The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.comhas your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY! Stay home, stay safe and enjoy a movie!
Sacrifice
Created and written by lead actor Leigh Smith, the new 18-minute short film Sacrifice follows two protagonists as they enter a new phase in their relationship. James (Smith), a humanitarian rights lawyer, and Blake (Jesse Everett), a military officer, are continually torn apart by their overwhelming sense of duty – and their struggle to lead a “normal and quiet life.” They love each other unconditionally, but their sense of duty is equally as important to both them, especially due to Blake’s military background. Sacrifice aims to show that love is the greatest sacrifice of all, regardless of race, gender and everything in between. The film also pays tribute to those in the military history of Australia who were unrecognized in their service due to their sexuality prior to the fundamental mind-shift in regulations.
Crazy All These Years
A poignant yet humorous look at life, death and the damage caused by running away, the romantic drama Crazy All These Years follows Ben (Christopher Howell). Worn out from his life in New York, Ben returns home to take care of his dying mother (Cinda McCain), only to rediscover the reasons he left. Picking up their contentious relationship, Ben tries to muddle through his mother’s every day demands as well as the unresolved feelings he left behind. His only solace comes from the rekindled relationships with his neighbor Lori (Caitlin Nicol-Thomas) and her hunky brother Joe (James Fuertes), who has since turned “straight” after Ben broke his heart. Can Ben mend these wounds and return to his old life? Or will he leave again… this time for good? Crazy All These Years began life as a stage play, but the emotional impact lends itself well to the cinematic world.
Desire Will Set You Free
A gay romance with a punk/hardcore aesthetic, Desire Will Set You Free takes you deep into the free-spirited, drug-fueled queer-paradise of contemporary Berlin. Ezra (Yony Leyser), a struggling American writer, meets Sasha (Tim-Fabian Hoffmann), a Russian immigrant escort, and introduces him to his world of clubs and parties – a dizzying and vibrant hedonistic underground. As they journey together through Berlin’s layered history and unique subcultural landscapes, their relationship begins to take a new form and inner desires threaten to disrupt everything. Fast-paced and sexy with eye-popping cinematography and production design, Desire Will Set You Free features an über-large cast of notable figures, including Amber Benson (Tara on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), “Godmother of Punk” Nina Hagen, infamous musician/performance artist Peaches and legendary gay artist/filmmaker Rosa Von Praunheim.
Rag Tag
Two friends are reunited and discover their feelings for one another in this drama from British-Nigerian writer-director Adaora Nwandu. Raymond (Danny Parsons), known to his friends as ‘Rag’, was born in London to parents from Jamaica. As a child, his best mate was Tagbo (Damola Adelaja), or ‘Tag’ for short, whose folks were émigrés from Nigeria. As adults, the pair have lost touch. Rag, now a hustler, leaves behind an ex-girlfriend and child in Birmingham to move back to London and reconnect with his best friend, while Tag has graduated with honors from law school and is looking for work while dating Olivia (Tasmin Clarke). Rag finds Tag and they soon become fast friends again – seeming to understand one another and connect on a level others do not. While Rag realizes their true feelings and attraction, Tag is still reluctant to actually go through the “last” step. However, they will do all they can to take care and watch each other’s backs.
Velociraptor
On the eve of an imminent apocalypse, two buddies – one gay, one… lets say “undecided” – wander the streets. Deep in conversation, Alex and Diego (Pablo Mezz and Carlos Hendrick Huber) find themselves forming a deep bond while sharing their fears and desires about sex and intimacy. Once they make their way to Alex’s bedroom, the true nature of their relationship is made clear. The strength of their unbreakable friendship helps them test the limits of trust and loyalty while pushing one another into exciting new realms of sexual exploration. A smart, heartfelt mix of drama, science fiction and romance, Velociraptor is a terrific evocation of what it means to be young man, exploring male friendship and desire in an entirely fresh way. Make sure to check out director Chucho E. Quintero‘s similarly-themed follow-up These Peculiar Days (also starring Huber).
The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.comhas your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. With hearts a-flutter this Valentine’s Day, we decided to put together a list of some of our favorite recent gay romances – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY!
About Us Diego (co-writer/director Thiago Cazado) is leaving his hometown in Brazil to attend a film school in California for four years. He will have to leave behind everything he has ever loved… including Matheus (Rodrigo Bittes), a handsome young man with whom he fell madly in love and shared a brief passionate affair. Ten years later, back in Brazil, Diego decides to write a novel about their relationship using his camera instead of his pen. This heartfelt biopic shows how passion can increase our motivation in life, but also how making tough choices can affect that passion. Romantic and intimate, filmed with a handheld, fly-on-the-wall intimacy, About Us brings us right into the middle of a tricky relationship – portrayed with aplomb by the two lead actors, both relative unknowns with talent to spare.
The Blonde One In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Gabriel (Gaston Re) has just moved in with his colleague, Juan (Alfonso Baron). Shy and reserved, Gabriel is reluctant to follow Juan’s wandering hands and meaningful looks. With a revolving door of beauties streaming out of Juan’s bedroom, his machismo seems firmly in place. However, the attraction between the two men is undeniable. What starts out as a sexual relationship based on convenience of location soon develops into the engrossing evolution of a tender and intimate relationship, which is as sweet as it is heartbreaking. But, as reality begins to set in on their homemaking fantasy, something needs to give… or does it? Written and directed by Marco Berger (Plan B, Hawaii, Sexual Tension: Volatile), The Blonde One is one of the year’s hottest gay movies.
Bromance Welcome back to the fall of 1996. When four friends go on a camping trip in a remote part of Argentina, sexual tensions quickly bubble to the surface. Once in virtual seclusion by the beach, Juli, the only girl of the group, quickly recognizes that the boys seem to have a closer relationship than what she would consider “normal” (it’s only ’96, after all). The line between friendship and love fade further for two of the boys in particular as their desire becomes too much to bear. When what started as a simple getaway quickly becomes tinged with sex, romance and conflict, everyone is forced to confront who they really are for the very first time. Starring Javier De Pietro, the scrumptious star of Absent and Sexual Tension: Volatile, Bromance uses a clever found-footage aesthetic to deliver a thoughtful and supremely sexy meditation on young, burgeoning gay love.
Brotherly Love Brotherly Love is the movie adaptation of the Lambda Literary Award-nominated novel “Seventy Times Seven” by Salvatore Sapienza. Which “calling” do you answer? The one you feel from God or the one you feel about your true authentic self? That is the exact dilemma that Brother Vito (played by writer/director Anthony J. Caruso) is facing. He’s gay, but devoted to his less-than-accepting religious community. Soon, he must decide between becoming a Brother or declaring his love for Gabe (Derek Babb). Shot entirely in Austin, TX and with a local cast and crew, Brotherly Love is a fresh take on the traditional gay love story. You’ll also be happy to know that “The Golden Girls” plays a surprisingly significant role in this touching new romantic drama.
Center of My World After a summer away at camp, Phil (“Dark” star Louis Hofmann) returns home to find that his mother and twin sister aren’t speaking to one another. Not willing to confront his family during the last days of the summer holidays, Phil escapes to hang out with his best friend, Kat (Svenja Jung), eating ice cream and playing dress-up. As the school year begins, a new student arrives – the handsome and mysterious Nicholas (Jannik Schumann). Smitten, Phil watches his crush as he runs around the track after school, and is thrilled when Nicholas returns his feelings. However, when first love’s volatility comes to light, Phil realizes he must deal with the problems of his past in order to deal with the issues of his present. A touching must-see, Center of My World was chosen as an Official Selection and won numerous “Best Feature Film” and “Best Director” awards at festivals around the globe.
Crazy All These Years A poignant yet humorous look at life, death and the damage caused by running away, this new drama focuses on Ben (Christopher Howell), a gay man who returns home to his small Tennessee town to care for his ailing, cantankerous mother (Cinda McCain). As mother and son struggle to find common ground, Ben is forced to examine his previous romantic relationships – and the many broken hearts left in his wake. The most broken of those hearts belongs to Joe (James Fuertes), an ex-lover who is equally troubled and excited to reunite with Ben. Written and directed by Jeff Swafford, the creator behind the gay series Three, Crazy All These Years began life as a stage play, but the emotional impact lends itself well to the cinematic world. Don’t miss this thoughtful family romance-drama.
Do You Take This Man “Rent” star Anthony Rapp leads an impressive ensemble cast in this touching comedy-drama about a long-term gay couple having last-minute jitters before they get married. On the eve of their wedding, Daniel (Rapp) and Christopher (Jonathan Bennett) are having their closest friends and family over for dinner. But when a long-lost friend of Christopher’s shows up unexpectedly, and their already stressful day spirals out of control, the couple realizes they must rely on the kindness of their pals and relatives to get through the event in one piece. Co-starring familiar faces like Thomas Dekker, Mackenzie Astin, Marla Sokoloff and “How I Met Your Mother” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Alyson Hannigan, Do You Take This Man is a realistic and absorbing look into what it takes to make a relationship work in this day and age.
Fair Haven After a long stay in ex-gay conversion therapy, James (Michael Grant), a young piano prodigy, returns home to his family farm and his emotionally distant father, Richard (Tom Wopat). After Richard pressures James to give up his music career and take over the farm, James agrees as a way to make up for his past. Soon, however, James finds himself face-to-face with his former lover, Charlie (Josh Green), who wants to help him turn away from his new beliefs and family expectations, and follow his dreams of studying music. A touching and deeply romantic drama, Fair Haven is often heartbreaking, but ultimately life-affirming. The performances, across the board, are terrific. Veteran character actor Tom Wopat is excellent as the reserved, conflicted father and young up-and-comers Josh Green and Michael Grant make their forbidden romance palpable (and very sweet).
The Falls In this must-see romantic drama, which earned two sequels (both of which, The Falls: Testament of Love and The Falls: Covenant of Grace, are also available on-demand), two Mormon missionaries fall unexpectedly in love and risk their future in the Church to be together. RJ and Chris (Nick Ferrucci and Benjamin Farmer) are poster boys for the Mormon Church: both have pretty girlfriends, were Eagle Scouts at a young age and have perfect academic records. Now, it’s their turn to serve a mission and experience the Mormon rite of passage. Unknown to them, serving a mission will not only open the doors to strangers’ households – where they preach the Gospel – but it will open up secrets in their own lives – and feelings that they’ve long kept buried. The Falls captures the lives of two American teens struggling to make sense of the conflict between their worlds, their desires, and each other.
45 Days Away from You This one is more of a break-up movie, but sometimes that’s just what you want on Valentine’s Day. After a recent break-up with “a man who shall not be named,” young bachelor Rafael finds his romantic life spinning out of control. With a change of scenery in order, he sets out on journey of self-discovery – an adventure that will take him from Brazil to England, Portugal and Argentina. Along the way, he seeks the counsel of his nearest and dearest friends. There’s Julia, an amorous single actress trying to land her breakthrough role; Fabio, Rafael’s straight-boy buddy, who is trying to maintain a long-distance relationship; and Mayara, a dear friend who gave up a promising career in favor of marriage. Over the course of his 45-day trip, Rafael grows closer to the people in his life who really matter and learns that all it takes to mend a broken heart is time… and the support of a few good friends.
Hawaii The sexual tension practically spills off the screen in this sweaty, titillating romance from award-winning director Marco Berger (the same guy behind Absent, Plan B, Sexual Tension: Volatile and Testosterone and The Blonde One – listed above). Hawaii follows Martin and Eugenio (Manuel Vignau and Mateo Chiarino), two former childhood friends who reunite during a hot summer in the Argentinean countryside. As they work together to restore Eugenio’s summer home, a game of power and desire ensues the two buddies to grapple with their sexual attraction and reconsider their relationship. With gorgeous cinematography, a lush setting and compelling lead performances, Hawaii is an intimate character study that percolates with lustful longing. Have a towel ready before you watch it. You are bound to break a sweat!
In Bloom Two young men find their seemingly solid relationship threatened when temptations and unease begin to pull them apart. During one hot summer, blond, pot-smoking and dealing Kurt (Kyle Wigent) and cute, but moody grocery store clerk Paul (Tanner Rittenhouse) begin a committed relationship. Best pals, roommates and lovers, they have an amazing rapport. But when rich-kid Kevin (Adam Fane) enters the picture with romantic designs on Kurt, an unsatisfied longing is exposed – threatening their love in the process. A richly textured examination of gay male relationships, In Bloom is a warm, funny, intelligent, sharply-written, painfully honest, well-acted drama.
Last Summer Writer/director Mark Thiedeman‘s Last Summer tells the story of two high school sweethearts, Luke and Jonah (Samuel Pettit and Sean Rose), who spend their final months together over the course of a long, quiet summer in the rural South, contemplating their uncertain future. Jonah, sensitive, quiet and artistic, prepares to leave his small town for college, leaving Luke behind, but all he wants is for Luke to ask him to stay. But Luke, an athlete struggling through summer school, knows that his boyfriend needs to experience the world beyond their home. A beautiful melancholy romance, Last Summer takes on an almost other-wordly vibe. It’s set in an idealistic American South where Luke and Jonah’s relationship is never questioned or taken as anything other than a normal high school romance. Their struggle isn’t with the outside world, but with the passage of time.
Lazy Eye Dean (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe), a graphic designer living in Los Angeles, notices a sudden change in his vision. Around the same time, Alex (Aaron Costa Ganis), an ex-lover from 15 years prior, contacts him unexpectedly in hopes of rekindling their relationship. When the two meet at a vacation house in the desert near Joshua Tree, secrets are revealed and passions are rekindled that threaten to upend both of their lives. Forty-eight hours later, neither will ever be the same. Written and directed by Tim Kirkman, the Emmy, Gotham, GLAAD and Independent Spirit Award-nominee behind Dear Jesse, Loggerheads and The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, Lazy Eye is a thoughtful and thoroughly sexy romance about roads not taken, unfinished business and the struggle of adjust to progressive lenses.
Love or Whatever Things are going well for Corey (Tyler Poelle). He’s a successful young therapist who recently purchased a gorgeous pair of engagement rings. Corey plans to propose to his long-term boyfriend Jon (David Wilson Page). Jon, however, might not be ready for such an important life-long commitment. In an effort to sew his wild oats, Jon begins having an affair with a woman (Jenica Bergere). Worse yet, it turns out that she’s one of Corey’s patients! The formerly happy couple is soon broken apart and Corey is devastated—that is, until his brassy, lesbian sister Kelsey (Jennifer Elise Cox) introduces him to the wonders of social media and how easy it is for gay men to get laid these days. Faster than you can log into Grindr, Corey begins seeing a hunky guy named Pete (Joel Rush). Pete seems to have everything a young, successful gay guy could ask for, but when Jon comes crawling back for forgiveness, Corey finds himself with a very difficult decision to make.
Mixed Kebab Happily filled with contradictions, tall, dark and handsome Bram (Cem Akkanat) lives a mysterious life in Antwerp that is very different from his conservative, religious upbringing. By day he is the dutiful son and brother, but by night he is a casual drug dealer partying around town and hanging out with the very cute Kevin (Simon Van Buyten). Rumors fly around the neighborhood about Bram’s “inclinations,” so his father lays down the law that his eldest son needs to be a role model for his younger brother Furkant (Lukas De Wolf) who’s a hoodlum turned Islamic fundamentalist. Subsequently Bram flies off to Turkey to meet his future wife (who happens to be his cousin), but not without bringing his newfound friend with him. The platonic friendship with Kevin rapidly turns to a seductive love affair that will shake up everyone’s old-fashioned values.
My Big Gay Italian Wedding Antonio and Paolo (Cristiano Caccamo and Salvatore Esposito) are a perfectly happy young couple, living together in Berlin and finally making plans to get married. They decide to celebrate their nuptuals in the small Italian village where Antonio grew up. While his mother immediately supports his intentions, her husband, Roberto, the conservative town mayor, is much more reluctant. Paolo, who has not spoken to his similarly conservative mother in a long time, is also tasked with getting her to the wedding as a condition of their marriage. Throw in a couple of wacky roommates and the aisle to the altar is soon paved with hilarity, hijinks and lots of love. A merry movie of matrimony, My Big Gay Italian Wedding is filled with slapstick and romance.
Screwed A gorgeous feature-length debut from talented writer-director Nils-Erik Ekblom, Screwed takes us to the Finnish countryside for an unforgettably romantic summer. Seventeen-year-old Miku (Mikko Kauppila) is trying to come to terms with his sexuality and find his place in the world. After his parents find out that he threw a wild party while they were away, he is ordered to spend the summer with them at their cottage. A flirtation soon develops between he and Elias (Valtteri Lehtinen), the irresistible boy next door. As they spend the summer together, escaping the turmoil offered up by their uniquely dysfunctional families, a passionate relationship quickly blossoms. But the boys soon realize that love is not as easy as it seems… especially when it comes to first love.
Sodom It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship when former pianist Michael (Pip Brignall) happens upon 20-year-old soccer player Will (Jo Weil). It’s Will’s bachelor party – and his friends have left him naked and handcuffed to a lamppost! After rescuing him from this compromising situation, Michael takes Will home and an immediate attraction blossoms. But does Will, about to be married, have the courage to pursue his obvious interest in this elegant, attractive older man? Or will these guys merely pass in the night? Sexy and intimate, this new British import features a pair of powerhouse performances from Jo Weil and newcomer Pip Brignall. Their connection is palpable from the second they share the screen together in this intimate and quietly emotional new must-see romance.
Soundless Wind Chime Spare, elegant and moving, told through flashbacks and memories, the emotionally rich Soundless Wind Chime tells of the journey of Ricky, searching for his own lost soul and discovering the past of his Swiss lover, Pascal. With the love story as the central anchor of the film there are other fragments swirling around that make for a perfect, completed puzzle. While this sounds confusing, the film is so gracefully constructed by writer/director Kit Hung, it all works. Ricky is Chinese and Pascal, Swiss. Their love story is told in English, as that’s the language they spoke. Pascal was rough street trade; his abusive boyfriend sent him to the streets to pick pockets. Tiring of his creepy partner, Pascal flees their seedy apartment. At a street cafe he meets a very shy Ricky, a waiter. Breaking through Ricky’s private nature, their shared attraction took hold. Their relationship was marred by jealous spats, punctuated by intensely passionate lovemaking.
The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.comhas your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites, from various years, that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY! These aren’t our TOP 5, by any means – just a handful of flicks we want to highlight.
Brothers of the Night Good looks can be a blessing and a curse. In an underworld, against the backdrop of Vienna’s skyline, live the underdogs of respectable society. Sporting their leather jackets like suits of armor, these Bulgarian hotties pose, play and seduce “young Marlon Brando-style.” They moved to Vienna in search of adventure and a quick buck, but poverty has drawn them to sell their bodies instead. Sucked into an inescapable nocturnal life, they spend their nights servicing lonely male admirers. They call it ‘doing business’ to make a clear distinction between work and pleasure. A cutting-edge, relentlessly stylish pseudo-documentary, Brothers of the Night has earned considerable raves. According to Filmstarts “had Fassbinder made a documentary about Viennese prostitutes, it would look like this.” Les Inrockuptibles said that “it’s a film of real beauty.”
Permanent Green Light Roman (Benjamin Sulpice) seems like a normal teenager. He plays video games, draws, hangs out with his friends. All the normal stuff. But under the surface he’s made a decision… a decision to explode. Literally. He wants to do it in public. He’s not suicidal. He has no ideology. He’s not interested in “heaven” or in going there. He doesn’t want people to misinterpret his explosion as a suicide. He doesn’t want people to misinterpret the explosion as his death. This second collaboration between cult novelist Dennis Cooper and filmmaker Zac Farley is, in the words of Paper Magazine, “a brilliant, disturbing, but darkly rewarding experience.” Anyone familiar with their previous film, Like Cattle Towards Glow, will have an idea of the deeply subversive piece of work on offer with Permanent Green Light.
The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.comhas your entertainment needs covered! We’re always working to expand selection of new and old gay-themed movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here’s just five of our current favorites, from various years, that you may have missed – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY! These aren’t our TOP 5, by any means – just a handful of flicks we want to highlight.
Cas From filmmakers Joris van den Berg, Matt Guerin and Reid Waterer comes a sexy and thoroughly entertaining collection of three short films that examine the different effects the addition of a third party has on a modern gay relationship. In Cas, Pepijn and George’s steady, seven-year relationship is shaken after they allow a hot young student named Cas to sleep on their couch while he finds a place of his own. Gradually, both men fall head over heels for the attractive younger man’s laconic charm, forcing them to reconsider their many long-term plans. Is Cas’s presence endangering their relationship or is he a blessing in disguise? In Tri-Curious, last minute anxiety threatens to ruin a young gay couple’s first threesome together. The final short in the collection, Bed Buddies, is a comedy about three gay friends who wake up after sleeping together and try to make sense of the unclear line between friendship and love.
Crazy All These Years A poignant yet humorous look at life, death and the damage caused by running away, this new drama focuses on Ben (Christopher Howell), a gay man who returns home to his small Tennessee town to care for his ailing, cantankerous mother (Cinda McCain). As mother and son struggle to find common ground, Ben is forced to examine his previous romantic relationships – and the many broken hearts left in his wake. The most broken of those hearts belongs to Joe (James Fuertes), an ex-lover who is equally troubled and excited to reunite with Ben. Written and directed by Jeff Swafford, the creator behind the gay show Three: The Series, Crazy All These Years began life as a stage play, but the emotional impact lends itself well to the cinematic world. Don’t miss this thoughtful family drama.
The Dream Children The challenges of a young gay male couple who decide to have a baby are explored in The Dream Children, an Australian melodrama set in the early 2000s. Hunky architect Alex (Nicholas Gunn) wants a child while his partner, TV game show host, Steven (Graeme Squires) – who is closeted at work and not all too keen on exposing himself to public scrutiny. Adding to the problem is the government’s policy against same sex adoptions and their own, far from settled, home life. The decide to illegally hire a surrogate mother to carry the baby, but the woman, a bit homophobic, plots her own scheme to get more money from the two. Director and producer Robert Chuter has earned a reputation as a distinctive and unique filmmaker who is constantly tests his audiences with complex and visually stunning productions.
Everlasting Love Each day after work, Carlos (Joan Bentalle), a language school teacher, frequents the heady surroundings of his local cruising ground. One evening he encounters a teenage boy from his class named Toni (Aimar Vega), and the two engage in a brief sexual tryst. As the relationship between teacher and student begins to develop, some dark truths emerge about the young man and his mysterious group of friends. Much like Alain Guiraudie’s recent gay classic Stranger by the Lake, writer-director Maral Fores‘ follow-up to his acclaimed debutAnimals continues to explore the perils of illicit sexual encounters, but with an edge of youthful impudence. Characterized by meticulous long shots, Fores’ disturbing mystery has a languid visual approach often at odds with the thrills on screen, which are guaranteed to shock and excite in equal measure.
Esteros Sexy and heartfelt, Esteros tells the story of two men who get a second chance at love. Childhood friends Matias and Jeronimo reunite in their hometown of Paso de los Libres, Argentina, on the banks of the Uruguay River. The summer before high school, their friendship transformed into something deeper, but their mutual attraction never came to fruition. More than a decade later they meet again, and the chemistry between them is palpable, but now Matias has a girlfriend who has traveled to his hometown for Carnival. Seeing his old friend, now so comfortable and confident, reawakens Matias’ feelings. This unexpected opportunity forces him to reassess his choices and to figure out whether he can turn his back on marriage in favor of the man he’s always loved. A powerful film that elicits feelings of nostalgia for the forgotten romances from our past, Esteros offers a satisfying glimpse into what might have been (and what might still be).
In August, you’ll be able to own both seasons He’s with Me in one set for one low price.
A beloved hit web series, He’s with Me made an even bigger splash when it become available as a selection on the Dekkoo streaming service platform – our sister site. Now, Dekkoo Films is proud to present the first two seasons in one DVD set – their second release following this summer’s Crazy All These Years.
