Queereaders discussion

I have a few favorites but I thought I'd do a mini-poll. What is your MOST viewed/re-viewed M/M movie?

For me it's probably Get Real (1998) There are better M/M movies but most are too sad to encourage frequent viewing

I remember that film very fondly Stephen. I think my most viewed is Beautiful Thing (1996)

Beautiful Thing for sure :) This movie is one the the most important movies in my life, story and music!

I'd forgotten about Beautiful Thing. I had the DVD of that and did watch it a LOT.

Of course my BEST memories of Beautiful Thing was wandering into a stage version of it in the mid 90's on one of my trips to London. Gotta love a show where one of the MC's is named Ste.

I generally had amazing luck in picking shows to see when I was over there. I wandered into Blood Brothers over there as well without knowing much about it.

I know there is a stage version which I have sadly never seen. It's the curse of living at the edge of nowhere in Germany.

Stephen wrote: "I'd forgotten about Beautiful Thing. I had the DVD of that and did watch it a LOT.

Of course my BEST memories of Beautiful Thing was wandering into a stage version of it in the mid 90's on one of..."

I saw both of those on stage but not in London ... I saw other productions in the US with different casts. The production of Blood Brothers I saw was phenomenal!!, but the production I saw of the stage version of Beautiful Thing was just ok. I imagine the London production was much, much better!

I'm happy that in this case the movie version of Beautiful Thing is also phenomenal so that I can enjoy it over and over no matter where I live! :)

Maurice

Alex wrote: "Maurice"

I've watched that one quite a few times too!

Ok, I have just read the plot to Maurice and as it seems to have a happy ending, I might watch it soon.

Greg wrote: "Alex wrote: "Maurice"

I've watched that one quite a few times too!"

Me three!

I've had a thing for "Scudder" (Rupert Graves) since the first time I saw it.

BTW... Graves has a major role in "Different for Girls" which is sort of an m/m movie. He's stunning in the opening scenes of that one.

Dennis wrote: "Ok, I have just read the plot to Maurice and as it seems to have a happy ending, I might watch it soon."

Maurice has a bittersweet ending. Which was the best we could hope for back in the day. James Wilby as the title character ends up pretty happy but Hugh Grant's character.... the look he gives at the end says so much.

Probably Maurice also, I even replaced my DVD with a Blu-ray ;-)

Stephen wrote: "Greg wrote: "Alex wrote: "Maurice"

I've watched that one quite a few times too!"

Me three!

I've had a thing for "Scudder" (Rupert Graves) since the first time I saw it.

BTW... Graves has a m..."

Yes, Graves was quite pretty. Technically, the actors in Different for Girls are m/m, but the characters are m/f. :)

My 3 most watched m/m films are

Maurice (yes, Scudder!) ;)
My Own Private Idaho (River Phoenix)
Trick (funny & sexy rolled into one cheesy film)

I'll have to check at home, and add to the list, but those are my most viewed ones.

Bill wrote: "Probably Maurice also, I even replaced my DVD with a Blu-ray ;-)"

Me too. I've replaced MOPI as well.

Rick wrote: "My 3 most watched m/m films are

Maurice (yes, Scudder!) ;)
My Own Private Idaho (River Phoenix)
Trick (funny & sexy rolled into one cheesy film)

I'll have to check at home, and add to the list,..."

If you liked Trick I'm curious what you think of "Getting Go" It's not as sweet but the whole stripper angle reminded me of a Trick a bit.

Big Eden
is just a great movie with funny characters and an HEA.

I have Beautiful Thing but haven't watched it yet. (Plowing through "Supernatural" on Netflix)

It's really hard to find a good gay movie without a shitty ending (Thinking "Brokeback Mountain" as one of the most recent.)

Beautiful Thing is wonderful. So is Get Real.

I've added Getting Go to my to-watch list. ;)

Rick wrote: "My 3 most watched m/m films are

Maurice (yes, Scudder!) ;)
My Own Private Idaho (River Phoenix)
Trick (funny & sexy rolled into one cheesy film)

I'll have to check at home, and add to the list,..."

I remember loving My Own Private Idaho, but I haven't seen it in so long! I need to get a copy!!

Michael wrote: "...It's really hard to find a good gay movie without a shitty ending"

Too True! but it has gotten better. Beautiful Thing has a pretty great ending. Get Real has a so so ending. I think the endings are what make some films so re-watchable.

Dennis wrote: "Ok, I have just read the plot to Maurice and as it seems to have a happy ending, I might watch it soon."

Yes, watch it. I highly Rickommend it.

Stephen wrote: "Too True! but it has gotten better. Beautiful Thing has a pretty great ending. Get Real has a so so ending. I ..."

Yeah, Maurice always makes me cry at the end. MOPI does as well, but for entirely different reasons.

I also really like like Brokeback Mountain.

And there's a small budget Canadian coming-of-age film called Whole New Thing that's quickly rising up my list of most viewed m/m films. Although there's not much m/m "action" going on. ;)

Oh, I'm stupid, I forgot another one I've replaced and watch over and over:

My Beautiful Launderette

An all time favorite.

Rick wrote: "Oh, I'm stupid, I forgot another one I've replaced and watch over and over:

My Beautiful Launderette

An all time favorite."

That one is fantastic!!

Rick wrote: "Dennis wrote: "Ok, I have just read the plot to Maurice and as it seems to have a happy ending, I might watch it soon."

Yes, watch it. I highly Rickommend it."

We just rewatched that a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful film.

Robert wrote: "We just rewatched that a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful film. "

It's coming up soon on my re-watch rotation. ;)

Marc wrote: "... Lately I've seen Call Me By Your Name at least 5 times. Sort of lost track after seeing with several different friends. ..."

Wow, I definitely need to see this film. ;)

Somehow I had missed that Call Me by Your Name has been made into a movie! It’s been on my to-be-read list. Would you recommend that I read the book or see the movie first? If both are well-done, I can enjoy either way, although I would generally choose to see the adaptation first as inevitably parts have to be left out and that way, there is additional discovery in my reading rather than an absence from my viewing.

So I watched (finally) Call Me By Your Name last night (checked it out from the public library where I work). Loved it. In fact I enjoyed it so much, I just purchased a copy for myself. I'll be watching it again as soon as it arrives. ;)

Now I need to read the book as well. ;)

We saw it in the theater a couple of months ago. Tonight, we're watching it at home. And I do want to read the book.

Robert wrote: "... And I do want to read the book."

Me too. I've purchased a copy of the film, it might arrive today. So I could be watching it again as soon as tonight.

Anyone else seen B&B (2017) a Hitchcock-inspired style of thriller with some delicious twists alone the way. Really quite good (and it stars Paul McGann, the eighth Doctor, as well). ;)

Rick wrote: "So I watched (finally) Call Me By Your Name last night...and I do want to read the book. "

Caught this recently myself. I started the book about four times and never really got engaged but I'm sure that that was as much my fault and the distractions of the time.

Really enjoyed the film though it's not gonna be an all-time favorite.

What is your all-time favorite Stephen?

Bill wrote: "What is your all-time favorite Stephen?"

Not sure I have a single favorite...
Some of the ones I like to watch repeatedly:
Get Real (1998) Course I've got a thing for English schoolboys and tortured jocks.
Beautiful Thing (1996) Again with the English schoolboys and tortured jocks.
Another Country (1984) did I mention English schoolboys?
Maurice (1987) ibid

Those are on my list too Stephen I'd also include Torch Song Trilogy, the short Dare, Edge of Seventeen, The Line of Beauty, Private Romeo and A Single Man...

Bill wrote: "Those are on my list too Stephen I'd also include... Private Romeo..."

Not sure why but that one leaves me flat. Maybe it's that I like the original tale too much or my antipathy toward gender-blind casting.

For me it just didn't work.

I tried to get behind the "gender blind" casting, a variation on "color blind" casting in which the audience pretends NOT to notice a the actors race and just goes with the character as written. For me this didn't work because the characters adhered so loosely to the characters as written.

The story is all about how two factions are brought to grief when a member of each faction kills themselves after becoming a couple.

In this version, I couldn't tell the factions apart or even if there really were any. There were no parental arranged marriages, no killing of cousins in duels, and even bigger departures from the story... but that would be telling!

I'm a big fan of restaging Shakespeare in other scenarios. West Side Story and Ran are great examples where "bending the Bard" actually added new and interesting aspects to an already classic tale, but this one added nothing and detracted a LOT. I saw all of my favorite speeches of the play marred and made less by this staging.

Actually one of the most effective versions I ever saw of Romeo & Juliet was an off off Broadway version where the Capulets were white and the Montegues were black. It brought out the whole senseless feuding aspect in ways that no other version ever had.

Also the production values were glaringly deficient in spots. Why stage a military drill scene without bothering to ensure uniform uniforms, and with so small a number of "cadets?"

This felt much less organic throughout than that Woody Allen movie where he took an already released Japanese movie and substituted his own dialogue.

The boys were pretty; and there were moments where the actors managed to get my interest & empathy - DESPITE the total lack of any help from the vehicle they were performing in.

It may well be me. There are a number of very positive reviews of this film by critics from The NY Times and The Village Voice et. al. but after seeing this I'm wondering if some form of payola wasn't involved...

I've got to agree with Stephen on the Private Romeo issue. While I enjoyed it, there are numerous flaws and issues that the production glosses over or simply tries to ignore (Stephen noted most of this already). I found it to me disjointed as the filmmakers seemed to want to make it an avant garde production, without really making it experimental. I found it to be more frustrating than entertaining or engaging. I also couldn't really get attached to any of the characters.

I think I've watched these three most often (and I've also read the books multiple times):

Latter Days
Mysterious Skin
Sommersturm. Das Buch zum Film. (a German book/movie)

Torsten wrote: "I think I've watched these three most often (and I've also read the books multiple times):

Latter Days
Mysterious Skin
Sommersturm. Das Buch zum Film. ..."

I enjoyed Latter Days (2003), but I loved Mysterious Skin (2004) (both have JGL, so you know they're good) ;)
Is that last one the film from 2004? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420206/
I think I've seen that one, it was quite good if I'm remembering correctly. I think I might own that one, I'll have to dig through my collection and re-watch it.

Rick wrote: "Is that last one the film from 2004? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420206/
I think I've seen that one, it was quite good if I'm remembering correctly. I think I might own that one, I'll have to dig through my collection and re-watch it."

Yes, that's the one!

Torsten wrote: "Yes, that's the one!"

I'm looking, I'm looking ...

Some of my favourites are already listed here. Another that springs to mind is a Swedish film called Patrik 1.5.

I watched it four times without sub-titles, and loved every minute. I eventually found a text version of the dialogue, and read along as I watched for the fifth time.

The movie stars Gustaf Skarsgård, who's the son of Stellan from "Mamma Mia", and brother of Alexander, who's apparently in some TV programme; and Torkel Petersson. They play Göran and Sven, a gay couple who want to adopt a baby. However, things go horribly wrong when, as a result of a typing error, a 15 year old Patrik (played by Thomas Ljungman) turns up, instead of the 1 1/2 year old baby they expected. This Patrik is a troubled adolescent who happens to be extremely homophobic.

When Göran and Sven find they're unable to adopt a baby because they're gay, Göran's decision to let Patrik stay with them until another family can be found, causes their relationship to unravel.

The movie's beautifully shot, with bright colours and some appropriately chosen background music. (I'll always fondly remember Dolly Parton's "Here I Come Again" from now on.) There are moments of humour, but heartbreaking moments too. Throw in some moving scenes between Patrik and Göran as they bond, some romantic scenes between Göran and Sven, and it's an unforgettable movie experience.

A more recent movie that I loved is Lilting starring Ben Whishaw. A young man of Chinese-Cambodian descent dies, leaving behind his isolated mother and his 4-year male lover, who grieve but don't speak a lick of each other's language. It's a bit sad, but lovely to watch.

Aussie54 wrote: "... A more recent movie that I loved is Lilting starring Ben Whishaw. ..."

Yeah, I love that one too. It certainly doesn't hurt that Ben Whishaw is in it. :) Have you seen the mini-series he did: London Spy (2015)? Very, very good.
I'm seen Patrik 1.5 (2008) as well. Not seen it as many times as you, just the once, but I recall it being good as well.

Rick wrote: "Aussie54 wrote: "... A more recent movie that I loved is Lilting starring Ben Whishaw. ..."

Yeah, I love that one too. It certainly doesn't hurt that Ben Whishaw is in it. :) Have you seen the min..."

I liked London Spy a lot too Rick. Really unique, affecting, and all around well done.

Stephen wrote: "Bill wrote: "What is your all-time favorite Stephen?"

Not sure I have a single favorite...
Some of the ones I like to watch repeatedly:
Get Real (1998) Course I've got a thing for English schoolbo..."

Stephen, all four of those are fantastic films!

Rick wrote: "It certainly doesn't hurt that Ben Whishaw is in it. :) Have you seen the mini-series he did: London Spy (2015)?..."

Yes, I have seen that. I've seen most of the things he's been in. He's an amazing actor. He just seems to become the person he's portraying. I loved his Paddington voice too. :D

Aussie54 wrote: " ... I loved his Paddington voice too. :D"

Yep, he did a great job. I love his Ariel in Julie Taymor's The Tempest (2010), which was probably the first thing I saw him in (and remembered him anyway) although I know I saw Layer Cake (2004), but I can't say I remember him in that one.

Aussie54 wrote: "Some of my favourites are already listed here. Another that springs to mind is a Swedish film called Patrik 1.5.

I watched it four times without sub-titles, and loved every minute. I eventually f..."

I have wondered about Patrik 1.5. I think I'd like to see it.

Rick wrote: "Aussie54 wrote: " ... I loved his Paddington voice too. :D"

Yep, he did a great job. I love his Ariel in Julie Taymor's The Tempest (2010), which was probably the first thing I saw him in (and rem..."

We should start a Ben Whishaw appreciation thread.

I first saw him in “Perfume: the Story of a Murderer”, but he went under my radar. I was all about Alan Rickman at the time, and Ben didn’t register at all.

I did pay attention to him in “The Danish Girl” (who is that gorgeous man?) but thought he was Christian Coulson, from Harry Potter.

I actually discovered him after reading James Bond/Q fan fic, and have since enjoyed watching most of his performances.

Oh god. I can't count the times but... errr... Maurice (1987, James Ivory), I guess--I've watched it so many times I can speak the lines while the film is in mute. Well, it's definitely my favorite out of many. One of the rare ones with a happy ending.