G&L Drama

A free-spirited satirist and a staid sex therapist share a room on a writer's retreat for women and end up having a brief affair. Claire is a heterosexual writer who loves to sleep around, while lesbian Noel, the therapist, is still hurting from a recently failed relationship. Though the two women are total opposites, much of the film centers on their increasingly intimate philosophical discussions and debates held in the cabin of their Pacific Northwest retreat. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Ang Lee's adaptation of E. Annie Proulx's story Brokeback Mountain stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as young cowboys named Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. Each of them is hired to corral sheep on the title location and they soon bond very closely. Their platonic relationship explodes into a physical one, but eventually the two are separated when their job comes to an end. Although the two follow different life paths -- one becoming a father of two and the other marrying into a successful business -- they have a reunion years later. Each is affected profoundly by the rekindling of their old feelings for each other. Those feelings lead each to consider what continuing their hidden relationship would cost them. The screenplay was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Based on Quentin Crisp's autobiography, the once-controversial picture The Naked Civil Servant stars John Hurt as Crisp, a flamboyant character who publicly declared his homosexuality during the brutally homophobic and misogynistic England of the 1930s and '40s -- a time when this alternative lifestyle was still an offense punishable by imprisonment in Great Britain. (The man dyed his hair and wore makeup in an era when women were looked on with disapproval for such behavior!) Director Jack Gold handles the material with taste, discretion, and a generous supply of humor; it thus might seem bizarre to a contemporary viewer that anyone could be offended by this, but remember that the world was a different place in 1975. More than a few PBS subscribers threatened to yank their support when this British TV film was first offered to American viewers in the spring of that year. Fortunately, many others were willing to see beyond the film's controversial subject matter and revel in the excellence of the production and its participants; one of the film's biggest and most influential fans was none other than Milton Berle. Carl Davis, best known for his symphonic silent-movie restoration scores, composed the music. Hurt drew equal controversy later that same year for his work in another British drama-turned-PBS special -- when he played the psychotic Caligula in Herbert Wise's epic miniseries I, Claudius. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A warm and gentle human fable with a left-wing political undercurrent, the French-language picture Looking for Cheyenne concerns two women passionately in love with one another, and yet hopelessly separated. Journalist Cheyenne (Mila Dekker) is reeling -- not only from a split with one of the great loves of her life, high school science prof Sonia (Aurelia Petit), but from a recent and unexpected job loss -- the product of her company's decision to downsize. When she finds it next to impossible to land another job, Cheyenne eventually throws up her hands in disgust and drops out altogether. Refusing to live by society's constraints, and rejecting every government "handout" that comes down the pike, Cheyenne lives without running water, electricity, or groceries, preferring instead to live off of discarded vegetables that she discovers in trash cans and to light her residence with candles. Meanwhile, Sonia keeps her job, but enters into an affair with a freewheeling young man, Pierre. An anarchist who spends his time passing out flyers full of anarchist catchphrases and taglines, he readily admits to Sonia that he could care less about her pansexuality and is willing to accept her on her own terms. Sonia's affair represents an attempt to drown the sorrow out of her life, for she -- like Cheyenne -- is still destroyed and devastated by the recent breakup. As each woman grapples with a unique outlet for her sorrow, eccentric and endearing characters waltz in and out of their lives and form various romantic couplings; these include a wealthy middle-aged woman of a predatory nature (Guilaine Londez); a comely and naïve coed who decides to stage her own form of social rebellion (Eleonore Michelin); an affable and ebullient Russian (Miglen Mirtchev); and a man who believes in returning to the soil (Laurence Côte). Director Valerie Minetto thus weaves together a giant life tapestry composed of joys and sorrows, unexpected treasures, and resounding disappointments. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

For a Lost Soldier was originally released in the Netherlands as Voor een veloran soldaat. Using a flashback framework, the film deals with a gay "coming of age". Forty years after the fact, choreographer Jeroen Krabbe recalls a wartime romance. During the Allied liberation of Holland, the young Krabbe (played as a youth by Marten Smit) entered into a tender relationship with a Canadian soldier (Andrew Kelley). Back to the present, Krabbe attempts to incorporate his experiences in his latest ballet work, a celebration of the Liberation. This delicately handled tale was written by its director, Roeland Kerbosh. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A woman who loves opera finds herself playing a romantic version of musical chairs in this independent comedy from writer and director Maria Maggenti. Allegra (Elizabeth Reaser) is a writer who has been involved with Samantha (Julianne Nicholson) for some time, but Allegra just isn't willing to make a commitment. Eventually, Samantha decides she's had enough, and she not only leaves Allegra, she jumps to the other side of the gender divide and starts dating a man. While Allegra is none too pleased with Samantha's actions, she unwittingly finds herself following suit when she meets Philip (Justin Kirk), a college professor, at a party. After a few cocktails, Allegra and Philip end up in bed, and while Allegra is content to leave it as a one-night stand, Philip has different ideas, and goes so far as to dump his girlfriend to pursue a relationship with Allegra, even though she's made it clear to him she's not at all serious about him. At the same time, Allegra strikes up a new romance with Grace (Gretchen Mol), but she doesn't know all that much about Grace's previous lovers -- who happen to include Philip. Puccini for Beginners was screened in competition at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A bisexual travel writer assigned the task of covering Napa Valley's most romantic hot spots invites an old college friend to join him on his quest, only to find their attraction blossoming into something much more complex in writer/director Russell Brown's look at fidelity, promiscuity, and sexual morality in the modern era. Nathan (Cole Williams) is an L.A.-based writer preparing to pen an article about the Napa Valley wine district. Recognizing that a trip to wine country is always more fun when you invite a friend along, Nathan contacts old college friend Maggie (Amber Benson), who readily agrees to join him on his trip. Though both Nathan and Maggie currently have boyfriends, their attraction to one another finds wine tasting taking a back seat to an affair that raises numerous questions as to the fragility of intimate relationships when love knows no gender. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An Asian-American woman and her mother both find their private lives are becoming a family matter in this romantic comedy-drama. Wilhelmina Pang (Michelle Krusiec) is a surgeon living in Manhattan whose mother (Joan Chen) is eager for her to settle down with a nice man and get married. What Ma doesn't know is that Wilhelmina happens to be a lesbian -- or rather, Ma prefers not to acknowledge it, since she once walked in on Wilhelmina and her girlfriend several years before. As it happens, Wilhelmina is looking for someone special in her life, and thinks she may have found her in Vivian (Lynn Chen), a beautiful dancer, but a fear of commitment and a desire to keep her medical career on track is making their relationship problematic. As Wilhelmina tries to get her love life in order, her mother's shifts into crisis mode. Ma, a 48-year-old widow, has just discovered she's pregnant, and her staunchly traditional father (Li Zhiyu) will not allow her back into the home they share until she's married someone respectable. Unwilling to name the father of her baby, Ma is forced to move in with Wilhelmina, and while enduring the emotional roller coaster of pregnancy she is being pressured by friends and relatives to marry Cho (Nathaniel Geng), a sweet but boring man she doesn't especially like. Saving Face was the first feature film from writer and director Alice Wu. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A woman searching for the perfect man instead discovers the perfect woman in this romantic comedy. Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) is a woman with a solid career as a copy editor, but her love life isn't much to write home about; she's been through a long series of disastrous first dates that refuse to evolve into second dates, and the well-intended advice of her best friend Joan (Jackie Hoffman) and former boyfriend Josh (Scott Cohen) isn't helping a bit. One day, Jessica is scanning personal ads in the newspaper with her friends, and she sees one with a quote from her favorite poet. Jessica reads on to discover that she has a lot in common with the person who placed the ad -- too much so, since it turns out the notice is from a woman, Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen), who manages an art gallery. Jessica figures it would at least be nice to hang out with someone who shares her interests, and she gives Helen a call. Jessica and Helen quickly strike up a close friendship that evolves into something more intimate, though neither of them has ever been involved with another woman ... and Helen is a bit more avid about her new romantic horizons than Jessica. As their relationship progresses, Jessica finds herself struggling with her feelings about her new sexual outlook, and she isn't sure how to break the news about her relationship to her mother (Tovah Feldshuh) as she tries to decide if she should bring Helen along to her brother's wedding. Kissing Jessica Stein was based on the off-Broadway play Lipschtick, which was written by Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen, who starred in the original stage production as well as this film adaptation; the film won both the Critics' Special Jury Award and the Audience Award at the 2001 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A gay couple become a metaphor for others living in the shadow of AIDS in this fascinating British drama which conveys its message with humor, warmth and insightful dialog. Simon, a handsome, macho guy, and Mark, a female impersonator, are lovers involved in an open relationship. Simon is HIV negative, and Mark is HIV positive. The film looks back at Mark's reaction to discovering his condition. Mark likes to be at home when not working. After he found out he began working on an AIDS quilt like the one in the video he watches over and over. Meanwhile macho Simon, a TV technician continues to cruise London's gay bars at night looking for action. Mark soon dies and Simon becomes the film's focus as he carries on with his irresponsible sex life. Simon seems totally unaffected by his lover's death. But then, Mark comes back to haunt him. Mark strongly chastises Simon for his risky behavior which gives Simon serious pause for thought. Simon is the only one who can see Mark and this creates problems. Eventually Simon must acknowledge his true feelings of love for Mark and begin reassessing his life and behavior. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

A case of mistaken identity leads to a rivalry that humorously ponders the issue of mind vs. body in this gay-themed romantic comedy. Blaine (Nicholas Downs) is a talented young writer whose career is on the rise. Blaine has just moved to Los Angeles, and while he's good looking, in a city full of Grade A hunks he feels a bit inadequate, and the fact he's looking for a serious relationship rather than a quick hook-up is making things all the more difficult. While browsing an internet chat room, Blaine crosses virtual paths with Xander (David Loren), a handsome young musician, and after a phone call Blaine thinks he's finally found the perfect man. However, Blaine soon realizes that while Xander was talking to him on the phone, the picture he saw online was Blaine's very buff flatmate Cameron (Adam Huss). Not wanting to disappoint Xander, Blaine persuades Cameron to go on a date pretending to be him, but while Blaine is a romantic and a deep thinker, Cameron likes partying and one night stands. Can Cameron persuade Xander he's Blaine? Does he really want to? And is Xander really looking for sex or substance? Is It Just Me? received its world premiere at the 2010 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A hedonistic couple embarks on a wild, sex-fueled road trip in this low-budget indie. After a heist gone wrong leaves him battered, bruised and tortured by thugs, the titular Anthony (Daniel Cartier) hits the road with his raunchy girlfriend Donna (Lowe Taylor). But when they come across one of his former captors on the road, Anthony is caught between feelings of desire, fear and doom. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi