What a mixed bag we have this week in home entertainment, from the spectacle of Mad Max: Fury Road to one of Robin Williams’ final performances — as a gay man struggling with his sexuality and an affinity for a hustler — in Boulevard (above). Plus, there are two gay-themed imports to boot!
Let’s move on to the trailers and details…
($44.95 3D Blu-ray, $29.98 DVD; Warner)
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Tom Hardy steps into the titular Mel Gibson role in this decades-in-the-making entry in the post-apocalyptic Mad Max franchise, and director George Miller delivers some truly visionary insanity, especially in its 3D version. This time, our anti-hero gets caught up in the pursuit of a group of female refugees — led by a robot-armed Charlize Theron — from the mutants and power lords that kept them captive. Most of the film is a giant car chase, and it’s crazy cool. You may well spray your mouth with some silver paint when it’s over and cry out for Valhalla! Extras include five making-of featurettes, deleted scenes and a comparison of pre- and post-VFX footage.
($26.99 Blu-ray, $22.99 DVD; Starz/Anchor Bay)
In one of his final performances, Robin Williams plays Nolan, a closeted and married milquetoast who becomes obsessed with a troubled young hustler he picks up one night while cruising around. Both of them will struggle with their inner natures as this relationship of sorts is forged, and ultimately force change in the other’s life… Williams is in his most powerful, subdued drama mode here, despite a narrative twist or two that smack as ridiculous, and alone is worth checking this out for.
($24.99 DVD; Pathfinder)
In this gay Japanese drama, a closeted gay college student, Yo, must come to grips with his crush on a friend — and keep his homosexuality secret, since that’s still a big no-no to his family and society. What to do?
($24.99 DVD; Breaking Glass Pictures)
Montrealer Alex is young, attractive, and a junkie. He and a group of friends spend their days getting high, and selling their bodies to afford it. A strong performance by Quebecois actor Alexandre Landry (fun fact: he played Tom in the original stage version of Xavier Dolan’s film Tom At The Farm) drives the admittedly bleak yet mesmerizing proceedings.
ALSO OUT:
Cub
Blood Punch
Good Kill
Madame Secretary: Season 1
MarionPaige
saw a comment on twitter in which this guy said he liked “Mad Max Fury Road” and that it inspired him to now see the first three movies. Can you imagine there being people walking around who’ve never seen the Mad Max Movies? It just seems like there would be a lot of cultural references that have flown over those people’s heads.
Fury Road is more an intro to Mad Max for people who haven’t seen the previous movies.