I’ve always had a soft spot for immigration stories, especially considering both sets of my grandparents came to America from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century. By escaping the oppression they faced as Jews, my grandparents traveled to a new world rife with problems of its own. They struggled to fit in... Continue Reading →
For me, good art is pretty, but great art is confrontational, forcing the viewer to reflect upon the human condition and reveal truths, however inspiring or ugly. The 2021 Cannes Palme d’Or winner, Titane, writer-director Julia Ducournau’s sophomore effort, definitely veers towards the latter type of confrontation. With enough brutal violence to fill all of... Continue Reading →
As another Outfest draws to a close, I can honestly say this has been a pretty incredible program of films. I’ve seen such growth in filmmaking styles, narrative experimentation, and a great amount of diverse stories and voices on display. So many films featured characters who just happened to be LGBTQ+ without it being the... Continue Reading →
Queer cinema history is littered with enough coming out stories, hot shirtless guys, and campy comedies that they’ve been labeled “Bad Gay Films” as if that’s the norm. For sure, filmmakers have stepped up their game and have produced artistic, challenging, cinematic masterpieces, but often it’s been at the expense of dismissing, sometimes rightfully so,... Continue Reading →
Watching so many films in a row can prove daunting at times. You can almost picture a room full of filmmakers shouting at once, “Look at me here!” or “My topic is most important!” As you ping-pong from one subject to another, it feels difficult to digest one before quickly, and kind of grossly, moving... Continue Reading →
Wow! Hats off to the programmers and filmmakers of Outfest LA 2021. As an alum who has had seven films screen at Outfest over the years, I’ve seen the festival truly grow and take the initiative to shine a spotlight on a larger and larger world of stories. It makes me proud as a filmmaker,... Continue Reading →
It’s that favorite time of the year for queer people and our allies in Los Angeles as Outfest kicks off another year with a stellar lineup of films, one which is more diverse than ever before. I would typically write longform reviews, but because I intend to watch so many features and shorts over the... Continue Reading →
I became an instant fan of the BBC sitcom, Absolutely Fabulous, in the early 90s when visiting my sister Wendy in Melbourne, Australia. We were at a bar called The Exchange when the Season One Episode “Iso Tank” was played on the monitors. I was hooked the moment Edina (the genius show creator Jennifer Saunders)... Continue Reading →
Like many of you, I’ve lost all concept of space and time during this lockdown era. I’d watch movie after movie, but somehow forget to write about them. I’d consume films for sustenance, but then I’d move on to the next task of cleaning a room, doing a crossword puzzle, or staring at my dog... Continue Reading →
Picture a story of two young men who meet in an Italian village one fateful summer. They share a strong bond, but circumstances seem fated to drive them apart. Bicycles get ridden. Sun-dappled scenery evokes pure romance. Peaches, or perhaps peach gelato, may or may not play a role. You’d find yourself forgiven for immediately... Continue Reading →
