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

New Year’s Eve (DVD)

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New Year’s Eve gives us a look into the way in which we all cross over into each other’s lives on a daily basis without even knowing it, amongst a combination of romance, heartache, laughter and sadness.

With an all-star ensemble cast the audience gets to enjoy the many different plots, in what reminded me of films such as Love Actually. The film is generally good and moves at a steady pace so the audience won’t get bored as they keep zigzagging through the multiple stories, some of which are much better than others. [Read more…]

Lord Of The Rings – Extended Editions (Blu-ray)

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been 11 years since Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring first appeared in cinemas and blew audiences with its incredible depiction of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Before the first film was released, many had thought New Line was insane spending several hundred million dollars making the three movies back-to-back, especially as at the time fantasy was seen as box office poison. [Read more…]

Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (DVD)

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Things aren’t going well on the planet Zots. The ozone is quickly disappearing and the scientists think it’s all down to too many people having strong emotions. As a result those whose love is deemed to be too big are dispatched to Earth, as it’s believe that getting involved with the human population will result in such pain and complication that it will stamp the feelings right out of them. [Read more…]

King Of Devil’s Island (DVD)

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I wonder if anyone has ever made a movie where young people in a children’s home or reformatory were treated well and only punished to the extent they deserved,  in an environment that can help them become well-adjusted members of society. King Of Devil’s Island doesn’t just have a brutal borstal, but it’s also set on an island, and groups of people stuck together on an island never bodes well in the movies either. However while it may therefore sound like the film is merely mining movie chestnuts, it’s actually based on a true story. [Read more…]

Red Tails (DVD)

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George Lucas first wanted to make a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen in 1988, but it’s taken until now to get it to the screen. That’s partly due to the fact that every studio turned him down, feeling a big, historical war movie with a largely African American cast wasn’t commercial enough. They were wrong, but unfortunately Red Tails isn’t the film to prove it.

After Lucas stumped up the budget himself the film was finally made with Anthony Hemingway directing, but it was plagued by delays and reshoots, and finally got released over two years after it was first shot. The result isn’t a bad film, but it’s one that’s so clichéd it never rises above the passable. [Read more…]

Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same – Iris Prize Screening Review

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Quirky comedy and delightfully tacky special effects, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (hereafter ‘CLSASS’, to prevent early arthritis) follows three emotionless and clueless lesbian space aliens (go figure). They find themselves in New York, where they seek love and heartbreak in an effort to rescue their dying planet. Zylar plays it fast and loose, in every meaning of the word. Barr is the needy codependent who chases more than Zylar is willing to give. Finally Zoinx crash lands on Earth and finds love with human Jane, who’s never quite fit in. All this while the gang is followed by possibly the two most incompetent government agents the galaxy has seen. [Read more…]

Think Like A Man (DVD)

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It’s quite a feat to create a movie that seems both misogynist and misandrist at the same time, but that’s probably because this is a film based on a self-help book, and so like most self-help books about relationships, it seems to assume men and women are essentially completely different species, and also that they’re all pretty stupid. However, if you can accept that the characters here are essentially parodies of real people (at least I hope so and that I’m not giving the human race too much credit), there is some measure of entertainment to be had here, even if it goes on way too long and suffers from the fact its multiple stories often mean we have to have the same scene over and over. [Read more…]

Rock Of Ages (DVD)

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The film adaptation of the 2009 Broadway musical is two hours of high energy 80s rock music coupled with laugh out loud comedy, as we see a young girl search for fame and fortune in the bright lights of Hollywood, set against the underside of the rock music industry.

Filled with great songs of the classic rock era – which has no doubt led it be being one of the last decade’s most popular musicals – the film makes you want to dance around and sing for the whole duration of the film. Although the music in the film is great, credit has to be given for the themes, of which several run through the film, with a sweet young love story evolving whilst the upside and downside of fame counterbalance each other in the background. Another theme that the film touches on is the clear mockery of the right wing with their wholesome image hiding a few dirty secrets. [Read more…]

Modern Family – Season 3 (Blu-ray)

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Before Modern Family came along, a lot of TV pundits were all ready to pronounce the death of the US sitcom. Then the series came along, became a darling of the critics and found huge audiences too. It’s managed to keep up the quality through its first three seasons, so that just a few days ago it picked up five Emmys.

It’s a great show, where strong writing and good direction come together with one of the best casts ever assembled for a television show. The acting really is top notch (it’s notable that when Julie Bowen and Eric Stonestreet won their Emmys for the show, they had to beat out four of their castmates, who were nominated in the same categories) and it’s not just the adults, as the kids are all great too. Much of the time with sitcoms, you’re sort of having to forgive the younger cast members their lack of comic skill, but here they’re all great – even four-year-old Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who plays Lily, has her moments. [Read more…]

My Babysitter’s A Vampire – Series 1 (DVD)

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When I reviewed My Babysitter’s A Vampire – The Movie earlier this year, I was surprised by how much fun it was. However, I didn’t think much of the first episode of the regular series that was included on the disc. Now the whole first series of the supernatural family comedy is here and thankfully it turns out that first episode was a slight aberration as the rest of it is a lot of more fun and goes back to the smart wit and family entertainment of the film.

While the movie deals with the origins of the characters, the series dives right in with teen nerd Ethan dealing with the visions he often has when he touches someone, his friend Benny trying to do magic but screwing it up, and the titular babysitter, Sarah, who has her own problem’s as she’s a fledgling vampire. Between them they have to deal with all manner of supernatural shenanigans that befall their small town, from blood donor nurses who are actually vampires to a ghost who wants to force Ethan to be a wrestler. [Read more…]