http://www.newyorkblade.com/2006/12-29/arts/film/yirmovies.cfm (Highlighted text is mine. --Lynne)Top Five Queer Cinematic Honors of 2006
By GREG MARZULLO
Friday, December 29, 2006
This was a year of gay surprises in the film world, mostly because many of the top choices weren’t necessarily gay films at all. Their themes included gay material that propelled the stories and characters into moving territories, but these are not the typical coming-out, club-dancing, thinly veiled porn flicks so often seen in queer cinema. After combing through 52 weeks of reviews, I chose five movies that were my gay favorites of the year.
(And though “Brokeback Mountain” hype reached its, um, peak in 2006, the film was officially a 2005 release.)V for Vendetta Religious fanaticism, a tyrannical national leader, military quagmires and a complete disregard for civil rights is the backdrop for this politically, artistically and emotionally powerful film.
Surprisingly, the gay press didn’t heavily cover the story of Evey (Natalie Portman), a woman who becomes inspired to fight against a tyrannical theocratic government after reading the story of a lesbian’s struggle for human liberation. The honesty of the performances and strength of its message made it one of my must-see movies of the year.
United 93 Everyone asked whether or not it was too early to dig into the national wound caused by 9/11. The answer was unequivocal: It was absolutely too early. Still, director Paul Greengrass’ re-creation of the events on flight United 93, which crashed into a rural field in Shanksville, Pa., on 9/11, was a beautiful memorial to the passengers, their families and the collectively scarred psyche of America. No manipulation was required to evoke strong emotions, and Greengrass wisely refrained from cinematic tricks to heighten the drama.
Mark Bingham, the gay rugby player who died aboard, was not a highlighted character, but his everyday heroism showed how gay people are part of the American family in life and death.Infamous This second Truman Capote film had the unfortunate distinction of coming fast on the heels of the well-received biopic “Capote,” which garnered an Academy Award for Philip Seymour Hoffman. However, “Infamous” was possibly the more engaging film. Hoffman always gave off the impression that he was displaying his impressive, technical acting technique while Toby Jones, the Capote of “Infamous,” moved between Truman’s glittering repartee to his crushing loneliness with remarkable ease and believability.
That combined with the smoldering seduction scenes between Capote and Perry Smith (an exquisite Daniel Craig, pre-Bond) made “Infamous” a more notably gay and better film. Jesus Camp There certainly wasn’t anything gay about this documentary, but it definitely is important for gay viewers. The Christian camp counselors at the religious summer camp profiled in this film have no qualms about indoctrinating kids into a cult of narrow-mindedness and hatred. Harry Potter is anathema to campers, and their mouths are taped with red duct-tape to push them deeper into a state of religious mania during an anti-abortion prayer session.
It’s difficult to figure out how to combat ultra-religious conservatives who abuse children. Perhaps, gays should start recruiting kids—not to a life of homosexuality but to a life of progressive thought. Shortbus By far, this was my favorite movie of the year. John Cameron Mitchell’s sophomore filmmaking effort exceeded expectations in performance, themes and storytelling. Broaching the taboo subject of sex in ways that were refreshing, humorous, painful and, oftentimes, breathtakingly beautiful,
“Shortbus” could be a manual for sexual exploration and vulnerability—a how-to for those who believe that sex can be more than flat porn and repressed fantasies. Gay, straight, lesbian, bi and everything in between gets a no-holds-barred treatment from Mitchell and his cast of mostly unknown actors, so hop on the short bus and enjoy the ride.
