Change Your Image
rfieldj
Reviews
The Engagement Plot (2022)
Another Good One
Another great film with Trevor Donovan, who never disappointed his viewers. In fact, I would even go so far as to refer to Donovan as the King of this genre. I also enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. No one disappointed me this time. They all gave great performances. And you could see that they worked hard.
And that's rare with all films nowadays. I'm not always this positive. The entire film seemed to flow so naturally that once again I didn't realize how quickly the time passed. There was also a certain spark with this film that's not always there with other films in the romance genre.
It's a feel good movie that takes you away from life's issues. The perfect and safest kind of escapism that sometimes we all need and crave. I'd watch it again and I would recommend it to others without hesitation.
Aloha with Love (2022)
I loved It
I really loved everything about this film, from the location to the cast. Trevor Donovan always does a fine job and he doesn't disappoint this time. And the rest of the cast was great, too. The storyline moved quickly and I didn't even realize how fast the time went by while watching. I would recommend this film to everyone who loves a little romance in their lives. I also think it's the kind of film you can re-watch so it's on my DVR forever. I like to know that I can re-watch something that I really like and this movie is perfect for that.
This is also the perfect movie for people who have watched hundreds of films in this genre. I know it was for me, and I'm always grateful when that happens.
Echoes (2022)
Matt Bomer Playing Straight in Netflix Miniseries, Echoes, Is Perfectly Fine
I just finished watching Netflix's miniseries, Echoes. And I loved it. It's a complicated story involving devious twins and Matt Bomer plays one of their husbands. And even though he's openly gay in real life, it's perfectly fine for him to play a straight white male character who comes from a place of privilege. For one thing, he's NOT appropriating a marginalized group, and for another, he WAS in the closet at one time just like the rest of us and he pretended to be straight.
So for those people who always use the argument that if a straight actor plays gay for pay is wrong, so is a gay person playing straight, it's not the same thing. Whenever a gay actor plays a straight role it's different than when a straight actor plays gay for pay. Gay people are part of a marginalized group who have suffered some of the worst atrocities in history. There are still countries in Africa and the Middle East that would criminalize us and put us to death. And no one should culturally appropriate us. Just like all other minorities. You don't see straight white actors taking on black roles. Because they would be wrong. It works the same for straight actors taking on gay roles. Or, straight writers writing gay content. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
In any event, I don't want to go off-topic too much. Matt Bomer playing Jack Beck in Echoes gave one of his finest performances and I hope they do another season. I don't understand the negative reviews about the show being confusing. I didn't find it to be confusing. I would have watched Echoes even if Matt hadn't been part of the cast, but because he was part of the cast it made the whole series even better. He's at the top of his game right now, and I want to see him do more.
The Terminal List (2022)
Awful
Worst piece of garbage I have ever seen and I see why Rotten Tomatoes did what they did the their reviews. I don't know how anyone on here could rate this with 10 stars. I could barely stay awake. Maybe a lot of these loving rave reviews are not authentic?
Uncoupled (2022)
This series makes everything gay men who hated it ring true
It's filled with stereotypes and clichés, it's most likely going to be more suited to straights than gay men, and the last thing we need is another Sex and the City. As a gay man, I found it hard to relate to any of the characters. I think that's partly because I despised Sex in the City when it ran as a series and I never liked the way that hetero show portrayed gay men. ..as stereotypes. In short, I could get beyond two episodes.
Gasoline Alley (2022)
I'll Spare you the Details
This is another really, really bad movie and it could have been so much better. I think Bruce and Luke did okay, but that Sawa was the worst, in my opinion. I think Bruce deserved better than this.
Fire Island (2022)
Loved This Movie!!
This won't be a long review with spoilers and a full plot description. In fact, I'll never understand why some reviewers feel the need to give readers every last detail of the plot. That's not a review. That's someone who doesn't know any better.
In any event, Tony and I both watched the new gay male film out there titled Fire Island and we loved it. For me, it was actually thrilling to watch an all-gay production without any heteronormative influence. At times, it even reminded me of The Boys in the Band. With films coming out like Red, White, and Royal Blue which is based on a book with gay content written by a woman author who identifies as "queer," it was a relief to finally see authentic gay content. No shade toward anyone who is a queer woman, but how on earth can a "queer" woman writer create authentic gay male content? There's no connection, other than political or equal rights issues.
But I digress. The cultural appropriation from these women who are non-gay will continue as long as people are willing to put up with it. It won't go down well in history, but that's another post.
Back to the film. It was shot on Fire Island and it covers some serious points and a few light-hearted points. It's supposed to be a take on the romance, Pride and Prejudice, and I think the romance aspects held up well. It wasn't overdone either. There was nothing trite, frilly, or flowery about it. The romance, for me, happened just as it would happen in real life with real gay men. In short, it was all believable.
I could recommend this one to everyone interested in authentic gay content and a good gay romance. You can read more about it here on IMDb.
I loved it.
The Black Phone (2021)
Just Pure Ugh
Worst film I have ever seen in this genre. I barely made it to the end. It should have been titled The Bland Phone. And the sad fact is that I really wanted to like it.
Wolf Hound (2022)
A Nice Movie with an Interesting Storyline
I enjoyed pretty much everything about this movie, from the actors to the storyline. As far as I know it's historically accurate and I think the writers did justice to the theme. It moved fast enough for me and the actors seemed to work really hard on all scenes. You can tell that the entire collaboration was a work of dedication.
Good Joe Bell (2020)
When Straights Write Gay Content
I can't say this was a bad movie all the way around because I think the story of Joe Bell and his son is important to tell. However, when I started to watch and I saw some annoying stereotypes, and then I saw a few things that would never have happened in real life with a gay teen, I realized that this is what happens whenever straights write gay content. The film was written by
Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry and they have no business writing gay content. At. All. So while it's not the worst film I've seen, it would have been so much better if there had been gay writers handling this content. But Hollywood doesn't seem to be able to grasp that yet. And I'm not sure they ever will.
Jingle Bell Princess (2021)
A Wonderful Movie To Escape With
I loved the story, the scenery, the sets, and everything else about this movie. It's the perfect way to escape from life's stress, and it's even better with the way the world has changed so much with COVID. I can't find a single negative thing to say. It's just sweet, fun entertainment. You can't go wrong with it.
Black Friday (2021)
Just Dreck
I know this is low budget and I shouldn't expect too much, but at least try to move the thing along a little. This movie was trying too hard to be 80s retro and not trying hard enough to keep viewers interested in watching until the end. The performances were wooden, the pace too slow, and the dialogue lacked substance. How anyone could give this a 10 star review makes me wonder how well they know the people involved in the movie. My review is an honest review.
Little Italy (2018)
Alyssa Milano Should Hang Her Head In Shame
Speaking as an Italian American, this film was the most offensive and insulting I have ever seen. The bad stereotypes are so bad that if this movie was dealing with any marginalized group it would be pulled from the shelves, tossed in the trash, and canceled completely. The accents alone are a disgrace and there's so much cultural appropriation going on it's a hard movie to even finish. We watched with out finger on the fast forward button.
Alyssa Milano, along with the rest of the cast, should hang her head in shame with this one. And I think they owe us an apology.
Chucky (2021)
Pretty Bad
I don't know how anyone could actually stick with this series. I got through the first episode and it was so boring I kept falling asleep. The Chucky character isn't the worst part. It's the rest that left me yawning. It's another example of why reboots just never work. And Devon Sawa should go into another business.
Free Byrd (2021)
Delightful!
This is one of the most delightful little films I've seen in years. It's not going to change the world in any grand ways, but it's good old fashioned entertainment about two disillusions guys off on a road trip that has plenty of surprises in store.
Hot Water (2021)
Totally Enjoyable
I wasn't expecting anything earth shattering or worthy of those disingenuous Hollywood awards that so many people seem to love in movies these days. I just enjoyed this movie because it's light, it's simple, and it has a nice even pace. Not every film or book will change the world, but that doesn't mean they can't get a good rating and a good review. It thought it was an enjoyable evening.
Humor Me (2017)
Yellowface and The Mikado
There's one aspect of this movie that everyone seems to ignore, and that is the fact that they allow straight white actors to play yellowface an an amateur production of The Mikado. I know I didn't imagine this. It reminded me of the Mickey Rooney deal in Breakfast at Tiffany's years ago...only we should all know better by this time.
My Month with Mrs Potter (2018)
Just a Wonderful Film
I found this movie by accident while looking through Amazon streaming films and I figured I would give it a try. It turned out to be excellent. It was not self-indulgent in the least and it turned out to be exactly what it was supposed to be. A nice quiet film and character study. The writing was excellent, the performances were perfect, and I loved the setting.
Hunter Hunter (2020)
Get My Smelling Salts
I saw so many Tweets about how life-changing and wonderful this film was that I decided to see it against my better judgment. One Tweet alone raved so much about the ending I figured I'd better have my smelling salts close at hand. And I'm glad I had them next to me, because this film was so slow, so self-indulgent, and so ridiculous in some parts I had to get my smelling salts just to see the end. I'm not even sure this could be called a horror film. Then again, I was a little horrified.
The Fanatic (2019)
Save Yourself
This was probably one of the worst films I've seen in a long, long time.
Going Back (1984)
Awful
This was one of the worst films I have ever seen. I watched on Amazon Prime and kept fast forwarding to get through it.
A Million Little Pieces (2018)
Excellent Performances
Everything about this movie was actually well done, from the performances to the direction and writing. However, I just wish they would have disclosed the back story about the book, "A Million Little Pieces." Apparently, the author lied a good deal throughout the entire story and it created a huge firestorm back in 2006. A lot of people felt duped, it rocked the publishing industry for a short time, and frankly some kind of notice at the beginning or the end of the film would have redeemed it. For anyone who doesn't know about what happened. Here's a link below.
"In a stunning switch from dismissive to disgusted, Oprah Winfrey took on one of her chosen authors, James Frey, accusing him on live television of lying about "A Million Little Pieces" and letting down the many fans of his memoir of addiction and recovery."
The Pass (2016)
Loved It!
I had a chance to watch The Pass last night on Netflix, and I loved it. It starts out lagging, and you're not totally sure where it's going, or if it's actually going somewhere. But once the story line starts to move it becomes so captivating you can't stop watching. In many ways, it reminded me of a Tennessee Williams play.
It's not a gay romance, and it is somewhat dark at times,but I think it captures everything I've ever heard about closeted gay footballers. I'd recommend it highly.
No Night Is Too Long (2002)
Typical
No Night Is Too Long ...unless you have to sit through this movie.
It's a typical example of what happens when you mix a heteronormative POV with gay content. It's never accurate and it's never believable.
After Forever (2018)
Very Nice Binge Watching
I remember posting about this series, After Forever, a while ago, and I finally had a chance to see it.
I liked it for many reasons, one of which is that it explores the relationship of a gay couple who have been in a long term relationship and they are forced to face one of the worst realities of life.
I should add that it's not always totally realistic, but it's not far off the mark. It's kind of like a m/m romance novel turned into a TV series. And you have to watch the entire series to get the full meaning. I think most people who read m/m romance novels will love this series.
Mitchell Anderson and Kevin Spirtas, the two main characters, are both openly gay in real life, too.