Tag Archives: LGBTQ

Capsule Review: Henrika Kull’s ‘BLISS’ (Glück) is a raw and realistic depiction of love.

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BLISS

An unconventional LGBTQ love story set in the world of sex workers, Bliss is set in a world where femininity is considered a commodity. Two sex workers fall in love with each other while working in a Berlin brothel. Together – and yet each on her own – they experience the one moment when happiness seems possible – but their love is threatened by different ideas of life and their own abysses.

In private, there is an uncomplicated intimacy between Maria and Sascha, but judgment bubbles to the surface once in mixed company. Self-loathing and regret are deep-seated, a deadly combination for sabotage. The script slowly but slickly reveals Sascha’s inner demons, putting Maria and the audience in an uncomfortable position. The second half of Bliss deals with the ripple of her emotional instability. It’s tricky but familiar. Performances from Katharina Behrens and Eva Collé are spectacular, fearless, and raw. It’s stylistically similar to a docu-drama, and I dug the energy of the entire film. Writer-director Henrika Kull gives audiences a gem.

Available On Digital August 16th

 

Directed by Henrika Kull

Starring Katharina Behrens, Eva Collé (as Adam Hoya), Nele Kayenberg, Jean-Luc Bubert

 

‘THIRST’ (Screamfest 2020) sinks its teeth into cult status.

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Screamfest 2020 banner logo

THIRSTThirst poster

The addict Hulda is arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she is let go because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old gay vampire. Together they fight a cult while being investigated by a rogue detective.

Thirst Still 1

Wowing Screamfest 2020 audiences, the gloriously gory and unapologetically in your face, vampire horror-comedy Thirst is a movie about a girl and her unlikely gay best friend. Poor Hulda just wants to stop being blamed for a bunch of murders and find someone to care about her for the right reasons. Poor Hjörtur just wants to play with his food, and as The Prince of Darkness, he can damn well do what he pleases. The performances are wildly funny and the chemistry between Hjörtur Sævar Steinason and Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir is simply electric. The visual gags, quite literally, are unforgettable. The overt sexualization of the men is genius. If you know nothing going in, you know everything soon enough.

Thirst Still 2

It could have been made by the same filmmakers as genre film fest favorite Fried Barry. The colors, the camera work, the visual mindfuckery. They are cut from the same weird and wonderful cloth. In Thirst, the amount of practical fx and blood are equal parts laughable and joyous. Genre fans will literally cheer. The relationship between Hulda and Hjörtur is what stays with me 12 hours after viewing. You could write an entire television series on their dynamic and I would be there to watch it. The climax of the film is nothing short of a spectacular splatterfest. Combined with the over the top power ballads(which I’m pretty sure is my favorite aspect), this is sure to reach cult status. Stick around once the credits start to roll. Your ears and eyes won’t be sorry.

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Direct from a well-received festival run, where it played such fests as Screamfest 2020, London FrightFest, and Out On Film, Thirst comes to DVD and Digital 12/1 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

From directors Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gaukur Úlfars comes a high-energy thrill fest with some of the most creative films to grace a screen in years. Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Jens Jensson, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Ester Sveinbjarnardóttir, Birgitta Sigursteinsdóttir, and Birna Halldórsdóttir star.

Direct from a well-received festival run, where it played such fests as Screamfest 2020, London FrightFest, and Out On Film, Thirst comes to DVD and Digital 12/1 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

For more Screamfest reviews, click here!

Review: ‘LIFE IS EASY’ – a Queer “Body Swap” Comedy Series World Premieres today on Global LGBTQ+ Network Revry.

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Welcome to the world of Jamie-Li and Curtis: Yin and Yang; Potato and gravy; BFF’s since childhood. Jamie-Li, a straight Chinese-Kiwi woman, and Curtis, a gay white man, have a friendship that defies race, gender and sex…or so they think. After a night of wet and wild partying on their joint 25th birthdays, the two Gemini’s wake up to find themselves in each other’s bodies–revealing a hot mess of unexplored issues that unravels the way they see others, one another, and themselves. They thought they were “woke”–until they woke up in each other’s bodies! LIFE IS EASY (LIE) is a smart, funny, sexy, wholesome, and thought-provoking 8-episode satire series exploring the complexities of race, gender and sexuality in today’s seemingly “woke” society.
Body swap comedies are always pretty funny but I’ve never seen one so real and raunchy as this Life Is Easy (LIE). In a world where gender identity and sexual choices are both more accepted and more heavily judged all at once, this series is outrageous in all the best ways possible, Writers and stars Chye-Ling Huang and Cole Jenkins nail the natural comedy of assigned gender mentalities and physicalities. Making a period joke genuinely funny and enjoyably grotesque is quite a feat. The complexities of relationship status figure prominently and are all the more interesting when you remember that Jamie-Li and Curtis are in the wrong bodies. Through the nonstop laughs are serious issues that provoke thought and discussion. Sexual harassment, homophobia, racism, emotional abuse, family dynamics, and finding your voice all jump off the screen. Huang and Jenkins are perfect foils for one another. Besides the fantastic writing, the performances are vibrant and over-the-top when they need to be. But don’t just take the shows for face value since the sincerity in the script allows them to bring their drama chops to the table. With a current 8 episode arch, and a runtime of 15 minutes on average, you will inhale Life Is Easy (LIE). I want more as soon as possible.

Revry Original comedy series from New Zealand, LIFE IS EASY – a FREAKY FRIDAY-esque body swap commentary on race, gender, and sex, world premiering July 19th at 5 pm & 8 pm (PST) on Revry’s Live TV Channels or the full season on Revry Premium July 17th.

About Revry
Watch Queer TV 24/7 with the first LGBTQ+ virtual cable TV network. Revry offers free live TV channels and on-demand viewing of its global library featuring LGBTQ+ movies, shows, music, podcasts, news, and exclusive originals all in one place! Revry is currently available globally in over 250+ million households and devices and on seven OTT, mobile, and Desktop platforms. Revry can also be viewed on nine live and on-demand channels and Connected TVs including: The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Comcast Xfinity X1, Dell, XUMO TV, Zapping TV, STIRR, TiVo+, and as the first LGBTQ+ virtual reality channel on Littlstar (available on PlayStation devices). The company–an inaugural member of the Goldman Sachs Black and LatinX Cohort–is headquartered in Los Angeles and led by a diverse founding team who bring decades of experience in the fields of tech, digital media, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @revrytv. Revry.tv.

 

Review: ‘FAIRYTALE’ is nothing short of magic.

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Synopsis: United States, the 50s. Amongst stuffed poodles, whiskey-infused teas, sinful mambo lessons, and threats of alien invasion, Mrs. Fairytale spends her days locked in her dream home and without a moment to breathe. A surreal world where anyone can finally be who they want to be, but behind which hides another upsetting reality.

Sebastiano Mauri‘s directorial debut, based on Filippo Timi‘s play, Fairytale is a deliciously eccentric cinematic experience. The glorious opening shots where Mrs. Fairytale’s face is hidden are simply genius. The over-the-top 1950’s sets, with their saturated color schemes and patterns, not to mention the glaringly flat and ever-changing window visuals, make for the highly stylized wonder that is Fairytale. And that is the literal first minute of this film. The sheer absurdity of every single aspect of this film is magic. The physical theatricality of the blocking, performances, and lighting is such a deliberate choice it must mirror Timi’s original staged version. I could not imagine this film being presented in any other way.

Mrs. Fairytale is what happens when you combine Miss Yvonne and Pee-Wee Herman and make them take the Playhouse scenario seriously. I genuinely mean this as a compliment. Fairytale has all the markings of a cult classic. The visual transitions between scenes are colorful dreams. The underlying message is what’s most important. Fairytale is about living your truth and loving who you want to love. It’s wrapped in a farce, making it all the more entertaining. The very final act takes a sharp left turn, but it more of a “why not?” moment. It is equally as enchanting and impactful.

Filippo Timi as our lead is perfection. If someone doesn’t give him an award I will be angry. I said it, angry. You cannot overlook the specificity of his individual beats. They are so funny because they are so genuine. Think Lucille Ball level of hilarity. If you aren’t belly laughing, someone needs to check your pulse. Supporting cast members are all spectacular. The costumes are a beautiful mix of garish and period-accurate. They add another element to the performances you’ll have to see to understand.  Trust me when I say they have weight to them.

You can watch Fairytale today on DVD and VOD. There is nothing like it. I see 100’s of films a year. I have no doubt Fairytale will land in my top ten list in 2020.

Review: ‘The Drag Roast of Heklina’ brings the shade.

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Synopsis

Revry presents THE DRAG ROAST OF HEKLINA featuring a talented dais of roasters including noted LGBTQ celebrities, Alaska Thunderfuck, Jackie Beat, Jinkx Monsoon, Bob the Drag Queen, Sister Roma, Julie Brown, and Peaches Christ.  Watch as a panel of iconic drag superstars and comedians grill drag legend Heklina.
These queens bring some serious funny to a legendary roast. With stand out performances from Jinkx Monsoon, weird and wonderful moments from Julie Brown, and the shadiest of ladies, Alaska Thunderfuck, drag legend Heklina gets her ass handed to her. But this show isn’t just beautiful drag queens making fun of each other in the most brutal of ways, it’s also a perfect reminder of how incredible the drag community is. While they do joke, they also care deeply. Drag is a brilliant cultural phenomenon. It allows openminded people to share love, life, fashion, performance and everything in between. Ru Paul’s Drag Race, in particular, has given so many of these ladies the exposure and platform they need to advance their careers and to teach every generation what it means to be sickening. It’s important to honor this art and there’s certainly nothing wrong with laughing along the way. The Roast Of Heklina is now available on Revry.tv .

About Revry

Revry is the first queer global streaming network, available in 35 million homes in over 100 countries, with a uniquely curated selection of LGBTQ+ film, series, and originals along with the world’s largest queer libraries of groundbreaking podcasts, albums and music videos. Revry is available worldwide on seven OTT, mobile, and online platforms, and hosts the exclusive LGBTQ+ channels on Pluto TV and XUMO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Revry is led by an inclusive team of queer, multi-ethnic and allied partners who bring decades of experience in the fields of tech, digital media, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @REVRYTV. Go Online to: https://revry.tv.

Review: ‘OUT On Stage’ is first LGBTQ stand-up comedy series.

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OUT on Stage: The Series
Hosted by Zach Noe Towers
Premieres – Jan 17, 2018

OUT on Stage: The Series is full of laughs and genuinely funny comics. You will laugh out loud at every episode. The comics are eclectic and wonderful. You’ll recognize a few faces right off the bat. If you are a part of the LGBTQ community or an ally, this is a show for you just as much as this blog post about all pride flags and names. But let’s be real for a second, if you are a prude, hate funny people, or generally have a stick up your butt, well we don’t need your sass or your judgypants. It can be incredibley raunchy and unexpectedly poignant. We need more of this brand of comedy (and storytelling) in the limelight. This should the new norm.  OUT on Stage: The Series is a brilliant show about opportunity and inclusion and we should all be here for that.

HOST: Zach Noe Towers
Zach Noe Towers is an LA-based comedian, actor, and writer who was recently named one of Time Out Magazine’s “2018 Comedians to Watch.” Zach was recently the host of the “The Elite Daily Show” on Verizon’s Go90 network for Seasons 1-4, and will be hosting and starring “Out on Stage”. Zach’s recent short film “Killer Friends” (which he directed, wrote, and starred in) was screened at many film festivals both domestically and internationally, and won the overall audience award at Dances With Films.
FEATURING: Jonathan Rowell, Brendan Scannell, Casey Ley, Julian Michael, Irene Tu, Jared
Goldstein, Raneir Pollard, Kyle Shire, Jordan Pease, Chris Bryant, Eric Hahn, Daniel
Webb, Joe Dosch, Gloria Bigelow, Anthony Desamito, Janine Brito, A.B. Cassidy and
Zach Noe Towers
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Comedy Dynamics & Dekkoo
EPISODES PER SEASON: 6
TRT: 30 min. (per episode)

ABOUT COMEDY DYNAMICS

Comedy Dynamics, a Nacelle company, is one of the largest independent comedy production and distribution companies, producing Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History, Animal Planet’s Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, the new scripted comedy on Hulu, There’s… Johnny!, History’s Join Or Die with Craig Ferguson, MTV2’s Wild ’N On Tour, and Hulu’s Coming To The Stage. In 2018, Comedy Dynamics began releasing original films in theaters starting with the acclaimed documentary, Poop Talk. The company has worked with a wide range of established and emerging comedic talent including Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Jim Gaffigan, Katt Williams and many more. In total, 12 of Comedy Dynamics’ releases have been Grammy-nominated, with 2 wins

ABOUT DEKKOO

Dekkoo (pronounced “DECK-koo”) is the premiere subscription-based streaming service dedicated to gay men, providing the largest streaming collection of gay-centric entertainment available, boasting a larger selection than Here TV, Netflix or Amazon.  Dekkoo is available internationally via iTunes, Google Play, AppleTV and Roku.  In the U.S. and U.K., Dekkoo is also available via the Amazon Dekkoo Channel.  Dekkoo original series include “Feral,” “Love is Blind” and “I’m Fine.”  www.dekkoo.com