June. It's a Wrap
Monday, July 1, 2013 at 10:02AM 
June is always the toughest month for me to wrap my head 'round. It's my busy birthday month, the summer hits, the blog dips. And when it's over I'm all like "What? The year is half over?!?!?" In the last week of June we celebrated Gay Moments in Cinema and though it wasn't planned we gave equal time to movies before gay liberation (Suspicion, All About Eve, The Maltese Falcon) as after (My Beautiful Laundrette, and My Own Private Idaho) which is kinda how we always do here at TFE, spanning all eras of movies. We can't be penned in by the now! I didn't have time to revisit but I myself kept thinking about Weekend, that recent gay romantic drama that instantly seems to have seized hearts, gay and straight, around the internet. I couldn't be prouder of that movie if it was the last movie on earth. Where do you hope gay cinema goes in the future?
Anywhay herewith a handful of highlights from the month that was in case you, like many people during the summer, don't get to your favorite blog (oh you know you "like" us) as often as you'd like...
- Great Zombie Makeover Warm Bodies DVD extras
- Bull Durham a 25th anniversary appreciation
- Scandinavian Adventure a few notes from the longest vacation I've taken
- Teen Wolf returns, gets "tattoo" -TV Review
- i ♥ glowing eyes a supernatural gallery
- Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar do you think they've treated him fairly?
- top ten 1960s Hitchcock, Bergman and double dose of Deneuve and Natalie Wood
Coming in July:
- QUEUE 'EM!: We'll be talking about Dead Ringers (1988), Mary Poppins (1964) so get familiar (or familiar again)
- SEE EM?: We'll be visiting the multiplex for The Lone Ranger and The Wolverine and the arthouse for Oscar hopefuls Fruitvale Station and Blue Jasmine among other new releases.
- SUGGEST IT: Want somethin'? Say so.
Reader Comments (13)
As much as I haven't been inspired to see a single big summer movie this year, it's been a really strong arthouse summer with Bling Ring, Frances, Midnight, and So Excited, Jasmine and Fruitvale coming soon. Plus Behind the Candelabra on TV, which was just as much of a film experience as the others.
Also, Mood Indigo! Is that not open elsewhere? It opened here in montreal this weekend.
Reading your coming soon, I feel obligated to remind you that, as with The Ho$$it, you're not obligated to see The Lone Ranger. ;)
Should add how much I loved all the Gay Moments contributions. They've inspired me to add a lot of the choices to my queue.
What is the Ho $$it?
Mark: Hobbit. (It didn't look as cool as I thought it would.)
I was so pleased to see you mention the film WEEKEND, which I have just discovered (on Sundance Channel in the U.S. which confirms my belief in media agnosticism...namely that films ought to be used to describe closed narratives, regardless of where they are originally produced or exhibited). Indeed, this film represents something quite remarkable, approximating a level of authenticity and verisimilitude rarely seen in narrative art...and packing a wallop to the heart and mind. What an amazing film. I've watched it repeatedly and still can't fully account for the film's transformative and affective power.
It's been a pretty solid first half of the year...a few clinkers here and there, but there's still been pleasures to be had from "Oz the Great and Powerful" "Now You See Me" "Much Ado About Nothing" "The Kings of Summer" "The Sapphires" "Frances Ha" "Big Joy" "Before Midnight" "Scatter My Ashes At Bergdorff's" "On the Road" and parts of "The Great Gatsby" and "Star Trek: Into Darkness." I need to peruse the Frameline website since I wasn't in SF this year, and see what notable gay films will hopefully soon be released or turn up at the Portland GLBT film fest in October.
It's been a strong first half of the year but by that I really mean it has been a great first half for small films, and a mediocre trending toward awful one for big movies. Which is fine - who cares about commercial value? But the quality gap between small and big movies is looking like a gaping, near insurmountable chasm this year! Really hoping the second half of the year brings some balance!
Mike -- but The Boyfriend loves Johnny Depp so i am unfortunately obligated. haha. critics screening tonight.
When are you going to see/review Man of Steel? I was particularly disappointed by it, but not for the same reasons that I'm sure you'll have (you seem to think comic-book movies shouldn't be serious). So...where is it?
That scene you reference from "Weekend" is just magic. I've seen the movie many times and that scene never fails to take my breath away--perfectly acted, perfectly shot, and perfectly written. "I couldn't be more proud of you than if you were the first man on the moon" is just the perfect line. I should watch it again tonight.
I want to know about that interview with Gena Rowlands' daughter you mentioned. What happened?
I'd still like to see a Blue Jasmine Yes No Maybe So!
I should've mentioned "Side Effects" and "Mud" in my "best of" so far this year as well.