Tom Ford’s A Single Man is an adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel. It follows a day in the life of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a gayEnglish professor teaching in California. George’s lover Jim (Matthew Goode) was killed in a car accident leaving George alone save for his long time friend and fellow ex-patriot Brit, Charley (Julianne Moore). George spends this particular day saying goodbye to his life, finally appreciating the world around him. Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), one of his students, takes an interest in the professor and tries to befriend him sensing something is wrong. All in all a great film, well worth watching.
Lust in the Dust
“Yea, though I walk through the . . . uh . . . shadow of Death Valley.” And so begins the Paul Bartel send up of spaghetti westerns, Lust in the Dust. With Divine as dance hall girl Rosie Velez, Tab Hunter as the mysterious stranger Able Wood, and Lainie Kazan as the local madame Marguerita, a group of oddball characters (including Cesar Romero and Geoffrey Lewis) search for the lost gold of Chili Verde. Well worth watching.
Cage
From 1989 and the discount rack, Cage is the story of Billy (Lou Ferrigno) and Scott (Reb Brown). In Vietnam, Billy saves Scott’s life at the cost of taking a bullet in the head leaving him with a child’s mind in a very big guy’s body. Scott makes it his mission to repay Billy by taking care of him. The two come to the attention of a gambler during a fight at Scott’s bar when they beat up a gang bent on causing trouble. The gambler destroys their lives and manipulates Billy into a death match cage fight where he’s sure the mentally challenged man will beat the champ and provide him a way out of his debts. A fair buddy action flick of sorts with the interesting twist being the mentally challenged Billy, but nothing to go out of your way for other than the muscle men stripped to the waist.
Shelter
In Shelter, Zach (Trevor Wright) is a young man struggling to help his nephew since his sister can’t get her act together to really take care of the boy. His best friend Gabe (Ross Thomas) has moved away to school and he’s got only on again off again feelings for his girlfriend. Then Gabe’s big brother Shaun (Brad Rowe) returns to town and the two strike up a friendship as surfing buddies which leads to more. Of course, this causes Zach no end of confusion, but all work’s out in the end.
Milk
An excellent biography of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) following the openly gay politician from his arrival in San Francisco to his assassination by Dan White (Josh Brolin). Harvey’s arrival in San Francisco with his then lover Scott (James Franco) and his struggle to reach elected office show a bleaker time in the gay rights movement provide a reminder of how things were only a couple of decades ago when the thought of even one state with gay marriage didn’t seem possible. Milk’s struggle for gay civil rights went a long way to propelling us to where we are today, despite his short time in office before he and then Mayor George Moscone were shot by Dan White (who pioneered the “Twinkie Defense” in his trial). Milk.