Well, this does not exactly fit into the idea of a gay themed comic, but I just have to include it into this blog. Like, really, what was the designer thinking of, when this cover was drawn?
Superman, this is a no-no.
How to prove that you kiss better than your girlfriend's ex? Well, kiss you girlfriend's ex then to prove to him that you are the better kisser. This is film is made by Rodney Sewell.
After Mark (Chuck Blaum) had passed away, Jeff (Adam Neal Smith) had to confront the reality that Mark was trying to cheat on him. But Jeff did not realise that Mark would consider a guy as far as Italy. Jeff invited Andrea (Alessandro Calza) to come over. An invitation that was meant to be scooping for information became an experience of bonding between two - a guy who lost his cheating lover and an Italian guy who never met the latter.
Ciao is the second film of Malaysian-born Yen Tan that I had watched. Both are equally impressive. Yen Tan directed and co-wrote (with Alessandro Calza) this gay themed film. There was a chemistry successful between the two lead male actors, built up by the director. It was pleasant, and although the flow was not as smooth as it could be, I was patient enough and care enough to find out what would happen between the two. Alessandro was impressive and charming. Good enough to hold audience attention, while Adam was convincing, in portraying the lover who felt cheated in the beginning to an individual hopelessly weakened by Andrea.
I love this film. :D
Jim has always liked Bob. They share one intimate sexual moment together before Bob leaves for the sea. Obsessed with Bob, Jim leaves eventually to seek for him. The task is difficult because Bob does not write back.
Jim ends up being a tennis trainer. He meets a famous actor, Paul, and Jim's first relationship begins. When Shaw, a writer, steps into Jim's life, Jim leaves Paul.
The relationships that Jim has do not last. Paul loves only one person - himself. The people Paul dates are not interesting enough to last for a considerable time period. Paul likes Jim, but does not favour Jim's success with his tennis training. He wants Jim all to himself.
Shaw is a man who delights in his own misery. He sees failures and invite them. Even when he has Jim, Shaw keeps foreseeing their relationship to fail. So when Maria shows up, Shaw is not even trying to fight for Jim. Instead, he lets the circumstances to lead to the doom of his relationship with Jim.
But Jim's relationships fail not because of Paul or Shaw's flaws. Jim's relationships fail because there is only one guy Jim seeks for - Bob. So, when Jim finds out that Bob has returned to his hometown, Jim heads for home too.
The City and The Pillar caught my attention as book reviews and articles continue to mention it as one of the best gay novels. What is impressive is that the book is written in the 40's. Searching hard for this book, I was glad to find a copy in my country, where gay themed books are banned. I was lucky.
The book is appealing. It tells of characters that I can care for. It talks of Jim, a charming and young gay, who is hiding his sexual orientation from his family. It talks of his years of coming-of-age. It talks in simple narration.
What appeals to me as well is the fact that nothing has changed. Well, not all. We are living in the new millenium. This book is written more than 50 years ago. 50 years, and yet the problems that gays face are almost the same. We live in fear of exposure of our identities when we are young. We face the situations of unable to love oneself. We are so obsessed with the love for one person, that we are willing to deny the attentions of others, just to have that one chance of ending our lives in a fairytale ending, with our dream prince charming as our love partner. We are miserable because we are so screwed up.
Jim lives in denial at first. Eventually he accepts who he is. And then, it comes to the family moments where the neverending questions of 'when are you going to get married?' keep popping up.
More than 50 years, and we still live the gay life back in the 40's.
Of course the gay world is more adventourous now. More wild and more daring. But still, the stunning thing is that the storyline is still very much applicable today. Still very much real.
Freddie Mercury is well-known gay artist that led the group Queen. Freddie did released a solo album, and with his few solo work, there was this one song, called Your Kind of Lover. It's singing to another man, wanting to be his lover.
Now you say you're leaving me
I just can't believe it's true
You're my kind of lover
Wanna little bit of feeling
Add a little bit of meaning to my life
I wanna little bit of feeling
A little bit of sunshine to my life
I wanna be your kind of lover
Give a little bit of feeling
Just a little bit of feeling
Add a little bit of meaning to my life
I wanna boogie down with you, brother
Boogie down with bassman
Win love on the grandslam
I'll be there waititng when you call.
Just step right into my heart
Come a little closer
Don't tell me that it's over
Make a brand new start
We can work it out just next to nothing
Work it out, work it out just next to nothing
With feeling, feeling, feeling, with feeling
We can work it out
Let me show what I can do,
I can be your kind of lover
We can work it out
Let me show what I can do,
I can be your kind of lover
I wanna be your kind of mother
Let's talk about loving right
Don't talk about doing wrong
Put a little bit of sense into your mind
We gotta talk it out man to man
Make each other understand
Right now a little happiness would be fine
Just step right into my heart
Come a little closer
Don't tell me that it's over
Make a brand new start
We can work it out just next to nothing
Work it out, work it out just next to nothing
With feeling, feeling, feeling, with feeling
We can work it out
Let me show what I can do, I can be your kind of lover
We can work it out
Let me show what I can do, I can be your kind of lover
Your kind of lover
Two boys spent their evening with one another. During the drive, one planted a surprise kiss on the other, and the secret was out of the closet.
Chicken is a gay themed short film that displays the relationship between two boys on one afternoon. From a lazy afternoon of throwing cans, to a dare, to a bonding between these two. Chicken is directed by Barry Dignam and written by Audrey O'Reilly.
This short gay film won Special Commendation Award in Barcelona International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2001 for Short Film, Audience Award in Dublin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2001 for Best Short Film and Special Jury Award in Newport International Film Festival 2001 for Short Film Competition. It was also nominated in Cannes Film Festival 2001 for Best Short Film.
Antarctica (2008) is a Israel gay themed film offering. This film revolves around the men of Israel looking for love, and in between, sex. Plus the relationship between two lesbians. And a mother of a gay son and a lesbian daughter.
Omer (Tomer Ilan) looks for love, and wonders if he finds it in Danny (Yiftach Mizrahi), a 20 year old dancer. Danny looks for love too, but questions the age of Omer who is in his 30+. But that is the same age as Danny's housemate, Ronen (Guy Zoaretz), whom Danny had a fling with. Miki (Yuval Raz), Omer's best friend, likes Ronen. But chemistry clicks when Omer meets Ronen.
Antarctica? Omer's lesbian sister, Shirley (Lucy Dubinchik), wants to go to Antarctica, which means she has to leave her lover, Mikhal (Liat Ekta), behind.
Writer and director Yair Hochner has an interesting offering for the gay community here. Other than Yonathan and Too Hot In Tel Aviv, I don't really find myself hooked on things Isreal. Yeah, there were some recommended gay themed films from Israel, but I did not find them of my liking. But I like this film. Not because of the amount of gay sex at the first 10 minutes of the film. But because of the chemistry between Omer and Ronen. It is so charmingly done, and sweet enough to digest and believe that love can come for those who wait.. and love comes in the most common setting for lovers. Even gay lovers.
I love this film. Minus the slight confusion of differentiating who is who. But I still love it. :D
