Queer Review: Cruising (1980)

Cruising
Director: William Friedkin
Writer: William Friedkin. Based upon the novel by Gerald Walker.
Cast: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

Overview
Originally protested by queer activists at the time of its release, Cruising wears it's homophobia blatantly on its leather sleeves. I believe people in general are sometimes too easily offended, but Cruising earns all of the animosity and criticism that has been directed at it over the years thanks to its blatant bigotry.

Synopsis
Straight cop Steve Burns (Al Pacino) is tapped to go undercover by the police chief (Paul Sorvino) to investigate a disturbing series of murders of gay men. Once undercover, he must learn to adopt to what is him a strange culture, while being separated from his girlfriend (Karen Allen).

The Queering
There is a certain kinship that Cruising shares with the pre-stonewall film The Detective. Both feature police officers performing homicide investigations into the murders of gay men and have villains who are the self loathing type of queer whose crimes are motivated by that repression. Both are also extremely problematic in their portrayal of gay characters. However, while The Detective can be excused as it was clearly attempting a sympathetic portrayal for the gay lifestyle and for its time period.

Cruising, however, represents a clear regression. Even taking the two time periods out of the equation, Cruising's portrayal of gay men is much more homophobic than what audiences were exposed to in The Detective. The ending itself is of particular concern, with its evocation of the gay recruiting myth and the suggestion that Steve Burns had become that which he had been fighting. Look into the abyss and the abyss looks back into you but what is the real abyss here? The amoral black hole created by the serial killers murderous rampage or his sexual orientation? The film does not make it clear and its ambiguous attitude is what dooms it.

From an aesthetic point of view, there is nothing particularly wrong with this film. There is also nothing that particularly stands out either. The plot is your standard serial killer being pursued by determined police, with the gay cruising angle thrown in simply to add some spice. There also also some nice cinematography featuring the grittier areas of NYC at night and a particularly beautiful shot with the sun setting as Burns enters his girlfriend's apartment.

The scenes of Al Pacino cruising in gay bars, looking for the killer are somewhat effective in there portrayal of gay leather bars. The filmmakers apparently took the time and effort to shot in actual gay bars and recruited the customers before filming took place to act as extras.

The lone upside to Cruising's release was that the protests it generated prompted Hollywood to reconsider its portrayals of gay characters. Seen in this light, it could be argued that many of the pro-gay films made and released in the 80's (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Victor/Victoria, My Beautiful Laundrette) owe their existence and success to Cruising.

Recommendation
Not for anyone really, other than those who wish to see the film that helped change Hollywood by providing an example of what not to do. The one star is only for the reforms that Cruising inspired, not for the film itself.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Setting the Record Queer: Sylvia Rivera and Other Myths of Stonewall

As many may already know, June is "Gay Pride Month" or "LGBTQIA Pride Month" or whatever queer term is in vogue at the time. President Obama has of course officially declared June "LGBTQ Pride Month". The reason for June being pride month is that the Stonewall Riots occurred on June 28th, 1969. They took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that was raided by the police, resulting in those being targeted by the raid to fight back. Sylvia Rivera is the individual sometimes credited with throwing the first blow.

Over the years, the image of the Stonewall Riots has gradually grown to become the cornerstone event in the gay civil rights movement. It is almost literally "the" event that everyone credits as starting the path of queer liberation.

Originally, I had intended to do a straightforward article on the Stonewall Riots, but a couple of historical details I came across recently made me rethink that. First off, it almost goes without saying that Stonewall was not the beginning of the queer rights movement. It was not even the first violent queer uprising. There are two events that pre-date the Stonewall Uprising. One is the Dewey Lunch Counter Sit In and the other is the Compton Cafeteria Riot.

The Dewey Lunch Counter Sit In took place in May 1965, more than four years before the Stonewall Riots. More importantly, it featured primarily trans African American protesters. The Compton Cafeteria Riots took place at a Compton Cafeteria located in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco and that riot too primarily featured transgendered/transvestite participants.

Now what does all have to do with Sylvia Rivera? Sylvia Rivera was a trans woman of Puerto Rican and Venezuelan heritage. What made her famous, was the fact that she was one of the instigators of the Stonewall Riots. She worked actively during her life to promote queer rights, particularly the rights of transgendered and transsexual individuals. This activism was highly controversial though and she frequently clashed with the more mainstream gay activist groups such as the Human Rights Campaign.

According to queer critic Michael Bronski Rivera declared the following a short time before her death, "One of our main goals now is to destroy the Human Rights Campaign, because I'm tired of sitting on the back of the bumper. It's not even the back of the bus anymore — it's the back of the bumper. The bitch on wheels is back."

From reading several sources regarding Sylvia Rivera, I find myself with the image of a flaming queen, ready to set the rest of the gay rights movement on fire. Anger appear to have been the foundation of Sylvia Rivera's crusade, particularly against the marginalization of trans and people of colour within the LGBTQIA community.

Now I need to be clear here, there is a distinct history of such marginalization of anyone who is non-white and gay and lesbian within the gay and lesbian community. Sylvia Rivera herself is one such example of this marginalization. Already, her memory seems to be fading. I complimented the documentary Stonewall Uprising for it's comprehensive coverage of the riots, but I have no memory of Rivera being mentioned, in spite of the key role she played. Furthermore, I found no article on Sylvia Rivera in the book Queers in History by Keith Stern, which also fails to mention Ruth C. Ellis.

The historical narrative that places increasing emphasis on Stonewall as the one and only beginning of the gay rights movement furthers this erasure of non-white gays and lesbians by forgetting the earlier events that whose primary participants were black and/or trans. Sylvia Rivera's elimination from any historical narrative creates even more such whitewashing. I question any movement that has shown the sort of willingness to forget its own history as easily and quickly as the Queer Movement has. When forget history, we forget the very basis of our own identities.

Jessi Gan perhaps put it best in "Still at the Back of the Bus": Sylvia Rivera's Struggle (which I highly encourage others to read):

Mainstream gay politics' narrow, single identity agenda situated Rivera on its margins, and viewed her memory as both manipulative and dispensable. By contrast, Rivera's own political affinities, while fiercely resisting cooperation remained inclusive, mobile, and contextual. Her political practice, informed by a complexity situated life, built bridges between movements, prioritizing the project of justice above arbitrary political boundaries.

Further Reading:

"Still at the Back of the Bus": Sylvia Rivera's Struggle
Stonewall and Beyond: Lesbian and Gay Culture
Wikipedia Stonewall Entry
The 1965 Deweys Lunch Counter Sitins
Wikipedia Compton's Cafeteria Riot Entry
Sylvia Rivera Law Project, "Who Was Sylvia Rivera"

Queer Review: After Hours (1985)

After Hours
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Joseph Minion
Cast: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Linda Fiorentino, John Heard

Overview
A fish out of water comedy - although a much darker effort than one might expect from that genre - After Hours is one of Martin Scorsese's lesser efforts. However, it still manages to offer up some solid entertainment due to a rousing final hour.

Synopsis
Mild mannered word processor (yes, that used to a profession) Paul Hackett decides on a whim to met late at night with a girl who gave him her phone number in a coffeeshop. On the cab ride to her apartment, Paul loses all of his money, and thus after he dumps her due to him fearing she may literally be scared for life, he finds himself unable to make his way home. This results in a series of increasingly over the top adventures for Paul as he tries to make his way home, which includes meeting a woman whose dress and lifestyle is stuck in the 60's and an angry mob led by a gay couple that believes Paul is responsible for a string of robberies in the area.

The Queering
My biggest problem with After Hours is the slow setup. However, once things start to come together in the second half and the disparate plot threads start to intertwine to build towards some narrative momentum, there is plenty of fun to be had here. Since this is a Martin Scorsese film the technical elements are executed perfectly. There is also some nice cinematography featuring the shadier side of New York City that probably would never show up in a commercial with the phrase "I Love NY".

There is a heavy shade of irony to everything that transpires. Paul simply wants to go home in order to get to sleep before he has to work the next day but due to circumstances beyond his control, he is drawn into an increasingly bizarre world, populated by people who stay out into the wee after hours of the morning. His character arc is perfectly elliptical, represented by how he ends the movie in the same location where he began it.

If there was a message to all of this, it was lost on me. Was Scorsese trying to tell audiences that life is better when we take risks or that we should simply enjoy the journey we are on? In all honesty, I have no idea what the whole point of this was, if there even was one. I therefore believe that this was simply an effort on Scorsese's part to make something a bit different then his usual violent films. Scorsese's films - at least those that I have seen such as Taxi Driver or Shutter Island - tend to feature socially awkward men who are lost and wandering in a world clearly beyond their own comprehension. Paul fits in well with this company, but due to his lacking severe psychological issues (outside of a fear of burns thanks to a childhood incident) After Hours is a dark comedy rather than one of the searing dramas that fill the ranks of Scorsese's filmography.

Recommendation
Anyone willing to sit through the first half of After Hours, will find there is plenty of fun to be had in the second.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: As Good As It Gets (1997)

As Good As It Gets
Director: James L. Brooks
Writer: Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks.
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., Shirley Knight, Jesse James

Overview
As Good As It Gets was critically lauded at the time of it's release and features some outstanding acting from it's main cast. Unfortunately there are too many elements, characters, and plot points, that are either gently recycled or outright stolen. With only a few major differences, this is a modern day version of A Christmas Carol.

Synopsis
Romance author Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is about as unpleasant and nasty an individual as one can be without being a serial killer or Hitler. When his neighbor's dog annoys him, he shoves the pup down a garbage chute. Melvin has only one restaurant that he can eat at (probably because all of the others in his neighborhood banned him) where he can only be served by Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt). Carol's son Spencer (Jesse James) is extremely ill and being a waitress, she does not have the money to ensure that he receives proper medical treatment. Meanwhile, Melvin's neighbor Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear), a gay painter/artist, is facing eviction and mounting financial problems after he was robbed and beaten by street hoodlums.

The Queering
The A Christmas Carol parallels are plenty. Melvin is a modern day Scrooge, whose change of heart comes not from ghosts of Christmas, but from dog sitting Simon's pooch while he's in the hospital. The Tiny Tim role is fulfilled by Simon and Spencer, with the former even being given a cane to use. One significant change comes from Carol filling the Bob Crotchit role, thereby providing an opportunity for a romance between her and her Scrooge like customer.

Had As Good As It Gets been made when the national healthcare bill was being debated, it would have been branded as liberal propaganda as both Carol's and Simon's problems stem from inadequate access to healthcare. While there is no political agenda being pushed, there is certainly something eerie watching how easily the characters would go away if they simply had medical insurance. Maybe someday audiences will look back on this film and be able to view the central problem as a historical artifact, or maybe not. Who knows?

Overall, As Good As It Gets is well made. There is not a weak performance to be found. Jack Nicholson in particular takes relish in delivering some of the more biting lines of dialogue offered up by screenplay. However, my favorite line is when Carol goes on a rant about wanting a normal boyfriend, her mother interrupts her with, "We all do. Unfortunately those don't exist."

The problem is that the good points are all counterbalanced by an overabundance of stereotypes and familiar tropes. I knew from the beginning the trajectory of every character arc and exactly hoe everything was going to end. Greg Kinnear's character in particular stands out, as Simon is the overly feminine gay artist type. While Kinnear's performance is otherwise fine, the only thing I was grateful for was that Simon was not an English teacher.

Recommendation
In the end, I have to say that while I did not hate Director James L. Brooks film or anything, the overly conventional plot and lack of surprises makes it a hard film to recommend. For those that do not mind a lack of originality, this may be worth seeking out. For those looking for a movie that treads new ground and pushes the proverbial envelope, look elsewhere.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: American Beauty

American Beauty
Director: Sam Mendes
Writer: Alan Ball
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Chris Cooper, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards

Overview
The critically acclaimed debut of Sam Mendes, American Beauty features the mid-life crisis of a man trapped in a stale relationship. It is also one of my favorite black comedies (after Fight Club) and also is one of the most aggressive gay propaganda films ever made.

Synopsis
Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is stuck in a dead end job, while stuck in a dead end marriage where his wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening) and daughter Jane (Thora Birch) both hate him. What breaks Lester out of the catatonic state he is in is developing an infatuation for Jane's friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari). This disgusts Jane, who at the same time is being stalked by the boy next door Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley). Ricky's parents are nearly as dysfunctional, his dad, Col. Frank Fitts (Chris Cooper) is extremely paranoid and his mom, Barbara (Allison Janney) resembles the living dead. Further complicating matters is Carolyn, fed up with Lester's behaviour, starts having an affair with Buddy "The King" Kane (Peter Gallagher).

The Queering
As I said at the beginning, this movie represents of one of the most aggressive gay propaganda films ever made. All of the usual stereotypes are completely reversed. That is any of the negative traits typically associated with queer characters, are given to the heterosexual ones.

All of the character who engages in straight behavior suffer from a variety of mental health issues, such as self loathing, body image problems, depression, paranoia, or are outright catatonic. These characters are also either repressed control freaks, shallow, vain, and self obsessed, engage in Nazi idolation, engage in abnormal behaviors such as the filming of dead birds and floating garbage, promote and express bigotry, and commit adultery, and that was just a list of the legal activities.

The illegal behaviors include an attempt at statutory (or what might be statutory) rape, the dealing and abuse of illegal drugs, driving while under the influence of those drugs, obsessive stalking, blackmail and extortion of an employer, prostitution, and tax fraud. And I have not even gotten started on the numerous characters that plot, discuss, and make plans to commit homicide that actually occurs.

Furthermore, both Jane and Ricky are also subjected to various forms of psychological, verbal, and even physical abuse at the hands of their heterosexual, adulterous, and murderous parents.

Meanwhile the gay couple, Jim and Jim (Scott Bakula and Sam Robards) is cheerfully normal, well adjusted, and more than willing to give exercise tips or deliver a "welcome to the neighborhood" basket to a new neighbor.

Otherwise, this an extremely well acted, superbly directed, smartly written flick. The cinematography, particularly the use of medium and close up shots, is noteworthy. There is not a technical element that is not executed perfectly.

The late 90's gave birth to a remarkable era of cinema. The year 1999 was particularly fertile. Magnolia, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Boys Don't Cry, The Matrix, The Blair Witch Project, and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace were all released in that year. Some critics may argue that the last film does not belong, but I would not argue that American Beauty is the equal or better of all of them.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

My Beautiful Laundrette
Director: Stephen Frears
Writer: Hanif Kureishi
Cast: Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Daniel Day-Lewis, Gordon Warnecke, Derrick Branche, Rita Wolf

Overview
Regarded as a gay classic by many critics, My Beautiful Laundrette was one of the few pro-gay films to come out of the 80's. Unfortunately, it is not one of the more impressive efforts to come out of that decade. Mediocre acting and writing, along with an awful score, causes watching My Beautiful Laundrette to be about as much fun as actually doing laundry.

Synopsis
Omar (Gordon Warnecke) is being set up by his wealthy uncle, Nassar Ali (Saeed Jaffrey), to run a laundry mat in London. To do this, Omar enlists the help of an old fling Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis). To finance the operation, the two steal drugs from Omar's other uncle, Hussein (Roshan Seth), who becomes angry upon finding out about the pair's duplicity. Further complications come from Omar being betrothed to Nassar's daughter Tania (Rita Wolf) a marriage he does not want as he is really in love with Johnny.

The Queering
I really, really wanted to like My Beautiful Laundrette. In addition to presenting a gay romance, it also attempts to address issues regarding classism and racism in Thatcher era London and features a rare example of a non-white LGBTQIA character. Plus, as a nice bonus, neither of the queer characters is killed off at the end. The thing is, in order to succeed, any story will need compelling characters and some kind of interesting conflict for them to overcome. Unfortunately, My Beautiful Laundrette has neither.

The ostensible hero of the story, Omar, is described as brilliant by nearly every other character yet comes across as a moron. It does not help matters either that he is played without a hint of charisma by Gordon Warnecke. Daniel Day-Lewis is so stiff, that he seems simply aloof. Worse, there is no chemistry between these two. The only actors showing any kind of chutzpah, are Saeed Jaffrey, as the sleezy uncle, and Rita Wolf playing his bored (and therefore extremely horny) daughter.

The main conflicts of the story tend veer frequently towards the lame and are always resolved too easily. The gay relationship is handled is one such example. Since nobody discovers or challenges Omar and Johnny's relationship the fact that the two are engaging in what is essentially a forbidden love (for the time and setting) becomes completely pointless. Without any major suffering or conflict for the characters to go through, there is little reason for the audience to root for them. It's like watching a baseball team score a home-run every inning while the pitcher just gently lobs the baseball over the plate.

On the technical side, the score for My Beautiful Laundrette has to be among the worst I have ever heard from a mainstream movie. There are also enough instances of choppy editing to make me wonder of the editor was forced to work in a dryer on spin cycle.

Recommendation
For those with any interest in the history of queer cinema, My Beautiful Laundrette is worth seeking out as there are worse offerings out there. However, there is too little of interest here for me to be recommending this to anyone else.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review, Classic Review?: Thelma and Louise (1991)

Thelma and Louise
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Callie Khouri
Cast: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald, Brad Pitt

Overview
A story of two woman who go on a crime spree, Thelma and Louise contains one of the most iconic endings in movie history. At it's core, this is the story of a relationship between two repressed woman who find out what they are capable of while fleeing from their old lives.

Synopsis
Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are two woman whose vacation plans go horribly awry . While stopping at a bar on their way out of town, they meet a handsome stranger, who Thelma spends most of the evening flirting and dancing with. When the two go outside however, he attempts to rape her, and she ends up being rescued by Louise, who ends up shooting and killing the attempted rapist. This results in Thelma and Louise running from the law, as they try to figure out how to survive in a world that is not friendly towards woman.

The Queering
I am of two minds about this movie in regards to there being a queer subtext, which I had heard about before viewing. On one hand there is clearly a strong bond between Louise and Thelma that transcends mere friendship and they even share a kiss in the closing moments of the movie. On the other hand, there is little evidence that this bond goes beyond the platonic. In other words, this is going to get both a classic review tag and queer review tag.

Thelma and Louise probably appeals most strongly to women, than it does for anyone else. That is not to say that other people could not enjoy this female empowrment romp, but that woman are more likely to appreciate what it offers. Most of the male characters are presented as jerks. Thelma's husband is a control freak who appears at any moment ready to lash out in an uncontrolled rage. In addition to the attempted rapist, there is also a truck driver who makes lewd offers to the two and a handsome young man, who seduces Thelma, only to steal all of the pair's money. In contrast, there are only two men with any decency. The Detective Hal (Harvey Keitel) who is investigating the murder and Jimmy (Michael Madsen) who is in love with Louise.

Overall, this is a well made movie and as I watch more and more of movies made more than two decades ago, I more and more find myself lamenting for a time when movies like this were able to get made. For example, it is difficult imagining the ending being used in today's filmmaking environment. The acting by Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis is superb and Ridley Scott, not known for directing character driven pieces, somehow succeeds exceptionally well here.

Granted, there are plenty of formulas at work in Thelma and Louise, but they are well enough executed and with enough interesting variations, to keep it from feeling formulaic. The writing is both a curse and a weakness. While Callie Khouri successfully manages to develop two interesting and complex female leads, there are numerous small, yet noticeable, plot holes throughout. For example, how did Hal get the licence plate number for the car? And was I the only one who thought that the small army chasing down Louise and Thelma at the end was a tad over the top?

In any event, the strengths cancel out any weaknesses and I can only say that this is one damn fine motion picture.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: Milk (2008)

Milk
Director: Gus Van Sant
Writer: Dustin Lance Black
Cast: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare

Overview
Harvey Milk was among the first openly gay politicians run and be elected to a major public office in the United States, and the first in the state of California. Milk is the Gus Van Sant directed biopic of Harvey Milk's life, with Sean Penn in the title role.

Synopsis
Milk starts out with the initial meeting between Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his longtime lover Scott Smith (James Franco) in a subway station and ends with his assassination at the hands of Dan White (Josh Brolin). In between we are shown Milk's early political campaign struggles and the events of his brief political career once he was elected, along with the strained political relationship he had with Dan White. There is also some time focused on Anita Bryant's homphobic campaigns against civil rights, which featured legislation to make it legal to fire "homosexual" teachers in California and that Harvey Milk publicly campainged against.

The Queering
On the whole, this is a fairly standard bio-pic. However, there are a few things that do make it stand out. The first is Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk which embodies the cliche of "bringing [insert historical figure here] to life". The other is the amount of insight provided into Harvey Milk and the homophobia that existed during the time period.

I also have to say that there are also plenty of emotionally moving scenes. This is what makes the film work. Without emotional investment in the struggles of Harvey Milk, this picture would simply not work.

However, I do have a minor criticism, although this is more broadly applied to Hollywood on the whole. Are there not enough mainstream pictures about gay white men now? It's not like there are not any other historical figures to choose from. When are we going to see a bio-pic of Sylvia Rivera, Ruth C. Ellis, George Washington Carver, or Bayard Rustin? I am just getting a little tired of there not being a heck of a lot of variety out there to choose from when it comes to queer films.

In any case, what Milk sets out to do, it does well. There is also enough insight into Milk's life and philosophy here to make it worthwhile viewing. Two quotes from Milk in particular stand out for me. I found the first the most insightful. When is when Supervisor Dan White tells Harvey that "you have an issue", Harvey responds with, "It's more than an issue, this is our lives we're fighting for."

The other one is the most moving:

I ask this... If there should be an assassination, I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out - - If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door... And that's all. I ask for the movement to continue. Because it's not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power... it's about the "us's" out there. Not only gays, but the Blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors, the us's. Without hope, the us's give up - I know you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. So you, and you, and you... You gotta give em' hope... you gotta give em' hope.

Recommendation
Highly recommended. Milk makes a good starting point for those who wish to know more about the history of gay activism and queer politics.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: X-Men: First Class (2011)

X-Men: First Class
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, and Matthew Vaughn. Story by Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer.
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence

Overview
X-Men: First Class is a prequel to the original X-Men movies, X-Men, X2-X-Men United, and X-Men: The Last Stand. However, while many are labeling X-Men: First Class as a member of the superhero origins genre, I think it is more interesting to look it a "coming out of the closet" tale with mutants, as opposed to queers.

Synopsis
We start out with a brief sequence set during the Holocaust, where Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) who will become Magneto, is being studied by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). After Shaw kills Erik's mother, Erik spends the rest of the movie hunting down Shaw for one purpose, to exact bloody vengeance. In other scenes, we are shown how Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) first meet and later, a few glimpses of Xavier at Oxford, my favorite glimpse being of Xavier chugging down beer while celebrating his graduation.

Shaw's ultimate goal though is to start a nuclear war and here he is the instigator behind the Cuban Missile Crisis. While he is doing that, Xavier and Erik are recruiting mutants using a primitive version of Cerebro that was created by Beast (Nicholas Hoult) in order to build a mutant army for the CIA to stop Shaw.

The Queering
There is some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that Mystique was actually straightened out as I had feared from the trailers. Here she not only kisses Beast, but also tries to sleep with Magneto and gets all jealous when Xavier tries to pick up other woman at Oxford. The good news is that Mystique, along with Beast, are given a much more interesting queer subtext in this movie. As I said at the beginning, this is more a coming out story for the mutants then it is an origins story and Mystique and Beast are the ones whose struggles are the most interesting when viewed through this lens. Magneto's speech to Mystique about how she was both beautiful and perfect in her natural blue scaly body was particularly moving to me. "Mutant and Proud" indeed.

The struggle between Professor Xavier and and Magneto is also intriguing, as much of what Professor Xavier appears to be advocating is that mutants should live in the closet even if this costs them their freedom. His condescending attitude towards Mystique where he encourages her to look "normal" highlights this. Magneto has always been one of the most complex superhero villains to grace the silver screen and the way this movie fleshes out his motivations while having him advocate that mutants should be visibly "out" to the rest of the world, only adds even more interesting layers to his character.

As far as the acting goes, I am tempted to give into bad puns and label Michael Fassbender's work here "magnetic". In any case, Fassbender's performance could stand toe to toe with Ian McKellen's performance in the original. James McAvoy is not quite as successful, but then he is playing a much younger and more naive Professor Xavier who had a sheltered upbringing and I think that's what makes him come across as a pale imitation of Patrick Stewart. In other words, McAvoy's performance, while not great, works within the context of this movie.

Prequels, by their very nature, are difficult to get right. The fact that we know where all of the characters and various plots will end up, means there often is a distinct lack of suspense. We know that at some point Xavier is going to lose the ability to walk, that Magneto will don Shaw's helmet, and which one of those two Mystique will ultimately choose to side with. However, by introducing an interesting thematic parallel to the queer experience of "coming out", X-Men: First Class manages to make for compelling viewing in spite of the obstacles that come from being a prequel.

Recommendation
Highly recommended, particularly for those who enjoyed the early X-Men movies, but I would be so bold to claim that this can be enjoyed by anyone.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: Shortbus (2006)

Shortbus
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Writer: John Cameron Mitchell
Cast: Sook-Yin Lee, Paul Dawson, Peter Stickles, Alan Mandell, Raphael Barker, PJ DeBoy, Lindsay Beamish, Jay Brannan

Overview
Shortbus is the most sexually explicit narrative (as opposed to pornographic) film I have ever seen. Director John Cameron Mitchel also directed Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which happens to my personal favorite queer movie. Here, Mitchel is taking things in much different and even more ambitious direction - make a narrative feature with lots of queer sex acts that also functions as a work of art.

Synopsis
Sofia (Sook-Yin Lee) has what I would assume to be an unusual problem for a sex therapist in that she has never experienced an orgasm. When she meets James (Paul Dawson) and Jamie (PJ DeBoy), they invite her to the Shortbus, a sex club for people of all persuasions, genders, and orientations. Sofia goes there with her husband Rob (Raphael Barker) where she meets Severin (Severin) a dominatrix and the interactions the two woman engage in help create catalysts that help them move forward with their respective issues. At the same time, James and Jamie have brought a third partner into their lives Ceth (Jay Brannan). James is suffering from depression and has an ulterior motive for allowing Ceth into their lives, at the same time this introduction upsets an obsessed stalker, Caleb (Peter Stickles).

The Queering
What I like about John Mitchel Cameron movies is that he clearly cares about using movies to explore deeper themes regarding the human condition. There are a lot of things being said in Shortbus and while not all of them are profound, most of them are at least provocative. There has been a long standing debate for decades as to whether or not "porn" can even be considered art. Producers of pornographic materials have long attempted to prevent their works from being banned in a puritanical world by introducing flimsy story lines into movies that are ostensibly created for the sole purpose of being an aid to masturbating humans. It is clear that Cameron intends to muddy this line by introducing dirty sex into what is an otherwise purely artistic film.

What makes Shortbus different from most narrative features is that the central problem revolves around the main character attempting to have an orgasm, rather than find true love. In short, the plot of Shortbus is the same basic plot used by pretty every other porn film in existence. However, while most straight pornography is about the subjugation of the female subjects to a masculine sexual desire, Mitchel differentiates Shortbus by making the focus on a woman's liberation. This is the key here, and what I would argue makes Shortbus worthy of artistic consideration.

While making Shortbus Mitchel used improve workshops with the actors to create the characters. Between that and the main theme being about unleashed womanhood, I was strongly reminded of Top Girls, a play I had to study for the Play Analysis for the Stage class I took in college.

This not a film for the timid. Characters are shown masturbating, ejaculating, penetrating, and fucking. Sex and art are frequently linked, such as when a shot of cum adds to a Pollack type painting. The point of the Shortbus Club (and by extension, the movie) is to turn sexual acts into works of performance art. Also, think about the implications of Caleb the Stalker, as he watches Jamie, James, and later Ceth, as they all have sex in their apartment.

Just one last thing I want to point out. There are more than a few animated sequences of New York City that are used in clever ways throughout the film. The most notable being at the beginning with an extended shot of the Statue of Liberty, which I am guessing was Mitchel's way of announcing that lady liberation was going to have her way.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended, at least for those who will not mind the mingling here of hardcore porn and art.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: I Shot Andy Warhol (1996)

I Shot Andy Warhol
Director: Mary Harron
Writer: Mary Harron and Daniel Minahan. Based upon the book by Jeremiah Newton. Additional material provided by "The Letters and Diaries of Candy Darling" and research by Diane Tucker.
Cast: Lili Taylor, Jared Harris, Martha Plimpton, Stephen Dorff

Overview
The story of I Shot Andy Warhol is based upon the true tale of militant lesbian Valerie Jean Solanas (Lili Taylor), a 1960's radical feminist who wrote the S.C.U.M. (Society For Cutting Up Men) Manifesto. As far as I could tell, director Mary Harron's flick stuck as close to the established record as possible. This is a good thing, as this dramatic tale is not one that needed any embellishment.

Synopsis
Valarie Solanas started out as a panhandler/prostitute trying to make her way in NYC, along with her friends Stevie (Martha Plimpton). While there, Solanas meets Candy Darling (Stephen Dorff) who introduces her to Andy Warhol (Jared Harris). Solanas then forcefully attempts to get Warhol to produce a play of hers as well as publish The S.C.U.M. Manifesto, even though he shows nothing more than polite interest. All of this, inevitably leads to Solanas's declining mental stability, resulting in her believing that Andy Warhol is trying to control her life and then to that inevitable day of violence.

The Queering
After watching I Shot Andy Warhol, I now have a better understanding of why Warhol would produce something as terrible as Woman in Revolt even though I still do not think that cinematic disaster can be excused in any way.

However, it is important to note that while I Shot Andy Warhol attempts to understand Solanas as a human being - for example we see bits and pieces of her childhood and the time she spent at college - it does not attempt to condone her actions or philosophies, merely show how someone could be driven to these extremes. Solanas is portrayed as someone with a rapidly deteriorating mental health, which can be seen as a result of the discrimination she had faced as a woman and the sexual molestation that occurred when she was a child. And Warhol comes across as an innocent here, someone who had Solanas foisted upon him and who only reacted with a feigned politeness to attempts on Solanas's part for Warhol to produce and publish her works.

The S.C.U.M. Manifesto is considered a feminist classic in some circles and I Shot Andy Warhol takes time to show us insights into Solanas's thought process. Excerpts from S.C.U.M. are read to us by Solanas in black and white shots highlighting by implication the personal demons that Solanas obviously faced.

The star of this movie is obviously Lily Taylor, whose hard as nails performance drives the movie through even the roughest patches. Taylor is the one who makes the movie. Any performance of a lesser caliber might have made I Shot Andy Warhol unwatchable in some of the more difficult scenes, but with Lily Taylor's mesmerizing performance, everything else falls into place. Jared Harris plays Andy Warhol as a quiet, mousy kind of guy. Although I always imagined an artist with Warhol's reputation to have had more of a presence personality wise, my boyfriend informed me that Harris's interpretation is valid.

Recommendation
While Solanas's philosophy and writings, particularly The S.C.U.M. Manifesto may be offensive to some, I do not think that should be a barrior for anyone to view I Shot Andy Warhol. Highly recommended.

The Rating

Promo



Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Issue: Thoughts on the Failed Sissy Boy Experiements

I just got done watching Anderson Cooper's 360 report on "The Sissy Boy Expirement". For a couple of reasons I want to discuss here, this viewing has left me somewhat emotionally shaken.

In this report (which can be watched below) Cooper talks about the experiments done on "Kraig" in order to make him more masculine. Kraig later committed suicide at age 38. It is stories like this remind me that as bad as I sometimes think I had it growing up, there are those who had it much worse.

The reason I am so emotional now is because how much my experiences growing up mimic Kraig. When I was a kid I played with these dolls (I believe they were called treasure trolls) and spent a lot of time cutting up socks and combing their hair. I can remember at the same time that I started playing with these dolls, that I was also starting to develop attraction to members of my own sex. If I knew friends were coming over, I made very sure that these toys were well hidden. But when I was alone, I spent a lot of doing things I imagine many of my more macho friends were not.

I also spent a lot of time reading (there was no TV in the house). Granted most of this was stuff like The Hardy Boys or The Boxcar Children but I also spent a lot of time reading a series called The Babysitters Club which was aimed exclusively at those of a feminine persuasion.

I feel I should be grateful then, that while my Mom's reaction to my coming out was not perfect (Sorry Mom, but telling your son that he's now safe to be dating girls because now there's no risk of him raping them, is not quite the best response), at least I was not shipped off to an Ex-Gay camp to be subjected to extreme aversion therapy.

Like Kraig, I did try to commmit suicide. Thankfully, unlike him, I did not succeed. While "The Sissy Boy Experiment" was a terrible thing, it simply a more extreme example of what society does to queer people everyday. Color coded chips may not be used to keep score, but people are constantly rewarded for conforming to heterosexual gender norms by *not* being subjected to bullying, not having to fear the lose of job and housing, or in the most extreme cases, not having to face actual violence.

What George Reekers, who did the study that was the focus of this report, was attempting to justify and normalize societies discrimination and ostracizing of LGBTQIA people. The fact that he failed is not surprising, but the fact that someone had the balls to do this is not only shocking, but is also extremely frightening on many levels.

Queer Review: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

Kiss of the Spider Woman
Director: Hector Babenco
Writer: Manuel Puig. Based upon the novel by Leonard Schrader.
Cast: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, José Lewgoy, Milton Gonçalves

Overview
Kiss of the Spider Woman became one of the most popular gay films in Latin America after it was released in 1985. Featuring some astounding acting and writing, this is one of the more impressive queer films to come out of the 1980's that I have seen.

Synopsis
The story of Kiss of the Spider Woman revolves around two cell mates in an unspecified South American prison. One is a drag queen Luis Molina (William Hurt) who was convicted of corrupting a minor and the other a political activist being tortured for information, Valentin Arregui (Raul Julia). These two form an intimate bond as Molina tells Valentin stories in order to help them forget the harsh realities of their situation. All of these stories, the most prominent one which comes from a Nazi propaganda film, feature a metaphorical Spider Woman/femme fatale. Molina is also a metaphorical Spiderwoman who, even though he his falling in love with Valentin, has pledged to help the prison warden (José Lewgoy) and a secret police officer (Milton Gonçalves) by earning Valentin's trust in order to obtain vital information Valentin has regarding anti-goverment groups.

The Queering
This is a movie that is rife with subtexts and metaphors, making it all the more worthwhile for those who like to think while they watch a movie rather than those who like being dazzled by pretty explosions and soulless special effects. On one hand, I am not the sort of person who believes as many critics have suggested, that the death of mature and artful cinema is upon us, even in 2011 and our summer of sequalitis, dumb action movies, and 3D overuse and abuse. On the other hand, watching a movie like Kiss of the Spider Woman where the emphasis is on telling an interesting story and developing complex characters, did make me realize how rare movies that take a serious look at the human condition are becoming and therefore how precious a film like this really is.

The most interesting subtext revolves around the Spider Woman (Sonia Braga), a metaphor that made me think of the black widow who devours her arachnid lovers. Like the black widow, Molina represents a clear danger to Valentine, even when Molina declares his deep love for the political agitator. The greatest suspense comes from wondering if Molina will betray Valentino in order to secure his parole or if he will keep any information Valentino passes on to him secret.

The relationship between Molina and Valentine forms the crux of Kiss of the Spider Woman's thematic soul and represents one of the most subversive queer relationships I have seen in the movies. There are layers and complexities to their relationship beyond anything that usually finds it's way onto theater screens. There is one scene where Molina and Valentine make love, but nothing is shown and the movie on the whole is almost entirely devoid of sexual content. The love they share is clearly platonic and not based on any physical attraction, making what appears to be an inevitable betrayal all the more frightening.

Naturally in a movie like this, the acting of both the leads, William Hurt and Raul Julia, is of the highest caliber and neither one strikes a wrong note. As the amgiguous Spiderwoman that Molina idolizes, Sonia Braga is exudes the necessary feminine mystique, exuding both pose and danger at the same time.

Recommendation
Highly recommended. This is the perfect antidote to all the CGI and 3D nonsense that will be thrown in audiences faces this summer.

The Rating

Trailer


Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: Philadelphia (1993)

Philadelphia
Director: Jonathan Demme
Writer: Ron Nyswaner
Cast: Tom Hanks, Antonio Banderas, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards

Overview
Philadelphia was director Jonathan Demme's penance after he was criticized for the homophobic overtones in his Oscar winning Silence of the Lambs. A story of the AIDS crisis, Philadelphia at least managed to convey the anxieties and fears that came with HIV epidemic, while containing a strong message against homophobia. The only movie that I know that did this better, was the HBO miniseries Angels in America.

Synopsis
When Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) was discovered to have AIDS, he was shortly thereafter fired by his homophobic law firm, even though he had just been promoted to a senior partner. Unfortunately, after being turned down by every other lawyer he had approached, Beckett's only recourse was to hire homophobic attorney Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) in order to file a wrongful termination lawsuit.

The Queering
While Philadelphia is ostensibly about a gay man with HIV/AIDS, the most interesting thematic element is the way homophobia is contrasted with racism. This is underscored, not only by having Beckett being defended by a black lawyer, but during a key scene where Becket is asked repeatedly by a librarian if he would prefer a private study room. During this scene, I could not help but think about that dark part of history when Jimmy Crow dictated that blacks could only swim in public pools on the day before those pools were to be cleaned.

The biggest problem with Philadelphia is the pacing. The opening act is effective in setting up the scenario, but the middle section gets bogged down with too many courtroom scenes, which causes proceedings to drag a bit. That is not to say that there are not many more effective elements, but if the film had trimmed 15-20 minutes, then it would have made for a much better movie experience.

The greatest pleasure comes from watching Denzel Washington's homophobic lawyer gradually turn into someone capable of empathizing with gay people. Tom Hanks is good, as is Antonio Banderas as Beckett's lover, but Washington is the one who has the greatest challenge.

Another thing I appreciated, was how there were no big melodramatic scenes, instead events and themes are developed and explored gradually throughout the movie. Too often courtroom dramas and movies focused on characters dying of terminal illnesses resort to cheap theatrics and over the top melodrama to make their points. Thankfully, Philadelphia avoids all that nonsense and is all the better for it.

Recommendation
Strongly recommended for anyone who can enjoy a solid, well made drama.

The Rating

Trailer



Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.

Queer Review: The Hours (2002)

The Hours
Director: Stephen Daldry
Writer: David Hare. Based upon the novel by Michael Cunningham.
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, Stephen Dillane, Miranda Richardson, John C. Reilly, Ed Harris, Toni Collette

Overview
The Hours uses a premise that is so simple it might be considered a gimmick - tell the story of three different women of the course of a single day. This is similar to the premise of Mrs. Dalloway, from which Michael Cunningham got the inspiration to write his novel that the film was based upon. When I first saw The Hours in the theater, it was thanks to a literature professor who had assigned viewing the film as an extra credit for the class I was taking. I loved it so much, that I went back and viewed it a second time the next day. While viewing it recently in order to write this review, it's flaws were a little more apparent to me, but I would still label it a personal favorite of mine.

Synopsis
Three women from different time periods, struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, and various other issues during the course of a single day.

In the 1920's Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman), finds herself beginning a new book, which will become Mrs. Dalloway while the simple tasks she must deal with, such as managing the household servants, nearly prove overwhelming. Woolf also finds herself wishing desperatly to move back to London, a move staunchly opposed by her husband, Leonard Woolf (Stephen Dillane).

The second story takes place in the 1950's and is about a repressed housewife, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) who struggles with raising her son and the task of preparing a party for her husband. While reading Mrs. Dalloway she finds herself awakened to various possibilities to her life, including the possibility of suicide.

The third story features an New York City editor, Clarissa Vaughan, who represents a modern day Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa is throwing a party for her gay friend Richard (Ed Harris), who won a prestigious prize for his poetry, yet is dying of AIDS. During these preparations, she finds herself reflecting on the choices she made and the path that led to where she is now.

The Queering
I must admit to having tried to read Mrs. Dalloway and also, to having failed in that endeavor. While both the book and the film version of The Hours revolve around the themes of Mrs. Dalloway, there is no requirement that one has read Woolf's novel in order to understand The Hours. What is necessary that one be able to understand the characters and also be willing to invest some effort into understanding their circumstances. Those who are unwilling to make those leaps, will find themselves watching a film featuring a bunch of unsympathetic, whiny characters.

The title The Hours comes from a working title for Mrs. Dalloway and is crucial to understanding the main themes of the film. This is not a movie about big life changing events, it is about the little moments we struggle through each day. That is, the hours each of the main characters must endure in order just to survive.

There are no traditional villains here, merely minute misunderstandings that have come together to form barriers more impenetrable then concrete walls. Each of the three leads suffer from not being able to express themselves entirely, either publicly or to their romantic partners. Woolf and Brown because they lived in an age when female sexuality, and in particularly lesbianism, was taboo, and Vaughn for more complicated reasons that are never quite made clear.

One complaint that could be leveled against The Hours is that the characters very rarely speak the way ordinary people do, but rather in a poetic and generally more insightful fashion than the average person. This may or may not be a hindrance, depending on ones philosophy of art and how closely one feels dramatic productions should hue to naturalistic stylings.

Director Stephen Daldry makes good use of technical elements (cinematography, editing, music) to blend the three stories seamlessly together to make it feel as if though one was watching one singular narrative, rather than three disconnected ones. One character, who provides a concrete connection between the last two stories helps immensely. Speaking of the technical side, they are all superbly executed overall. The strongest parts of The Hours are the writing and the acting, although on my most recent viewing, I was a bit surprised to find myself noting just how good the cinematography was.

I have come across quiet a few people who view The Hours as nothing more than pretentious, depressing, and boring, Oscar bait. Obviously, I could not disagree with that point of view more. My opinion of The Hours is that it is a superlative motion picture and a defining moment in film for queer cinema.

Recommendation
I did say this was one of my favorites, right? Highly recommended.

The Rating

Trailer



Want to find a review of a particular work? Check out the Title Index, the archive of all reviews posted listed alphabetically.