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

Tate Taylor To Helm Apollo 11 Alternate History In The Event Of A Moon Disaster

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tate-taylorTate Taylor had a big hit with The Help, but we’re still waiting for his follow-up, Get On Up, a biopic of James Brown (oh, and Tate is gay, if you didn’t know). However he’s already planning what he’s going to do next, as TheWrap reports that he’s set to helm In the Event of a Moon Disaster.

The movie is set in an alternate history when things go terribly wrong for the 1969 moon landings.

Although that might seem a little tacky, the idea for the script, by Mike Jones, came from a real-life speech found in the papers of Pulitzer Prize winning author and former presidential speechwriter William Safire. Safire, who passed away in 2009, penned ‘In Event of Moon Disaster’ so that Richard Nixon would have had a ready made response if Apollo 11 had resulted in tragedy.

It just goes to show – politicians like to be prepared for everything.

There’s no news on when it might shoot.

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Tom Hardy & Charlize Theron Get A Mad Max Fury Road EW Cover

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mad-max-fury-road-ew-coverAfter decades in the works, followed by more delays, casting changing, a storm that destroyed the sets and moved the shoot from Australia to South Africa and various other issues, Mad Max Fury Road finally started shooting at the end of 2012.

Despite that, the release is still almost a year away! It had better be good when it finally arrives.

Despite the fact it’s been in the can for a long time, we’ve hardly seen anything from the movie. But to show us it hasn’t been completely forgotten, as great shot of Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron for the movie has popped up on the cover of EW, which you can see above.

Director George Miller previously told /Film of the movie, ‘Mad Max is caught up with a group of people fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by the Imperator Furiosa. This movie is an account of the Road War which follows. It is based on the Word Burgers of the History Men and eyewitness accounts of those who survived.’

Early test screenings have already taken place, and the response has reportedly been good. However most of us will have to wait until May 2015 to see it.

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Luke Evans & Elisabeth Moss Join Tim Hiddleston In Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise

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Luke-EvansFor the last year A Field In England and Sightseers director Ben Wheatley has been putting together an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s dystopian novel High-Rise.

It was supposed to start shooting this month, but while that start date has been pushed to July, it’s now added to its cast, with Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy, Reece Shearsmith, Peter Ferdinando, and comedian Dan Renton Skinner joining the previously announced Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller and Jeremy Irons.

Wheatley commented, “Elizabeth Moss and Luke Evans are great additions to our cast. I’m really excited to be working with both of them. I’m looking forward to see what they will bring to the complex relationship between Richard and Helen Wilder.”

We’ve also got a new synopsis, which gives us a few details on how the movie will take on a novel come thought was unfilmable. Here it is: ‘High-Rise centers on a new residential tower built on the eve of Thatcher’s England, at the site of what will soon become the world’s financial hub. Designed as a luxurious solution to the problems of the city, it is a world apart.

‘Enter Robert Laing (Hiddleston), a young doctor seduced by the high-rise and its creator, the visionary architect Anthony Royal (Irons). Laing discovers a world of complex loyalties, and also strikes up a relationship with Royal’s devoted aide Charlotte (Miller).

‘But rot has set in beneath the flawless surface. Sensing discord amongst the tenants, Laing meets Wilder, a charismatic provocateur bent on inciting the situation. Wilder initiates Laing into the hidden life of the high-rise and Laing is shocked at what he sees.

‘As the residents break into tribal factions, Laing finds himself in the middle of mounting violence. Violence that he also finds emerging in himself’

The film starts shooting next month in Belfast for release in 2015.

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Ansel Elgort & Tye Sheridan In The Mix For WarGames Remake

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ansel-elgortThanks to The Fault In Our Stars Ansel Elgort is the young actor of the moment, ensuring his name is brought up when any new project is looking for somebody his age. That seems true of the planned remake of WarGames, based on the 1983 thriller that starred Matthew Broderick.

TheWrap reports that along with Elgort, MGM is also considering Tye Sheridan, along with several unnamed young actors who are on their shortlist. The project is moving forward though, as it has now got a director in the form of Dean Israelite, along with writer Arash Amel (Grace Of Monaco). Israelite is set to make his directorial debut with the upcoming Project Almanac, which is a found footage time travel thriller about a group of high school kids attempting to fix their lives, but ending up disturbing the space-time continuum.

The original WarGames is about two teenage hackers who inadvertanylu find a back door into the Defense Department’s computer. They start playing what they think is just a game, but what they’re doing could could lead to a real-life nuclear war. It is not known whether the new version will change things, although it’s safe to safe the computer graphics will have improved since 1983.

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Scott Cooper To Helm Granite Mountain Hotshots Firefighting Film

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scott-cooperOut of the Furnace may have failed at the box office, but its director, Scott Cooper, is now brewing up another film, as he is set to helm a film about the Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighter crew from Prescott, Arizona, according to Variety.

The brave group made headlines last year when 19 of these elite firefighters were killed battling the Yarnell Hill wildfire last June. The incident was the largest single loss of lives on US soil since 9/11 and the greatest loss of wildland firefighters in more than eight decades. The film will focus on this tragedy.

Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) is writing the script.

Scott Cooper comments, “The heroic and tragic story of the men who gave their lives to protect the community of Yarnell is heartbreaking, compelling and inspiring. I look forward to telling their story with the respect, sensitivity and authenticity that these true American heroes deserve.”

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Funding Sought For Love Is All You Need? Gay Role-Reversal Feature Film

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Love-is-all-you-need-poster-slideJust over a year ago we posted a 20-minute short film called Love Is All You Need?, which posited a world where gay people rule and straights are vilified. Now an IndieGoGo campaign is in full swing to try and get it turned into a feature film. Unfortunately though while there are only a few days left it’s far from its $250,000 goal.

The original short has 13 film festival awards, and – as a viral video – has been viewed (on various platforms) over 30 million times to date. Based on the premise of the reversed world – where social roles are inverted – gay is straight and straight is gay – the viewpoint allows viewers to ‘walk a mile; in another’s shoes.

The feature film version has the support of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and From The Heart Productions – a charity and supporter of independent filmmakers for over 25 years. It also has top Hollywood casting director Mary Vernieu (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, Silver Linings Playbook) to cast the movie.

With the short, the flipping of the anti-LGBT bullying  script in Love Is All You Need? has proved to be a powerful teaching tool, with the film translated into  astonishing 15 languages in an effort to help spread its important message.

It’s the first time GLSEN has partnered with a production company, but they saw value in the short. The organisation’s Braden Lay-Michaels comments, “When we first saw the short film, ‘Love Is All You Need?’ GLSEN was drawn to this important project.  It has always been our mission to ensure that every student in every school is valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation gender identity or gender expression.”

While the short has been broadly welcomed, it has also ignited controversy in the small Florida town of Palatka, where a first year science teacher came under fire for screening the short to his ninth through 12 grade students. Both his contract and that of the school’s principle were not renewed. So it seems its message still has some places to go.

If you want to help fund the feature film version, head over to IndieGoGo. If you need more persuasion, look at the report below about the teacher who was essentially fired for showing the short. [Read more…]

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New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trailer – Plus character posters for the young amphibians

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teenage-mutant-character-poster4There was a lot of groaning at the first trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a lot of it based around the fact many fans didn’t like the fact the Turtles had flatter faces than we’re used to.

Now a new promo is here and to be honest it’s looking like it might be quite fun and as Michael Bay produced it, it’s not too surprising there’s plenty of hyperbolic action. Alongside the trailer we’ve also got four new characters posters, so you can take a look at the Turtles and decide if you like the new faces.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘The city needs heroes. Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April (Megan Fox) and her wise-cracking cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.’

We’ve still got a while to wait a little while for this one though, as the Jonathan Liebesman directed movie doesn’t hit US cinemas until August, while the UK currently has to wait until October.

Take a look at the trailer and three more character posters below. [Read more…]

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Iron Man 3’s Shane Black Set To Reboot Predator

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predator-1987After a couple of badly received Alien Vs. Predator movies and Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, many had thought the Predator franchise had finally run out of steam. However it seems Fox doesn’t think so as THR reports they’re planning a reboot.

They’ve also hired a good man to oversee it, as Iron Man 3 director and Lethal Weapon creator Shane Black in onboard to write a treatment for the project and direct. As Black is busy putting together The Nice Guys and Doc Savage, he won’t actually write the film himself. Instead those duties will be handled by his old friend Fred Dekker, with whom he wrote 1987’s Monster Squad.

It’s an interesting way of things coming full-circle, as when the original Predator was in the works, the studio continually tried to get Black to take a look at the script, but he refused. They even gave him a small role in the movie in the hope he would give the screenplay a polish, but he still wouldn’t do it. Now though he’s taking the reins completely.

There’s no news on exactly what direction the reboot will take, or whether it will return us to the jungle where Arnie first encountered the alien bounty hunter.

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Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes & Tilda Swinton Will Hail, Caesar! Alongside George Clooney

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Channing-TatumThe Coen Brothers are going for star power with their upcoming Hail Caesar!, as they already George Clooney and Josh Brolin attached, and now THR reports they’re set to be joined by Channing Tatum, Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton.

The film is about Eddie Mannix, a 1950s fixer who works for major Hollywood studios. His job is to try and keep the movie stars in line and also cover up their indiscretions.

Tatum will be ‘a Gene Kelly-type star while Fiennes would play Laurence Lorenz, a studio director, and Swinton will portray a powerful Hollywood gossip columnist’ It’s still now 100% who George Clooney and Josh Brolin are portraying at this time, although it’s believed Clooney will be Mannix.

Many of the Coens’ earlier movies harked back to Hollywood’s Golden Age and this would appear to be a return to their love of Tinsel Town in the 40s and 50s. It’s also suggested there are plenty more colourful characters in the script the Coens can find some great actors to play.

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Brad Pitt Looks Exhausted In The First Fury Poster

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fury-uk-posterIt doesn’t look like Brad Pitt’s character in Fury is going to be overfilled with joy about commanding a tank in Fury, as in the first poster for the World War II movie he’s looking pretty exhausted and upset.

Starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal, Fury ‘is set at the very end of World War II, in April 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theater, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

‘Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.’

David Ayer directs the movie, which is due out at the end of the year.

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Hawaii (DVD Review)

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Marco Berger has made a bit of a name for himself in the indie queer cinema world with the likes of Plan B and the Berlin Golden Teddy Award winning Absent. He also directed half of the shorts that made up the collection Sexual Tension: Volatile. Each of those shorts featured two guys negotiating the edge of attraction as it perhaps built towards a sexual release.

In many respects Hawaii takes the idea behind that anthology and expands it into a feature-length movie. [Read more…]

LGBTQueerstory Wants To Tell Gay History In Stop Motion, And It Needs Your Help

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lgbtqueerstoryThere is an ever-increasing stream of LGBT-themed projects looking for funding via crowdsourcing, but it’s always nice when something a little different comes along. So how about a stop-motion animated short film series about queer history?

That’s what we’ve got with LGBTQueerstory, which has launch a campaign to raise $4,700 via Kickstarter.

The idea is that ‘This will be an ongoing, educational web series done in stop motion and various other animation styles that focuses on teaching LGBTQ history. Each episode is currently about 5 minutes long. The target audience is early to mid-20s. It will cover topics ranging from Stonewall to the decriminalization of homosexuality in the US to people of interest/ importance (Alan Turing, RuPaul, Billie Jean King, etc) to anything in between. It is meant to be an intro to LGBTQ history of sorts and is meant to inspire independent study. Discussion of each episode’s topic will be encouraged and suggestions for future topics or topics to cover in more detail will be welcome and considered.

‘My main goal with this project is to show the positive ways the LGBTQ community has impacted the world and to show young LGBTQ persons the triumphs and struggles that led us to where we are now, hopefully inspiring the next generation to keep up the fight for equality. That is it in a nutshell.’

Take a look at the pitch video below and then head over to Kickstarter to help out. [Read more…]

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