Queer Films

by Jen McNeely
PRIDE is demanding: drinking, making out, networking, standing in hot parades getting dehydrated and swatted by enormous breasts – yikes. Choosing an outfit alone can be an exhausting process! Spending night after night at Straight on Church or Queen West’s hub of Queer night revelry, The Beaver, can leave you feeling burnt out. Take a night off and rent one of our top ten Queer Cinema DVD picks:

Fresa Y Chocolate
Director: Tomas Gutierrez Alea & Juan Carlos Tabio
Country: Cuba
Year: 1994
Politically charged, emotionally draining and exploding with Cuban culture; this film will make you feel angry, frustrated, sad and excited. Not just about homosexual love and friendship but a stifling communist country and the creativity that breeds below the surface

My Summer of Love
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Country: United Kingdom
Year: 2004
Wet. That’s how I’m going to describe this delicious countryside romp with two young women who aren’t sure about any of their actions but feel the desire to touch, learn and develop a burning passion for something out of the ordinary. This is a coming of age story that will resonate with all who have felt for the first time what it’s like to fall for a girl. Beautiful.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Director: Stephan Elliot
Country: Australian
Year: 1994
Outrageous drag queens take a loud and vivacious road trip across the desert and likely wake up every snake and wombat in-between. This award winning lol film will make you want to smear makeup all over your face, indulge in frosted cupcakes, throw sparkles in the air and bust your tits out for the world to see. DRAGMANIA!

Heavenly Creatures
Director: Peter Jackson
Country: United Kingdom
Year: 1994
Based on the devastating true story of a crime committed out of confusion, desperation and self loathing of two young school girls who become romantically involved. Heavy, f*cked up and full of self hatred and built up anger that comes with having to hide a relationship and be made to feel ‘dirty’. A haunting and remarkable film.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Country: USA
Hedwig: Don't you know me Kansas City? I'm the new Berlin Wall. Try and tear me down!
The story of a little boy who identified his gender as female and lives quite a vibrant imaginary life. As a young adult, Hedwig takes the stage with his punk rock music and breaks through all the barriers of his communist East Berlin history…or should I say herstory? Outlandish, imaginative and at times troubling – this film will entertain you and make you want to drink wine and sing songs about your f*cked up relationships.

My Beautiful Laundrette
Director: Stephen Frears
Country: United Kingdom
Year: 1985
Oooh Daniel Day Lewis – you do it for me when you are an acid dropping political protester in “IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER”, I want you to spank me even though you are a thieving oil bully in “THERE WILL BE BLOOD.” I want you to eat me like a piece of steak tar tar in “GANGS OF NEW YORK”, and don’t even get me started on how hot you are running around the mountains with your long hair and dagger in “THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS”…holy shit. Smokin’. Anyway – my point being is that even as a gay laundry mat owner I want you to get on your knees and smell my freshly cleaned knickers…but I digress. This 1985 groundbreaking film tackled everything from racial mixed relationships, racism, homosexuality and the cut throat reign of Margaret Thatcher. Heavy and beautiful.

La Cage aux Folles
Director: Edouard Molinaro
Country: France
Year: 1979
When the straight son of a gay couple announces he is getting married, the family turns upside down as they prepare to meet the brides’ parents, and go through all the traditional marriage practices. Hilarious and endearing – this is the original ‘Birdcage’, there’s a reason it was remade by Hollywood in 1996 – because it’s a classic!

Ma Vie en Rose
Director: Alain Berliner
Country: France
Year: 1997
Little Ludovic enjoys playing with his dolly’s and dressing in his mommy’s clothes. He’s quite happy to act out who he is but the conservative French family is not nearly as accepting, and in their forceful ways to condition him like a boy, Ludovic turns to his vibrant imaginary world for escape and attempted acceptance. Adorable, poignant and extremely accurate in the portrayal of family dispute.

High Art
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Country: Canada / USA
Year: 1998
Danger and Mess - that’s what inevitably happens when you fall in love with a strong personality at the office. This is the story of two women, the tough photographer and her muse; the intern. (Of course) Taking a ‘work’ trip, things get a little hot and heavy with the camera and in the bed. Have you ever gotten involved in something out of curiousity and lust and then quickly realized it was the worst decision ever? Yes. We all have – but it’s these escapades and high living that equal high art and excitement.

Kenneth Anger - Scorpio Rising
Director: Kenneth Anger
Country: USA
Year: 1972
Experimental, underground sado-massichist film genius. Queer and uncomfortable, this stylish dark motorcycle movie is about a gay/nazi bike gang riding around in leather. For those who like cult cinema, are in cinema studies or want to dig a bit deeper into this zone of Queer culture.

Lost and Delirious
Director: Lea Pool
Country: Canada
Year: 2001
YAY – this film is based on Susan Swan’s book, “THE WIVES OF BATH”, which happens to be a story about her lesbian escapades from Toronto boarding school (Havergal College), which happens to be the high school I also attended. Let me tell you the book and film is a fairly accurate portrayal of the lesbian affairs that spawn behind the ivy. Kissing, fucking, rich parents, lonely youth and horny boys; it’s not the best film, but certainly adequate jerk off material…especially with the likes of gorgeous lipped Jessica Pare and tough nuts Piper Perabo. Oh – and a young and mousey Mischa Barton is also a character who slinks around the boarding school shocked with her roommates under the cover secrets.