Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger was at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday 10th September to introduce her new film Judy, based on the final years of queer icon Judy Garland. Ahead of the screening Zellweger described the film as "a huge celebration of beautiful Judy Garland and her legacy." When she returned to the... Continue Reading →
The movie musical is having a resurgence (as it is prone to do in times of hardship) thanks to films like La La Land, Frozen and The Greatest Showman (*cough*awfulrubbish*cough*) So London's BFI Southbank is raising its jazz hands and kicking up its heals with a season of films dedicated to movie musicals. Sorry, I... Continue Reading →
Master filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar's deeply personal Pain and Glory received it Canadian Premiere at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival on Friday 6th September at Ryerson University's theatre. The venue held a special significance for the film's star, Antonio Banderas, as he revealed to the TIFF audience following the film's screening."Sometimes life is just very... Continue Reading →
A smash hit in its native France, The Shiny Shrimps (Les Crevettes pailletees) is getting a wide release in the UK. What starts off as a silly, slight comedy proves to have a lot more heart and joy than expected. When a professional swimmer, Mattias Le Gof, uses a homophobic slur in a TV interview... Continue Reading →
The 63rd BFI London Film Festival is coming (October 2nd - 13th 2019) and the programme has a wealth of queer and queer-friendly films from around the world (not to mention some blockbuster presentations). Here are The Queer Review’s LFF 2019 LGBTQ+ highlights. Matthias & Maxime Xavier Dolan returns to his roots by writing, directing... Continue Reading →
There have been some notable exceptions over the years such as Afternoon Delight (Jill Soloway) and the documentary Live Girls Unite! (Vicky Funari and Julia Query), but overwhelmingly female exotic dancers have appeared in movies directed by men as little more than background, sleazy scene setters, to provide some nudity, and largely remained voiceless. We've... Continue Reading →
Richard Linklater, one of the most humanistic filmmakers working today, has often explored such themes as time, aging, or the benchmarks in ones lives, such as the last day of High School (Dazed And Confused), a first date (Before Sunrise), or the entire breadth of a child’s life (Boyhood). His films often feel unstructured, laid... Continue Reading →
This year’s Queer Palm winner Portrait of a Lady on Fire received its Canadian Premiere at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday 5th September. After the screening the film’s writer/director Céline Sciamma took to the stage with her two leading actors Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel at Toronto’s Winter Garden to a standing... Continue Reading →
The simmering rage in a marriage has been the source of endless amounts of great theatre. Witty, sideways barbs that cut in ways only a lover would know, deflections and parries from an opponent who can predict your every move. Simon Woods’ debut play Hansard (named after the published record of parliamentary debates), has all... Continue Reading →
TIFF have announced that three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep (Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, The Iron Lady) and three-time Academy Award–nominee Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, The Master, Walk the Line) will both be honoured with TIFF Tribute Actor Awards at this year’s inaugural Tribute Gala on Monday 9th September during the 44th Toronto International Film... Continue Reading →
