This week’s releases explore the vagaries of the gay heart, from teen awakenings in Harvest to collegiate fumblings in Longhorns to a late-in-life blossoming in Beginners (above).
Oh yeah, and West Side Story!
NEXT: A gay father teaches his grown son some new tricks in Beginners.
Beginners
$29.99 DVD, $34.99 Blu-Ray; Universal/Focus Features
Who’s your daddy? A newly out Christopher Plummer, if you’re Ewan McGregor in Mike Mills’ affectionate, semi-autobiographical dramedy. Mills’ alter-ego, graphic artist Oliver (McGregor), tries to pursue life and love with as much gusto as his father (Plummer), who came out of the closet at age 75. Beginners is tender, sweet and affirming— but be sure to have a hankie and/or hubbie at the ready!
Harvest
$24.99 DVD, TLA Releasing
Minimal in its scripting yet heavy on the European eye candy and rural beauty, this artful German coming-of-age film charts the burgeoning romance between a confused student and the rebellious new kid at his family homestead. How ya gonna keep them down on the farm after they’ve seen…well, you know.
NEXT: A conflicted college kid gets a crash course in human sexuality in Longhorns.
Longhorns
$24.99 DVD, TLA Releasing
They say there are only two things that come from Texas—steers and queers. Well, you can probably guess which we’re dealing with in this retro sex comedy from David Lewis (Redwoods, Rock Haven). It’s 1982 and “straight” fratboy Kevin (Jacob Newton) is beginning to question his sexuality. After all, he goes down on his buddy (Dylan Vox) and feels all sorts of tingly sensations around an openly gay cutie (Derek Efrain Villanueva). Longhorns is sweet, funny and sexy—and waay more upbeat than Brokeback Mountain!
NEXT: How do you solve a problem like Maria—and Tony? It’s West Side Story on Blu-Ray!
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.
West Side Story 50th Anniversary Edition
$29.99 Blu-Ray/DVD Combo, MGM
The classic screen adaptation of one of the gayest straight romance movies ever gets a pretty, oh so pretty, digital remastering on Blu-Ray with extras galore—including song-specific commentary by Stephen Sondheim, cast interviews and and a in-movie feature entitled “Pow! The Dances of West Side Story.” If all gang fights were this well choreographed we’d be hanging out in Compton every night.
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK:
Larry Crowne (Universal)
Griff The Invisible (Indomina Releasing)
My Fair Lady (Blu-ray, Paramount)
Three Colors Trilogy (Criterion Collection)
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thank you queerty for posting movies about gay life, please keep it up
Cam
Longhorns was billed as a raunchy Porky’s type movie, but was actually more in depth than that. It was better than it’s description and the audience really liked it in the theater at the festival.
MikeE
I do hope you realize that “How do you solve a problem like Maria” is not West Side Story, but The Sound of Music, right?
If not, we MAY have to revoke your gay union card.
Eric in Chicago
Out of the 14 movies I saw at the GLBT film fest in Chicago – Longhorns was one of the weakest. Despite a couple good performances (Dylon Vox) is very good – overall it’s pretty lame and doesn’t match up to the promise of an 80’s style teen comedy. Also they placed it in the 80’s which is ambitious for a low budget film but it made parts of it unbelievable when the settings did’t match the time period. (that was NOT an 80’s kitchen in the cabin!).
I would suggest you check out MORGAN (sweet romance about a gay man in a wheelchair), THE GREEN (drama about a teacher accused of pedophelia), AUGUST (a sexy film about connecting with an old love) and GOING DOWN IN LA LA LAND. (a cautionary tale of finding fame in LA).