This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has 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!

 

Not Knowing
Umut (Emir Ozden) is a young water polo player – a gentle and quiet high school senior just trying to live his life in a complicated world. When a fellow player spreads a rumor that he is gay, Umut displays maturity beyond his years. He doesn’t deny the allegation – refusing to apologize or explain himself. His parents, distracted by their own marital problems, prove powerless to stem any fallout as his time at school becomes more and more fraught… until events reach a shocking head. Set in the high testosterone world of teen sports – and a sometimes suffocating Turkish society – Not Knowing is a thoughtful and touching coming-of-age drama that holds a mirror up to what it still means to be young and gay in so much of the world today.

 

15 Years
Yoav (Oded Leopold) has everything he’s ever wanted. He and his younger lover Dan (Udi Persi), a lawyer who idolizes him, seem to have a charmed relationship. Their sex life is still off the charts, their emotional bond is strong and they enjoy an intimate circle of friends. When Yoav’s best friend Alma (Ruti Asarsai) announces she’s pregnant, it ignites Dan’s desire to become a father himself. But Dan’s parental urges have the opposite effect on Yoav – who is haunted by long buried demons. He soon ends up engaging in very self-destructive behavior that threatens to destroy his life with Dan, unravel his friendship with Alma, and cost him everything. 15 Years is a searing, insightful drama that offers a telling portrait of an emotional darkness lurking beneath the surface.

 

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.

 

In Bloom
Young lovers Kurt and Paul (Kyle Wigent and Tanner Rittenhouse) could not seemingly care less about the alleged serial killer stalking the streets of Chicago. They’re far too busy being the perfect 20-something gay couple. They’re fun, deeply in love and not lacking for money thanks to Kurt’s highly successful pot-dealing business. But when a sexy young customer (Adam Fane) makes a play for Kurt, he makes a decision that threatens to permanently ruin everything that he and Paul have built together – all while placing himself in the elusive murderer’s path. Prickly and compulsively watchable, In Bloom is a warm, funny, intelligent, sharply-written, painfully honest, well-acted drama and first feature film by promising writer/director Chris Michael Birkmeier.

 

Downriver
Sometimes the path to redemption is paved in sin. 18-year-old James (Reef Ireland) has just been released from juvenile detention after serving time for his involvement in the suspected drowning of a young boy in a river years earlier. Ravaged with uncertainty, dealing with an estranged family and forced to face the dead boy’s mother, James is set upon a journey of self discovery, shocking revelations and danger as questions surrounding the boy’s death brim to the surface. Old friendships are questioned, family ties are tested and lives are put on the line as James must find his path to the truth. From Australian writer-director Grant Scicluna, Downriver is a carefully-calibrated mystery/thriller which tells a sleepy tale of secrets, manipulation and redemption.

 

 

 

 

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has 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!

 

A Single Evening
From the producers of Killer Unicorn and Neon Boys, A Single Evening is a brand-new twelve-minute musical short film that follows Minnie (played by captivating musician Rebecca Hidalgo), an annoyed single woman navigating bisexual angst and the dread of impending loneliness. After online dating seems to fail her on a consistent basis, the apps begin coming to life through music, urging her to keep looking for love in all the wrong places. But sometimes being alone and feeling alone are two completely different things. When her app-obsessed friends prove that they can’t fill the void, Minnie discovers the only thing that can save really her from solitude… is herself. An official selection at countless LGBTQ+ film festivals around the globe, A Single Evening is now available to rent and/or download at TLAgay.

 

Madame
A double portrait of a young boy slowly coming out of the closet and of the lady that was, even more than his own mother, the woman of his life – his grandmother. Based on private archival footage, Madame takes us onto an intimate journey where Caroline, a flamboyant 90-year-old grandmother, and her filmmaker grandson Stephane explore the development and transmission of gender identity in a patriarchal environment. Promised to domestic life in the 1920s, Caroline manages to free herself from the clutches of imposed marriage and becomes a successful businesswoman, defying the social rules of her time. In parallel, Stephane struggles to play the role everyone expects in his Swiss bourgeois family until the day he comes out of the closet and sets off on a crusade against homophobia and sexism.

 

Adeline
Adeline (played in the present by Patricia Couvillers and in the past by Eloïse Blomme) is a stubborn elderly woman. She is spending her final days in an end-of-life care home where visitors are few and far between. Before passing, Adeline opens up to her caretaker and shares a story she’s never dared to tell before. She recounts a tale of youth, forbidden love and a lost girl. Moved by Adeline’s story, the caretaker takes matters soon into her own hands. Set in both the 1960’s and present day, Adeline is a deeply moving nine-minute short film about youth, trust and forbidden love. It tells an incredibly ambitious tale that bridges themes of love, freedom, faith and regret. You can rent of download the short now at TLAgay.

 

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.

 

Hooked
We first meet Jack (Conor Donnally), a homeless hustler with a smart mouth and impulsive tendencies, in New York City, turning tricks on the evening before his eighteenth birthday. He spends most of his time in a world of often abusive, but affluent, eccentrics. His only ally is his boyfriend Tom (Sean Ormond). Jack soon sees an opportunity to make a better life for himself by taking a trip to Miami with a client named Ken (Terrance Murphy). At first, Ken appears more honest and caring than the usual john, even winning Jack’s trust… until Jack finds him on a Skype call with his never-mentioned wife. His faith in humanity smashed yet-again, Jack steals Ken’s drugs and handgun. Embarking on a drug- binge, he encounters the slimiest characters Miami has to offer, falling deeper into the hole than he started

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has 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!

 

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.

 

Voyage
Get ready for a sexually explicit, highly erotic new drama from Scud, the acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker behind Amphetamine, Permanent Residence, City Without Baseball and Love Actually… Sucks. Voyage centers on a young psychiatrist who embarks on a lone journey from Hong Kong, along the coast of Southeast Asia, to overcome his depression. On the sea, he records stories of people departed from this world prematurely, and reflects on the sad experiences he encountered with former patients. Meanwhile, what awaits him on the shore is the ultimate irony of life. This director always pushes boundaries and a whole lot of male nudity and explicit sex scenes… and we’re quite happy to report that Voyage is no exception. Stream it now and enjoy!

 

Cubby
Based on first-time filmmaker Mark Blane’s own life, Cubby tells a funny and surreal tale of a young and woefully immature gay illustrator (played by Blane himself) who makes his way from his mom’s garage in Indiana to Brooklyn without a clue how to sustain himself or foster basic relationships. Alone and penniless, Mark wedges his way into his old college roommate’s crammed apartment, taking a job as a part-time babysitter. Struggling to bond with his temperamental flatmates and comically ill-equipped to even respond to flirtations from a cute neighborhood boy, Mark finds a sweet and unusual kinship in two individuals: the energetic six-year-old he babysits who ignites his creativity and a mystical leather daddy (Christian Patrick) who becomes a spiritual guide.

 

Paths
How long is an eternity? A few years, or as fast as the breaking of the waves at the rugged Baltic coast? Partners Andreas and Martin (Mike Hoffmann and Mathis Reinhardt) have shared all the ups and downs of life. Now that their beloved young son (played as a young child by Cai Cohrs and as a college-aged young adult by Tom Bottcher) has matured and moved out on his own, they have more free time to focus on themselves again. But when they are left alone with only themselves, will the spark still be there? A cautious approach to the traces of a long-term relationship, Paths is a remarkable achievement reminiscent of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. It tells the full story of this central romance – a touching, deeply emotional warts-and-all examination of the deep, abiding love shared between two men, fathers and lovers. Audiences are invited into Andreas and Martin’s most touching and intimate moments – from the first kiss to the present, and everything in between.

 

Fireflies
Ramin (Arash Marandi), an Iranian refugee living in Mexico, is trying to come to terms with his past – one that has left permanent scars on his body and soul. As he strolls through the port of Veracruz – a place where transient souls collide in search of a better life – the haunting memories of his long-distance lover begin to fill his heart with a profound sense of loneliness and repentance. Ramin’s friendship with Leti (Flor Eduarda Gurrola), the young woman who runs the small hotel where he stays and teaches him Spanish, and an attraction to ex-con Guillermo help him find himself as a gay man in a new home. Written and directed by Iranian-born Mexico City resident Bani Khoshnoudi, the beautifully shot and strikingly naturalistic Fireflies won the top prize in the Ibero-American Competition at the Miami Film Festival.

20 Gay Films to Stream This Valentine’s Day!

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has 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.

This Weekend’s VOD Favorites

The Gay Cinema Video On Demand experience at TLAgay.com has 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.

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.

Lucky Bastard
Director Everett Lewis returns in fine form with this sexy dark thriller about a young man who finds his stable world threatened when he meets and falls in love with hot drug-addicted hustler. After some risky decisions cause his home-design business to falter, handsome young Rusty (Patrick Tatten) blows off steam with Denny (Dale Dymkoski), a blond bit of rough trade he meets at a convenience store. But what begins as a carefree fling lights a fire inside the buttoned-up architect, and before long Rusty follows Denny into an unpredictable world of drugs, sex and seedy characters. Fueled by the palpable chemistry between the two leads, Lucky Bastard details a somewhat grim reality full of dashed hopes and damaged goods, while also highlighting the enduring spiritual bond that forms between lovers. As Denny’s moods swing out of Rusty’s control, Rusty finds himself at a crossroads, to stake out his future against the messy backdrop of real life.

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