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Reviews
Bilmemek (2019)
Great Subject, Poor Performances
This film was very uneven, and I really place the lion's share of the blame at the feet of the lead actor, who I felt was very unconvincing. The story is good, and the way the homophobia and prejudice tears the family apart is very effective, but I hit such a wall with the acting, unfortunately. I'm delighted this Turkish film exists, though. If you want to see a GREAT queer Turkish film, however, run don't walk to Love, Spells, and All That!
Ask, Büyü Vs. (2019)
Magical
I loooooooove this movie. The actors are convincing and fantastic, the story is compelling, and everything is wrapped in palpable chemistry and magic. Despite the low budget (and it appears to have been super low), it's a romantic gem of second chances that totally cast a spell over me.
Beyto (2020)
Mixed
The segment in Turkey is really strong and I wished the whole movie was just this story. But the main character is very whiney and insufferable, and his Swiss boyfriend is so poorly drawn that he comes off as an unintentional misogynist when things get complicated. Without giving anything away, I was also not a fan of the implausible ending. There are a lot of promising elements in this, but they sadly don't add up for a number of reasons.
Los fuertes (2019)
Strong Sense of Place
I can't say that I remembered the plot of this film much, but I felt it had a beautiful sense of place. I remember scenes and images of the gorgeous location - and the longing and eroticism of the couple. Give it a shot!
Minyan (2020)
A Very Specific Queer Film
This film plods along and you don't really know where it's going, but I felt like the residue of it lingered on me even though it didn't feel like it knew what it wanted. It's a unique - maybe even odd - addition to the queer indie film canon.
P.S. Burn This Letter Please (2020)
Stylish Doc that Dishes
This documentary has a really strong style in how it conveys the letters, and I kind of feel like you either get on board with it or you don't. I was very on board. The letters are total treasure troves, and to have present-day participants dishing on the letter is just divine. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I did. Brava to the filmmakers.
Spa Night (2016)
Not What You Expect
This is a very nuanced, subtle film. I know some people felt the ending was "uneventful," but I thought it was a smart way to end the messiness of David and his double existence. Definite recommend for fans of low key cinema.
Straight Up (2019)
Words + Images
Is it filled with fun, clever images? Yes. Yes, it is.
Is it filled with fun, clever dialogue? Yes. Yes, it is.
If you like these things, please don't sleep on this gem.
Closet Monster (2015)
Haunting
I think about this movie *a lot*. All the hamster stuff is so funny - and of course I'm obsessed with Isabella Rossellini - but the frame structure and the horror elements elevate this queer coming-of-age film in totally wonderful ways. I saw it twice in the theater. It still haunts me.
Dramarama (2020)
A Fantastic LGBTQ+ Film
6.4, IMDb? Really? This site has become such a homophobic broscape. This was fantastic - at least an 8. See y'all real cinephiles at Letterboxd. Byeeee!