doctor there, helping to pay back the scholarship he got during his studies.

They’re both concerned about how they’ll be received, as the country parts of Australia aren’t well known for their love of the gays. Jonathan in particular is worried, as he’s more noticeably gay and isn’t sure what his role will be once he gets to Mundubbera, a town of about 1,000 people. The film chronicles their arrival, the reaction of the locals and how Vincent and Jonathan find a way to fit in and be accepted in their new home. [Read more…]