Queer Cinema

I have always been a HUGE movie fan...I love nothing more then the dark escape from reality for an hour or so....delvling into another world...someone elses life.....getting away from it all for awhile and forgetting who you are aand all your problems...for awhile at least....

And as a youth dealing with my burgeoning sexuality naturally I sought out movies to help me understand what I was feeling...and for the most part "Queer Cinema" as a whole is NOT so satisfying.....We are either flamboyant stereotypes...or sad victims.....but there are some filmakers who try to show you OTHER sides to Gay life.....

So I wanted to present to you all some of my all time FAVE moments in Queer Cinema history!!!!!
{That sounds so EPIC}This is by NO MEANS a definitive list...Just 5 of my TOP faves...and in no certain order whatsoever...So go pop some popcorn...and enjoy these prieviews....oh and get a pen and paper...you might wanna add some of these to your "Netflix" queue!!!!!

1} SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER

Elizabeth taylor at her HOTTEST {in my opinion} Katherine Hepbun and an equally hot Mongomery Clift in Tenessee Williams steamiest and most controversial play to date.....Its basically the story of a closeted man who uses both Elizabeth Taylor...and Katherine Hepburn {before she got too "old"} to procure men and boys for him...a cautionary tale of sorts.....in its own twisted and self hating way.....but for the time this movie came out...it was amazingly "open" in its themes...allthough the word "gay" is never uttered there are many refrences and symbols throught the movie.... again...not the most open minded movie...and with a definately tragic ending....for me it's a classic not only because of the stellar performances by the cast BUT because of how it reminds us of how things "were".....worth checking out for the AMAZING and horrifying ending scene.....

2} PRICK UP YOUR EARS

A movie about the playwright Joe Orton and his lover Kennith Halliwell...a real 'All About Eve"...with an ending rivaling Shakesperian tragedies!!!! My girlfriend at the time Gillina introduced me to this movie ironically...probably one of the earliest gay movies i watched and the one that had the hugest influence on me...the steamy tales of backroom sex....living the life of artistic bohemians....broke and happy and gay...well for awhile at least...this movie also stragely enough sparked my love of collage..... Gay Oldat his best...and HOTTEST...a MUST SEE!!!!!

3} PARTING GLANCES                                                                                                                        

Steve Buschemi of his earliest roles.....I ran into him once in  SoHo and told him how much I LOVED the mmovie and he said 'You SAW that movie???" and YES i did...hundreds of times!!!! the first movie i ever saw dealing with AIDS not EXCLUSIVELY about AIDS...and done in such a loving and humane way....never tragic for tradgedies sake...its low budget...it's in NY...Its just amazing.....i remeber watching this as someone just coming out and feeling so welcomed into a world i was unsure of as of yet.....have a tissue box handy for this one.....

4}DOOM GENERATION                                                                                                                      

the word 'Queer" definately applies to this movie...allthough Mr Araki tites this "a Heterosexual Movie by Gregg Araki" its probably the gayest thing i've ever seen!!!!..this was the first time I saw MYSELF refected in a gay movie...{even if it was in the face of a FABULOUS Rose McGowan!!!!!}This movie is a hot sexy road trip through all types of sexualities....Gay stright Bi...three ways you name it....Gregg Araki had many movies but THIS is his tour de force....with an amazing soundtrack that plays like the best mix tape you ever had....eveytime i see this movie I wanto to do three things 1}have sex 2} smoke 3} go to 7-11.....an ALL TIME FAVE...and whenever im sick or stuck inside this is my go to movie.....not a typical gay movie...but then again...I'm not your typical gay {duh}

5} EDGE OF SEVENTEEN

Again...I see ALOT of myself in this movie...a "New Wave" teen discovering not only his sexuality but finding his own style....experimaneting with different looks and with boys....This reminded me ALOT of my own coming of age...how my style developed before my awareness of my sexuality and how it all got mixed up sometimes.....This to me is such an amazingly realistic look at coming out...and the BEST thing is I swear I thought it was an 80's movie!!! It's not!!!! trick your friends, I did!!! I had a bunch of people believeing it was from back then...its filmed very low budget with actual clothes from the director form when he was a teenager....and once again...have tissues ready!!!!! You have to love a movie that will make you cry AND has a rimming scene in it!!!!! YES!!!!!

BONUS!!!

So I know I said 5 but I HAD to include this...."Paris is Burning" is one of my fav movies of all time!!!! Both heartcrushingly sad...and wildly fabulous.....it's everything a good documentary should be....a little time capsule showing you the "Ball" scene in NYC....This movie will teach you how to truly be FIERCE.....not just through movement and language...but through ATTITUDE!!!! even if your not a Queen or even Queer...it will teach you how to be yourself and walk through life with your head held high!!!!! you will also learn a whole new language...and pehaps one day become one of the "LEGENDARY CHILDREN".....one can always hope...a MUST MUST MUST SEE.....Queue that shit up RIGHT NOW!!!!!

So i hope you enjoy my selections...and if you do NOTHING else for Pride...maybe at least get one of these movies and enjoy a little escape for a few hours.....

XOXO