Ask the AfterElton Flying Monkey! (May 20, 2008)

Film is subjective, and sometimes we find ourselves liking movies in spite of their flaws. Before he made Another Gay Movie, Todd Stephens made Edge Of Seventeen and Gypsy 83, two films which, for some strange reason, I felt compelled to seek out. They both suffer from the usual "gay indie film" problems, but they still hold a place near and dear to my heart (and the Sara Rue character of Gypsy is every female friend i had in high school).

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One of my all time favorite films (gay or straight) is Parting Glances. I think the film has some of the most accurate descriptions of late 80's metropolitan gay life.  What are your thoughts on this film?  Thanks, from Patrick in Birmingham, Alabama

As it happens, I just came from seeing Les Témoins (aka The Witnesses), the latest film from Wild Reeds director André Téchiné and I highly recommend it--marvelously directed and edited, with powerhouse performances from Michel Blanc and Sami Bouajila (who won the César Award for Best Supporting Actor); the film will be released on DVD in late June, I believe.

And speaking of Sami Bouajila, he also starred in another personal favorite gay flick, The Adventures of Felix, about a young gay man who hitchhicks across France. AND he played a bisexual character in Pretend I'm Not Here, where he has a terrific sex scene with Belgian actor Jérémie Renier....

...who, by the way, played gay in yet another fave gay French film, A Love to Hide, a melodramatic but highly effective tale set during the Nazi occupation of France; yep, that's Jérémie and Bruno Todeschini kissing in my avatar!

Hunky Raoul Bova plays straight in the wonderful Italian film Facing Windows, but gay director Ferzan Ozpetek adds a deeply moving gay subplot to this tale of an unhappy housewife who rediscovers the meaning of life--and love.

Any of Pedro Almodovar's films are worth seeing for his gay sensibility (my favorites: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Law of Desire, All About My Mother, Bad Education), but Spain has produced another gay-themed favorite of mine: KM 0 (2002), in which several people--including a couple of gay men--have their lives entangled when they meet up at the same location in Madrid.

Finally, one that many may not be familiar with--and likely will result in highly divided opinions--is Proteus (2003), about an inter-racial gay romance in South Africa in the 17th century, as well as gay witchhunts in Amsterdam during the same period; it's an unusual film--filled with anachronistic details, such as jeeps and various modes of dress not from that era--but it's a deeply moving and satisfying film.

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I agree with most of your selection, especially Trick, Brokeback Mountain, and Victor/Victoria. I'm not sure I agree on Wedding Banquet and Eating Out. I know there was a lot of praise heaped on Banquet and I absolutely love Ang Lee but I thought it was boring. Eating Out was okay but I actually enjoyed the second installment much better. Good article though.

Excellent list! I have many of the same films on my favorites list - my additions would be Torch Song Trilogy, Urbania, The Sum Of Us, and the original French version of La Cage Aux Folles.

I do have to say that I get tired of hearing how crappy most gay films are, for two reasons. First, I honestly don't think the ratio of crappy gay films to good gay films is any worse than the ratio of crappy mainstream films to good mainstream films. Second, I don't think gay films should be expected to appeal to every gay person any more than every general film should be expected to appeal to every mainstream audience member. My 8 year old nephew thinks Transformers is the greatest movie ever made, while I thought it was loud, nonsensical mess. Good and crappy are definitely relative terms when it comes to entertainment and/or art in general.

There are several gay films I felt were smart, thought-provoking works, but I would be hesitant to recommend to others again - Fixing Frank, WTC View, My Life On Ice and Loggerheads, to name a few. I've recommended them to too many people who didn't have the patience to allow the films to play out, turning them off after 10 minutes and blaming me for recommending them. Conversely, I've had films such as Circuit, Broken Sky and 9 Dead Gay Guys recommended to me as "must see!" films, only to find myself wishing I could get back the time I'd wasted on them once the credits were rolling. As I noted in another thread, one man's scary is another man's tasty.

Great list. I was surprised I'd seen almost all of them and most of the ones I haven't are in my Netflix queue (waits impatiently for Shelter's release)Some are among my favorite movies of all time.

I'd definitely add Walk on Water directed by Eytan Fox. Gorgeous, gorgeous movie-based on a true story.

He also directed Yossi and Jagger which I haven't seen but have heard good things about.

 Brent, what do you mean you've been waiting for someone to ask about where AfterElton.com came from for a long time?I asked what the origin of the site was a long time ago and Michael put the story in his BGWE column, but whatever.It's kind of amazing just how well everything came together in the end.

My Own Private Idaho, Poison, Swoon, L.I.E., Wayfarers and Toilers, Time and World Enough, The Delta, Love, Valour, and Compassion, Hit and Runway, No Ordinary Love, Quincenera, My Beautiful Laundrette, The Servant, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Song of the Loon, Boys in the Sand, Dinah East, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss.

It is time for the one hundred best gay films of all time list.   Sarah can do the 100 best Lesbian films on After Ellen.

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

Here's the expanded version of a "Top 10" list I first posted some five or six years ago on Amazon.com. I have been reluctant to modify it over the years, but I do add the occasional film, most recently "The History Boys." I haven't seen "Shelter" yet (nor "Speed Racer," not that I plan to, Brent--honest!), but here's the current list of 19 films: 1. Brokeback Mountain 2. Beautiful Thing 3. My Own Private Idaho 4. Wild Reeds 5. Longtime Companion 6. Love and Death on Long Island 7. Wonderland (aka The Fruit Machine) 8. Mysterious Skin 9. Death in Venice 10. Boys in the Band 11. Leather Boys 12. For a Lost Soldier 13. The Blue Hour 14. Maurice 15. Philadelphia 16. The Toilers and the Wayfarers 17. The Hours and Times 18. Summer Storm 19. The History Boys.  Some of these are more important for their historical significance than as films (e.g. The Boys in the Band, Philadelphia), but they are all of interest. I'm always looking for a number 20 to add to the list, and I thought I might have found it in "Criminal Lovers" a few years back, but I'd have to see it again before deciding. I also like the World War II era films "Bent" and "A Love to Hide."

Dont you hate it when you are loving a movie and then something happens, even a minor thing, and all falls apart or prevents it form being a "perfect". I know what Brent means when it comes to The Bubble, in fact it almost always happens when I see an Eytan Fox movie. Happened to me with Yossi & Yagger too, they are both great films but at the end there was something off. But I would still recommend them.

One that I would absolutely recommend is Walk on Water, its not a gay story, but a gay man is integral to the plot, truly gorgeous movie in its execution and message.

Another one that falls into this category is Gone, but not Forgotten. A very low budget film with a simple story, done in an incredibly romantic way. Until some bad and over the top acting ruins a film, that within its context, would have been really great. The two leads are great, especially Aaron Orr. And it features Matthew Montgomery, who has starred in almost every gay movie ever made. I would recommend that one too.

Km O is a very good movie, the gay story is very sweet. One that I really like is Segunda Piel (Second Skin), where Javier Bardem gets involved in a torrid affair with Jordi Mollá. Bardems character is one of my favorites.

Two french films that I absolutely love are Juste Une Question D Amour (Just a Question of Love) and Presque Rien (Come Undone). Especially the first, its the beginning of a good love story. Probably my favorite.

Its great to know how this great site came about. I am really greatfull of the work you guys do, so I urge you to keep it up. Thanks Honorable Monkey.

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

Upon reviewing my list (see above), I have decided to add "Bad Education" at #20. It's a diabolical little film by Pedro Almodovar in the Hitchcock mode. (Maybe this is what Sir Alfred had in mind with "Strangers on a Train" and "Rope.") The movie itself is oxymoronic: a technicolor film noir. But it is never less than fascinating, nor is Gael Garcia Bernal in the role of Angel (not to mention Juan and Zahara). The scene where Bernal dives into Enrique's pool is a classic, as is the one in which Ignacio sings "Moon River" to an enraptured Padre Manolo. There are visual "quotes" from other films that reward multiple viewings: these include everything from "Double Indemnity" to "The Graduate." No, it's not very politically correct, but art seldom is.

So many films to love have already been mentioned by Brent and all the commenters. A few that I love that haven't been mentioned:

What about Hedwig!?! Hedwig!!!

Happy Together, lovely and devastating as a male couple from Hong Kong flees to Argentina to live openly, only to drift apart.

Tropical Malady. The first part is one of the sweetest, gentlest gay romances I've ever seen on film. The second part of the film can be taken many ways - as gorgeous visual poetry, as frustrating artiness, or as a retelling of the gay romance in folkloric terms. Second part is not for everyone, but the first half IS absolutely for every gay man.

(And to prove I love non-artsy, cheap domestic gay films as much as the next guy): Adam and Steve. Far from Perfect, but funny and goodnatured and the ending makes me cry every time.

I have to second the votes for these:

-Edge of Seventeen (so close to my life, mistakes and all)

-Gypsy 83 (made me love Sara Rue)

-Trick

-Parting Glances

-Bad Education (that scene where Gael sobs after filming Zahara's death scene, while the set is deconstructed behind him? Amazing...)

-Longtime Companion (it's not the famous death scene that gets you, it's the party on the beach at the end)

As always, I just KNOW I'm forgetting that one, most important film...

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

I actually prefer Shortbus to Hedwig, but that may just be the contortionist in me.

he forgot (as did y'all) the greatest gay movie of all time -- Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train

Have been wanting to find Wild Reeds forever. It's not available on Netflix. A couple I really enjoyed that haven't been mentioned (or maybe I just overlooked them if they were):

Cote d'Azur, a fun French flick

As Luck Would Have It, another fun French offering (a TV movie, I think)

Lilies, a Canadian play within a movie within a play within a movie

and Nico and Dani from Spain.

I'd mention C.R.A.Z.Y. but I know the folks here at AE didn't like it much, even though it had and incredible sound track and one of the cutest leads in Marc-André Grondin.

I really liked "A Touch of Pink" Kyle McLachlan as Cary Grant is hysterical and sad all at the same time, and Suleka Mathew was wonderful as Jimi Mistry's mom. It really captured the humor I've found in my Indian friend's families, especially thier moms.

Yossi and Jagger was wonderful and heartbreaking.

On the other hand, I thought Latter Days was a pile of horsepuckey. Lot's of pretty boy-flesh doesn't make up for bad acting and an even worse script

One gay, the other straight. Glad you mentioned As Luck Would Have It, Wolfbane. It's one of the last films starring the very great Jean-Claude Brialy -- a supremely important out French actor. Out for Day One as a matter of fact. His credits include Chabrol's Les Cousins, Godard's A Woman is a Woman and Rohmer's Claire's Knee. He also discovered Alain Delon --who happened to be in his bed at the time. Brialy took Delon with him to Cannes. Everyone asked "Who's your boyfriend?" And a star was born!

Wolfbane, I wasn't aware that C.R.A.Z.Y. wasn't appreciated here! I don't know that it would appear on my top-ten list of films, but I did enjoy it very much... (Likewise, I also liked "A Touch of Pink" a lot, which was mentioned above.)

Two French favourites of mine are "Just a Question of Love," and "You'll Get Over It"---both well worth renting.

Brent, I don't know if there's been an article on the "top favourite gay films" run on AE, but even if there has, perhaps it's time for another, when everyone is so eager to chip in and talk about those films they particularly enjoyed. Maybe a "top 25" list, since there seems to be too many for a "top 10"....

I'm like a superhero, with no powers or motivation...

Nobody has mentioned Gus Van Sant's Mala Noche or Genet's Un Chant D' Amour. Two classic films that explore man for man desire, and they are both out on DVD. They are a must see along with Almodovar's Law of Desire.

Oh, I almost forgot to add "Sordid Lives" to the list. I just saw this for the very first time last week; very low budget, but I thought it was hilarious, and now I'm very much looking forward to the 12-episode series that is to begin airing on Logo in July.

I'm like a superhero, with no powers or motivation...

I've been pretty good at hunting down movies and renting them through Blockbuster online (and maybe 'saving' a copy for myself *looks left, looks right*, but this article has included so many more great movies! I'm going to write all these down that I don't have, haven't seen, or haven't heard of before so I can add to my collection!

AND, I'm totally on board for a top 25, or top 100 gay films list. I know Logo has something similar on their website, but I think we can put something much better together!

The Deep End with Tilda Swinton and Jeremy Tucker. I loved it, my friends hated it. Talk amongst yourselves

I have to agree with Brock and Joseph - I loved The Deep End. I, too showed it to a couple friends who didn't seem that enamored with it.

One not mentioned by anyone and that I've loved for a long time [one of my favorites, gay or straight] is the Dutch film For A Lost Soldier. It is a bit depressing and not a "fun" film, and I can see why a lot of people probably don't like it [perhaps a little controversial, as well]; but, for some reason I simply love it.

I just had to add my two cents to the discussion too. Taste is so subjective, so these lists are always going to be controversial. That's what makes them fun! For instance, Latter Days is on Brent's top list and I really couldn't stand it. I agree with the person above who said it was horrible acted and badly written. Sure, the guys were pretty but if I want pretty naked boys and bad acting I'll just rent porn... and get a lot less bad acting. LOL I liked the story they were trying to tell, I just think they butchered it in the telling. Oh, and the editing was painfully bad as well.

 

So what did I like? My top ten in no particular order:

1. Beautiful Thing

2. Loggerheads

3. Shelter

4. A Touch of Pink

5. Get Real

6. Bad Education

7. The Object of My Affection

8. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert

9. Brokeback Mountain

10. The Bubble

(Oh, and I thought 9 Dead Gay Guys was one of the worst movies I've ever seen.)

Thanks to the Logo channel, I had the chance to see Los Jornaleros (The Day Laborers), which is the story of three cousins who come from Mexico to the United States (settling in East Los Angeles) to seek their fortune. There is a gay subplot that enlarges the arc of the main characters and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Not many films bring me to tears, but this one did. Add it to your Netflix or Blockbuster queue.

Is one of my favorites, along w/ several of the films already mentioned (+ some that maybe weren't):

Brokeback Mountain, Mambo Italiano, Coffee Date, Eating Out, The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life Of Ethan Green, C.R.A.Z.Y., Like A Virgin, The Trip, Beautiful Thing, When I'm 64, Quinceanera, Summerstorm, The Birdcage, Another Gay Movie, Crustaces et Coquillages, Imagine Me And You, Hedwig, + a bunch of other random flicks.

As for my favorite drag-themed films:

Kinky Boots, To Wong Foo, Girls Will Be Girls, + a few more that I've probably forgotten.

In my view there is only one ULTIMATE gay themed film and it's JUST A QUESTION OF LOVE which was made in France. There is no comparison to quality when you are talking excellent gay films. It's definitely the best. Hot on the heels of this is ALL OVER THE GUY, THE TRIP, MAURICE, QUINCEANERA, THE TRIP, SHELTER, MAMBO ITALIANO, LOS JORNALEROS, LONGTIME COMPANION, BEAR CUB, and LOVE VALOUR AND COMPASSION. 

Sorry, but I can't include BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. I found it over rated and somewhat depressing.

So many people here seem to dislike this movie, and it was a little ridiculous, but I thought it was a really funny gay comedy. It sure wasn't supposed to be dramatic or anything. I just like watching it for the laugh factor.

This was a great movie that I wish I'd put on my list. So was SUMMER STORM. I loved the stage version of Hegwig, but the movie version didn't quite work for me. I should do a "worst gay movie" ever next week. My choice: THE DYING GAUL. Oh man, what a crappy movie! Read my books! Explore "Brent's Brain" at http://www.brenthartinger.com

Have to add Burnt Money to the list. Very sexy couple, action-packed, your heart will be racing in more ways than one!

From Netflix: Set in 1965, Burnt Money (released in Argentina as Plata Quemada) tells the true story of Angel and Sam, gay lovers who turn to crime, bank robbery and murder, holding Argentina and Uruguay in suspense as they lead the authorities on a two-month-long manhunt.

Samuel, I've done the list. I have listed all the movies mentioned here (in alphabetical order) and added some of mine (in bold)

1. 9 Dead Gay Guys
2. A Home at the End of the World
3. A Touch of Pink
4. Adam and Steve
5. All About My Mother
6. All Over The Guy
7. An Early Frost
8. Another Gay Movie
9. As Luck Would Have It
10. Autopsy
11. Beautiful Thing
12. Bedrooms & Hallways
13. Bent
14. Big Eden (2000)
15. Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss
16. Boy Culture
17. Boys in the Band
18. Brokeback Mountain
19. Broken Sky
20. C.R.A.Z.Y.
21. Cachorro (Bear Cub)
22. Circuit
23. Coffee Date
24. Come Undone (Presque Rien)
25. Confusion des genres
26. Crustacés et Coquillages (aka Cote d'Azur)
27. Death in Venice  
28. Dinah East
29. Doing Time on Maple Drive
30. East Side Story (2006)
31. Eating Out
32. Eating Out II – Sloppy Seconds
33. Echte Kerle
34. Eclipse
35. Edge of Seventeen
36. Facing Windows
37. Far From Heaven (2002)
38. Fixing Frank
39. Fox and His Friends (1975)
40. Get Real
41. Girls Will Be Girls
42. Gods & Monsters (1998)
43. Gone, but not Forgotten
44. Grande Ecole
45. Gypsy 83
46. Hammam
47. Happy Together (Chun gwong cha sit)
48. Hedwig
49. Heights
50. HellBent (2004)
51. Hit and Runway
52. Imagine Me And You
53. Infamous
54. It’s My Party
55. Jeffrey
56. Juste une Question d’Amour
57. Kinky Boots
58. Kinsey (2004)
59. Kiss of the Spider Woman
60. KM 0 (2002)
61. L.I.E.
62. L’Homme que J’aime (1997)
63. La Cage Aux Folles
64. Latter Days
65. Law of Desire
66. Le Clan
67. Leather Boys
68. Criminal Lovers (Les Amants Criminel)
69. Les Infidèles (1997)
70. Like A Virgin
71. Lillies
72. Loggerheads
73. Lola + Bilidikid
74. Longtime Companion
75. Lost Soldier
76. Love and Death on Long Island
77. Love, Valour, and Compassion
78. Making Love (1982)
79. Bad Education (Mala Educación)
80. Mala Noche
81. Mambo Italiano
82. Maurice 
83. My Beautiful Laundrette
84. My Life On Ice
85. My Own Private Idaho
86. Mysterious Skin
87. Nico and Dani
88. No Ordinary Love
89. One of Us (Ehad Mishelanu – Israel 1989) – kind of gay-themed
90. Parting Glances
91. Philadelphia
92. Plata Quemada (Burnt Money)
93. Poison
94. Pretend I'm Not Here (Faites comme si je n'étais pas là)
95. Proteus (2003)
96. Quinceanera
97. Rope
98. Second Skin (Segunda Piel)
99. Shelter
100. Shortbus
101. Signes de Vie (2001)
102. Son frère
103. Song of the Loon
104. Sordid Lives
105. Strangers on a Train
106. Summer Storm (Sommersturm)
107. Swoon
108. The Adventures of Felix (Drôle de Félix)
109. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
110. The Birdcage
111. The Blue Hour  
112. The Broken Hearts Club
113. The Bubble (Ha-Buah)
114. The Day Laborers (Los Jornaleros)
115. The Deep End
116. The Delta
117. The Dying Gaul
118. The History Boys
119. The Hours (2002)
120. The Hours and Times
121. The Lost Language of Cranes 
122. The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life Of Ethan Green
123. The Object of My Affection
124. The Opposite of Sex (1998)
125. The Servant
126. The Sum Of Us
127. The Toilers and the Wayfarers
128. The Trip
129. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
130. The Witnesses (Les Témoins)
131. Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train (Ceux qui m’aiment, prendront le train)
132. Time and World Enough
133. To Wong Foo
134. Torch Song Trilogy
135. Trick
136. Tropical Malady
137. Un Chant D'Amour
138. Urbania
139. Victim (1961)
140. Victor/Victoria
141. Voor een verloren soldaat (For a Lost Soldier)
142. Walk on Water
143. Wedding Wars
144. When I'm 64
145. Wild Reeds (Roseaux Sauvages)
146. Wir Zusammen Allein Mit Dir (1995)
147. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
148. Wonderland (aka The Fruit Machine)
149. WTC View
150. Yossi & Yagger

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R.I.P. - Heath Ledger [1979 - 2008]