Somebody Somewhere, a new comedy series created by High Maintenance writers Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, which premieres on HBO this Sunday January 16th, feels like a breath of fresh air with its layered characters, unhurried pace, mix of poignant moments and gentle humour, and a compelling performance by comedian and singer Bridget Everett (Inside... Continue Reading →
Last year drag superstar Jinkx Monsoon made a memorable festive cameo in Clea DuVall’s Happiest Season with fellow Drag Race alum BenDeLaCreme, with whom she co-wrote and co-starred in the acclaimed holiday tours of To Jesus, Thanks for Everything! -Jinkx and Dela and All I Want for Christmas is Attention, as well as The Jinkx... Continue Reading →
Groundbreaking Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, writer, actor, and director, Tig Notaro's animated stand-up special, Tig Notaro: Drawn, debuts on HBO on Saturday July 24th, before streaming on HBO Max. From an unlikely hospital bed proposal, to a macabre road trip fantasy featuring Dolly Parton, and a meditation on the Kool-Aid man's gender, this is one genre-spanning, hilarious... Continue Reading →
This Friday May 7th sees the premiere of the third and final season of the biting and touching comedy series Shrill on Hulu. Its co-creator and star Aidy Bryant returns as Annie, who is feeling energized by her breakup with dud boyfriend Ryan (Luka Jones) and her newfound momentum at the culture website The Thorn,... Continue Reading →
Writer-director Nikole Beckwith's Together Together, which world premiered at Sundance where it was in the running for the festival's Grand Jury Prize, refreshes the rom-com genre by placing a mellow and touching odd couple platonic friendship at its centre (a plat-com). As the film opens we meet twenty-something Anna (Patti Harrison), a coffee shop barista... Continue Reading →
Writer-director Todd Stephens returns to his hometown, and the setting of his 1998 gay coming of age movie Edge of Seventeen—Sandusky, Ohio—for his latest feature Swan Song, which received its world premiere at SXSW Online today. Screen legend Udo Kier stars as Pat Pitsenbarger, a retired gay hairdresser living a monotonous existence in a hospital-like... Continue Reading →
Golden Globe nominated screenwriter and playwright Susan Sandler makes her feature documentary directorial debut with Julia Scotti: Funny That Way—available to watch online until March 21st as part of this year's virtual Athena Film Festival at Barnard College—a tender and heartwarming portrait of the charismatic trans comedian. If you watch America's Got Talent you'll likely... Continue Reading →
Watching Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar reminded me of a conversation I had in 2013 with double Oscar-winning serious acTOR, writer and British national treasure Dame Emma Thompson (name drop clang) about silliness after I told her how silly I thought the film I was about to interview her about (Joel Hopkins'... Continue Reading →
Thanks to the programmers of Sundance's New Frontiers section for giving me the best night out I've had since last March (without having to leave my apartment or get out of my pyjamas) with creator-writer-star Jibz Cameron and director Mariah Garnett's Weirdo Night. Acknowledging, but not dwelling on, the lack of audience in the room... Continue Reading →
Certified drag legend, Wigstock creator and emcee, DJ, actress, singer-songwriter, and RuPaul's oldest friend, Lady Bunny, helps us to celebrate this socially distant holiday season with such aptly festive numbers as Santa's Spreadin' Covid Around, All I Want for Christmas (Is a Vaccine), and It's Beginning to Look Apocalyptic in her new comedy show What... Continue Reading →
