Like You Mean It

 by tlagay

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!

 

 

Like You Mean It
In the remarkable relationship drama Like You Mean It, first-time writer-director Philipp Karner (who also stars in the film) deftly captures the challenges of life in Los Angeles through the eyes of a disillusioned actor named Mark. Having spent years auditioning for bit parts, Mark questions whether he’s masculine enough for Hollywood’s leading-man criteria. His relationship with Jonah (Denver Milord), a sweet-natured musician and unfailingly supportive boyfriend, is on the verge of collapse, and nostalgia for happier times only makes their current troubles worse. As they attempt to reignite their intimacy through sex, drugs and therapy, Mark is forced to confront his own self-worth within the vast and notoriously isolating City of Angels.

 

 

Hidden Away
In the bathroom of a crowded nightclub, Ibrahim (Adil Koukouh), a Moroccan boy, crosses paths with Spanish teen Rafa (Germán Alcarazu). Although they exchange only a fleeting glance, the encounter has a profound effect on the pair. As his friends try and set him up with a local girl, Rafa’s thoughts remain with Ibrahim. Meanwhile, Ibrahim finds himself isolated in the big city, treated like an outsider, with the threat of deportation hanging over his head. When the two boys meet again, they form a close bond and decide to work together to find a way for Ibrahim to escape his fate and live the life he wants. Against a backdrop of societal pressures and racial tensions, this arresting drama boasts two charming performances from its young male leads, expertly capturing the fears and excitement of first love.

 

 

Land of Storms
Szabi (Andras Suto) is a young Hungarian on a German soccer team. After a fight with his best friend Bernard (Sebastian Urzendowsky), Szabi decides to return to Hungary to fix up a countryside home he inherited. There, he meets Aron (Adam Varga) and a mutual attraction ensues. But when news of their love affair spreads around their homophobic small town, the boys find themselves in great danger. To make matters worse, Bernard also shows up and a turbulent love triangle develops. With exceptional performances and evocative visuals, Land of Storms is a deeply affecting drama. It’s also positively dripping with homoeroticism. Those soccer uniforms alone made us break a sweat!

 

 

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.

 

Beautiful Something
Edgy, absorbing and raw, Beautiful Something follows four diverse men (played by Colman Domingo, Brian Sheppard, Zack Ryan and John Lescault) as they navigate life during one sublime night. This narrative takes a fresh and unsentimental look at the links between young and old, black and white, sex and love, desire and art. As all four comb the Philadelphia streets looking for connection, they often settle for something quick and dirty. However, tonight is much different. Inspired by real-life experiences, Beautiful Something explores the deeper meaning of how giving one’s self to love, and its necessary vulnerabilities, helps us turn the corner from seeing the world as a child to seeing the world as an adult.

in Gay Cinema / Image Galleries
 by tlagay

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!

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.

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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.

Like You Mean It
In the remarkable relationship drama Like You Mean It, first-time writer-director Philipp Karner (who also stars in the film) deftly captures the challenges of life in Los Angeles through the eyes of a disillusioned actor named Mark. Having spent years auditioning for bit parts, Mark questions whether he’s masculine enough for Hollywood’s leading-man criteria. His relationship with Jonah (Denver Milord), a sweet-natured musician and unfailingly supportive boyfriend, is on the verge of collapse, and nostalgia for happier times only makes their current troubles worse. As they attempt to reignite their intimacy through sex, drugs and therapy, Mark is forced to confront his own self-worth within the vast and notoriously isolating City of Angels.

Absent
This stylish film from prolific director Marco Berger (the same guy behind Hawaii, Plan B, Sexual Tension: Volatile and Testosterone) follows Martin (Bromance star Javier De Pietro), a knowingly, even aggressively sexual sixteen-year-old locks his seductive sights on Sebastian (Carlos Echevarría), his recently engaged, thirty-something swimming instructor. Faking an injury, Martin manages to trick his teacher into letting him spend the night at his apartment. As Sebastian begins to realize the possible sexual interest on the part of his student, he is conflicted. He is dismissive, but his curiosity is piqued by the boy’s overt advances. Though he knows it’s wrong, the increasingly troubled Sebastian soon beings questioning his own feelings for young Martin. Winner of the coveted Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the Berlin Film Festival, Absent is not a simple boy-meets-boy drama. It’s a taut, and at times, incredible sexy drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. There are no easy answers in this edgy sexual thriller.

Fire Island ’79
In 1957 Chase was just sixteen-years-old when he moved to New York City. He worked sporadically as an actor, set designer, photographer, hustler, etc. before discovering his true passion: film making.. His films were widely acclaimed in experimental/underground/art film circles but deemed pornographic and obscene by mainstream critics, the police and the courts. Chase proudly described himself not as an artist but as a pornographer. Chase committed suicide on December 31st, 1979. All of his films were destroyed by his ultra-conservative family. Recently 3 rolls of unprocessed super 8 home movies were found of his last summer on Fire Island. Also recovered was the tape from Chase’s answering machine. This seven-minute short film from co-directors Todd Verow and Patrick McGuinn is a dark, experimental celebration of dark, experimental underground film.

in Gay Cinema / Image Galleries
 by tlagay

25 Gay Movies to Stream Over the Holidays!

There’s nothing wrong with taking some much-needed time during your long holiday vacation to relax on the couch. If you’re looking for some light (or heavy) gay-themed entertainment, TLAgay has you covered. Here are twenty gay movies to stream over the Holidays!

Bathroom Stalls & Parking Lots
Brazilian transplant Leo (writer-director Thales Corrêa) embarks on a trip to San Fransisco when he finds out his regular American fling Totah is also visiting the city. Upon arrival Leo joins his friend Donnie (Izzy Palazzini) on a quest through the clubs of the Castro district, hoping to a casual encounter to show Totah they could be compatible beyond the bedroom. Meanwhile Donnie’s straight friend Hunter (Oscar Mansky), a hopeless romantic, tags along in an attempt to teach Leo how to turn a casual sex relationship into a more meaningful one. While bar hopping, following clues, and adventures into seedier venues, they face unforeseen obstacles that challenge the way they approach relationships in the modern day, and may even end up putting their own friendship at risk.

Beautiful Something
Edgy, absorbing and raw, Beautiful Something follows four diverse men as they navigate life during one sublime night. This narrative takes a fresh and unsentimental look at the links between young and old, black and white, sex and love, desire and art. As all four comb the Philadelphia streets looking for connection, they often settle for something quick and dirty. However, tonight is much different. Inspired by real-life experiences, Beautiful Something explores the deeper meaning of how giving one’s self to love, and its necessary vulnerabilities, helps us turn the corner from seeing the world as a child to seeing the world as an adult.

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 (the same filmmaker behind Plan B, Hawaii, Sexual Tension: Volatile, Absent, Taekwondo and more), The Blonde One is one of the year’s hottest gay movies.

Boys
Following one man through two timelines, Boys, the newest feature from director Christophe Charrier, is a gripping and compassionate study of first love and the lingering sting of loss. We first meet Jonas (BPM: Beats Per Minute star Felix Maritaud) in the present, where he’s having a rough go of it. He’s prone to starting fights at the local gay bar, and his boyfriend has had enough of his infidelity and alcohol-soaked antics. His volatile behavior may stem from a traumatic incident in his past. The film flashes back to 1997, where Jonas (played as a high school kid by Nicolas Bauwens) meets Nathan (Tommy Lee Baik), the rebellious new student who will become his crush. The boys venture into the night on their first date unaware that it’s about to change their lives forever. Don’t miss this searing mystery.

Cas
From filmmakers Joris van den Berg, Matt Guerin and Reid Waterer comes a sexy and thoroughly entertaining collection of three short films that examine the different effects the addition of a third party has on a modern gay relationship. In Cas, Pepijn and George’s steady, seven-year relationship is shaken after they allow a hot young student named Cas to sleep on their couch while he finds a place of his own. Gradually, both men fall head over heels for the attractive younger man’s laconic charm, forcing them to reconsider their many long-term plans. Is Cas’s presence endangering their relationship or is he a blessing in disguise? In Tri-Curious, last minute anxiety threatens to ruin a young gay couple’s first threesome together. The final short in the collection, Bed Buddies, is a comedy about three gay friends who wake up after sleeping together and try to make sense of the unclear line between friendship and love.

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in Gay Cinema / Image Galleries