DVD: “Ant-Man,” “Velociraptor,” “Like You Mean It,” “Xenia,” “Tattoo,” & More!

Hannukah has started and more gift-giving holidays approach, and we’re just bursting with potential gifts for your homocinephile family and friends this month. This week we have a handful of LGBT titles like Brazilian import Tattoo (above), plus Paul Rudd as Marvel superhero Ant-Man.

Let’s dive in!

 

Ant-Man

($39.99 3D Blu-ray, $32.99 Blu-ray, $29.99 DVD; Walt Disney)

Paul Rudd plays a reformed thief, Scott Lang, who is recruited by scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to don a special suit that allows him to shrink to the size of an ant, with super strength no less. Unfortunately, Pym’s erstwhile protege, played by Corey Stoll, has more insidious plans for this technology and so begins the fight between this new hero and baddie! Rudd is more straightman here than we’re used to lately, but it’s a fun outing with plenty of cool 3D effects. Extras include several featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, gag reel, commentary, and more.

 

Like You Mean It

($24.99 DVD; Breaking Glass Pictures)

Writer/director Philipp Karner also stars in this drama about a struggling, Austrian actor in Los Angeles, Mark, who seeks to infuse his three-year relationship with a musician, Jonah, with new passion and excitement since it’s slowly but surely heading south. Clearly, there’s something going on in Mark’s life and backstory that contributes to this situation, which perhaps therapy and a visit from his sister could help reveal… or not! Extras include interviews, auditions and festival footage.

 

Tattoo

($24.99 DVD; TLA)

Set in 1978 Brazil, this period piece tracks the affair between an adorable gay 18-year-0ld soldier and an omnisexual anarchist. Heading up an anarchist cabaret troupe and co-parenting a teen son, Clécio connects with Fininho, a young soldier who becomes enchanted with the club and their antics. Is this affair going to last, or might politics and the country’s censorship get in the way? A sexy drama for sure, and multiple prize winner at the prestigious Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival.

 

Velociraptor

($24.99 DVD; TLA)

In this Mexican import from upcoming young writer/director Chucho E. Quintero, the world is going to end, so a gay man, Alex, has decided to pursue the chance to have sex at last with his best friend and unrequited crush, Diego. Much conversation transpires during Alex’s last ditch attempt to cross the platonic line, while the clock ticks down our world’s final hours. Will he succeed? Weird and tense yet thoughtful stuff!

 

Xenia

($27.99 DVD; Strand)

Greece’s submission for the Best Foreign Film Oscar, this sometimes surreal and campy drama follows a pair of teenage brothers as they try to track down their deadbeat Greek father. 15-year-old Dany, is flamboyantly gay – when we first see him, he’s getting head from a much older fellow – lives in Crete with his Albanian mother, and has a pet rabbit named Dido. When mom dies, Dany heads to Athens and reunites with his 18-year-old brother, Ody, and they hatch a plan to cross the country in search of their well off dad, and so Ody can audition for an American Idol-style show. Liked to the work of Gregg Araki and Almodovar, with a dose of Donnie Darko rabbit-philia, this is a colorful and sometimes outrageous trip for sure.

 

ALSO OUT:

 

Knock Knock

 

Minions

 

The Transporter: Refueled