A Single Man (2009)

Before I start this one - I have to give a huge shout out to my wonderful and dear friend Brett, who, at the time that I am writing this, is (and possibly will be) the one and only person reading my blog. If there was anyone who deserves a massive hug which passes beyond the point of awkwardness, it is you. xx

Confusion began in seeing Tom Ford’s A Single Man, apparently before we even got there. I facebook’d Matt after i saw the trailer and was like ‘omg we have to see this!!’ Even better was that it was showing at the Palace Centro - which is like one of the few Brisbane theatres which shows all the kinda foreign/art house/alternative films, and is like one of my favourite places to be. So Matt’s like helz yes! I tell him what day and time and off we go. So we get to the ticket counter and I just casually mention something about Colin Firth or something, and Matt’s like ‘wait… whaaa?’ and I’m like ‘..??’ and he’s like ‘what are we seeing again?’ and I’m like ‘A Single Man? Tom Ford… Colin Firth… yes?’ and he’s like ‘Ooooohhhhhh. I thought we were seeing A Serious Man’. And I’m like ‘what the hell is A Serious Man?’ and he’s all just like ‘I have no idea, it looks kinda shitty - but it was Oscar nominated so I thought that’s why we were seeing it..’.

At this point the man selling tickets interjects, looks us up and down and says ‘boys, for u I would definitely suggest A Single Man. You will love it infinity times more than A Serious Man’. We were both totally sold and got tickets.

OMG IT WAS AMAZING!! Beautiful story line aside - when u see a movie by Tom Ford, u know it’s going to look better than sex. You could freeze frame literally any second of the movie and put it on your wall if u wanted. As a visual learner myself, watching this was like being in this continuous orgasmic state that u never want to end. Obviously, I am single.

As for the plot - even though I’m kinda not for the whole teacher/student; like as a student myself, I could never go there. I know I talk a big game but deep down, I know it’s sorta wrong. So I was kinda like ehh about that. But from the teacher’s perspective, like I felt like I could totally in some way identify with him, imagining myself in his situation. This kid was so nice, HOT and interested!?! How could you not?! A tree would come to life and do him if it could. And like it was college so he’d be over 18 so it’s not like it illegal or anything. How quickly we as the viewer forget about this poor man struggling to come to terms with his long-time partner suddenly getting killed, in the hopes that we’ll see a hot sex scene. So then u sit there for the whole movie kinda waiting for them to get it on - and then of course by the end u feel really bad cuz he resists temptation, and we’re left there questioning our apparently appalling morals - ‘would I have actually gone there? How could I even think he would just rebound with a kid like that?? And then so ur really glad that he didn’t get with the student cuz u hope deep down that u would do the same. Well this is what I was feeling anyway.

 

 

- - - FAVOURITE MOVIE MOMENTS - - -

When George (Colin Firth) goes over to his best friend Charlotte’s house (the fabulously beautiful Julianne Moore) for dinner, and they get drunk and dance in her living room. I love moments like that with ur fag hag. They make life great :)

I also loved the way that, in scenes where George’s depression slipped away a little bit, when he saw beautiful things, the colour would be highly intensified. I found it was a really effective way of communicating those emotions, and such a Tom Fordy way to have done it.

MOVIE : ORGASMIC

HOTTNESS OF CAST : ORGASMIC

CRY FACTOR : 0 tears

Milk (2008)

I saw milk in what I believe has been the best period for movies that I’ve been alive for - that being the 2008/09 sorta time. This is quite possibly due to the fact that this was the time that me and my bffl Matt, initiated a bit of a movie crawl around the theatres of Brisbane. It was really sort of the first time that I’d taken a real interest in what movies were coming out and tried to go and see as many good ones that I could; and we saw so many good ones that year - Milk, Doubt, and Changeling were a few. All this goodness was then followed up by the very first instalment of our now annual Oscar's Party at Matt’s house, with what has been still the best Oscars that I’ve ever seen! Hugh Jackman hosting, and omg that Hollywood Musicals number he did with Beyonce!!?! AMAZING!!!! Zefron and Vanessa - kinda random but loved you anyway. Dustin Lance Black - adorable, Kate Winslet FINALLY winning best actress and her beautiful acceptance speech. Sophia Loren—as leathery as ever and in that tragic yellow dress that made her look like one of those toilet dolls. Classic good times. Just the way that they did everything was wonderful, and has yet to be beaten. And just as a side note - this years generally sucked. By far the highlight was Angelina’s leg moments, so fabulous. For those who haven't beared witness to this -  http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/angelina-jolies-leg

Ok enough of this reminiscing, to MILK!

Before this I had actually never heard of Harvey Milk and the plight of the Castro gays. In fact I don’t even think I knew what we were seeing when we arrived at the cinema. Matt was like ‘come with me we’re seeing milk’. And I was like ‘ok! I love milk, yum!’ sigh - u can’t judge me on this.

The film - amazing. Beautifully shot, costumes and sets - amazing, acting - amazing (Oscar for best actor Sean Penn - well deserved), James Franco - hot. That guy from High School Musical - what was his purpose? I mean it was great to see him an’ all, getting out into the big world of gay cinema - it actually wasn’t until the other week when I watched Milk again, did I do my usual imdb / wiki research of the characters in real life that I actually realised what he was doing. I love reading up about characters in movies afterwards when they’re true stories :) especially when u find out that the actual people had random cameo appearances throughout the movie, and u have to go back and search all the crowd scenes to find them - endless hours of fun!! … ah I have no life.

The only thing I’ve been confused about and slightly ehh about, in both times that I watched it, was the way that he talked. Like was Harvey actually a little bit simple? Was Penn just always drunk on set? These are questions which I guess will never be answered.

All in all though, I would definitely recommend this wonderful piece of film making. Totally makes me wish I was a struggling gay in San Francisco during the late 70’s / early 80’s. Protesting, fighting the police, and just being generally fierce to everybody.

- - - FAVOURITE MOVIE MOMENTS - - -

That scene when we are first introduced to Harvey’s new campaign manager, Anne Kronenberg.

Cleve: I was telling Harvey we needed some tough dykes around here

Anne: Well, you got one.

There’s an amazing scene in the film where, while they’re fighting to appose Proposition 6, an initiative that would require that all California state public schools fire any gay or lesbian teachers or counselors, the people in Wichita, Kansas began repealing their city law protecting homosexuals against discrimination in jobs and housing due to political persuasion from bitch Anita Bryant. Anyway so Cleve calls up Lawrence, saying that they’re losing Wichita and that there’s going to be a rally that night; and so Lawrence calls up someone and Cleve calls up another guy, and then all of a sudden there’s like this huge queer network of phone calls flying around everywhere, resulting in this massive group of crazy gays who show up for the rally, march to city hall and start a bit of a riot. It’s like there’s this insane underground community of people who are willing to fight to the death to defend one of their own. And there’s drag queens and lesbians and fucking everyone is out there, when like a minute ago most of them were probably just chillin at home watching tv or baking or some shit; and it’s like the gay teachers in Wichita are in trouble! We don’t know them BUT WE WILL KILL FOR THEM!! It’s a very comforting feeling to know that we belong to this crazy-ass community. I know if one of my gurls were getting shit, all kinds of super bitch would surface and rage (I know this because it has). The bonds of the gay sisterhood are incredibly tight - you do not want to mess with us, cuz we will fuck. you. up. Remember that.

MOVIE : Really quite lovely

HOTNESS OF CAST : Yay ;)

CRY FACTOR : 1 tear

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Not gonna lie, this comedy definitely changed the way i dressed.

I guess my love affair with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert began at a very young age. My mum had seen the film when it came out in 1994, and we had the soundtrack at home and she would play it all the time because, lets face it, the music in it is classic and amazing! But u know how after playing a CD over and over for a while, even the best of songs can get a little bit boring - but apparently my 5 year old self didn’t think so in this case. I can still remember my all time favourite CDs at that age were these three kids ones called 1, 2, and 3 respectively, ABBA, the Dr Hook greatest hits (which was easy to find cuz it had a great big yellow heart on the front), and the soundtrack of Priscilla, with the funny man in a green dress. I’m looking back at this now and thinking that this was probably the biggest and most obvious sign of my pending sexuality, at the time though it just seemed fun and right. My mum tells me that my favourite song as a kid was Billy Don’t Be a Hero from the Priscilla CD, which kinda devastates me now cuz the song is so tragically sad, but apparently i would sing and dance along to it on a constant loop for hours.

It actually wasn’t till my final year of high school though that i actually watched the movie! We were doing a unit in English on Australian Film, I saw Priscilla, and LOVED IT!!!!!!!! It was the most bizarre and wonderful experience seeing it for the first time and seeing where all the songs from my childhood actually fit into the story. Most of the other boys in my class though (i went to an all boys school) made jokes and had to be all macho and everything of course, but i was like screw you guys - this is the best thing EVER!

Since then there have been many Priscilla related good times had - movie marathons, sleep overs etc. Just trying to spread the love to everyone.

- - FAVOURITE MOVIE MOMENTS - -

Oh god there are so many i wouldn’t even know where to start. I guess one would definitely have to be the last scene in the bus when Adam and Benji are dancing to Mamma Mia, OMG SO BEAUTIFUL!! The song is incredible, Guy Pearce is HOT, and Benji is like the cutest kid in the world! When i saw it for the first time i actually wanted him to be my child. I was 16 years old, i wanted a kid, and i wanted it to be Benji.

So that scene, and the other one that i love is when they all go swimming with Bob in the lake or whatever that thing is. I don’t know why but i just find that absolutely gorgeous, esp in that moment where Bernadette’s top goes see-through! Nobody appreciates a good boob like the gays thats for sure.

And those academy award winning costumes! Definitely taught me a whole lot more about how to stretch a dollar at Kmart!

So many fabulous quotes - many of which i love to use in general life situations. Baby bottles of booze; someone with no arms or right foot by the look of things; oh Felicia, where the fuck are we; and i will pretty much only go on a road trip these days if all we are doing is bitching about people, talking about wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, drugs, night clubs and bloddy ABBA!

MOVIE : ORGASMIC
HOTTNESS OF CAST : Om nom nom
CRY FACTOR : 2 tears

Welcome, friends of dorothy

Well i suppose i better kick off this venture with a bit on the origins of how this all came about!

Once apon a time.. jks ok no it was sometime in January of this year, that i happened to find an article in our local newspaper about a recent poll on the top 10 gay interest films of all time (as voted by someone, probs two random queens who they found working for the paper). The majority of emphasis placed in the article however was on the 1994 film - The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert by Stephen Elliotlliottlliot, a film which i’m sure we all know and love to bits, and how excited everyone was that it came in as #10!! ...Wait, whaaa?? It only just makes the top 10??! At the time this news was somewhat devastating. I was like, how many gay films could there possibly be? Priscilla is amazing! How could you get better?! This is bull shit!! And i spouted to nobody about how it should have been at least top 3, and thought seriously about writing a letter to the editor.. until i actually counted the number of queer related movies that i had in fact seen, realising that it came to a grand total of three, and then of course accepting that i really had no valuable opinion or objection to offer on the matter of gay film polling.
Ah well, i thought,  it can just be the #1 gay film in my own private list of three.
I was happy with this compromise, and almost ready to get back to my very important, care-free whims of nothingness, until DEVISTATION - the only other two gay films that i’d seen WEREN’T EVEN ON THE LIST!!?! Is this some kind of sick joke?? A Single Man and Milk are like two of my all time favourite movies! Let alone great gay films!! Who the hell wrote this piece of shit list anyway? Ugh. And it wasn’t just that, it was the fact that i hadn’t even heard of any of the other films in the top 10! (Ok so that’s actually not true, but everyone knows Brokeback Mountain, even if ur not gay).
Now up till then i’d considered myself relatively well adjusted and cultured, i watch movies and read books and go places and do shit; how is it that apparently i know nothing about the only culture that i’m actually a part of?? So, being January, NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: 2012 - watch all the top 10 gay related films, and become a more educated, better, gayer man! Woohoo! Thus - to the internet for research! Because, queens at the Courier Mail, I love you and everything, but i’m watching a list that has Priscilla rating at least top 5.
About 20 seconds of IMDBing later.. omg i am in fact just a teeny tiny and insignificant part of this world, i know absolutely nothing about anything, and there are over a BILLION movies about the plights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, intersex, and queer people. Gayness overload!! - Ctrl Alt Delete.
Ok so maybe a little bit of an exaggeration, but there were definitely waaaaaaay more films made about the community than i’d expected. Ok deep breath, pause for thought, write a list. Title: Must See LGBT films. Limit: top 10. Ok no no way too easy. Top 20... Oh but i really want to see that one, and that one, and that one looks kinda hot, and.. Ok Top 50! Hmm, movies recommended for you - don’t mind if i do! So basically now my must see LGBT films list is now a top 97, good lord.

As of today, the 24th of March 2012, i’ve watched exactly 18 of the films on my list, and it’s come to my attention that i really should be doing something to remember all these movies, because so much goodness has some from these past 18 experiences! Just small things, happy memories and such, things that i’d like to share with somebody or at least just remember for later. I’d tell a couple of my friends and such, but they were mostly like ‘yeah that’s nice, i really don’t care though’ and i’m like ‘YOU MUST WATCH THIS!!’ and they’re like ‘oh yeah yeah i totally will... uni work..” Ugh. So i was just going to come up with a rating system, like stars or something to give each of them after viewing - but that’s not really enough, and so mainstream! Everyone does that. Scrap book? Too much effort - besides i’m already doing that with my friend JoJo on our coffee adventures around Brisbane. Youtube channel?! Seriously considered, but really i’m nowhere near as cool as Meekakitty, JennaMarbles or Davey Wavey. Julie and Julia style talky blog??! Not difficult, faster than actually writing, pretty cool, YES!

And so here we are - Friends of Dorothy - a safe place where i will be posting up all the movies i watch on my adventure, and the random gay related things that happen in my life during, or because of seeing these films. As well as this, because you really can’t write a list of the Must See LGBT films without also creating a list of the Must See Movie Musicals, (the two kinda go hand in hand don’t they), and there’s 51 of those so i’ll be posting up some of my experiences with them as they come so get ready for that!! SO KEEN!!!!!!

I’ve realised that with a list this big it's going to turn into a bit of a lifetime adventure - possibly shaping who i am more so than a lot of other life experiences and people whom i will encounter, so it’s a little bit scary to think about but also a little bit exciting, and i am very much happy for anyone to come along on this with me - after all we’re all in this together for the long haul , nobody understands the weird minority kids better than the weird minority kids do!

and with that..

- - - A NOTE ON THE TITLE - - -

If you are reading this you either probably already understand the reference, or you are one of my friends who i’ve somehow managed to convince to read these ramblings, either way though here it is - in Polari / general gay sub-culture, ‘friend of Dorothy’, or FOD, is a term for us queers. The phrase dates back to at least World War II, when homosexual acts were illegal in America. Stating that, or asking if, someone was a ‘friend of Dorothy’ was a euphemism used for discussing sexual orientation without others knowing its meaning. Although the precise origin of the term is unknown, the most common theory is that "friend of Dorothy" refers to the film The Wizard of Oz because Judy Garland, who plays Dorothy, is one of our much loved gay icons. As we all know from seeing the movie - Dorothy accepts and befriends those who are strange and different. For example the ‘gentle lion’ living a lie, "I'm afraid there's no denyin', I'm just a dandy lion." Cute!!  

I found this picture a few days ago, and it's actually a painting from a Russian carnival of some of their members of the House of Freaks - and i though strangely enough it bears an uncanny resemblance to Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and the Cowardly Lion! Weird huh! Though i guess we are all travelling freak shows in a way - totally adapting that one as my personal mantra!