Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (August 15, 2008)

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE
This week in movies marks the return of one of the silver screen’s most famous gay couples. I’m talking, of course, about C3P0 and R2D2, who appear in the animated feature Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Finally, we’ll get answers to such lingering questions as … which of the bickering pair is the bottom? And is it possible for a two-dimensional animated character to show more depth than Hayden Christensen in Revenge of the Sith? But wait, The Clone Wars might have something "gay" after all. Unfortunately, it looks to be more X-Files hompoboic than Tropic Thunder gay-friendly. 

In all seriousness, there’s a major movie opening this week that actually has gay character and gay content — the Ben Stiller-helmed comedy Tropic Thunder. With all the previews and advance word I’d heard for this movie, I wasn’t sure which I was more afraid of: that it would be filled with juvenile homophobia or painfully unfunny. Which is why it was such a relief to read Brian’s review and hear that — Surprise! — the movie’s actually decent and a smart satiric treatment of Hollywood’s handling of gay themes.

I’m particularly relieved because Thunder was co-scripted by Justin Theroux, who I’ve nursed a crush on ever since The Broken Hearts Club. Seriously, I sat through Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle for the guy. The least he can do is write a funny, pro-gay movie in return.

Brandton T. Jackson in Tropic Thunder, Justin Theroux in Charlie's Angels and Broken Hearts Club

Also opening: Woody Allen’s Spanish romp, Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona. Given that, other than Match Point, the past 10 years of Allen’s movies are better left forgotten (not to mention that there’s never really been anything particularly gay-friendly in his work), this one is probably skip-able. Except it does star Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, and promises some girl-on-girl attraction -- if you’re into that sort of thing.

On DVD, Freshman Orientation, starring Sam Huntington finally gets released. Huntington plays Clay, a straight college student who pretends to be gay in order to get the girl. Of course, this leads to complications for our surprised straight boy...

Sam Huntington (right) and "friend"

On television, the Men’s Diving Competition starts this Monday and Tuesday, your chance to see the Olympics’ sole out male athlete and total hottie Matthew Mitcham taking the plunge.

Alexandre Despatie and Arturo Miranda competing earlier this week
(Photo credit: Getty Images/Paul Gilham/Michael Kappeler/Greg Wood)

For more Olympic coverage visit Outsports.com.

Next page! Margaret Cho, Skins and more!