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

Where The Bears Are: S5 Ep1 – The burly, hairy gay guys are back for a new season

By Leave a Comment

where-the-bears-are-s5-ep1Few gay-themed web series have seen as much success as Where The Bears Are, winning awards and gaining enough loyal fans that it’s now on its fifth season. That new instalment of the show has now started, with Episode 1 being released.

Described as ‘”The Golden Girls” meets “Murder, She Wrote” with big, gay, hairy men (aka “Bears”)’, the new season launches following another incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, which helped raise funds to get it made! From the creative team of Rick Copp (The Brady Bunch Movie), Joe Dietl (The Thin Pink Line) and Ben Zook (Jack and Jill), Where the Bears Are is a comedy mystery web series that recently won Afterelton.com’s “Best Gay Web Series” and has accumulated over 20 million views since premiering in 2012.

Season 5 follows the exploits of four gay bear roommates living together in Los Angeles as they become involved with intrigue and murder while couple Nelson and Todd are on their honeymoon in Palm Springs! Take a launch at Episode 1 below, and you can catch up with earlier episode via the show’s website. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
FILMS:   

Appropriate Behaviour’s Desiree Akhavan Coming To The UK For TV Series The Bisexual

By Leave a Comment

Appropriate-Behaviour-review-slideDesiree Akhavan got a lot of praise for her film Appropriate Behaviour, which she wrote, directed and starred in. Now though she’s heading to the UK, as Channel 4 has signed her up for the comedy web series, The Bisexual.

Appropriate Behaviour followed Akhavan as Shirin, a second-generation Iranian-American bisexual, searching for a new direction in life and juggling her identities. The Bisexual may cover some of the same themes.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘New Yorker Leila (Akhavan) is feeling lost in London. Recently part of an uber-cool power couple, she’s now split from girlfriend Sadie and is struggling to adjust. Moving in with a “stranger off the internet” she soon discovers she’s swapped her luxe old life (think: high quality condiments, plus a girlfriend who sorted all of the Life Admin) for a house-share with Gabe, a British guy who’s only ever other female “flat-mate” was his mum.

‘Gabe doesn’t know any lesbians and Leila’s not got too much experience of hanging out with heterosexuals – their worlds collide in deeply awkward and revealing ways as he becomes her unlikely wingman and helps her to navigate her new life dating men. Offering an outsider’s view of Britain, The Bisexual is brimming with weird and wonky slices of urban life only apparent to those living on a temporary work visa, struggling to keep up with the discrepancy between what the English say versus how they actually feel. Leila is part brave, part reckless, 100% shameless and is embarking on a romantic Choose Your Own Adventure, trudging through the hell of dating – gay and straight.’

Channel 4’s Deputy Head of Comedy Nerys Evans, comments: “We are thrilled to be working with Desiree on her series The Bisexual. She has such a brilliantly unique viewpoint on finding love in your 30s. We love her candid observations, both on being an outsider in a strange city as well as the sexual politics encountered when you are neither straight nor gay. She’s honest, authentic and brilliantly funny in her delivery.”

Akhavan meanwhile says: ”Getting to play in the sandbox with such intelligent collaborators at Sister Pictures and Channel 4 is an absolute dream come true. They’re the perfect partners in crime for a taboo sex comedy. And by that I mean they’re all perverts.”

It’s not clear when the series will air.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS:   

Mark Ruffalo Addresses Controversy Over Matt Bomer’s Casting As Transgender Sex Worker

By 2 Comments

mark-ruffaloShortly after it began to become widely known that Mat Bomer is playing a transgender sex worker in the recently filmed Anything, a backlash began. Many in the trans community felt the casting was inappropriate, setting off a bit of a storm on social media.

The anger stemmed from people feeling cisgender men should not play trans characters (with some suggesting that it helped reinforce prejudices that trans people are merely wearing a costume), that the movie was playing with a dangerous trope of trans women as sex workers, and that by casting Bomer they had deprived a trans actress of what could have been her big break. Initially bother Bomer and executive producer Mark Ruffalo made no comment, but now Ruffalo has addressed the controversy on Twitter.

He says: ‘To the Trans community. I hear you. It’s wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It’s time… In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making “The Normal Heart”.’

Some welcomed Ruffalo’s comments, such as trans actress Jen Richards. Her heartfelt anger at news of the casting was one of the main catalysts for the anger felt, with her comments including that ‘When @MattBomer plays a trans sex worker, he is telling the world that underneath it all, trans women like me are still really just men… Dear @MarkRuffalo & @MattBomer: if you release this movie, it will directly lead to violence against already at risk trans women.’ However, after Ruffalo spoke out, she replied, ‘Thank you @MarkRuffalo, this means a lot. I would love to talk to you about it, and how to move forward positively.’

However, others were less welcoming, suggesting that a conversation wasn’t what was needed – a change of direction was. As the movie is already in the can, it’s unlikely Bomer could be recast, but the hope will be that the protest will have an effect on both Anything and the casting/depiction of trans characters in the future. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: ,   FILMS:   

Seed Money Trailer – Looking at the life gay porn producer turned philanthropist Chuck Holmes

By 1 Comment

seed-money-slideYou don’t normally think of pornographers as being philanthropists – indeed the stereotype is that they’re sleazy, greedy and out for themselves. However, Falcon Studios founder Chuck Holmes wasn’t like that, as the documentary Seed Money explore.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Seed Money is the story of Chuck Holmes, a San Francisco pornographer turned philanthropist. Holmes helped create and shape gay identity in the years after Stonewall, and later became a major contributor to gay advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBT Victory Fund. Later in life he would come to find that, while his money was welcome in philanthropic circles, he sometimes wasn’t.’

Breaking Glass Pictures should be releasing the film in the US soon. Take a look at the trailer for the doc below. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:

Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, & Laurence Fishburne In Talks For Richard Linklater’s Next Film

By Leave a Comment

TRUMBO-bryan-cranstonA full decade ago Richard Linklater revealed that he was working on an adaptation Darryl Ponicsan‘s Last Flag Flying, a sequel to The Last Detail, which was made into a film in 1973 by Hal Ashby. At the time he was trying to get Randy Quaid and Jack Nicholson to return, but that never happened.

However, now the Boyhood helmer is back on the project, which will now only be a ‘sort of’ sequel. THR reports that he’s starting to put the cast together, with Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, and Laurence Fishburne all in talks to star. The Last Detail, ‘centers on two Navy men (Nicholson, Young) who are ordered to bring a young offender (Quaid) to prison but decide to show him one last good time along the way. Last Flag reunites the reader with the trio, now living a post-9/11 American life: The former Naval petty officers come to the aid of their former prisoner, who needs their help to bring home the body of his son who was killed in Iraq. The request sends them back retracing their journey from Norfolk, Va., to Portsmouth, N.H.’

Linklater is hoping to start shooting the film in November.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: , ,   DIRECTORS:   

Gay Short Film Showcase: Agua – Feelings develop between two young men in the swimming pool

By Leave a Comment

agua-slideAgua takes place solely in a swimming pool and changing, following a young man who goes there to practice in the water. He meets another young guy who starts swimming in the next lane. The short charts their growing friendship, but when one decides to kiss the other, it may bring it all to the end.

With a sweet nature and a clever way of using repetition action to chart the subtle changes going on in the relationship between then guys, it’s a well-made film that’s well worth a look. Made by Ricardo Esparragoza at the Universidad de Guadalajara, Agua had a great run at film festivals around the world and is now available online.

Take a look at Agua below. If you know a short film we ought to be posting, tell us by getting in touch via our contact page. And check out more gay short films and web series here. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:

McTucky Fried High S2 Ep 7 – The latest season of the LGBTQ cartoon reaches its conclusion

By Leave a Comment

mctucky-s2-ep7After a great season where the cartoon school full of food students have been gripped by the right wing followers of Cheesus and their hypocritical call for ‘religious freedom’, McTucky Fried High Season 2 reaches its conclusion.

In the new episode, ‘The Cheesus Slice saga comes to a head with Sheri Cone (Kristen T. King) – will she fulfill Cheesus’s “word” or die trying? McTucky Fried High attempts to box students into gender and sexuality norms with the school dance rules. Will Peanut (Adrienne M. Walker) & crew give in, give up or give ’em hell? Kevin Weiner goes to the dance with one date and leaves with another! But who will it be?’

Take a look at the new episode of McTucky Fried High below. You can find the previous Season 2 episodes here and head here for Season 1. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
FILMS:   

Don’t Call Me Son Trailer – Take a look at the trans-themed Teddy Award winning movie

By Leave a Comment

dont-call-me-son-slideDon’t Call Me Son (originally Mãe Só Há Uma) has had plenty of praise on the film festival circuit, including winning the prestigious Teddy Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year. It was recently released in its native Brazil, to plenty of acclaim.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘A bike, high school, joints, girls, a rock band. Pierre is a middle class teenager like many others. One day the police knock at his door and his life turns upside down: After a forced DNA test, the woman he thought was his mother is arrested. Pierre is forced to have a new family, to change his address, school, and even his name. In his new identity, he is called Felipe. And that is the moment when his most intimate and hidden secrets will come out, as painful as it may be…’

It’s not clear when it might be seen in other countries, but it certainly looks like it’ll be worth a watch. Take a look at the trailer below. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:

Julie Bowen Will Be Melissa McCarthy’s Enemy In Life of the Party

By Leave a Comment

julie-bowenWhile her on-screen hubby, Ty Burrell, has made a few movies since the start of Modern Family, Julie Bowen has mainly stuck to the TV show. However, now she’s lined up a juicy role opposite Melissa McCarthy in Life Of The Party, according to Variety.

Not too much is known about the plot, but Bowen will apparently be the main enemy of McCarthy’s characters. Maya Rudolph, Gillian Jacobs, Debby Ryan, and Animal Kingdom’s Molly Gordon also star.

Bowen is slotting the movie in between seasons of Modern Family, with production having started last week in Atlanta. As well as starring in the film, McCarthy also co-wrote the script alongside her husband, Ben Falcone, who also directs. It’s due out May 2017.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: ,   

I’m A Porn Star: Gay4Pay (VoD Review)

By Leave a Comment

Starring:
Director:
Running Time:
Certificate:
Release Date:

A couple of years ago, the documentary I’m A Porn Star provided an interesting insight into the world of gay porn, talking to various models – some gay, some straight, some bisexual – about their lives, work and how they got into the industry. Now it’s back with Gay4Pay, which as the name suggests, concentrates on the world of straight identifying men who have sex with other men on screen for money.

Are they really straight? Are they deeply closeted? Is it just about the money? Do they start out straight and end up further towards the other end of the Kinsey Scale after they’ve been in the industry for a while? Well, after watching Gay4Pay, the answer seems to be ‘Yes’ to all of those, but as you’d expect it depends on the guy. [Read more…]