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!

 

Dry Wind
A gloriously erotic new film from Brazilian director Daniel Nolasco, Dry Wind follows factory worker Sandro (Leandro Faria Lelo) as he escapes his rural boredom via secret trysts with his co-worker Ricardo (Allan Jacinto Santana) – and through elaborate sexual fantasies that would make Tom of Finland himself blush. Though his sex life is in full swing, Sandro shies away from any emotional attachment, preferring to imagine worlds of anonymity, leather and unbridled fetish-play – which Nolasco brings to stunning life in color-drenched widescreen glory. When a new arrival to town (Rafael Teóphilo) – a certified hunk straight out of Sandro’s dreams – sets his sights on Ricardo, Sandro finds himself brimming with jealousy and fearing exclusion from the kind of romance he never thought he wanted.

 

The Acrobat
Montreal is snowed under. While the downtown cranes dance their ballet, two strangers (Yury Paulau and Sébastien Ricard) meet randomly in an unfinished apartment. Their chance encounter leads to a violent attraction and a dependency beyond reason. One man is a Russian-born professional acrobat whose future is jeopardized by a broken leg. The other is a buttoned-down, well-groomed man of few words. Which one dominates? Which one manipulates? As it turns out, love is painful and human relations are complex. Staggeringly sexy, this new film from French-Canadian provocateur Rodrigue Jean (Love in the Time of Civil War) features real, completely unsimulated and incredibly explicit gay sex scenes. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This one is for adult viewers only.

 

The Prince
From writer-director Sebastián Muñoz, The Prince is an explosive new homoerotic drama set in a repressive 1970s Chilean prison. During a night of heavy drinking, Jaime (Juan Carlos Maldonado), a hot-tempered narcissist, suddenly stabs his best friend. He is sent to jail for murder. There, alone and afraid, he comes under the protection of a tough older inmate known as “The Stallion” (Alfredo Castro) The unlikely pair begin a clandestine romance, but violent power struggles soon threaten their bond. Easily one of the past year’s hottest and most sexually explicit gay movies, this searing story of “survival at all costs” takes its inspiration from Jean Genet’s Un Chant d’amour and Fassbinder’s Querelle. The film offers a deeply affecting exploration of masculine aggression, conflicting loyalties and pent-up sexual desires.

 

Equation to an Unknown
Recently unearthed by the cult/indie queer cinema label Altered Innocence, this long-lost masterpiece of gay erotic cinema centers on a handsome young stud who rides his motorcycle through myriad sexual encounters – from a soccer game’s locker room to a dreamy and unsettling orgy where the film reaches its melancholic peak. Newly scanned in 2K from the original camera negative and directed with absolute grace, Equation to an Unknown is a strange little hidden classic – easily one of the best French gay adult films ever made. The film itself is available on-demand. The special edition DVD and Blu-ray also includes a video essay about the film by Knife+Heart director Yann Gonzalez; a short film narrated by Alain Delon featuring director Francis Savel; the original 1980 film trailer; a brand-new theatrical trailer and more!

 

Knife+Heart
Speaking of director Yann Gonzalez, his sexually explicit throwback thriller Knife+Heart is an absolute must-see. Vanessa Paradis delivers an incredible performance as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover, Lois (played by Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an erotic, ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era giallo films, as well as the work of filmmakers like Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

25 Gay Movies You Can Stream This Halloween at TLAgay!

Happy October, gay movie lovers! If you’re the same kind of scare-seeking movie geek that we are, you’ll know that the month leading up to Halloween is the time to light a few candles, turn down the lights, open up the windows to let in that fresh autumn breeze… before really setting the mood with some seasonally-appropriate scary movies! Here’s a list of 25 Scary Gay Movies You Can Watch RIGHT NOW at TLAgay!

 

Alpha Delta Zatan
Starring an all-male of cast of staggeringly attractive, underwear-clad up-and-comers (including Jeremy Winter, Jake Kidwell, Connor Field, Drake Malone and R&B singer Eleaze), Alpha Delta Zatan delivers audiences a fun, sensual spin on the “sorority massacre” sub-genre of horror flicks. A goofy but noble young college kid is pleasantly surprised to learn that he’s been invited to join his school’s most exclusive fraternity house. Unfortunately, he’s about to discover that there is something far scarier than hazing rituals in his future. His new frat brothers seem to keep going missing. In this house, no one can be trusted and no one is safe… especially one the masked, knife-wielding slasher shows up. Funny, sexy and scary, this new low-budget horror treat is a new TLA Exclusive on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s also available to stream right now.

 

 

B&B
“They made their bed… now they’ll have to die in it.” Lovers Marc and Fred (Tom Bateman and Sean Teale) initiated a major legal battle after they were refused a double bed at a remote Christian guest house. They came out of their court case victorious and now they’re back at the establishment to claim their conjugal rights. Triumph, however, quickly turns to terror when a scary Russian neo-Nazi also checks in. Their weekend of celebratory fun soon becomes a bloody battle for survival. B&B is a whip-smart and brutally funny dark comedy-thriller that has earned rave reviews from critics – some of whom have even compared it to the work of Alfred Hitchcock. The Hollywood Outsiders, specifically, called it “a film Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of.” The Horror Society said it’s “frickin’ fantastic and a trailblazer for LGBT cinema.”

 

 

Bayou Ghost Story
From writer-director Armand Petri, Bayou Ghost Story is a homoerotic supernatural film packed with hot men. Presented partly like a documentary and partly like a narrative feature, the film concerns a handsome writer (played by the hunky Santo Panzarella) who is attempting to finish his latest masterpiece… deep in the haunting Louisiana bayou. Things, as you might imagine, do not go according to plan. Bayou Ghost Story is available now for rental or download at TLAgay. The film itself is short, but you can also watch a sexy behind-the-scenes featurette after the credits for more even eye candy.

 

 

Bite Marks
Hunky truck driver Brewster (Benjamin Lutz) takes over his missing brother’s delivery of coffins. On the way to his funeral home destination, he picks up some hitchhikers: the cute and wise-cracking Cary (Windham Beacham) and his smitten but tense boyfriend Vogel (David Alanson). The couple’s relationship is on the rocks (though that doesn’t stop them from some hot-and-noisy gas station toilet sex, which ignites the repressed homo in the voyeuristic Brewster). With dicks firmly back in pants, trouble descends on the threesome when a faulty GPS leads them into a deserted junkyard – where the truck promptly breaks down. Normally, this would not be a terrible situation (more hot sex, anyone?), but this night is far from normal – as an assortment of blood-thirty vampires begin to attack! Now, the mismatched trio must fend off the marauding monsters and try to survive until dawn. With plenty of witty asides, sexy encounters and flesh-tearing scenes, this low budget gem delivers the gory goods.

 

 

Black Briefs
Curated by prolific writer/director Rob Williams (Make the Yuletide GayShared Rooms), Black Briefs features six award-winning short films with pretty dark, horror or horror-adjacent stories and themes. When it comes to short film compilations, there is always something to recommend. If you don’t like the first one, chances are good there is a short just around the corner that you’re going to appreciate more. In Black Briefs, we really like Hong Khaou‘s steamy Spring, about a young man who meets up with a stranger for a little exploratory sadomasochistic sex; and Jack Plotnick‘s Video Night, in which a group of filmmaker buddies discover something unexpected in their raw footage. Our favorite, though, is Greg Ivan Smith‘s Remission. A man, all alone in a secluded cabin, awaiting the results of a serious medical test, is haunted by a terrifying presence. It’s genuinely chilling and it’s one of those rare movies that can create dread and unease even in its scenes set during the daytime.

 

 

Bloody Knuckles
Canada, our neighbor to the north, is not known for cinematic carnage or gore comedies, but first time director Matt O. aims to shake things up with Bloody Knuckles, a deliriously offensive, gory and happily un-PC horror-comedy. Travis (Adam Boys), an underground comic book artist with a penchant for obscene caricatures, upsets a thin-skinned crime lord, who responds by cutting off the young mans hand. A despondent and now alcoholic Travis wallows in post-severed hand depression. Will criminality reign supreme? Will Travis give up his acerbic pen and live alone as a bitter one-handed man? Not if the slightly rotted hand, now alive and determined to exact revenge, teems up with his former body and a masked, S&M-loving gay superhero to rid the city of evil!

 

 

Cajun Mystery
A down-on-his-luck New Orleans private detective investigates the death of a voodoo charlatan, finding himself in the middle of a paranormal murder mystery. A supremely sexy low-budget crime-comedy-horror-thriller, writer-director Armand Petri‘s Cajun Mystery is now available on-demand at TLAgay. The film makes a particularly good double feature with Bayou Ghost Story (see above). Both are Louisiana-set gothic mysteries from the same filmmaker.

 

 

Class A
Mind-altering and terrorizing, the new twelve-minute short film Class A is set in modern-day New York City… but the ultimate setting is another world in which our LGBTQ addicts, Jenny (Krystal Joy Brown), Dan (Kieran Mulcare) and Brad (played by writer/director Cameron Moir), enter when interacting with their drug of choice. The film focuses on three drugs in particular, each personified by an actor: Cocaine (Alexander Quiroga), Heroin (Pooya Mohseni) and Crystal Meth (Michael Cavadias). Each drug has its own landscape in which the addict enters and cannot escape until the drug leaves them. Heroin, being a vast black eternal comb, Coke, a stark, white, fast moving space and Crystal Meth, a red, steamy dungeon. Clever and thought-provoking, we can’t wait to see what this director does next.

 

 

A Closer Walk with Thee
Jordan (Aj Knight), a young Christian missionary, gets caught watching his handsome pastor Eli (Gregory Shelby) in the shower. The rest of his church ostracizes him until Eli (who happens to be a fledgling exorcist) suggests it may be demonic possession that’s giving Jordan his ungodly homosexual urges. What starts as an exorcism to save their friendship quickly descends into psycho-sexual madness. An award-winner at film festivals, A Closer with Thee has earned some rave reviews from horror film critics, Cineounx said it’s “like what would happen if someone handed Todd Solondz as exorcism script and said, ‘knock yourself out'” and Parade said it “Mixes exorcism, homoeroticism and evangelistic angst in a combo that clearly doesn’t cater to the Sunday School crowd.” On top of everything else, the lead actors really make the screen sizzle. Their “hot young pastor and obedient church boy” dynamic is definite dirty-fantasy fuel.

 

 

Deadly Screams of a Naked Siren
The newest ultra-erotic, sex and nudity-packed offering from the twink-lovers at Babaloo Studios, Deadly Screams of a Naked Siren introduces Christian (Tristan Adler) a college news reporter who sets out to interview Epiphany (Kory Anders), the niece of the only living person to escape a gender changing siren. The deadly siren (Orion Cross) is responsible for the murders of two young men Kevin McKendrick (James Townsend) and his abusive lover Danny Pennington (Todd Williams). Even though these events happened eleven years ago, Christian wants to know all the deviant sexual details. This new exclusive includes plenty of deleted scenes along with extra never-before-seen “sexy” footage. It’s all raw and unedited!

 

 

Der Samurai
Jakob (Michel Diercks) is a policeman in a village deep in the woods, where little happens… until the arrival of a mysterious wolf that is causing havoc. Working the night shift, Jakob is tracking the wolf, only to discover that the lupine lurker is actually a man clad only in lipstick and a ladies’ slip – and toting a samurai sword that he uses to lop off the heads of the townspeople, including Jakob’s tormentors. Jakob and the transvestite samurai seem to share a bond, and as the night gets darker, events get even weirder. Unlike any other horror film you’re likely to see, Der Samurai is a German mind-bender about shape-shifting cross-dressers, bloody decapitations, repressed sexual desires and small town life. It’s a surreal mix of dark comedy and eerie creep-out fun that recalls David Lynch and pays homage to, while often improving upon, the synth-soundtrack-packed horror classics of the 1980s.

 

 

Devil’s Path
In the early 1990s, two strangers (Stephen Twardokus and JD Scalzo) meet in a wilderness park where gay men cruise for sex. What seems like an innocent and random meeting quickly descends into a horrific nightmare. With recent disappearances and attacks, the two men soon find themselves in the terrifying position of being the next victims in a deadly game of cat and mouse. As they flee further into the woods to escape the danger, they begin to understand that the greatest danger of all may be closer than either of them realize. Will these two strangers be able to work together to defeat the darkness that has settled in on Devil’s Path? Or will their own secrets and lies lead them to be the next two missing persons in this perilous park? This riveting new gay thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.

 

 

Drink Me
James and Andy (Emmett Friel and Darren Munn), a sexy gay couple, seem to have everything they ever dreamed of… but things are about to change. Andy loses his job and they take in a handsome stranger named Sebastian (Chris Ellis-Stanton). Nightmares come to life as Andy realizes that Sebastian is hiding a dark secret. Could Sebastian be the killer stalking the streets of their neighborhood? Yes. Yes he could. And… also… (spoiler alert)… he’s a vampire. While it’s maybe not to most skillfully directed (or acted) movie in the bunch, Drink Me has other… hmmm… let’s call them charms… to recommend it. The three British leads, Emmett FrielDarren Munn and Chris Ellis Stanton, are all very easy on the eyes and this movie is absolutely packed with graphic male nudity and explicit gay sex scenes. It’s sensual and erotic above all else (for better or worse).

 

 

Fever
High school students Damien and Pierre (Martin Loizillon and Pierre Moure), both from wealthy families, have the world at their fingertips… yet they plan and carry out the murder of an unknown woman they have previously only spotted on the street. The police are at a loss, confused by this murder without motive. Zoe (Julie-Marie Parmentier), an optician in the neighborhood, who is feeling more and more moved by this inexplicable murder, bumps into the pair by chance. But this chance fleeting encounter reveals inside her a growing and mysterious desire. Although scared – she could easily be the next victim – her erotic attraction for the duo goes beyond that. It gives her a chance to find a way out of the loveless rut that her life has ended up in. Meanwhile, Damien and Pierre, thinking no one will catch them, embark on a journey deep within their pasts. Inspired by the notorious Leopold and Loeb case from the 1920s, Fever is an enthralling, subtly homoerotic thriller.

 

 

Innocent Boy
Off a lonely Texas highway, a group of hustlers prey on the desperados who come for sex and drugs. When a murderous cowboy (Kamy D. Bruder) rolls into town, Penny (Unique Jenkins), a young trans boy sees an opportunity to feed the emotional hunger that has long been ignored by his neglectful Momma (Michael Vincent Berry). As the boys fall one-by-one, Penny is caught between the Cowboy’s lustful rage, and the greed and corruption that Momma represents. An expertly-crafted short film debut from writer-director Brock Cravy, Innocent Boy is a wild, colorful, shocking and original vision of queer horror.

 

 

Into the Lion’s Den
Bored with the West Hollywood gay scene, best friends Michael, Johnny and Ted have embarked on a cross-country road trip from Los Angeles to New York City. Though their friendship hits a few speed bumps along the way, the trio decides to have one final hurrah during their last night on the road. That’s when fate brings them to “The Lion’s Den”, a secluded backwoods bar where not everything is as it seems. As the three out-of-towners toast the end of their journey, someone at the bar is watching them and setting a deadly trap. Now, as closing time draws near, a night of unspeakable horrors begins. Jesse Archer and Ronnie Kroell headline this bold, uncompromising thriller that plunges into the depths of human depravity. With an unpredictable plot-line and raw performances, Into the Lion’s Den is a twisted nightmare that viewers won’t soon forget.

 

 

Kissing Darkness
TLA fan favorite Sean Paul Lockhart (known to porn aficionados as the legendary Brent Corrigan) alongside a bunch of similarly stunning hot young dudes! Kissing Darkness follows a group of college boys who, bored with the everyday “gay life” of LA, decide to skip pride weekend. Instead, they gear up for a camping trip in the woods. Maybe we should all just commit to staying in the city. Quickly into their trip, the boys venture into a game that ultimately unleashes the vengeful spirit of a local legend known as “Malice Valeria.” Overcome by her deadly plan of tainted love and her thirst to take back what was lost long ago, the boys must now band together before they fall victim to the poisons of a broken heart. Directed by James Townsend this sexy with softcore erotic elements doesn’t skimp on the blood or the beautiful, scantily clad young beefcake.

 

 

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the most acclaimed gay films of the past few years, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

 

 

Necro-Mancing Dennis
A straight wrestling coach finds himself smitten with one of his gay students – a student whose life may soon be in danger. Meanwhile, a deranged cemetery worker is infatuated with someone of his own. Someone he can never have… at least not alive! Their stories become entangled in this feature-length erotic horror comedy from the team at Babaloo Studios. Adult film sensation Grayson Lange stars with newcomer Daniel Jensen, in his first gay erotic scenes (on or off camera)! Also starring Babaloo Studios favorites Addison Graham and Harper Stevenson. This mystery/horror flick is packed to the brim with hot twinks who aren’t afraid to shed their clothes for the camera’s gaze.

 

 

Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings
The curse of a drag queen who Remington mocked when he was child has started to turn this ladies-man gay overnight. If he can’t convince a straight guy to switch orientations with him before the bell tolls, he will be gay forever. This wouldn’t be such a terrible thing but there’s an anti-gay serial killer on the loose… oh… and also some gnarly drag-queen zombies invading from all corners. Remington and his rag tag group of friends will only be able to survive the night if they can learn to be true to themselves. Follow Remington as he sashays into an adventure and encounters mystery curses, killers and gay zombies roaming the streets in this campy and way, way, way over-the-top horror-comedy curio. Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings isn’t well-known in the United States, but it was actually a really big hit in the Philippines when it first came out in theaters.

 

 

Rift
Paying homage to classic art-house horror films like Robert Wise’s The Haunting and Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, Rift is an enticing, well-acted and expertly-directed mystery-thriller from Iceland that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Gunnar receives a strange phone call from his ex-boyfriend, Einar, months after they parted ways. Einar sounds distraught, like he’s about to do something terrible to himself, so Gunnar drives to the secluded cabin where Einar is holed up and soon discovers there is more going on than he imagined. As the two come to terms with their broken relationship, some other person seems to be lurking outside the cabin, wanting to get inside. Eerie and stylishly crafted, Rift proved itself a big hit at film fests – not just LGBT festivals, but general horror film festivals as well, where it has earned rave reviews.

 

 

Seeing Heaven
Paul, a young escort, has no problem selling his body to the highest bidder, as long as they also take his other unusual gift – that is, when having sex, Paul has visions of his long-lost twin brother, visions that are eerily transferred to the clients. When not tricking, the unhappy Paul searches for his brother who was separated from him when he was a young child. Through a series of chance encounters Paul meets Baxter, a porn director wanting to break into cross-over films. Since Paul thinks his brother may be working in the gay porn industry, he agrees to do act if Baxter in turn helps him find his brother. But his entry into this world becomes more and more intense and potentially dangerous as sexual excesses, nightmarish visions and the possible redemptive powers of love overwhelm him. Seeing Heaven is a captivating, low-budget commentary on the British escort/porn industry as well as a 21st century variation of Dorian Gray.

 

 

Shadowlands
Directed by Charlie David, Shadowlands is a sexy new anthology film that features three different stories that exploring the erotic and the macabre. The series begins in 1928 with Alex, a plastic surgeon hell-bent on perfection, hosting a house party with an assortment of colorful guests. Amid romantic misfires it becomes apparent that the only person Alex is interested in is himself. Fast forward to 1951 where we meet a gay military couple exploring the idea of opening their relationship while on a remote camping trip… where they meet a mysterious stranger. The stories conclude in 2018 when a painter, mourning the loss of his lover, becomes obsessed with creating a realistic painting of him. The resulting piece is so beautiful and life-like that he is drawn under its dangerous spell.

 

 

Tooth 4 Tooth
“I think we’re entering another age of hate… and there are those that thrive in such times.” While investigating the murder of a friend, a drag artist and an activist find themselves caught in an old war between those who feed on the blood of the fearful and those who feed on the blood of the hateful. A stylish 13-minute film from short horror director Matthew Maio Mackay and our friends at Mattioli Productions, Tooth 4 Tooth is available now on-demand – just in time for Halloween – at TLAgay.

 

 

The Year I Lost My Mind
From prolific German director Tor Iben (Love Kills, The Passenger, The Visitor) comes a brand-new thriller about a lonely young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with a perfect stranger. After encountering him during a burglary, Tom (Alexander Tsypilev), a disturbed young man prone to wearing creepy masks that obscure his quite handsome features, begins stalking and antagonizing the attractive young Lars (Julien Lickert). When Lars finally discovers that Tom is on his tail, and that his intentions may be somewhat sinister, he manages to turn the tables on him, leading to a unexpected game of cat-and-mouse and a shocking confrontation. Sexy and unsettling in equal measure, the tension is palpable in this stylish drama with shades of Alfred Hitchcock.

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. During the month of October, we’re focusing on horror/thriller flicks to get you in the Halloween spirit! 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!

 

Innocent Boy
Off a lonely Texas highway, a group of hustlers prey on the desperados who come for sex and drugs. When a murderous cowboy (Kamy D. Bruder) rolls into town, Penny (Unique Jenkins), a young trans boy sees an opportunity to feed the emotional hunger that has long been ignored by his neglectful Momma (Michael Vincent Berry). As the boys fall one-by-one, Penny is caught between the Cowboy’s lustful rage, and the greed and corruption that Momma represents. An expertly-crafted short film debut from writer-director Brock Cravy, Innocent Boy is a wild, colorful, shocking and original vision of queer horror. Watch the trailer below and click here to rent or download the film now at TLAgay.

 

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the most acclaimed gay films of the past few years, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

 

Der Samurai
Jakob (Michel Diercks) is a policeman in a village deep in the woods, where little happens… until the arrival of a mysterious wolf starts causing havoc. Working the night shift, Jakob is tracking the wolf, only to discover that the lupine lurker is actually a man clad only in lipstick and a ladies’ slip – and toting a samurai sword that he uses to lop off the heads of the townspeople, including Jakob’s tormentors. Jakob and the samurai seem to share a bond, and as the night gets darker, events get even weirder. Unlike any other horror film you’re likely to see, Der Samurai is a German mind-bender about shape-shifting cross-dressers, bloody decapitations, repressed sexual desires and small town life. It’s a surreal mix of dark comedy and eerie creep-out fun that recalls David Lynch and pays homage to, while often improving upon, the synth-soundtrack-packed horror classics of the ’80s.

 

Bloody Knuckles
Canada, our well-heeled neighbor to the north, is not known for cinematic carnage or gore comedies, but first time director Matt O. shakes things up with Bloody Knuckles, a deliriously offensive, gory and happily un-PC horror-comedy. Travis (Adam Boys), an underground comic book artist with a penchant for obscene caricatures, upsets a thin-skinned crime lord, who responds by cutting off the young man’s hand. A despondent and now alcoholic Travis wallows in post-severed hand depression. Will criminality reign supreme? Will Travis give up his acerbic pen and live alone as a bitter one-handed man? Not if the slightly rotted hand, now alive and determined to exact revenge, teems up with his former body – and a masked, S&M-loving gay superhero – to rid the city of evil!

 

Role of a Lifetime
Amber (Elysse Winn) and her lover Liz (Rain Dove Dubilewski) are moving slow after a romantic evening celebrating their anniversary – along with Amber’s recent Oscar Nomination. Liz wakes up to receive a package from a strange and invasive postal worker, Jade (Larena Danielle), who secretly enters the apartment. Desperate to save their brunch plans, Liz leaves for groceries and Amber is relieved to see the unopened package with an engagement ring. Unnoticed, Jade makes herself at home and soon confronts Amber, trapping her in a series of lethal accusations and riddles before being interrupted by Amber’s persistent manager, Richard (Steve Wolf). Eventually, Amber realizes that while she may not be able to save herself, she may be able to do something to keep Liz alive. Role of a Lifetime is a stylish twelve-minute thriller from writer Kelly Feustel, director Ashlei Hardenburg and the gang at Mattioli Productions.

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!

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the most acclaimed gay films of the past year, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

A Closer Walk with Thee
A Closer Walk with Thee is a subversive little provocation we’re really excited about. Jordan (Aj Knight), a young Christian missionary, gets caught watching his handsome pastor Eli (Gregory Shelby) in the shower. The rest of his church ostracizes him until Eli (who happens to be a fledgling exorcist) suggests it may be demonic possession that’s giving Jordan his ungodly homosexual urges. What starts as an exorcism to save their friendship quickly descends into psycho-sexual madness. An award-winner at film festivals, A Closer with Thee has earned some rave reviews from horror-savvy critics, Cineounx said it’s “like what would happen if someone handed Todd Solondz as exorcism script and said, ‘knock yourself out'” and Parade said it “Mixes exorcism, homoeroticism and evangelistic angst in a combo that clearly doesn’t cater to the Sunday School crowd.” On top of everything else, lead actors Aj Knight and Gregory Shelby really make the screen sizzle. Their “hot young pastor and obedient church boy” dynamic is definite dirty fantasy fuel.

The Hour of Living
Young Theo (Sam Fordham) is on a quest. He finds among his late mother’s belongings a Super-8 film, in which his dad looks really happy – and a little in love (maybe a lot)… but not with Theo’s mother. Theo never really knew his dad and now that his mom is also gone, he’s intrigued to find out who else there was in his father’s life. His quest leads him into the past – and eventually to Switzerland, high up into a remote Alpine valley. There he finds George (writer/director Sebastian Michael) who has been living as a recluse for a decade. For George, Theo’s dad was the love of his life. As the two men meet and get increasingly close to one another, slowly their lives start to make sense. With absolutely gorgeous cinematography, The Hour of Living takes the viewer on an emotional journey that doubles as a feast for the eyes.

Play the Devil
Gregory (Petrice Jones) is a gifted working-class teenager from Paramin, a village located on one of the highest points of western area of the Northern Range in Trinidad and Tobago. Starring in a stage play, he soon catches the attention of James (Gareth Jenkins), an affluent businessman. The two men strike up an uncanny friendship as James takes Greg under his wing, pushing him to discover himself professionally, creatively… and intimately. Confused, Greg must at once deal with the return of his drug-addicted father, and navigate through the early days of adulthood. As Carnival Monday approaches and the locals prepare for the annual male initiation parade, Greg must confront James – an act which will prove life-changing.

Unfaithful
Writer/director/performer Claude Peres takes viewers on a haunting and intimate journey with this groundbreaking erotic drama. The premise is simple: Peres and a man he’s never met (Men to Kiss and Alex & Leo star Marcel Schlutt) will make love while the cameras roll. No contract, no film crew, no boundaries. The end result is a film that challenges viewers to look into the heart of human desire. There’s palpable tension as “the director” and “the actor” engage in conversation and gradually give in to the film’s unusual and unpredictable scenario. Peres loosely structures the encounter as an interview in which he poses piercing questions to his onscreen lover, himself, and the audience. It’s is the kind of film that seeps into the viewers’ subconscious and rattles their comfort levels. Warning: Unfaithful is SUPER DUPER SEXUALLY EXPLICIT!

Coming Soon: Equation to an Unknown

A handsome young stud rides his motorcycle through a myriad of sexual fantasies, from a soccer game’s locker room to a dreamy and unsettling orgy where the film reaches its melancholic peak.

This undiscovered erotic film is a labyrinth of all-male fantasies whose outstanding beauties always end up fading away while leaving their sensual protagonist dealing with his own loneliness.

The film is directed with absolute grace by the mysterious Dietrich de Velsa (also know as Francis Savel and Frantz Salieri), a former painter who was also the owner and artistic director of one of the first transvestites’ cabaret of Paris, La Grande Eugène. Years later, he collaborated with Joseph Losey on Mr. Klein and Don Giovanni. Equation to an Unknown is Velsa/Savel/Salieri’s only film and stands without a doubt as a masterpiece… maybe the best French gay arthouse porn ever made.

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Now Available On-Demand: Knife+Heart

As we’re all spending a lot of time indoors, we’re going to take the next few weeks to highlight some of our favorite films available RIGHT NOW, on-demand at TLAgay.com! Stay in, sit back, relax and make it a movie night.

A delightfully strange and stylish throwback to the era of giallo thrillers (with a decidedly homoerotic twist), Knife+Heart is the gay cinema crown jewel of 2019 so far. The film has earned numerous raves from critics, our favorite of which comes from Katie Walsh in the Los Angeles Times who said “This magical, erotic, disco-tinged horror-thriller is like cinematic candy.”

Set in Paris during the summer of 1979, the film is focused around Anne (French pop star Vanessa Paradis), a somewhat rough-hewn woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet with her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down.

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This Weekend’s VOD Favorites: An Extra Special (and Scary) Friday the 13th Edition!

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. As it’s FRIDAY THE 13TH (muahaha!), we’re spotlighting TEN of our favorite gay-themed horror and thriller flicks – ALL available to watch INSTANTLY! These aren’t our all time favorites, by any means – just a handful of flicks we want to highlight that you can watch RIGHT NOW.

Alpha Delta Zatan
Starring an all-male of cast of staggeringly attractive, underwear-clad up-and-comers (including Jeremy Winter, Jake Kidwell, Connor Field, Drake Malone and R&B singer Eleaze), Alpha Delta Zatan delivers audiences a fun, sensual spin on the “sorority massacre” sub-genre of horror flicks. A goofy but noble young college kid is pleasantly surprised to learn that he’s been invited to join his school’s most exclusive fraternity house. Unfortunately, he’s about to discover that there is something far scarier than hazing rituals in his future. His new frat brothers seem to keep going missing. In this house, no one can be trusted and no one is safe… especially one the masked, knife-wielding slasher shows up. Funny, sexy and scary, this new low-budget horror treat is a new TLA Exclusive on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s also available to stream right now.

B&B
“They made their bed… now they’ll have to die in it.” B&B earned a whole lot of praise from LGBT horror/thriller/suspense fans at festivals and now it’s available to watch at TLAgay! Lovers Marc and Fred (Tom Bateman and Sean Teale) initiated a major legal battle after they were refused a double bed at a remote Christian guest house. They came out of their court case victorious and now they’re back at the establishment to claim their conjugal rights. Triumph, however, quickly turns to terror when a scary Russian neo-Nazi also checks in. Their weekend of celebratory fun soon becomes a bloody battle for survival. B&B is a whip-smart and brutally funny dark comedy-thriller that has earned rave reviews from critics – some of whom have even compared it to the work of Alfred Hitchcock. The Hollywood Outsiders, specifically, called it “a film Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of.” The Horror Society said it’s “frickin’ fantastic and a trailblazer for LGBT cinema.”

Bite Marks
Hunky truck driver Brewster (Benjamin Lutz) takes over his missing brother’s delivery of coffins. On the way to his funeral home destination, he picks up some hitchhikers: the cute and wise-cracking Cary (Windham Beacham) and his smitten but tense boyfriend Vogel (David Alanson). The couple’s relationship is on the rocks (though that doesn’t stop them from some hot-and-noisy gas station toilet sex, which ignites the repressed homo in the voyeuristic Brewster). With dicks firmly back in pants, trouble descends on the threesome when a faulty GPS leads them into a deserted junkyard – where the truck promptly breaks down. Normally, this would not be a terrible situation (more hot sex, anyone?), but this night is far from normal – as an assortment of blood-thirty vampires begin to attack! Now, the mismatched trio must fend off the marauding monsters and try to survive until dawn. With plenty of witty asides, sexy encounters and flesh-tearing scenes, this low budget gem delivers the gory goods.

Black Briefs
Curated by prolific writer/director Rob Williams (Make the Yuletide GayShared Rooms) for his distribution label Guest House Films, Black Briefs features six award-winning short films with pretty dark, horror or horror-adjacent stories and themes. When it comes to short film compilations, there is always something to recommend. If you don’t like the first one, chances are good there is a short just around the corner that you’re going to appreciate more. In Black Briefs, we really like Hong Khaou‘s steamy Spring, about a young man who meets up with a stranger for a little exploratory sadomasochistic sex; and Jack Plotnick‘s Video Night, in which a group of filmmaker buddies discover something unexpected in their raw footage. Our favorite, though, is Greg Ivan Smith‘s Remission. A man, all alone in a secluded cabin, awaiting the results of a serious medical test, is haunted by a terrifying presence. It’s genuinely chilling and it’s one of those rare movies that can create dread and unease even in its scenes set during the daytime.

A Closer Walk with Thee
A Closer Walk with Thee is a subversive little provocation we’re really excited about. Jordan (Aj Knight), a young Christian missionary, gets caught watching his handsome pastor Eli (Gregory Shelby) in the shower. The rest of his church ostracizes him until Eli (who happens to be a fledgling exorcist) suggests it may be demonic possession that’s giving Jordan his ungodly homosexual urges. What starts as an exorcism to save their friendship quickly descends into psycho-sexual madness. An award-winner at film festivals, A Closer with Thee has earned some rave reviews from horror-savvy critics, Cineounx said it’s “like what would happen if someone handed Todd Solondz as exorcism script and said, ‘knock yourself out'” and Parade said it “Mixes exorcism, homoeroticism and evangelistic angst in a combo that clearly doesn’t cater to the Sunday School crowd.” On top of everything else, lead actors Aj Knight and Gregory Shelby really make the screen sizzle. Their “hot young pastor and obedient church boy” dynamic is definite dirty fantasy fuel.

Deadly Screams of a Naked Siren
The newest ultra-erotic, sex and nudity-packed offering from the twink-lovers at Babaloo Studios, Deadly Screams of a Naked Siren introduces Christian (Tristan Adler) a college news reporter who sets out to interview Epiphany (Kory Anders), the niece of the only living person to escape a gender changing siren. The deadly siren (Orion Cross) is responsible for the murders of two young men Kevin McKendrick (James Townsend) and his abusive lover Danny Pennington (Todd Williams). Even though these events happened eleven years ago, Christian wants to know all the deviant sexual details. This new exclusive includes plenty of deleted scenes along with extra never-before-seen “sexy” footage. It’s all raw and unedited!

Der Samurai
Jakob (Michel Diercks) is a policeman in a village deep in the woods, where little happens… until the arrival of a mysterious wolf that is causing havoc. Working the night shift, Jakob is tracking the wolf, only to discover that the lupine lurker is actually a man clad only in lipstick and a ladies’ slip – and toting a samurai sword that he uses to lop off the heads of the townspeople, including Jakob’s tormentors. Jakob and the transvestite samurai seem to share a bond, and as the night gets darker, events get even weirder. Unlike any other horror film you’re likely to see, Der Samurai is a German mind-bender about shape-shifting cross-dressers, bloody decapitations, repressed sexual desires and small town life. It’s a surreal mix of dark comedy and eerie creep-out fun that recalls David Lynch and pays homage to, while often improving upon, the synth-soundtrack-packed horror classics of the 1980s.

Devil’s Path
In the early 1990s, two strangers (Stephen Twardokus and JD Scalzo) meet in a wilderness park where gay men cruise for sex. What seems like an innocent and random meeting quickly descends into a horrific nightmare. With recent disappearances and attacks, the two men soon find themselves in the terrifying position of being the next victims in a deadly game of cat and mouse. As they flee further into the woods to escape the danger, they begin to understand that the greatest danger of all may be closer than either of them realize. Will these two strangers be able to work together to defeat the darkness that has settled in on Devil’s Path? Or will their own secrets and lies lead them to be the next two missing persons in this perilous park? This riveting new gay thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Kissing Darkness
TLA fan favorite Sean Paul Lockhart (known to porn aficionados as the legendary Brent Corrigan) stars alongside a bunch of similarly stunning hot young dudes! Kissing Darkness follows a group of college boys who, bored with the everyday “gay life” of LA, decide to skip pride weekend. Instead, they gear up for a camping trip in the woods. Maybe we should all just commit to staying in the city. Quickly into their trip, the boys venture into a game that ultimately unleashes the vengeful spirit of a local legend known as “Malice Valeria.” Overcome by her deadly plan of tainted love and her thirst to take back what was lost long ago, the boys must now band together before they fall victim to the poisons of a broken heart. Directed by James Townsend (Sideline SecretsUnsolved Suburbia), this unbelievably sexy new vampire flick with softcore erotic elements doesn’t skimp on the blood or the beautiful, scantily clad young beefcake.

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the most acclaimed gay films of the past year, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

Rift
Paying homage to classic art-house horror films like Robert Wise’s The Haunting and Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, Rift is an enticing, well-acted and expertly-directed mystery-thriller from Iceland that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Gunnar receives a strange phone call from his ex-boyfriend, Einar, months after they parted ways. Einar sounds distraught, like he’s about to do something terrible to himself, so Gunnar drives to the secluded cabin where Einar is holed up and soon discovers there is more going on than he imagined. As the two come to terms with their broken relationship, some other person seems to be lurking outside the cabin, wanting to get inside. Eerie and stylishly crafted, Rift proved itself a big hit at film fests – not just LGBT festivals, but general horror film festivals as well, where it has earned rave reviews.

The Year I Lost My Mind
From prolific German director Tor Iben (Love Kills, The Passenger, The Visitor) comes a brand-new thriller about a lonely young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with a perfect stranger. After encountering him during a burglary, Tom (Alexander Tsypilev), a disturbed young man prone to wearing creepy masks that obscure his quite handsome features, begins stalking and antagonizing the attractive young Lars (Julien Lickert). When Lars finally discovers that Tom is on his tail, and that his intentions may be somewhat sinister, he manages to turn the tables on him, leading to a unexpected game of cat-and-mouse and a shocking confrontation. Sexy and unsettling in equal measure, the tension is palpable in this stylish drama with shades of Alfred Hitchcock.

Our Top 10 Gay Movies of 2019

Happy New Year, Fellas! 2019 was another incredible year for movies… and movies centered around gay men in particular. Not only was there a wealth of titles to choose from, but many of them rose above the gay movie niche and made a huge splash on the international film fest circuit. Some even broke through into the mainstream (looking at you, Rocketman, burning out your fuse up there alone). Check out our Top 10 Gay Movies of 2019 below and make sure to pick up your copies on DVD and Blu-ray at TLAgay.com!

Editor’s Note: We limited our considerations to titles that we have available currently on our site (including pre-orders). So, while films like Portrait of a Lady on Fire and This is Not Berlin may be phenomenal, they don’t qualify for this particular list as they haven’t been announced yet for DVD, Blu-ray or VOD.

45 Days Away from You
After a recent breakup 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.

Rocketman
As flashy and colorful as it’s subject, this rollicking musical biopic chronicles the early life and career of Reginald Dwight, better known to the world as Elton John (played by total cutie-pie Taron Egerton in a performance which, if we’re being honest, blows Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury out of the water). Visually stunning performances of some of Elton’s best-loved songs are used to tell the story of a rise to rock and roll greatness that includes addiction, depression and complex personal and professional relationships. And unlike some recent musician biopics, Rocketman doesn’t try to downplay Elton John’s sexuality. Big portions of the film focus on his tumultuous affair with talent manager John Reid (played by “Game of Thrones” star Richard Madden) and his deep, abiding affection for lyricist, partner and best friend Bernie Taupin (played by Jamie Bell).

Sauvage/Wild
Sauvage/Wild, filmmaker Camille Vidal-Naquet‘s riveting and vibrant erotic journey of a 22-year-old male prostitute named Leo, features a stunning performance from Felix Maritaud (BPM, Boys, Knife+Heart). Leo trades in love as much as lust and wanders through his life without rules or restrictions. Through a series of encounters that offer a glimpse into the complicated and visceral world of male sex work, Leo finds himself searching for affection anywhere he can get it – whether it’s the unrequited love for his hustler friend Ahd (Eric Bernard) or in the arms of an older, vulnerable client. Will Leo choose his freedom and the dangers that come with it, or the comforts of a stable relationship? After all, in this unpredictable world, who knows where he’ll end up?

Climax
From notoriously upsetting director Gaspar Noe (Irreversible, Enter the Void, Love) comes a hypnotic, hallucinatory, and ultimately hair-raising depiction of a party that descends into delirium over the course of one wintry night. In Climax, a troupe of young dancers gathers in a remote and empty school building to rehearse. Following an unforgettable opening performance lit by virtuoso cinematographer Benoît Debie and shot by Noé himself, the troupe begins an all-night celebration that turns nightmarish as the dancers discover they’ve been pounding cups of sangria laced with potent LSD. Tracking their journey from jubilation to chaos and full-fledged anarchy, Noé observes crushes, rivalries, and violence amid a collective psychedelic meltdown. Starring Sofia Boutella and a cast of professional dancers, Climax is Noé’s most brazen, unforgettable and visionary statement yet.

Kanarie
Drafted during Apartheid by the South African Army, Johan Niemand’s love for Boy George and Depeche Mode lands him a spot in the SADF Choir called the ‘Canaries.’ Against a landscape where law and religion oppress individuality, Johan and the Canaries have to survive military training and go on a nationwide tour, entertaining people whilst fortifying belief in the military effort and promoting the cause of both Church and State. Then an unexpected romance on the battlefield forces Johan to reckon with his long-repressed sexual identity. Examining the effects of nationalism on the soul, while also exploring the tender brotherhood among misfits, this musical comedy revels in the discovery of finding your voice and learning to fly.

Sorry Angel
Paris, 1993. Jacques (Stranger by the Lake star Pierre Deladonchamps) is a semi-renowned writer and single father in his thirties. While on a work trip to Brittany, he meets Arthur (Vincent Lacoste), an aspiring filmmaker in his early twenties, who is experiencing a sexual awakening and eager to get out of his parochial life. Arthur becomes instantly smitten with the older man. From writer-director Christophe Honore comes a mature and deeply emotional reflection on love, loss, youth and aging. In its inter-generational snapshot of cruising, courtship and casual sex, Sorry Angel balances hope for the future with agony over the past in an unforgettable drama about finding the courage to love in the moment, no matter how turbulent.

The Blonde One
In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Gabriel has just moved in with his colleague, Juan. 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, Absent, Taekwondo, Hawaii, Sexual Tension: Volatile), The Blonde One is one of the year’s sexiest and most romantic gay movies.

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the year’s most acclaimed gay films, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

End of the Century
In his excellent debut feature, writer-director Lucio Castro offers both a sun-soaked European travelogue and an epic, decades-spanning romance. When Ocho (Juan Barberini), a 30-something Argentine poet on vacation in Barcelona, spots Javi (Ramón Pujol), a Spaniard from Berlin, from the balcony of his Airbnb, the attraction is subtle but persistent. After a missed connection on the beach, a third chance encounter escalates to a seemingly random hookup. But are these two merely beautiful strangers in a foreign city or are they part of each other’s histories—and maybe even their destinies? Castro deliberately unfolds mystery after mystery, leading the audience on a journey of discovery as the two leading men discover themselves and each other. With sumptuous cinematography and tangible chemistry between the actors, End of the Century is a love story that echoes across time.  Winner of Best Film at the Buenos Aires Film Festival and Best First Film at the Frameline: San Francisco LGBTQ Film Festival.

Pain and Glory
In maverick filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory, Antonio Banderas plays Salvador Mallo, a film director in physical decline who reflects on his past as his present comes crashing down around him. Some of these reflections are in the flesh, others remembered: his childhood in the ‘60s, when he emigrated with his parents to a village in Valencia in search of prosperity; his first adult love in the Madrid of the ‘80s; the pain of the breakup of that love while it was still alive and intense; writing as the only therapy to forget the unforgettable; the early discovery of cinema; and the void, the infinite void created by the incapacity to keep on making films. Pain and Glory talks about creation, about the difficulty of separating it from one’s own life and about the passions that give it meaning and hope. In recovering his past, Salvador finds the urgent need to recount it, and in that need he also finds his salvation.

10 Recent Gay Movies to Watch on Halloween

The pumpkins are lit, the neighborhood children are stuffed with candy and there’s a crisp chill in the air. It’s Halloween Night and that means it’s time to kick back and relax with a scary movie! Here are 10 recent gay films we liked a lot that we feel might fit the occasion…

Knife+Heart
Easily one of the most acclaimed gay films of the year so far, this sexually explicit throwback thriller from visionary writer-director Yann Gonzalez is an absolute must-see! Vanessa Paradis is incredible as Anne, a savvy French woman who produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois (Kate Moran) leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet – with the help of her trusted, flaming sidekick Archibald (Nicolas Maury). But when one of her actors is brutally murdered, Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside-down. Shot on 35mm and featuring a killer retro score from the band M83, Knife+Heart is an ultra-stylish and blood-soaked ode to 1970s-era Brian De Palma, Dario Argento and William Friedkin.

Shadowlands © Border2Border Entertainment

Shadowlands
Directed by Charlie David, Shadowlands is a sexy and stylish anthology film that features three different stories that exploring the erotic and the macabre. The series begins in 1928 with Alex, a plastic surgeon hell-bent on perfection, hosting a house party with an assortment of colorful guests. Amid romantic misfires it becomes apparent that the only person Alex is interested in is himself. Fast forward to 1951 where we meet a gay military couple exploring the idea of opening their relationship while on a remote camping trip… where they meet a mysterious stranger. The stories conclude in 2018 when a painter, mourning the loss of his lover, becomes obsessed with creating a realistic painting of him. The resulting piece is so beautiful and life-like that he is drawn under its dangerous spell.

The Year I Lost My Mind
From prolific German director Tor Iben (Love Kills, The Passenger, The Visitor) comes a brand-new thriller about a lonely young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with a perfect stranger. After encountering him during a burglary, Tom (Alexander Tsypilev), a disturbed young man prone to wearing creepy masks that obscure his quite handsome features, begins stalking and antagonizing the attractive young Lars (Julien Lickert). When Lars finally discovers that Tom is on his tail, and that his intentions may be somewhat sinister, he manages to turn the tables on him, leading to a unexpected game of cat-and-mouse and a shocking confrontation. Sexy and unsettling in equal measure, the tension is palpable in this stylish drama with shades of Alfred Hitchcock.

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Director Yann Golzalez talks about his sensational new thriller Knife+Heart

French writer-director Yann Gonzalez is well studied in the art of cinema. A connoisseur of art films both high and low-brow, his influences show in his work, but he manages to take what he likes and give it his own spin.

A former member of the esteemed electronic group M83 with his brother Anthony, Gonzalez moved into the world of film in the mid-2000s (while still collaborating with the group on projects). Between 2006 and 2012, he directed six short films before turning to full-length features with You and the Night, which was presented during the Critics’ Week at the Cannes Festival and was released in theaters internationally in November 2013. His second full-length feature film, the critically-acclaimed gay porn industry-centered period piece/thriller Knife+Heart (frequently referred to by the French title Un Couteau dans le cœur), will be released on DVD and Blu-ray June.

Enjoy this interview with Yann Gonzalez below (taken from the film’s official press package) and click here to pre-order your copy. Knife+Heart is an exceptional flick and an absolute must-see for gay cinema lovers.

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