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

Jamie Foxx Will Be Robin Hood: Origins’ Little John, Alongside Taron Egerton

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Several Robin Hood movies have been in the works over the past few years, but one is now working its way towards the big screen, with the news, via THR, that Jamie Foxx has been cast as Little John in Robin Hood: Origins. Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders) is set to direct from a script by Joby Harold.

Taron Egerton is already onboard to play the title role. As the title suggests the movie will be about the legendary character’s early days. However it’s not going back too far, as it’s previously been reported that here Robin ‘returns from fighting in The Crusades and finds that Sherwood Forest is rife with corruption and evil. He forms a band of outlaws and they take matters into their own hands.’

It sounds like he might have brought back Little John with him, as Deadline suggests the character ‘starts out distrustful of Robin Hood (they fought on opposite sides), and then warms to the young hero in the gritty revisionist take on the legend.’ The film is expected to shoot this summer for release in 2017.

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Win The Gay-Themed Film Holiday (Feriado) On DVD!

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Holiday-DVD-coverThe gay-themed Ecuadorian movie Holiday (Feriado) is out now on DVD in the UK courtesy of TLA Releasing, and we’ve teamed up with them to give away two copies of the movie in this competition!

In a time of turmoil for Ecuador, Juan Pablo, 16, travels to the family hacienda in the Andes, where his uncle, facing a corruption scandal, has taken refuge with his wife and teenage children. There he meets Juano, 17, an enigmatic, self-assured black-metal fan from the nearby pueblo, who opens his eyes to a new, liberating universe. As his country and family is heading for the abyss, the two boys budding friendship develops into a fragile romance and Juan Pablo is forced to define himself against his chaotic surroundings. A sweet romantic fable of young love against the odds, HOLIDAY bubbles with tension.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the three copies of Holiday (Feriado) that we’ve got to give away, answer the question below and fill in your details, then press submit! The competition closes on January 25th, 2016, so get answering and good luck.

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Win The Gay-Themed Movie A Girl At My Door On DVD!

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A-Girl-At-My-Door-DVD-coverThe lesbian-themed movie A Girl At My Door is out now on DVD in the UK courtesy of Peccadillo Pictures, and we’ve teamed up with them to give away two copies of the movie in this competition!

Young-nam was a top graduate of the Korean police academy, but due to ‘misconduct’ is transferred to a post at a small seaside village. On her first patrol she encounters the mysterious Dohee; a young girl excluded by her local community.

As Young-nam adapts to her new life, she witnesses Dohee’s situation and is compelled to protect the girl from her family by letting her move in. All is well with this unconventional arrangement until Dohee’s drunken father decides he wants her back.

Having premiered in Un Certain Regard Cannes Film Festival, A GIRL AT MY DOOR is a fresh and rare gem, directed and written by July Jung (one of the few female filmmakers to have emerged from South Korea) and produced by Lee Changdong who directed created masterpieces POETRY and SECRET SUNSHINE.

You can read our review here.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the three copies of A Girl At My Door that we’ve got to give away, answer the question below and fill in your details, then press submit! The competition closes on January 25th, 2016, so get answering and good luck.

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Win The Gay-Themed Documentary Chemsex On DVD!

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Chemsex-DVD-coverThe gay-themed documentary Chemsex is out now on DVD in the UK courtesy of Peccadillo Pictures, and we’ve teamed up with them to give away two copies of the movie in this competition!

This powerful and potent film tells the stories of gay men whose lives have been affected by the crisis; from self-confessed ‘slammers’ to sexual health workers, from those who deny there’s a problem to those who ‘got out alive’. Offering unprecedented access, Chemsex is a brave and unflinching journey into the dark underworld of modern, urban gay life.

You can read our review of the film here.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the two copies of Chemsex that we’ve got to give away, answer the question below and fill in your details, then press submit! The competition closes on January 25th, 2016, so get answering and good luck.

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The Young Actor Playing The Title Character In The New Sitcom The Real O’Neals Is Gay & Proud

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The moment US TV network ABC announced it was planning a sitcom loosely based around the early life of pundit and It Gets Better co-founder Dan Savage, which would centre on a staunchly Catholic family dealing with one of their children coming out, it’s drawn protests from conservative religious groups in the US. Now it’s on its way to American TV screens and ABC has introduced it to journalists with a TCA panel on Saturday.

The panel included the news that 21-year-old theatre actor Noah Galvin, who plays 16-year old Kenny O’Neal in the show, is gay in real-life as well as in the series. He told those listening, “There is a very clear distinction between how young people view the show as opposed to older people, who [may] have gone through this. I’m gay myself and I haven’t gone through a lot of the things that Kenny goes through in the series.”

His issue was partly that having come from background where he didn’t have to struggle against his sexuality in the way his character does – apparently his mother asked him whether he was gay three times and reassured him about it before he finally told her – made him question whether the TV show was bringing anything new to the table. He says, “I [thought], ’Is this crazy, is it new and groundbreaking?’” However after he showed the pilot to an older friend, “They were astounded by it.”

The producers were also pleased to have found a gay actor for the role, with producer Todd Holland, saying “As a gay man, this is a landmark role on network television. It was very important to me that a gay kid play this role.” However, he added that they didn’t insist on it while casting the role – not least because non-discrimination laws barred them from asking the auditionees sexuality – but that he was extremely pleased that the right person for the role was openly gay – “For the top dog in the whole competition to be a really confident gay kid is just so satisfying,” he said.

Martha Plimpton, who plays the devout Catholic mother of the family said one of the things she hoped the show does is that, “It’s normalising Kenny and making the fearful homophobes the weirdos, which is what I like about it.”

As well as the main character’s sexuality, the show sets out to challenge the idea of the perfect nuclear family in other ways, such as Kenny’s brothers issues eith eating disorders. It debuts in the US in March.

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The Danish Girl Banned In Qatar Over The Supposed ‘Moral Depravity’ Of Its Transgender Themes

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For many who’ve seen The Danish Girl – a movie that seems almost at pains to come across as prim and proper – it seems almost odd that would be charged with being full of ‘moral depravity’. But that’s because it’s sometimes easy to overlook that there are plenty people out there who don’t care how classy or carefully told a story is, if it’s about transgender issues, to them it is ‘depraved’.

That’s the problem the film has run into in Qatar, with The Guardian reporting that while it had already started screening in cinemas in Doha, once the Culture Ministry got wind of that, they had it pulled from cinemas. The Ministry then wrote on Twitter, “We would like to inform you that we have contacted the concerned administration and the screening of the Danish film is now banned from cinemas. We thank you for your unwavering vigilance.”

It appears that the film caused controversy from the moment the trailer started playing, with some in the county taking to social media to decry the ‘moral depravity’. That grew after it started play (although it seems there was enough interest in it to make it worth screening in the country) and resulted in the Culture Ministry’s actions.

The movie star Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander and tells the story of Lili Elbe, who in the 1930s transitioned to living as a woman (she was earlier a successful painter known as Einar Wegener) and became one of the first people to undergo a surgical sex change procedure.

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Free State of Jones Trailer – Matthew McConaughey heads for the Civil War

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free-state-of-jones-poster-slideIt seems like a long time ago that Matthew McConaughey was becoming a bit of a joke, who many people thought was a lousy actor who only produced an endless string of mediocre rom-com. Now he’s an Oscar-winner who tends to only make interesting choices and movie that are worth a watch.

Now he’s got Free State Of Jones, which has released its first trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Written and directed by four-time Oscar nominee Gary Ross (The Hunger Games, Seabiscuit, Pleasantville), and starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey, Free State of Jones is an epic action-drama set during the Civil War, and tells the story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, Knight launched an uprising that led Jones County, Mississippi to secede from the Confederacy, creating a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War.’

It’ll be in cinemas in May.

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Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco & Logan Lerman On Young Han Solo Shortlist

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The role of a young Han Solo in the planned Star Wars spin-off about the legendary character was always bound to be a hotly fought over role, and also one where Disney/Lucasfilm and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were likely to cast a wide net while looking for the perfect person. Now Variety reports they’re narrowing in on the actorwho’ll land the role, soming up with a shortlist of a dozen names.

That list includes some hot young things, such as Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Logan Lerman, Jack Reynor, Scott Eastwood, Emory Cohen, and Blake Jenner. Earlier in the search the makers considered both older and younger actors but it looks like they’ve decided their film Han Solo should be in his early 20s (although Eastwood is a little older as he’s 29).

It is very early to cast, as the movie isn’t expected to go into production until January 2017 (for release May 25, 2018). However it’s suggested the reason that they want to find their man now is because of a planned cameo in this year’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is also set before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope.

All of the finalists are now expected to screen-test and the person who’ll be filling Harrison Ford’s boots will be chosen within the next few weeks. It’ll certainly be interesting to see who they pick, as some of those on the shortlist have the swagger and others have the looks, but it’s a tough job for someone to pull both those together in a way audiences will be happy with. Whoever it is, it seems we can be assured Han is gonna be very good looking.

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The Revenant Tops The Golden Globe Awards, While Ricky Gervais Raises Ire With Caitlyn Jenner Joke

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revenant-slieWhen the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hired Ricky Gervais to host the Golden Globes after a three-year gap, you’ve got to think they were hoping for a bit of controversy. After all, all of his previous experiences has commenters asking whether he’d gotten too close to the knuckle.

This year the joke that raised many people’s ire almost inevitably involved Caitlyn Jenner, which Gervais delivered barely five seconds into the ceremony. He said, “I’m gonna be nice tonight – I’ve changed. Not as much as Bruce Jenner, obviously. Now Caitlyn Jenner, of course. What a year she’s had. She became a role model for trans people everywhere, showing great bravery in breaking down barriers and destroying stereotypes. She didn’t do a lot for women drivers. But, you can’t have everything; not at the same time.”

Oddly while many have decided it was transphobic, it’s not really, other than potentially the mention of her former name, as it fully accepts her as a woman. Easier to argue would be that it’s mysogynistic, as the real target of stereotyping is women drivers, or that making a joke about the fact Jenner was involved in an accident where someone died could be viewed as tasteless. However, just because it’s at Caitlyn’s expense doesn’t automatically make it transphobic, despite what some people would like to believe.

With the actual awards, The Revenant was the big winner, picking up Best Director, Best Actor – Drama for Leonardo DiCaprio and Best Picture – Drama. Some have suggested this now perfectly tees the movie up to repeat that at the Oscars.

The Martian also did well, with Matt Damon picking up Best Actor – Musical or Comedy and Best Picture – Music or Comedy. That’s despite many wondering how the movie got classed as either a comedy or a musical, other than in terms of the studio knowing they were more likely to win if they entered it in those categories than in the Drama ones.

Jennifer Lawrence picked up her third Golden Globe for Joy in the Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, while Brie Larson for her first for Room in the Best Actress – Drama category. The latter suprised many, who though Cate Blanchett was going to win for Carol. Jobs also picked up a couple of awards, with Kate Winslet taking Best Supporting Actress and Aaron Sorking picking up Best Screenplay.

It wasn’t a particularly strong showing on the LGBT front, but Sam Smith won Best Original Song for Spectre theme Writing’s On The Wall, and Lady Gaga got a Best Actress in a Limited-Series or TV Movie gong for American Horror Story: Hotel (the Globes loves giving acting awards to singers, even Madonna has one). While the lesbian-themed Carol was hotly tipped going into the awards season, it was completely shut out at the Globes, and some feel it may also struggle at the Oscars

You can take a look at the full list of winners below, as well as taking a look as the fabulous way out actor Denis O’Hare tipped his hat to his American Horror Story: Hotel character with his Globes outfit. [Read more…]

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Straight Outta Compton – Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)

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Oftentimes having the subject of a biopic involved in the production ends up watering it down to the point it’s completely neutered. However, we should have probably guessed that wouldn’t have been too much of a problem for the members of NWA, who made their name by being honest about their lives and the world that they came from.

Even so, it’s taken a long time to get the project off the ground, and even just before it arrived, some wondered whether the subject matter would have genuinely wide appeal. However, with a great critical reaction and a gross of $160 million just in the US, it certainly defied expectations. It undoubtedly helped as well that the film arrived just at the right moment too, as the Black Lives Matter movement was rising and distrust of US law enforcement made the message of songs like ‘Fuck tha Police’ seem as timely as when they were first written. [Read more…]

Holiday (Feriado) (DVD Review)

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Set around the turn on the millennium in Ecuador, in Holiday the country is on the precipice of turmoil as corruption threatens to cause a chain reaction that will implode the banking system. Rich teenager Juampi (Juan Arregui) heads off for a holiday with his extended family, but soon finds the problems engulfing the country aren’t that far away.

When he sees a group of people taking the law into their own hands and beating a small-time criminal, he ends up escaping with the young man called Juano, who comes from a poor Andean family. Juampi is introduced to a world he’s never properly seen before, where small-time criminality is virtually the only way to eke out something more than mere existence, but amidst the poverty is real life. As their friendship develops, Juampi begins to have feelings for Juano, but there may be limits beyond which one of them won’t take this stab at first love. [Read more…]

A Girl At My Door (DVD Review)

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South Korean actress Doona Bae has had a fair amount of success in the West, thanks to home-grown movies such as The Host and Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance and becoming one of the Wachowskis’s favoured actors in the likes of Cloud Atlas, Jupiter Ascending and Sense8. With A Girl At My Door she returns to the Korean peninsula to play Young-Nam, who after a minor scandal is sent to a small, rural town to be their police chief.

Told to keep her head down, she immediately begins to ruffle feathers when she discovers a man called Yong-ha beating his daughter Do-hee. He is not impressed about being told what to do, as he feels he runs the town – and most agree, as most people’s livelihoods rely on the crooked and corrupt economy he has set up. [Read more…]