VIP Fave Q Movie Pick
Where we ask today’s hottest queer and queer-friendly filmmakers, stars and community leaders to answer the question:
“One of my favorite LGBT movies is...”
Mx Justin Vivian Bond (legendary artiste)
“I have found myself thinking about Marlon Riggs‘ film TONGUES UNTIED a lot lately. I first saw it in the Castro Theater in 1991 and was deeply affected by its poetic, forceful and unflinching portrayal of the experience of men of color in America. As a feminine white queer I found it resonated very deeply with my own experience as well and continues to do so.
This amazing film deserves a fresh viewing not only for the political and social issues it addresses but more importantly, to me, for the haunting beauty of the words of poet Essex Hemphill.”
Recently described as “The greatest cabaret artist of (v’s) generation” by Hilton Als in The New Yorker, singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated performance artist Mx Justin Vivian Bond, is an Obie, Bessie and Ethyl Eichelberger Award winner. Visit the JustinBond.com website to find out everything you want to know about the fabulous Mx Justin Vivian Bond including v’s new book, Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels.
Mx Justin Vivian Bond’s February 2012 Events Calendar:
TORONTO, Canada
Feb. 9 and 10
Justin Vivian Bond reads from v’s memoir Tango
followed by a book signing
Rhubard Festival
Buddies in Bad Times Theater
10 pm
Info
SAN FRANCISCO, California
Valentine’s Day! 8pm
Love: Ali McGraw
Special guest for Screening of Love Story and Conversation with Ali McGraw! Featuring Mx Bond singing a “Sorry” medley. Should be kooky.
Tue, February 14, 2012
8:00 pm
Castro Theatre
San Francisco, CA
$22.50 – $45.00
Info/Tickets
LOS ANGELES, California
February 17,18 -8:30 pm
February 19 -7:00 pm
Justin Vivian Bond’s Low Double Standards -an Entitlement Program
in concert with Lance Horne and Nathann Carrera
The Red Cat
631 West 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213 237-2800
Info/Tickets
SAN FRANCISCO, California
Feb. 21
Hosting Radar Productions Spring Benefit
Info/Tickets
SAN FRANCISCO
Feb. 23
A VERY SPECIAL CONCERT EVENT
Tonight Mx Bond returns to SF in concert with an evening of “Low Double Standards”
Mx Bond will be joined by Leigh Crow -Aka Elvis Herselvis
and THE WHOA NELLIES!
20 years ago Mx Bond and Leigh Crow were married and tonight they celebrate their perfect long-term, long-distance love affair with a blow-out concert and party.
THIS IS A DO NOT MISS EVENT!
The Great American Music Hall
859 O’Farrell St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-885-0750
Doors 8 pm Show 9 pm
Info/Tickets
SAN FRANCISCO
Feb. 25
RADAR Book Club featuring Justin Bond & Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
Saturday, February 25
Viracocha, 998 Valencia St.
$10, Doors 2:30/ Show at 3
Special guests Justin Bond (Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels) and Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore (Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots?). Hosted by Michelle Tea. Limited seating. Advance tickets will be available!
Info/Tickets
Cathy DeBuono (actress, AND THEN CAME LOLA; WE HAVE TO STOP NOW)
“One of my favorite lesbian movies has to be D.E.B.S. I had no idea what I was getting into when I rented it, but as the film unfolds one could make super strong arguments for the presence of some really clever metaphor. The girls themselves were like Freud’s personality components. “Dominique” the id, “Max” the super ego and “Amy” the ego. “Janet” gives voice to the inner child and together they engage in a journey that illustrates the development of one solid self as it faces the anxiety of discovering it doesn’t fit inside society’s box. I loved it. Or… I made all of that up in my own head. Either way director Angela Robinson is brilliant for taking me there.”
Enjoy Cathy’s terrific performances on DVD in the hit lesbian comedy/drama AND THEN CAME LOLA — freshly re-released for Valentine’s Day 2012 with new box art and new low price and in her hilarious web series WE HAVE TO STOP NOW: SEASON 1 (both now available from WolfeVideo.com — click thru to see the trailers and reserve your DVD).
Michelangelo Signorile (radio host and blogger)
“I’m going to be predicable and name one that is among everyone’s favorite, but I honestly can watch BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN over and over again — and I have! Beyond the performances and the weepy love story, it’s just a beautiful film and even more so on the big screen. Thank you Ang Lee!”
Michelangelo Signorile is host of The Michelangelo Signorile Show on SiriusXM 108, 2-6 ET weekdays. And also Editor-at-Large for Huffington Post Gay Voices. You can find him on Twitter at: @MSignorile.
Alonso Duralde (101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men)
“One of my favorite LGBT movies is Pedro Almodóvar’s ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER. He hits all the notes here — comedy, tragedy, sexuality, melodrama, friendship — and juggles them all beautifully, resulting in a perfect little movie that will leave you laughing and sobbing in equal measure.”
Get more info on Alonso and his must-read book: 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men or his terrific (and timely) holiday movie guide, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!
Leslie Jordan (star of SORDID LIVES, MANGUS!)
“My favorite LGBT film is MAURICE I had already devoured the E.M. Forster novel (which was only published after his death because of the gay content) and was such a huge fan of all the movies of the Merchant/Ivory guys, I was beside myself when I got wind a movie was coming out based on the book. I waited with bated breath for the release. And I was not disappointed. The coming out story of a man of his high station finding true love with the “gameskeeper’s son” was enthralling. And all that frontal nudity! Having a real penchant for bad boys myself I could hardly keep from sobbing out loud when they finally came together for good in the candle lit boat dock house. What a great movie!”
Check out Leslie Jordan in his NEW DVD release, MANGUS! or in the fabulous: LESLIE JORDAN: MY TRIP DOWN THE PINK CARPET; or see him in SISSY FRENCHFRY on the hilarious AVAILABLE MEN gay shorts DVD; or get the original movie version of SORDID LIVES now on DVD.
Matthew Rettenmund (blogger & writer)
“My favorite gay movie of all time is Parting Glances (1986). It wasn’t the first gay movie I’d seen, but it was current when I saw it during my first year at stodgy, asexual University of Chicago, and it showed me a New York and a gay life I longed to be a part of and simultaneously feared. There’s a comfort between the main couple that’s beautifully communicated, and the poisonous quality of settling is not a theme often explored in gay or non-gay films. Steve Buscemi‘s AIDS victim (we called them “victims” then) and his best friend (Richard Ganoung) have the most touching relationship, one that plays with humor and sadness and even love. Imagine that… dying people are still living and still have the balls to be in love. Rough around the edges, there’s still nothing wrong with this movie—not even 25 years later.”
Check out Matthew Rettenmund‘s excellent blog: BoyCulture.com and get your hands on the movie he wrote, Boy Culture!
Diane Anderson-Minshall (Editor, The Advocate)
“The Sticky Fingers of Time. Director Hilary Brougher (who is currently filming Chloe Sevigny and Abigail Breslin for sure to be creepy Innocence) cut her writing and directing teeth on this queer sci-fi noir time travel flick. The story revolves around a cool bisexual writer named Tucker Harding — who is the perfect blend of butch and femme in one woman — who is somehow imbued with the power of time travel after covering the hydrogen bomb testing in Nevada circa 1952. (Just an FYI: what would have made it better is if she had run into Vivian and Cay from Desert Hearts who were also in Nevada in the ‘50s.) Anyway, something wonky happens and Tucker (who is played by Terumi Matthews, who by the way deserves a much better career than she’s had) is catapulted to 1997 where meets suicidal lesbian writer Drew (who must help save Tucker from her own murder), an ex lover named Isaac (who holds the key to this whole thing), and a time traveling femme fatale, Ofelia, who is dark and beautiful and has a tail. It’s murky and confusing and erotic (I said she had a tail), and the cinematography is low budget noir meets concept sci fi —something few directors could pull off—but at its heart the movie is about how we’re all trapped in trying to change our past and our future, or as Ofelia says, “What could have been and what yet could be” whether it’s good for us or not.”
Diane Anderson-Minshall is the executive editor of The Advocate Magazine and SheWired.com; editor in chief of HIV Plus magazine; and author of four mystery novels, the latest of which is Punishment With Kisses.
Charles Busch (star-writer-director, A VERY SERIOUS PERSON)
“Hmmm. My favorite LGBT movie? Well, I’m such an old-fashioned gay boy that it would have to be I COULD GO ON SINGING starring the one and only Judy Garland. I guess any movie starring Judy Garland is of gay interest, but this one is really great in that Judy plays a famous singer beset by personal demons. Doesn’t get better than that and it also stars the gorgeous Dirk Bogarde. I usually prefer my movies to have some gratuitous male nudity and this doesn’t, but it’s still my all-time favorite.”
Click thru here to get your tickets for a special November 28th one-night only staged reading of Matthew Lombardo’s Tea at Five (a benefit for the Ali Forney Center) starring Charles Busch as Katharine Hepburn (at 7pm at the Lucille Lortel Theater, 121 Christopher Street, New York City). For more information, visit www.teaatfive.org.
Click here to see the trailer (and get the DVD) for Charles Busch’s wonderfully original directorial debut, A VERY SERIOUS PERSON.
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