If you have ever watched Another Gay Movie, Shelter or any prime time TV show with a gay character, you would know that GLBTI characters are usually typecast in overly sexual and promiscuous roles, or given a storyline that without fail includes a coming-out story, an abusive family, or the questioning of a character鈥檚 sexuality.
Now this is fine 鈥� these stories and characters are meant to make us laugh at ourselves or jerk tears from our past experiences. But just once I wish we could have a love story between two men or two women without all the 鈥榰sual鈥� stuff in between.
I would die for a film where two men, already out, gay and proud, fall romantically in love, and their problem isn鈥檛 their family! Why not make a gay P.S. I Love You (but keep Gerard Butler), or a gay Titanic (and keep Leonardo DiCaprio).
These stories are both of love, yet have different plot elements which make them unique. I know what you are thinking, 鈥渂ut the coming-out stories, and questions of sexuality make gay films unique鈥�, and yes, they do 鈥� but when you see it again and again, it gets boring.
The GLBTI community, and the people within it, have stories and plot elements that reach further than how we came to be, or what we do in the bedroom.
Of course stories of coming out and dealing with family issues are meant to feel familiar to us, but even films like Milk didn鈥檛 need one of those to turn me into a fetal-positioned mess.
I want action, I want drama. Heck, throw in an explosion or two, I鈥檓 tired of the same sexual puns and stories.
You know what, make me a lesbian 27 Dresses, then I鈥檒l be happy, or a drag queen Star Wars. Now that鈥檚 entertainment.
By JESSE MATHESON
You do realise that there is an actual history of film that you may have failed to amass in your worldly 19 years, educate yourself with the Works of Gregg Araki, John Waters, Bruce La Bruce and Pedro Almodovar
Back in the 1980’s, I heard the same refrain from publishers of those old-fashioned things called books鈥�”coming out stories are old hat.” Yes, they are, and for a gay person who has, say, twenty years under his belt being gay, I can imagine that “coming out” is just plain boring; but where I differ with this writer is in the fact that “coming out” is not old hat to the newly out gay, lesbian, transgender person鈥攁nd all the YouTube coming out VLOGs show that it’s still a hot topic. It’s still a relevant topic. Further, there simply are not that many good gay films; there’s still room for really good “coming out” gay films. Maybe the settings where these stories happen need to be changed. Maybe the bulk of lgbt viewers outside of New York and LA (you know, that big blank area of North America between the left and right coasts?) would be grateful to see their stories on the Indie screen, if not the big screen.
Try “I Love You Phillip Morris”. It has Ewan McGregor.
Szebastian – agreed
Jesus – cinema isn’t always about relatability. And if it is then a character I have a pure relationship with hasn’t been developed or I haven’t watched it! What I’m saying is exactly what Szebastian has said and that’s that queer film makers arent taking risks, instead they just recycle old material, jokes and plot lines, and hope for the best.
The Kids are Alright
Mysterious Skin
These films don’t exist because there is no money in producing a gay version of 27 Dresses. Why would a studio produce a movie where the vast majority would find the characters unrelatable. Hell, you don’t even see ethnic groups really represented as leads in mainstream films (aside from the occasional latina).
Most these producers are focused on what will ‘sure-shot’ sell – and too scared to experiment with mainstream and real life possibilities. If they start to experiment keeping in mind some wildest experiments have led to movies that have made millions over night – it was all just a matter of taking the risk. Question is – are GLBTIQ producers, directors, script writers ready to take the plunge?
Is It Just Me and East Side Story are just two films that pop to mind that give you exactly what you’re asking for, just without Gerard Butler or Leo D. And with the upside of being really funny and worth watching.