Review: The Old Guard

by Lynn Lee

In my more fanciful moments, I have a pet theory that Charlize Theron is a reincarnated ancient goddess.  I’m not just talking about her statuesque beauty, effortless glamour, or seeming immunity to aging.  No, I mean her superhuman ability to batter, dirty up, strip down and sometimes strip away that beauty in service of a role…only to reemerge in the same state of impossible physical perfection as before, as if nothing had happened.

Who better, then, to play a female warrior who never dies or grows old and whose wounds heal without a trace?  While Theron’s played a lot of certifiable badasses in recent years, she hasn’t often been cast as a bona fide superhero, and the results have been mixed when she has (Aeon Flux is the last that comes to mind, unless you count Hancock).  I’m happy to report she finds a good fit with The Old Guard, Netflix’s latest attempt to make us all forget we ever needed to go to a movie theater...

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Review: "Hamilton"

by Eric Blume

Disney+ made a shrewd and smart move by releasing the filmed-stage movie musical Hamilton over the July 4 weekend, at a time when the country really needs it.  The themes and ideas of this Pulitzer Prize-winning theater phenomenon from five years ago seem even more relevant and powerful than they did upon arrival, and the movie version, which debuted this weekend, is a stage capture of the principal original Broadway cast, edited together from three live performances filmed in June 2016.  

Filmed versions of staged material always have their limitations:  one can never capture the visceral pump of energy that’s happening in the Richard Rodgers Theater before and during a performance of this show in particular.  As such, the Hamilton movie ultimately succeeds best in preserving an unbeatable group of actors in the biggest show of this century, exactly as the original creators intended it to play...

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Landmark gay adult film Passing Strangers (1974), restored

by Nathaniel R

If you use movies for time travel, as we often suggest people should given that they're cheaper than time machines, you could do worse than renting the restored 1974 porn Passing Strangers.  The site Pink Label.TV, which is queer owned and operated, and specializes in ethical and niche adult queer indie fare is currently hosting a restored print. It's the latest restoration for the work of the trailblazing filmmaker Arthur J Bressan Jr. Bressan also made the landmark gay drama Buddies (1981) and the documentary Gay USA  (1977) which Glenn recently raved about. His earlier porn, Passing Strangers, emerged during that brief heyday in the 1970s when mainstream media was taking porn seriously -- think Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door's blockbuster box office.

More, but definitely NSFW, after the jump...

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Loving "Love, Victor"

by Nathaniel R

Is this what good fan-fiction is like? In the first awkward episode of Love, Victor... and, again in the eighth "very special" cringe-worthy episode, and, fiiine, in scattered bits inbetween in virtually all episodes, the new Hulu series perpetually draws attention to the fact that it's inspired by the motion picture Love, Simon (2018). That said it wisely positions itself as a sequel, rather than a remake.

Instead of writing to a mysterious gay schoolmate online as Simon did in the first mainstream wide release gay romcom, Victor writes to Simon himself, inspired by his story and perpetually sliding into his DMs asking for advice...

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Watch "Miss Juneteenth"

Happy Juneteenth, everyone! You may recall that before the world shut down film festivals existed and at Sundance back in January the indie film Miss Juneteeth had its premiere. The mother daughter drama about a former beauty queen and an upcoming 'Miss Juneteenth' pageant has been a major critical success for first time feature filmmaker Channing Godfrey Peoples. 

Here's what Murtada had to say about its lead actress Nicole Beharie (Shame, Sleepy Hollow)...

Beharie commands the screen with a naturally quiet disposition and the film flows to her rhythm. Sometimes slowing down completely as Turquoise halts to take on another day and challenge and Beharie shows us that with small reticent gestures. It’s the kind of performance - and film - that you need to let seep into you, settle in and wash away leaving you nourished with palpable emotions. 

You can read Murtada's full Sundance review here. Miss Juneteenth is now available digitally and on demand and you can support your local indie theater while watching it.