Monthly Archives: June 2011

Reviews

GPMMC #8: Mambo Italiano (2003)

mambo_italiano_2003Mambo Italiano (2003)
Director: Émile Gaudreault
Writers: Émile Gaudreault (screenplay), and Steve Galluccio(play)
Stars: Luke Kirby, Peter Miller, Ginette Reno, Paul Sorvino, Claudia Ferri, Mary Walsh
Summary: When Angelo (Luke Kirby) announces he’s moving out, his old-fashioned, Italian immigrant parents, Maria (Ginette Reno) and Gino (Paul Sorvino), nearly have a fit. After all, dutiful sons are supposed to stay home until they’re married. When they learn he’s rooming with his buddy Nino (Peter Miller), they settle down. That is, until they discover that the two are actually a couple, a scandal that brings agita to everyone in the family.

Mambo Italiano is an interesting comedy on coming out in an Italian community.  Luke Kirby kept reminding be of Billy Crystal throughout most of the movie.  In fact, it feels like the stereotypical Jewish guilt trip comedy between Angelo and his parents which kinda throws me off.  However, the story was compelling and very very funny.  Not too often do I enjoy comedies but this one really appealed to me.  While there was some potentially embarassing moments, I really felt like I could laugh instead of just hiding.  Fortunately, I had a friend over who forced me to watch which was very helpful.  This is a great gay comedy about the conflict between a gay son and his parents and how it affects people around him.  Definitely worth a watch

5 Stars

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Reviews

GPMMC #7: Longtime Companion (1989)

longtimecompanionLongtime Companion (1989)
Director: Norman René
Writer: Craig Lucas
Stars: Campbell Scott, Stephen Caffrey, Patrick Cassidy, Brian Cousins, Mary-Louise Parker, Bruce Davison
Summary: Perhaps the first film to put a human face on the AIDS epidemic, Longtime Companion follows the lives of a small circle of friends from the first mention of the disease in the New York Times in 1981. First referred to as “Gay-Related-Immune-Disorder,” we watch the effect of the disease as it devastates the lives of our protagonists. Jumping between Manhattan and Fire Island, vignettes carry us from the it-couldn’t-happen-to-me mentality of the early days of the disease to the invasive effect it has had on all of our lives, today. The title of the film comes from the New York Times’ refusal to acknowledge homosexual relationships in their obituary section during this period. Instead, survivors were referred to as “Longtime Companions” of the deceased. (IMDB)

The IMDB summary of this movie really says it all.  It’s a very touching movie and shows us younger gay folk the harsh realities of the early days of the AIDS epidemic.  I have to say I think that every gay man should see at least once.  The performances were spectacular and emotional.  I really don’t know what more to say.  The 100% on Rotten Tomatoes rating should say it all.

5 Star for sure.

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Reviews

GPMMC #6: To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)

ToWongFooTo Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)
Director: Beeban Kidron
Writer: Douglas Carter Beane
Stars: Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo
Summary: Ms Vida Boheme, and Noxeema Jackson win a drag queen contest in New York and are given tickets to Hollywood to participate in a Drag Queen beauty pageant.  They meet a boy-in-a-dress, Chi-Chi Rodriguez.  Feeling pity on the poor boy, they girls decide to take him along and turn him into a full fledged drag queen.  They dump their plane tickets and grab a 1967 Cadillac convertible and head out.  When the car breaks down, they find themselves stranded in the tiny midwestern town of Snydersville.  The three try to make the best of their unfortunate circumstance, and when their glitz and glamour wake up the sleepy local citizens, the stage is set for an outrageously funny weekend.

Okay, so I stole some of that summary from the box.  I never say I’m good at these.  In anycase, this is one of my favorite gay movies.  Besides the face that Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo make wonderful drag queens.  Which for these macho men (well, maybe not Leguizamo) being so feminine is a little shocking but they do it so well, you can only just go with it and laugh with glee.  I’ve always liked this movie better than Pricilla as to me it’s more memorable to me.  I know I really liked Pricilla but I can’t remember what happens.  Stockard Channing is wonderful as is the rest of the town of Snydersville.

5 Stars.  I can’t help myself.

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Reviews

GPMMC #5: Head On (1998)

headonHead On (1998)
Director: Ana Kokkinos
Writers: Andrew Bovell, Ana Kokkinos, and 2 more credits »
Stars: Alex Dimitriades, Paul Capsis and Julian Garner
Summary: There’s this kid from Greek immigrants to Australia.  He’s gay and doing drugs and has arguments with his dad, and  . . . oh hell, I have no clue what this movie was about.  Everything felt disconnected, the script was horrendous.  Weirdly, the acting was okay, the script just sucked.  I couldn’t follow this movie what so ever.  It couldn’t keep my attention at all.  And don’t think that it was because of the constant switch between Australian English and Greek.  That had nothing to do with it.  It’s just a terrible movie.  Australia has had much better movies come from it.  This one should be erased off the face of the Earth.  Well, at least is streaming free on Amazon Prime.

1 Star because my scale does not include 0

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Reviews

GPMMC #4: Latter Days (2003)

LatterdaysLatter Days
Director: C. Jay Cox
Writer: C. Jay Cox
Stars: Wes Ramsey, Steve Sandvoss and Mary Kay Place

Summary: Party Boy Christian places a bet that he can get the underwear of one of the Mormon Missionary boys next door.  He soon finds out that Elder Aaron Davis is a closeted gay himself. Aaron calls Christian shallow causing Christian to join Project Angel Food and discover in himself what it truly means to love someone.  Meanwhile, Elder Davis has to face the consequences of being excommunicated from his church, and hated by his parents.

Okay, not sure if that’s the best summary for the movie but good enough.  The first time I saw Latter Days was more out of my periphery while my roommate was watching it.  It was good this time to sit back and watch it directly through.  However, the movie didn’t really catch me.  The story moved along at a great pace, neither too fast, nor too slow.  However, the acting was awful, even for Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Jacquelin Bisset.  Honestly, this was just a long episode of a Soap Opera.  I really felt like the movie I was watching was an episode of Gays Of Our Lives,  Christian just felt to me through the entire movie like a plastic Ken doll and I couldn’t find anything within myself to really care for him.  On the other hand Elder Aaron Davis, was adorable and compelling and I wanted him to be happy.  Honestly, he could have found better than Christian.  Overall, this movie was an alright film.

3 Stars

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