Stonewall Gazette

Written by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette

Joe Orton (L) and Kenneth Halliwell (R)

Award-winning British playwright Joe Orton would have turned 85 years old on Jan 1. Sadly, his life was cut short by his lover Kenneth Halliwell. On August 9, 1967, Halliwell bludgeoned the 34-year-old Orton to death with a hammer then Halliwell later committed suicide by taking an overdose of Nembutal.

Written by Guy Lodge


Ever since the bulbous, gorgeous gay erotica of one-time underground icon Tom of Finland crossed over from the locked drawer to the coffee table, it has been plagued by the same old line of discourse. Is it art or is it porn? Dome Karukoski's straightforwardly titled biopic "Tom of Finland" makes pleasingly short work of that tedious question: It's both, of course.

Though otherwise rather too cautious about letting its freak flag fly, Karukoski's conventionally attractive, enjoyable portrait is most effective at showcasing the bountiful beauty of Touko "Tom" Laaksonen's fleshy, filthy sketches, as well as the empowered pursuit of pleasure for which they continue to stand.

If the more intimate side of the frisky Finn's story seems insufficiently liberated on screen -- any kinky content here is pure vanilla relative to the rocky road of Tom's own oeuvre -- the film's compromises should at least yield a wider, welcome audience for its rainbow flag-waving.

READ FULL FILM REVIEW HERE

Written by David France


As movements go, the one Act Up spearheaded against HIV was unique. The virus made its traumatic appearance at different times across the globe – perhaps as early as 1920 in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. After sporadic cases through the 1970s, the viral epidemic was first reported in New York City and California.

On 3 July 1981, Centers for Disease Control released a report stating that symptoms now known to be typical Aids-related illnesses had been exhibited by 26 gay men. That same day, the New York Times reported 41 cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma – “a rare and often rapidly fatal form of cancer” – affecting 41 gay men in New York and California. Health authorities in the United Kingdom acknowledged the first cases there later that year, and outbreaks reached a handful of European and African nations in 1982. Today, no country has been spared, and 35 million are infected.

But throughout the plague years – when no effective treatment existed, and death was quite nearly guaranteed – New York City remained the epicentre of the disease, and America the main obstacle to research and treatment. It took two years for the city’s mayor, Ed Koch, to acknowledge its existence publicly. President Ronald Reagan waited six. But their words were hollow. Both continued to practise obfuscation, budgetary strangulation, and aggressive apathy even as the number of dead Americans passed 20,000, and 1.5 million more were believed to be infected.

By the end of 1986, the city’s gay ghetto was a tinderbox. Along Christopher Street you could see the dazed look of the doomed, skeletons and their caregivers alike. There was not even a false-hope pill for doctors to prescribe. The estimates we heard were that half the gay men in New York were already infected, and for the rest of us it was simply a matter of time.

Then one morning in December, bus shelters and bank windows in a large part of Manhattan were covered with large, ominous posters, featuring a pink triangle floating against a black background. READ MORE

You can follow David France on Twitter


Note From The Editor of Stonewall Gazette
David France directed the 2012 American documentary feature, "How to Survive a Plague". This outstanding film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and for Best Documentary at The Independent Spirit Awards. "How to Survive a Plague" won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary.

You can purchase the film and book on which it is based here. 

WATCH VIDEO: How To Survive a Plague - Official Trailer

The Freedom to Marry is an "intimate, behind-the-scenes documentary that reveals the masterminds of the marriage equality movement, and their epic and historic battle to win same sex marriage" throughout the United States. The documentary was directed by Eddie Rosenstein.

The Freedom to Marry traces the marriage equality movement’s historic progress and delves into the masterminds behind one of the greatest civil rights movements of this generation. The film follows Evan Wolfson, attorney, founder and president of the organization Freedom to Marry, and pioneering civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto, who argues the landmark “Obergefell v. Hodges” decision, which argued the fundamental right to marry was guaranteed to same-sex couples under the Constitution. The documentary celebrates the historical day and profiles the numerous LGBT advocates and heroes that worked for decades to see that dream come true. READ MORE

Watch Video

Filmmaker and activist Sridhar Rangayan’s pathbreaking film [BREAKING FREE] on Indian LGBT community has been awarded the Barbara Gittings International Human Rights Award at the recently concluded qFLIX Philadelphia film festival in USA. “LGBT rights are human rights. The human rights award underlines this very basic truth, that somehow is not understood by our politicians, judges and the moral brigade,” said Rangayan, “Gay, lesbian and transgender persons too need their right to live freely as citizens of this country without being criminalized by a law like Sec 377. They have a right to love and live with dignity. The law of the land denies that.” READ MORE

About the film: 
Journeying across India, filmed over seven years, BREAKING FREE chronicles the history and the struggles of the Indian LGBTQH (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Hijra) rights movement, in its two decades of long fight for justice and equality.

WATCH: Trailer for BREAKING FREE

LEGION follows David Haller (Dan Stevens), a troubled young man who may be more than human. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, David has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years. But after a strange encounter with a fellow patient, he’s confronted with the possibility that the voices he hears and visions might be real.

LEGION debuts in early 2017 and is produced by FX Productions and Marvel Television. The cast includes: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Jean Smart and Aubrey Plaza.

Watch Video

Watch Video


There's a new baseball comedy called Undrafted and it features many of my favorite TV hunks such as Aaron Tveit, Tyler Hoechlin, Chace Crawford and Philip Winchester. The film is the directorial debut of actor Joseph Mazzello and is based on the true story of his brother who missed out on the Major League Baseball draft. This cute video clip from the film shows the team singing the 'Victory Song'. The movie is scheduled to be released on July 15, 2016.

Hottie actor Ryan Guzman appeared today on the talk show "The Real" and addressed the rumors that he may have "secretly" dated Jennifer Lopez, his co-star in the erotic thriller, “The Boy Next Door.” (I know that to be a false rumor because he's been secretly dating me forever!)

Written by Shane Smith , Editor of Stonewall Gazette


Hollywood heartthrob (and my second husband), Colin Farrell has been out and about promoting the dark comedy film, "The Lobster." The usually very fit actor gained weight for the role. In a recent video interview he shared what it was like to be on an awful diet to pack on those pounds! Colin is as charming as usual. He also discusses how he loved being able to film the movie back home (in Ireland) and talks about his support of gay marriage (which he has done before - see the other video at the end of this post).

The life of experimental filmmaker and poet James Broughton (left, with his partner Joel singer)  is explored in Big Joy.

Craig Takeuchi has great info about queer films being shown in the Vancouver area including a French comedy-adventure from director Alain Guiraudie called, The King of Escape and Alejandro Jodoroswky's surrealist opus The Dance of Reality. 

One of the more interesting films being shown, however, is the biographical film, Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton. Takeuchi writes: "James Broughton was an American poet and filmmaker who became a pioneering figure in both experimental cinema and the gay rights movement. While he explored unmitigated ecstasy and a lust for life in his work, the film reveals his dark side, and the impact that had on his loved ones."

Watch the trailer for Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton. Big Joy is a feature length biographical documentary about revolutionary poet and filmmaker James Broughton. Produced by Stephen Silha and directed by Eric Slade.  Visit the website at: bigjoy.org.

Texas Filmmaker Makes Documentary On Rainbow Lounge Raid

"In the days after the controversial Rainbow Lounge raid in Fort Worth last June, LGBT activists and their allies took to the streets of Dallas, Fort Worth and beyond. But unbeknownst to filmmaker Robert Camina, he was about to embark on a year-long journey that would result in his first full-length film-and first documentary," writes Michelle Parsons. "The San Antonio native wasn’t ready for how the incident affected him. He quickly learned, however, even in a conservative town that is more akin to cattle roping than equal rights for gays, change is possible. Camina chronicles the controversial raid on the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth and subsequent fallout in his first documentary that is slated for release in November."

Filmmaker Robert Camina talked with EDGE about how the raid impacted him and how he hopes his documentary will impact those who watch it. Read the full interview here.

Please visit www.caminaentertainment.com for more information.

ABOUT RAID OF THE RAINBOW LOUNGE: 

What happens when on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the police and officers from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, raid a Fort Worth, Texas gay bar, resulting in multiple customer arrests and hospitalized patrons? 

RAID OF THE RAINBOW LOUNGE is a 103 minute documentary recounting the widely publicized and controversial 2009 police raid of a Fort Worth, Texas gay bar that resulted in multiple arrests and serious injuries. Following sordid allegations and outrage, many changes occurred in the city, and Fort Worth became a leader in LGBT equality. However, the changes did not happen overnight and without controversy. The audience will witness history unfold as this film documents that journey from the perspective of witnesses, activists and politicians who helped changed the city. 

Narrated by television icon, Emmy nominated actress, and author, Meredith Baxter (GLEE, Family Ties, Family, Bridget Loves Bernie) Written, directed and produced by Robert L. Camina  

For more information: www.RaidoftheRainbowLounge.com

WATCH: Raid of the Rainbow Lounge (Official Trailer)

"History can happen in the least expected places. Certainly, the eight members of the New York Police Department’s Public Morals Squad who raided the Stonewall Inn very early one Saturday morning in June 1969 had no idea they were participating in a momentous event," writes Mark Feeney. "Kate Davis and David Heilbroner’s riveting documentary, Stonewall Uprising, looks at more than just the Stonewall riots. It provides a context for them, offering a highly evocative sense of gay life in the decade or so before Stonewall. That life was largely invisible to the general public. When it did get noticed, it was universally condemned and persecuted." READ MORE

This film is a must-see for everyone in the LGBT community.

I can't wait to see it!

For theatrical dates go here.

Read more about Stonewall Rising and watch the trailer below:

June 28, 1969: NYC police raid a Greenwich Village Mafia-run gay bar, The Stonewall Inn.

For the first time, patrons refuse to be led into paddy wagons, setting off a 3-day riot that launches the Gay Rights Movement.

Told by Stonewall patrons, Village Voice reporters and the cop who led the raid, Stonewall Uprising compellingly recalls the bad old days when psychoanalysts equated homosexuality with mental illness and advised aversion therapy, and even lobotomies; public service announcements warned youngsters against predatory homosexuals; and police entrapment was rampant.

A treasure-trove of archival footage gives life to this all-too-recent reality, a time when Mike Wallace announced on a 1966 CBS Reports: "The average homosexual, if there be such, is promiscuous. He is not interested in, nor capable of, a lasting relationship like that of a heterosexual marriage."

At the height of this oppression, the cops raid Stonewall, triggering nights of pandemonium with tear gas, billy clubs and a small army of tactical police. The rest is history. Read more here.

Watch the trailer:

Aussie actor, Alex O'Loughlin , has been one of my favourite actors (for obvious reasons) since he starred in the now defunct vampire detective mystery TV series, Moonlight. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new Hawaii 5-0 (in which Alex co-stars with Daniel Dae Kim). Right now, our Aussie dee-light can be seen opposite Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy, The Back-Up Plan. It may have received luke-warm reviews but movie fans are in agreement - Alex looks frickin' ab-tastic on the big screen! Check out this sexy scene from the movie. Enjoy!

The new Nicolas Cage movie, Kick-Ass, is getting some buzz.

Patrick Kolan at IGN says:

"it’s more than a teen movie but less than a traditional superhero tale – and by treading this fine line, it comes up with its own hugely entertaining balance between the two."

Kick-Ass - new extended movie trailer


The song from the film's soundtrack is performed by pop singer Mika, (check out the video below) and is produced by RedOne, who's known for his work with Lady Gaga and Akon.

Mika performs Kick-Ass - the single

The film, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, is based on the 2003 video game of the same name and will be released in May 2010. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Prince Dastan, Gemma Arterton as Tamina, Ben Kingsley as Nizam, and Alfred Molina as Sheik Amar. The premise: Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a street urchin in 6th century Persia. After showing valor in battle, he is adopted by the king as his heir, so the king's two sons will not fight over the throne. He teams up with Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) to rescue the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that controls time, from the hands of the villainous nobleman, Nizam (Ben Kingsley).

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (official movie trailer)

Defiance is an upcoming war film starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell as three Jewish brothers from Poland who escape from the Nazis and fight back to rescue fellow Jews. Written and directed by Edward Zwick, the film is based on a true story from author Nechama Tec's book of the same name. The film is slated to be released December 31st, 2008.

Sarah Holbert writes:
Does all this Dark Knight box office hoopla leave you feeling like if you buy a ticket, you're throwing your money at The Man? Why not support a much smaller film that's officially 100% more gay? Brideshead Revisited opens on Friday, and if the early reviews are correct, all of you Merchant Ivory fans (and yes, I am among you) will love the film that is being described as "sumptuous" and "admirable." And besides, the crazy-hot Matthew Goode (Match Point) stars.

WATCH: Brideshead Revisited Trailer

 

Actor Steven Strait in a scene from the new film, 10,000 BC

Openly gay writer/director Roland Emmerich's new film 10,000 BC will be released on Friday March 7th. Are you going to see it? It has an interesting premise and seems promising. As we mentioned before in our movie preview about the adventure film it takes place, "... in prehistoric times and tells the story of mammoth hunter D'Leh, played by hunky actor Steven Strait. Leading an army, D'Leh uncovers a lost civilization while in pursuit of a warlord who kidnapped his love, Evolet (Camilla Belle). D'Leh and his army encounter saber-toothed cats, mammoths and other prehistoric creatures in the journey to save his tribe."



Check out the trailer:

 

Shelter is an award winning film from GP Pictures and here! Films, starring Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe and Ross Thomas. Among the supporting cast are: Matt Bushell and Albert Reed.

Written and directed by Jonah Markowitz, Shelter was showcased at festivals across the U. S. in 2007, garnering awards for Best First Time Director at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and a Best Feature Award at Dallas Out Takes, to name just a few.

The film, which was shot in Malibu, California, focuses on the story of Zach (Trevor Wright), a young man forced to give up his dreams of art school so he can work to help support his sister and her son. In his free time, Zach surfs, draws and hangs out with best friend, Gabe (Ross Thomas), who lives on the wealthy side of town. Gabe's older brother, Shaun (Brad Rowe), returns home and finds himself drawn to Zach's selflessness and talent. Zach soon falls in love with Shaun while struggling to reconcile his desires with the needs of his family. Shelter will be in limited theatrical release in the United States this April (2008).

Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe

WATCH The Movie Trailer:



WATCH Shelter Music Montage Video:

WHAT'S THIS FILM ABOUT?
This adventure movie takes place in prehistoric times and tells the story of mammoth hunter D'Leh, played by the handsome and hunky actor Steven Strait. Leading an army, D'Leh uncovers a lost civilization while in pursuit of a warlord who kidnapped his love, Evolet (Camilla Belle). D'Leh and his army encounter saber-toothed cats, mammoths and other prehistoric creatures in the journey to save his tribe.

The film stars two Hollywood newcomers actor/singer Steven Strait, whom we recently featured in our TALENT WATCH column and actress, Camilla Belle.

Director Roland Emmerich, who's known for making big action and adventure "popcorn" movies such as: Day After Tomorrow (2004), Independence Day (1996) and Stargate (1994).

10,000 BC will be released to theatres on Friday, March 7th, 2008

WATCH THE TRAILER: