Get ready to fire up the Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming devices, because it’s an amazing week in home video! We have Daniel Radcliffe as queer poet Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings, a slate of A-listers done up in gaudy retro style in American Hustle, gay and bisexual relationship dramas in The Happy Sad (above), queer high school hijinks in The Geography Club, and a daring gay turn from Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Mysterious Skin.
($35.99 Bluray/DVD; Sony)
Daniel Radcliffe stars as queer poet Allen Ginsberg, who, while studying at Columbia University, falls for another student, Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). Thanks to Carr, Ginsberg falls in with soon-to-Beat contemporaries William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, but their relationship is strained and complicated due to Carr’s older lover-mentor, David (played by Dexter‘s Michael C. Hall). The film depicts a pivotal moment in the Beat figure’s history, and the acting is fantastic. Extras include a commentary, deleted scenes, Q&A with director John Krokidas, a conversation with Radcliffe and DeHaan, and more.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
($40.99 Blu-ray/DVD, $30.99 Bluray; Sony)
Christian Bale with a belly and combover, Jennifer Lawrence chewing scenery, Bradley Cooper in sleazy retro gear, and scamming. Nuff said! Extras include deleted/extended scenes and a brief making-of.
($24.95 DVD; Breaking Glass Pictures)
Closeted 16-year-old Russell is secretly dating his high school’s equally closeted football star, Kevin. However, Russell’s not the only LGBT student keeping secrets, which he learns when joining the Geography Club, a de facto safe haven for others in his situation. The film is adapted from the novel by out writer Brent Hartinger.
($24.95 DVD; Ariztical Entertainment)
Gay black couple Aaron (Charlie Barnett) and Marcus (LeRoy McClain), decide to open their relationship, which becomes more complicated than planned when Stan (Cameron Scoggins), a 20-year-old white musician, explores his bisexual side with Marcus. Director Rodney Evans (Brother To Brother) adapts Ken Urban’s play of the same name to create this superb ensemble drama, complemented by songs from real-life musician Scoggins (of band The Whiskey Connection). The subway platform sequence alone is worth the price of a rental/purchase!
Mysterious Skin: Director’s Special Blu-ray Edition
($29.99 Blu-ray; Strand)
Director Gregg Araki’s adaptation of Scott Heim’s haunting novel stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a hustler whose childhood connection with a boy who thinks he was abducted by aliens comes to the surface is profound, superbly acted, and now upgraded to Blu-ray with loads of extras including a new conversation with Levitt and co-star Brady Corbet, introduction from Araki, never before seen photos, and reflection by Heim. A must-own!
ALSO OUT:
Saving Mr. Banks
Frozen
Reasonable Doubt
Here Comes The Devil
Contracted
Mdterp01
Mysterious Skin was an excellent movie and most raw movie I’ve ever seen that shows the ramifications of being sexually abused as a child. I love Joseph Gordon Levitt and think he is the most underrated actor of his generation. He is an extraordinarily gifted actor and I love him in any role he plays
The Happy Sad looks interesting. I had seen the trailer for it and its available on Netflix so I will have to check that out. Plus I have a crush on Charlie Barnett. So cute!!!
Kill Your Darlings also looks interesting. I had never seen the trailer for that before but seems like an interesting storyline with a good cast. Will have to check that out.
Also haven’t seen a preview for the Geography Club and that looks like a good gay coming of age flick. I volunteer doing clinical group sessions with gay teens and we sometimes watch films and dialogue about it so I will definitely have to check that out and see if its worth showing.
MG
@Mdterp01: Mysterious Skin is a powerful film and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance outstanding. I’ve long regarded him to be his generation’s most talented and versatile actor since at least Manic, and one of the best actors working today.
boring
Mysterious Skin: only one of two good movies made by Gregg Araki. The other one being, of course, Smiley Face.
OTHER IMPORETANT BLU-RAY RELEASE OF THE DAY: the totally Lesbotastic Return to Nuke ‘Em High. Troma is AWESOME.