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Chuecatown (Boystown)
Spanish with English Subtitles
Released: July 2007
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rated: Not Rated

What happens when "the gays" move in and want to gentrify the seedier part Madrid?  Why, you kill off the older residents who refuse to sell.  At least that is the premise of Chucatown (Boystown) from Spanish director Juan Flahn.

Real estate agent Victor (Pablo Puyol - last seen at the 2006 festival in another Spanish movie 20 Centimeters) is out to make the Chueca neighbourhood of Madrid into a gay Mecca.  Problem is, not everyone sees his vision.  To help in his quest he starts murdering those that stand in his way.

Rey (Carlos Fuentes) and Leo (Pepin Nieto) inherit the apartment of one of Victor's victims and immediately become suspects.  Playing on these suspicions, Victor seduces Leo to help throw the police off his own trail. 

Hot on the trail of the murderer, the multi-phobic police inspector Mila (Rosa Maria Sarda), along with her deputy police inspector son Luis (Eduard Soto) are out to solve the murders.  And as they get closer to solving the caswe, Luis also comes to the realization that he is gay.

This black comedy featuring a couple of gay bears is not your usual gay movie and that is a good thing and gets our vote for what a 'mainstream' gay movie should be about (isn't that an oxymoron).  Besides, where else would you see the final chase sequence and shoot-out take place in a gay bathhouse?  That in itself is worth the price of admission.

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Tru Loved
Released: February 2008
Runtime: 100 minutes
Rated: Not Rated

As a young person, moving to a new city is always tough.  But what happens when rumours fly that you are a Lesbian, you have two moms and two dads, you start up a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) at your new high school, you help the gay quarterback hide his sexuality AND you find the boy of your dreams?  That is the premise behind Tru Loved.  And the best part is that it works at every level.

While some of the acting here is a bit stilted the main characters including Tru (Najarra Townsend), the 'gay' quarterback Lodell (Matthew Thompson) and Tru's beau Trevor (Jake Abel) all give tremendous performances.

Included in the supporting roles are Bruce Vilanch as Trevor's gay uncle, Jane Lynch as Ms Maple, Jasmine Guy as Lodell's mom and Nichelle Nichols (of Star Trek fame) as Lodell's Grandmother.  Oh yeah, and Marcia Wallace makes a special appearance as Mrs Lewis, the teacher sponsor of the newly formed GSA.  All of these secondary characters not only bring some wonderful supporting roles to life but helps to legitimize the movie beyond just another gay youth movie.

A wonderful movie, Tru Loved is another of the queer films at this year's Festival that has been classified for youth and we continue to be amazed at the quality of these films, much like we were with Were the World Mine.

Our big question though is when did a 'beard' become 'Katie Holmes'?  Sigh, sometimes we feel sooooo old...

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The Coast is Queer
Released: Various
Runtime: Various
Rated: Not Rated

One of our favourite times at every Vancouver Queer Film Festival is the annual showing of local films and videos as we're constantly surprised by what is served up in this delightful local feast.

This year is no different, with everything from a time travelling scientist that meets his future self in Hirsute (photo above), to a spoof of 007 movies in Jane Blonde to the story of a young girl that 'has a sex change for six weeks' once glorious summer learning to swim in No Bikini.

For us there were two definite highlights of this particular outing (no pun intended) of this year's showcase: the aforementioned Hirsute with its slick look and scary sci-fi premise, and the short by local funny man, David C Jones featuring a single-shot of locals singing Sonny Bono's 1965 song Laugh at Me.

But with each yearly edition of The Coast is Queer the offerings are so diverse it is difficult to draw comparisons and it really becomes a matter of taste.

Hopefully some of these shorts will make it to OutTV in the coming months as part of their Hot Pink Shorts programming.

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Mulligans
Released: 2008
Runtime: 92 Minutes
Rated: Not Rated

In golf, a mulligan is a do-over and this sums up nicely the main theme of Mulligans - how would life have been different if you were able to go back twenty years and re-live it as an 'out' gay man instead of hiding in the closet because that was what was expected of you at that time?

While the characters in this entertaining flick don't actually travel back in time to relive their lives (hmmm, an interesting concept for another movie is coming together here, I think) it does provide food-for-thought for any one of us who may have wanted to deal with those very questions differently.

Tyler Davidson (Derek Baynham) brings home his best friend Chase (Charlie David) to the family's summer cottage.  The thin veneer of the perfect family begins to crack as Tyler's father Nathan (Dan Payne) finally comes to terms with something he has hidden for so many years and the ensuing exploration of acceptance for oneself and acceptance by others helps drive the second main theme of the movie.

There are some really nice moments in the film including most scenes with eight year old Birdy Davidson (Grace Vukovic) and her seemingly nonchalant acceptance of sex and sexuality.  As well, the final scenes where Nathan and wife Stacey (Thea Gill) must finally come to terms with how their lives are about to change ring especially true when that veneer is all but worn away.

Mulligans is taking a bold move proclaiming itself to be "The Graduate for a new generation".  Certainly for some of its themes but time will tell if this hyperbole holds up against what is considered one of the best movies of all time. 

Regardless of what the filmmakers want us to believe in their marketing, Mulligans is a delightful, thought-provoking and truthful look at coming out, being who you are and ultimately, acceptance.

And to all of my family and friends that may end up reading this particular review in the coming weeks - Go Steelers!

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Short Shorts, No Shirt, No Problem
Released: Various
Runtime: Various
Rated: Not Rated

Another of the short film programs at this year's Festival, it was two films with a French connection that were the definite highlights.

In an incredibly short 13 minutes, Serene Hunter took us through a casual hook-up, a rocky relationship and finally the not unsuspected break-up.  Filmed on location in Paris, the film is a tribute to all those who have fantasy boyfriends they only see when they travel (or those that just can't commit).

The second short with a French connection is the UK produced Le Weekend.  Cynical student filmmaker Seb (Omar) travels from France to London to undertake an assignment with little money and no where to stay.  He hooks up with Rafael (Fernando Peres) on the streets of London and spends the next 24 hours exploring the city with his new friend.  Question is, is Seb into Rafael as much as Rafael is into Seb?

Rounding out the evening were Seven Secrets to Perfect Porn (which worked better as a documentary on the British porn laws than it did on the seven secrets), Kiss (self-explanatory), Sweat (recently dumped guy goes to bathhouse for the first time) and finally the very-funny-in-an-uncomfortable-kind-of-way, the locally produced Asian Boyfriend (see below).

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