Jeffrey Friedman Movies

James Franco stars as Allen Ginsberg in Robert Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's biopic that blends traditional narrative storytelling with documentary-style footage and vivid animation to paint a compelling portrait of the famed Beat poet. For many historians, the counterculture was conceived the moment Ginsberg's landmark poem "Howl" was put on trial. On October 7, 1955, the charismatic young poet stunned audiences at San Francisco's Six Gallery with the first-ever public reading of "Howl." Two years later, Ginsberg was standing before fierce prosecutor Ralph McIntosh (David Strathairn) and ultra-conservative judge Clayton Horn (Bob Balaban) to defend his most famous work against accusations of obscenity. In addition to offering a detailed reenactment of that historical trial, Howl also recounts the early life events that molded Ginsberg into one of the most vital and outspoken voices of his generation, and features an animated visualization of the poem created by former Ginsberg collaborator Eric Drooker, and a score by Carter Burwell. Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker, and Alessandro Nivola co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and in this look at one of the most polarizing religious and sexual debates in America, filmmaker Robert Cary attempts to reconcile homosexuality with Christianity. Mark (Chad Allen) is a young gay man who has fallen into a dangerous cycle of hard drugs and risky sex. Recognizing that his sibling may not have the strength to pull himself back from the edge, Mark's brother checks him into the Genesis House Christian retreat in New Mexico -- a place far removed from the temptations of the big city. Genesis House is run by a deeply spiritual, middle-aged couple named Gayle (Judith Light) and Ted (Stephen Lang). After losing a battle with sin back when she was young, Gayle has dedicated her entire life to rescuing young homosexuals from their own inner demons. In order to help Mark through the process, Gayle assigns Scott (Robert Gant) -- one of the program's advanced "fifth phasers" -- as the newcomer's mentor. When Gayle notices that Mark and Scott's relationship is intensifying, she sees the development as a threat and fights back in order to prevent her carefully controlled world from falling apart. The spectre of damnation looming constantly over their shoulders, Mark and Scott are finally forced to confront the truth about their own true natures. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Academy-award winning documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman direct this harrowing, lyrical look at the persecution of homosexuals during the Third Reich. German historian and member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Klaus Muller interviews the dozen or so surviving victims, now frail and wizened, who recount their experiences. Jewish resistance fighter Gad Beck recalls how he posed as a Hitler Youth in an ultimately vain attempt at saving his lover. One man was freed from a sentence at Dachau only to be interned again a Buchenwald. Another recalls hearing, in the distance, a "singing forest" -- the sound of gays bound and tortured by Nazis in a local grove. Epstein and Friedman fashion a layered narrative consisting not only of interviews but also archival footage depicting background life in Weimar Germany. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

This documentary came about because the filmmakers were curious about life in a part of the United States that seemed completely alien to them from their perspective as gay men living in San Francisco. Thus, at the end of the Gulf War, they took a trip to the American South and asked anyone who would let them point a microphone at them such questions as: "What are your hopes for the future?" "Are You happy?" For the most part, the individuals questioned reveal such insular, even ignorant perspectives, that it gave even hardened reviewers a bit of a chill. One of the odder individuals they found along the way was a man who had created his own personal Graceland to please his wife, a rabid Elvis fan. No effort was made to create a coherent theme, as the documentary is basically a record of the men's trip. However, they do make an effort to investigate gay life in the South, and these investigations were reportedly the highlights of the film. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

A documentary portrait of San Francisco's first openly gay politician, city supervisor Harvey Milk, The Times of Harvey Milk might not have been made but for the tragic circumstances of Milk's death. On November 27, 1978, Dan White, a former city supervisor who was desperate to regain his post, entered City Hall with a gun and murdered both San Francisco's mayor, George Moscone, and Milk. At the trial, White's lawyer skillfully turned the jury's attention away from his client's public anti-gay statements to focus on White's spotless record and his extremely agitated mental state on the day of the murders. White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to a relatively brief jail term, sparking a demonstration and riot by gay supporters of the murdered men. The film considers Milk's accomplishments and his exceptional popularity; this is not an objective look at a man, but a celebration of a martyr. Winner of an Academy award for Best Documentary Feature, The Times of Harvey Milk was released while White was serving his sentence; he was paroled in 1984 and committed suicide the next year. Epstein's other major efforts included the documentaries Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989) (about the AIDS epidemic) and The Celluloid Closet (1995), about images of gay men and women in Hollywood films. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi