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

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…]

Love Is Strange (Cinema Review)

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Just in time for Valentine’s day, a film that genuinely shows the complexities, subtleties and nuances of us complicated human beings. It happens to be about two men of advancing years, but really its central themes could apply to anyone of any age. It’s a rich, rewarding experience that will haunt you for a long time.

John Lithgow and Alfred Molina are the central couple, two hugely liked and popular men who decide to get married after being together for so long. The story opens with their marriage day, a happy occasion with lots of laughter, wine and song. This bliss doesn’t last for long. [Read more…]

Date and Switch (DVD Review)

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Michael (Nicholas Braun) and Matty (Hunter Cope) have been friends since they were little kids, but now it’s coming to the end of high school. In time honoured film fashion, they decide to make a pact to lose their virginities before prom – after which they’ll celebrate by eating a tray of pot brownies.

There is one wrinkle though, as Matty hasn’t told Michael that he’s gay. When he does – and after a bit of an initial freakout – Michael gets on board with the idea and even tries to help Matty get into the swing of the gay world. However Matty finds that difficult, as he’s still a bit of a stoner dude and isn’t sure how to be gay in a world where he doesn’t fit into any of the stereotypes he’s seen. [Read more…]

Inherent Vice (Cinema Review)

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If you demand coherent plots and comprehensible dialogue from your movies, look away now. There is not one scene of Anderson’s sprawling behemoth of a movie that makes any sense whatsoever. It’s a stoned, fug-smoked, labyrinth of a film noir that takes pleasure in its baffling structure and dares you to go along with it. Frankly after an hour it’s too much effort, and the pleasure switches in watching great actors revelling in show-off roles soaked in dreamy Californian sunshine. [Read more…]

Kingsman: The Secret Service (Cinema Review)

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The idea of updating James Bond and making him a younger character has been done before – witness the Alex Cross films and even Jason Bourne. Matthew Vaughan’s attempt, with a script by Jane Goldman, could have worked in theory, but it doesn’t, because of disastrous shifts in tone, and dreadfully cynical product placements. Director Vaughan seems to have become so carried away with his Kick-Ass franchise that he has transposed the idea to Britain, but used pretty much the same formula. The result leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth, which is a shame, because there are a few strengths on display here. [Read more…]

Retribution (Hellion) (DVD Review)

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DVD covers don’t always 100% reflect the actual movie, and that certainly seems the case with Retribution. Looking at the cover you could be forgiven for thinking the film is an action thriller, but it’s not, it’s actually a rather serious indie drama.

The movie itself – originally called Hellion – is set in Texas and centres on 13-year-old Jacob ( Josh Wiggins), an angry and difficult young man who’s only one step away from juvenile detention. He’s still deep in grief for his dead mother, not helped much by his emotionally distant father, Hollis (Aaron Paul), who’s barely holding on himself. [Read more…]

Foxcatcher (Cinema Review)

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So that’s the Best Actor Oscar sorted then. Steve Carrell, that lovely chap from the US Office and 40-Year-old Virgin, has gone deep to play the deeply disturbed, and disturbing, John du Pont, and the results are stunning. The film itself is impressive on many levels, if a little one-note, and not quite satisfying, but Carrell’s performance is utterly mesmerising.

The charming, likeable, warmly funny persona is utterly gone. In its place is a portrayal of du Pont, the heir to a vast chemical fortune, enormously wealthy but painfully lonely. His mother, Jean (Vanessa Redgrave), looms like a huge dark cloud over his life, her disappointment in her geeky, fragile, unattractive son all too obvious. She pours her love into horses, he into the sport of wrestling – horses are stupid, he says, all they do is eat and shit. His love of his pastime is so great he decides to basically take over and run the US wrestling team to train them for the 1988 Olympics. Top of his shopping list is Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo), brothers who won Gold in Los Angeles in 1984. [Read more…]

Let’s Be Cops (Blu-ray Review)

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God bless Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. They’re both very talented comic actors who struggle valiantly in Let’s Be Cops to make it work, but thanks to a script that’s far too dumb and clunky it’s all to little avail.

Ryan (Johnson) and Justin (Wayans) are friends who’ve reached their 30s and are struggling with the fact that neither of them are even close to living their dreams. When they’re invited to a reunion ‘costume party’ (which turns out to be a masquerade ball), they decide to go as cops. While the reunion is a disaster, they can’t help but notice the effect their police uniforms have on those they pass on the streets. [Read more…]

The Circle (Der Kreis) (Cinema Review)

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When I started watching The Circle, I slightly wondered whether I’d got the wrong film. I’d been expecting this to be a fictionalised look at being gay in the 1950s in Europe, but the movie opens in documentary mode, with two older gents talking about their past.

What ensues is a mixture of documentary and drama, involving people talking about being gay in Switzerland 60 years ago, and actors playing the younger version of these men, re-enacting the story of the heyday and decline of the titular Circle. [Read more…]

Big Gay Love (DVD Review)

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What would Willow think? Xander from Buffy has gone gay (he likes to call himself Nicholas Brendon, but he’ll always be Xander to me, whether he likes it or not).

Here he’s teamed with Jonathan Lisecki, who’s best known as the writer, director and co-star of Gayby. Lisecki takes on the lead role of party planner Bob, who’s looking for his big gay love, especially as everyone he knows seems to be in a relationship. However his insecurities make things difficult, so that he initially can’t see why hunky chef Andy (Brendan) would be interested in him, and even after they start dating he seems sure the fact he’s a bit overweight will inevitably ruin things. [Read more…]