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B+
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A Second Life
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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Rouselle is transfixing here as she was in Julia Ducournau's "Titane," and Lawther impresses as well.
Posted Nov 28, 2025
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C+
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The Wolves Always Come at Night
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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I have to admit I assumed I was watching a narrative feature, a painfully realistic one. Brady, in slow burn fashion, capture the joy and tragedy of the effects of climate change on these folks simply trying to make a living doing what they love most.
Posted Nov 22, 2025
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Americana
(2025)
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Matthew Creith
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Of note is the unlikely chemistry between Hauser's Lefty and Sweeney's Penny Jo, although Bonnie and Clyde these two most definitely aren't. The lovebirds are just a fraction of the storylines in this whirlwind epic.
Posted Aug 15, 2025
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B
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The Degenerate: The Life and Films of Andy Milligan
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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It's a fascinating portrait of a complex man who had something to say and was given the means to express himself. For a time.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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B
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The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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(The film) is an important entry in the queer canon. It's an empathetic portrait of a beloved closeted sports figure who survived the only way he knew how at a time when it was career- (and often life-) destroying to be labeled gay.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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B
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State of Firsts
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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McBride's grace, steadfastness, and perseverance are the stuff of true heroism. Joynt captures this essential moment of LGBTQ+ history with dignity and respect.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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B-
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It's Dorothy!
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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The film also explores Garland and Dorothy's place in gay history, and why the artist and character are so important to gay discourse.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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B-
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Just Kids
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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The film sheds light on the political machinations at work and the politicos who don't seem to care one bit about medical consensus, quoting inaccurate stats willy nilly.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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B
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Girls Don't Cry
(2022)
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Frank J. Avella
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This is Zuliani's first feature, and he maintains a light tone, even with the few dark clouds that surround the girls. Benini and Doago have great chemistry and keep us enthralled. I
Posted Feb 23, 2025
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B
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Bodyshop
(2022)
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Frank J. Avella
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For a bracing, perplexing, and bizarre queer film experience, look no further than the SCUD (Cheng) cinematic creation Body Shop...Evoking Pasolini at his most enigmatic, this mesmerizing work will have you craving a second viewing.
Posted Feb 23, 2025
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A-
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Atropia
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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(Atropia) is the stuff of genius satire with a fab ensemble led by the hilarious Alia Shawkat and sexy charmer Callum Turner.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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B
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Where the Wind Comes From
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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Amel Guellaty makes her feature debut with, Where the Wind Comes From, an engaging story of pursuing dreams no matter how out of reach they might seem..."Where the Wind Comes From" is a charming treat.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A-
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Cactus Pears
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Sabar Bonda" ("Cactus Pears") is a slow-burn, meditative and exquisite look at same-sex love and longing in a culture that expects a certain kind of generational behavior and capitulation.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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B+
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Two Women
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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Robicaud's style is quite sly as she seamlessly blends hilarious situations with nuanced characterization, keeping the emphasis on female desire and empowerment. The film has a gay-sensibility about it thanks to the two lead diva performances.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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B+
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Sauna
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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Broe explores both men's realities, one buoyed by desire and the other stymied by political and social limitations. The filmmaker cleverly examines sexual identity and orientation and where they converge and diverge.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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B+
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Rains Over Babel
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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She's created a fevered punk island-of-misfit-toys-type world where acceptance can be cathartic, but death is always looming..."Rains Over Babel" is a one-of-a-kind beguiling magical realism fantasia. Del Sol is an exciting new filmmaker.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A-
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Lurker
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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The film is a piercing critique of social media stardom and the rabid desire for fame, especially among Gen Zers. The obsessive, back-stabbing need to be a part of someone else's success is presented in a raw, unflinching manner...
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A-
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Sorry, Thanks
(2009)
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Frank J. Avella
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Victor delivers a heartfelt, devastating portrait of a woman trying to understand what has happened to her, never feeling too sorry for herself, but showing bits of vulnerability and even bafflement.
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A-
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Plainclothes
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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Blyth does truly astonishing, award-worthy work here. His Lucas is a mix of horny confusion at work and playful clinginess at play. At home, with his repressive family, he's a ticking time bomb. Tovey...is so emotionally raw and searingly honest...
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A
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Twinless
(2025)
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Frank J. Avella
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...with his performance (O'Brien) solidifies his place as one of the most impressive actors working in indie films today. It's a fantastic dual performance where he manages to play two very different but super connected twins...
Posted Feb 17, 2025
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A-
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Strange Darling
(2023)
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Frank J. Avella
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This is the kind of fantastic filmmaking where you need to simply allow the non-linear narrative to unfold and strap in for the ride. Spoilers would spoil. Suffice to say, both Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are smashing in their captivating roles.
Posted Dec 19, 2024
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A-
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Conclave
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Conclave is part thriller, part character study...The film gifts us one of Ralph Fiennes' finest performances, with excellent support from Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Serio Castellitto and the divine Isabella Rossellini.
Posted Dec 19, 2024
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A-
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A Complete Unknown
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Timothée Chalamet fully embodies Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown." ...he also honors the enigma. James Mangold is smart enough to let the music and poetry of Dylan's work tell most of the tale.
Posted Dec 19, 2024
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A
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Wicked
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Jon M. Chu's glorious, perfectly cast "Wicked"...happens to be a potent film about female friendship boasting a fab ensemble led by the commanding Cynthia Erivo, the splendi-fabuous Ariana Grande-Butera and sexy-pants himself, Jonathan Bailey.
Posted Dec 19, 2024
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A-
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High Tide
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Set in Provincetown, and buoyed by a beguiling breakout performance by Marco Pigossi, "High Tide" takes on quite a number of topical themes like immigration, racism, and internalized homophobia...There's a terrific subplot involving Marisa Tomei...
Posted Oct 14, 2024
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A
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Anora
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Madison absolutely beguiles, and deserves all the kudos she is receiving...Eydelshteyn is also quite the find. A Russian actor, he manages to make us fall in love with Vanya despite the fact that he's a mollycoddled, entitled brat. He's also sexy as f*ck.
Posted Oct 14, 2024
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B-
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Viet and Nam
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Viet and Nam" can be quite frustrating with its arty, murky, opaque style...even the gay scenes weren't so much erotic as impersonal. Still, there was something quite mesmerizing about it.
Posted Oct 10, 2024
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B-
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Elton John: Never Too Late
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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The main issue with the doc is that Dexter Fletcher's biopic of Elton, Rocketman, was far more illuminating. But there is plenty to enjoy, from some wonderful concert performances to an extended sequence involving his friendship with John Lennon...
Posted Oct 10, 2024
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B+
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Emilia Pérez
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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French filmmaker Jacques Audiard's audacious genre-shattering Cannes sensation, "Emilia Pérez" offers us a different kind of cartel leader...Karla Sofía Gascón does a sensational job...Gomez does terrific work...But the film belongs to Saldaña...
Posted Oct 10, 2024
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A
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Misericordia
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Misericordia" is beguilingly queer...Guiraudie loves to challenge conventional notions of love, sex, longing, guilt, forgiveness, and shame, and he does so in his own original and bracing manner.
Posted Oct 10, 2024
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The Apprentice
(2024)
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Derek Deskins
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If there is one thing that "The Apprentice" manages in its runtime, it is to make you feel something for a despicable figure – not Donald Trump, but Roy Cohn.
Posted Oct 10, 2024
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A
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Love
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Norwegian helmer Dag Johan Haugerud has created a thought-provoking, mesmerizing queer-and-sex-positive gem with his fourth feature, "Love."...The film is audacious in its non-judgmental approach to different kinds of intimacy.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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A
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The Room Next Door
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Moore is radiant in a performance rich with compassion and understanding. Swinton is gloriously complex...It's a raw, naked turn that deserves Oscar attention...Almodovar (is) a true gift to cinema.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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B-
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Maria
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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The script (by "Spencer" writer Steven Knight) never ventures far enough into who this woman was. But when Jolie is onscreen, especially when she's performing – with vocals by Callas, but interpreted by the actor – the experience is mesmeric.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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A-
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Babygirl
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Kidman has been making edgy and daring choices for most of her career. This is no exception. Her Romy is so repressed and shameful, yet so eager to explore the erotic and taboo. It's fearless, award-worthy work.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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A-
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Joker: Folie à Deux
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Phoenix is masterful, and he and Gaga make an awesome screen team. She is sublime. Het role is smaller than expected, but she makes the most of it and delivers her best screen performance to date.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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B-
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Queer
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Queer" is transfixing, yet alienating, and works mostly thanks to Craig diving into Lee fearlessly and unabashedly… his character is a true queer trailblazer, considering the time period. And Craig is simply heartbreaking in the final quarter.
Posted Sep 10, 2024
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National Anthem
(2023)
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Matthew Creith
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It's a stunningly authentic look at a community whose stories desperately needed to be told, and Gilford is well-equipped to be that storyteller.
Posted Jul 09, 2024
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A-
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Griffin in Summer
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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The scenes between Griffin and Brad are a treat. Brad is initially oblivious to the blazing torch Griffin is carrying for him. Teague nails the standoffish artist/rebel who is actually desperate for his work to be appreciated.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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A-
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Crossing
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Akin takes his time to establish an authentic bond between these two lost souls. The film is a penetrating and often devastating look at the destruction caused by ignorance and intolerance. It's also a call for unity and acceptance.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B+
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Rent Free
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Fernando Andrés' idiosyncratic and fascinating new indie feature "Rent Free" explores bisexuality and queer male friendship in such an authentic manner it may be breaking some ground in indie LGBTQ+ cinema.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B+
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Hacking Hate
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Hate speech on social media and the internet comes under severe scrutiny in Simon Klose's riveting "Hacking Hate." The doc illuminates just how social media sites financially benefit from far-right influencers...
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B+
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Satisfied
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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The cherry on the doc's cake is a full rendition of the song "Satisfied," where it becomes obvious to anyone who did not see her onstage why Goldsberry is a true Broadway star.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B
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Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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What does shine through here is Liza's enormous love for entertaining, her endless energy, her raw creative talent, and her incredible ability to streamline questions she's uncomfortable with.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B
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Rebel Country
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Whately focuses on the new rebels of country. Unlike Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson – the old rebels who were all damaged white men – the new crop happens to be Black, Hispanic, queer, and proudly female.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B-
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Treasure
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Treasure" is best when Fry is onscreen. He delivers a rich and refined turn as a man who would rather not confront his past and unleash decades of generational trauma.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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B
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Group Therapy
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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Funny, touching, and emotionally relevant, "Group Therapy" shows that too often there really is a fine line between comedy and tragedy.
Posted Jun 27, 2024
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A-
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Kinds of Kindness
(2024)
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Frank J. Avella
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The strangest, most flummoxing situations are played as if they're the norm in "Kinds of Kindness," and one of the most exhilarating things about the film is how it treats bisexuality as commonplace, even under the creepiest of circumstances.
Posted Jun 14, 2024
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B
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Solo
(2023)
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Frank J. Avella
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"Solo" succeeds because of Pellerin's immersive performance. His Simon is filled with contradictory and confused emotions – a confident powerhouse in drag onstage, a vulnerable little boy offstage. He allows us to empathize with Simon.
Posted May 30, 2024
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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
(2024)
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Matthew Creith
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Furiosa is undoubtedly chaotic in the best possible way. Anyone who's watched any of the "Mad Max" films will note how hyper-energized all of these films in the series are, largely due to Miller's directorial style, which incorporates high-octane action.
Posted May 20, 2024
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