Gay Movies on Video and DVD - Page 4

It's My Party (1996)   Purchase Links for this Gay Film NTSC Video - Amazon USA DVD / Video - TLA Films USA

Based on the true story of his lover of eight years, director Randal Kleiser has made an emotionally candid, very personal AIDS and suicide drama which is short of dramatic structure but overpowering in the honest emotions it establishes. Giving a remarkably subtle and heartfelt performance, Eric Roberts stars as Nick, an architect and gay man with AIDS who decides to kill himself upon learning he has PMI, a debilitating disease which kills in a matter of days. But beforehand, he decides to throw a farewell bash -- attended by family and friends, and his ex-lover Brandon (Harrison) who has crashed the party. The story focuses on Nick's various relationships (some are superficially explored, others are rather tender) and a possible reconciliation with Brandon all the while joking with gallows humor of the inevitable.
With a large supporting cast, many are slighted in terms of definition, but the ensemble is sincere in a story which obviously touches all. Though not as polished as the high-profile AIDS drama Philadelphia, It's My Party is more aware, and can be sentimental without being maudlin.

"johns" isn't built on a unique idea, there have been many films exploring the the sordid world of prostitution and the impact it has on the people being exploited and degraded. It's a film that takes an unflinching picture of two young male prostitutes and their journey through-out a seemingly mundane Christmas eve. We witness their daily activities such as talking with the other street walkers, bumping into angry hustlers, and being used like worthless objects by people picking them off the streets. "johns" does illustrate the two lead characters, John and Donner, as credible human beings. They may have different reasons for their actions, but both depend on each other to survive the harsh streets they work off. Lukas Haas and David Arquette give affecting, haunting performances, they play their roles with a sense of integrity which doesn't waver. "johns" doesn't have much of a plot, which is to expected, but it's utter starkness is something that is virtually impossible to turn away from, especially towards the end. If the film has a major flaw, it's the director's use of religious imagery to add a new dimension to the story, which results in some unfortunate heavy-handedness. Overall though, "johns" is a fine piece of work which is worth seeing for several reasons. It may not succeed in everything it tries to reach, but the effort being shown by both the director and cast is satisfying enough.

Journey Of Jared Price Purchase Links for this Gay Film NTSC Video - Amazon USA Region 1 DVD - Amazon USA DVD / Video - TLA Films USA

19-year old Jared Price leaves the stability of his home in Georgia to start a new life in Southern California. With only a bag on his back and a few hundred dollars in his pockets, he sets out on an emotional journey of self-realization and sexual discovery. With little privacy and a prostitute for a roommate, Jared stumbles through the tight quarters of a Hollywood youth hostel. He befriends his young neighbor, Robert, whom Jared quickly discovers is eager to pursue more than merely a platonic friendship. Jared gains employment as a personal caretaker for Mrs. Haines, a wealthy, older blind woman. He suddenly falls into a deceptive relationship with her affluent older son, Matthew. When the relationship becomes personally destructive, Jared is faced once again with the difficult decision to abandon his stability and risk his heart.

This low-budget independent feature from 1995 is notable for its whimsical lack of substance and its self-effacing sense of humor. Writer-director Wally White plays Tommy, a gay man from New York City who flees the urban crush for the promise of an idyllic summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Working as a houseboy, Tommy encounters various characters as he navigates the seemingly carefree gay community, leading a Candide-like existence, betrayed by employers and friends alike, and always coming up short in friendship and in love. Randy Becker (Love! Valour! Compassion!) plays a con artist who takes advantage of the good-natured Tommy, and Darren Dryden plays the shallow and unattainable object of Tommy's affection. While the film, White's feature debut, is short on meaning or resonance, the vignette feel of the story allows for a few choice comic moments. The film is surprisingly well made for a low-budget effort. All in all, Lie Down with Dogs is an offbeat diversion and a slice of life not often seen on the screen. - Robert Lane (Amazon.com)

Lilies (1997) Director: John Greyson Purchase Links for this Gay Film NTSC Video - Amazon USA Region 1 DVD - Amazon USA PAL Video - Amazon UK DVD / Video - TLA Films USA

Lilies is one of my personal favourite flicks for several reasons. First, the story, directing, and cinematography are absolutely enthralling. More interestingly, because of the time and setting of the story, a "gay" identity doesn't really come into play in the storyline. Rather, the story is a story of love (and trust, betrayal, insanity, etc.) in which that love is never named. For those who may have know something about GLBT history, this film is a wonderful example of how "gay" identity is not necessarily trans-historical.

With its opening close-up shot of a bumper sticker that reads "Choose Death," one can rest assured that this self-described "irresponsible" black comedy about two HIV-positive men who set out on a lawless road adventure will not hesitate to cajole, provoke and otherwise incite strong reactions.
Produced on a miniscule budget, the film presents an in-your-face reaction to society's disregard for the plight of P.W.A.s. Jon is a whiny, urban gay - a film writer and critic - who happens into a relationship with fellow "positive" Luke, a free-spirited and rageful drifter who precipitates their angst-driven journey into anarchy.
The script might be thin and there is less-than-professional acting, but this eye-opening drama is a classic of 1990s independent queer cinema. A filmic rallying cry of, "Yeah, I'm HIV-positive and I blame society!"; despite its faults, it's a totally entertaining effort.

The late director Norman Rene and writer Craig Lucas made a pretty fine creative team on the stage and in the movies, and this 1990 drama about the evolving impact of AIDS on gay New Yorkers is their best cinematic achievement. The ensemble story follows the lives of nine or so characters as word of the so-called "gay cancer" eventually becomes a real force, killing several of them as the years go by. The film works well on a number of levels, not least of which is the enviable closeness of the characters, the script's wit, the bittersweet experience of loss, and a celebratory attitude at the end mixing wisdom with defiance. - Tom Keogh (Amazon.com)

David Leavitt's critically acclaimed novel about a troubled family's crisis with homosexuality is powerfully adapted for the screen in this drama. Phillip, a young gay man, falls in love and begins to feel the need to tell his parents about his true sexual self. The twist is that Phillip's father is also gay/bisexual but keeps his yearning closeted from his wife and family. The parallel stories of these two men and the emotionally distraught wife and mother caught in-between results in an undeniably painful melodrama that is exceptionally sensitive to the issues of homosexuality, bisexuality, coming out and familial miscommunication.