Cinema Queens

Well, we promised we would be back, and here we are! New name, new sound, but still sarcastic and argumentative at times. This episode we welcome new cohost, Patrick Beatty, and the two of us take a look at Joker, which is not only breaking box office records, but could quite possibly be up for a few Academy Awards next year. 

Huge apologies for the delay, but we're finally back with the last episode of musical month as we review Camp. It's got great music, mostly excellent performances, and introduced us to Anna Kendrink, but it's also wildly problematic and just isn't the best all around. This is also the final episode of Cinema Queens as we know it. Don't panic, we're still gonna go on, but we're gonna change things up a bit and try some new stuff, and we really think you're gonna like it. Thanks to everyone who's been following and listening, and I promise things are just gonna get better!

Hey everyone. We want to give our sincere apology for missing a few weeks. One of Adam's best friends and the reason he is a film critic and this podcast even exists, Jimmy Martin, passed away from a freak accident, and it's taken some time to recover. But he'd want us to keep going, so we are with Hedwig and the Angry Inch which kicks off our month of LGBT musicals. It's a fun and thought provoking film, but most people are probably more familiar with the stage musical than the actual movie. Also, if you're interested in checking it out, the DVD is out of print, but it just came out on blu-ray for the Criterion edition, and they're all half off this month at Barnes and Noble, so you can get it for a steal! As always, feel free to send feedback and recommendations to cinemaqueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens!

We continue our PRIDE month of superhero films with Wonder Woman which surprisingly, Chris missed in theaters, so it was exciting to see his reaction to it for his first time. Returning guest panelist, Clark, is back on, and we discuss not only the themes in the film, but gender roles and why something like empathy is considered a feminine trait and not just a universal one. Feedback is welcome on social media @CinemaQueens and via email, cinemaqueens@gmail.com

It's PRIDE month, and we're being a little less serious this time and doing superhero movies (which ties in with our Funnybooks and Firewater crossover). We start things off with a bang with X2: X-Men United which is chock full of queer themes and subtext, and it's just a damn good movie. Adam also got to see Dark Phoenix early, so he is doing a quick, spoiler-free review of that at the very end as well. Feedback and suggestions always welcome at cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens! HAPPY PRIDE!

May went by way too fast, and this week we are doing our last movie focused on mothers, Philomena. Now it's not exactly a queer film despite its plot revolving around a gay character, but it's still fantastically done with amazing performances by Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. Also, with PRIDE month and Salt Lake PRIDE just a few days away, we announce the movies for June as well as the books for Funnybooks and Firewater for when we do our crossover episode, so stay tuned for more info. As always, feel free to send feedback and recommendations to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

Continuing our months of moms, we take a look at Sundance and award season darling, The Kids Are All Right, and there is a lot to talk about here. While it's great to see a movie featuring same-sex parents raising normal and mostly well-adjusted kids, there is still an underlying theme that people aren't gay, they just haven't found the right person of the opposite gender. Be sure to send feedback and recommendations to CinemaQueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens!

We apologize for the brief absence, but life finds a way to make things difficult. But we are back in a new month, and we are featuring stories about Mothers, whether LBT themselves or the moms of LGBT kids. Our first movie is Other People, which is still the best movie Adam ever saw at Sundance, and one you've probably skipped over a bunch of times on Netflix, so definitely check it out! Feel free to send feedback and recommendations to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

We are joined by a very special guest, Mr. Casey, to discuss this week's film, Boy Erased, which is based on the true story and memoirs of a young gay man who survived ex-gay "therapy" in 2004. This was a very personal film for Adam as he went through something similar during the same time period, and as much as he swore never to watch it again, he did, so the panel could talk about it. This is an extremely important movie that everyone needs to see, especially the loved ones of members of the LGBT community who aren't aware of the horrors that happens in these kinds of places. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

This week we are looking at the biopic Milk which recounts the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office and who helped spark a revolution of activism in the LGBT community. Unlike last month, we dive in deep and discuss the issues our community still faces and also where our spirit of activism and protest went. “We're here, we're queer; get used to it” used to be our mantra, but that seems to have faded away. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

This week we are taking a look at the awards darling, The Imitation Game, which gives us a brief glimpse into the life of Alan Turing and his exploits on cracking the Nazi's Enigma Code and helping end World War II years earlier than it would have. This was in Adam's top five movies the year it came out, and both of us thoroughly enjoyed it even though it's absolutely heartbreaking to see how Alan was treated for being gay after doing so much to help his country, the world, and the future as we know it. Feel free to send us feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

We're doing biographies this month and decided to start with I Love You Phillip Morris, which is the story of con-artist Steven Russell and the relationship he forms with the titular Phillip Morris. This is a somewhat hard movie to watch because despite the fact it's well made, Steven Russell is just such a horrible person that it's cringe-worthy watching him screw over so many wonderful people, and most of all, Phillip, who is just such a sweet and charming guy, you can't help but love him (see what we did there). As always, please send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

We finish up March with Connie and Carla which fits the theme we've seen repeated the whole month - namely, all the movies have portrayed LGBT culture through the lens of heterosexuality. We get it's a product of its time and is trying to appeal to a mass audience, but seriously, we need queer movies by queer artists. Anywho, it's still a lot of fun, and returning champion Clark is back on with us since he loves it so much and also to get a sincere apology from Chris. Oh, and we get really dirty this one around, so keep the kids away. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and hit us up on social media @CinemaQueens!

Well everyone knew we had to eventually do it, because this week we finally got around to The Birdcage, and we will be quoting Nathan Lane for weeks on end now. Once again, it's a gay movie presented through the lens of heterosexuality, but no one can deny the fun and charm that Robin Williams and Nathan Lane share together on screen, even if their relationship is straightforward and platonic. Be sure to send feedback and recommendations to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

Drag queen month continues along with our trend of movies with ridiculously long titles with To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. Endlessly quotable and completely hilarious, it's really interesting that the film presents queer culture through a relatively straight lens considering the fact the screenwriter was gay himself. And despite being straight men, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo pull off being FABULOUS drag queens! But it's not all quite fun and games as we discuss the elephant in the room, domestic abuse, that the LGBT community needs to start recognizing as the important issue it is and actually do something about it. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

March is here, and we decided to do a month devoted to drag queens! Why? Why not! We kick things off with The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, so we're off to a good start as this is fun, funny, heartfelt and has some very positive trans representation that is somewhat surprising considering this came out 25 years ago. Of course, it's not perfect, and has some really problematic portrayals of race, and we tackle that head on while discussing the movie's merits as well. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and follow us on social media @CinemaQueens!

Again, we sincerely apologize for the delay, but Adam is back in Salt Lake, so this shouldn't be a problem going forward. This week we FINALLY watched The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green which, well, it's not a good movie, but it's a lot of fun and there are worse ways to spend 88 minutes. Be sure to send feedback and recommendations to CinemaQueens@Gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens!

Hey everyone, we are sorry we missed last week. Adam has been in Boise for work for five weeks, so it's thrown our schedule out of whack. Just wanted to give everyone a quick update of what was going on and our plans for the rest of the month. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back in a week!

We're wrapping up our month of "New Year New You's" coming out stories with Saved! Now to be honest, this isn't a gay film, per se, but there is a queer sensibility running through it and the plot is driven by a young, Christian girl trying to save her gay boyfriend from the demon of homosexuality, or something like that. And yes, to those listening, this WAS exactly how Adam's high school was like. Be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

This week we are discussing Beautiful Thing which was the second gay movie Adam ever saw and is a sweet story about two teenagers in England figuring out who they are and also that they're in love with each other. This movie isn't going to change the world, and the story might be a little simplistic and romanticized, but that doesn't mean it's not fully enjoyable and heartwarming. As always, feel free to send feedback or suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens!

New week, new movie, and this time we are talking about G.B.F. which you can find on Netflix if you want to follow along with us. Essentially, this is Gay Mean Girls (which is a common theme that will pop up again later this month), and while it's fun, it's pretty vapid as there isn't much to this straightforward story. It's like a movie made of cotton candy. Be sure to send feedback and recommendations to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

We hope the first week of 2019 has been good to you, and we hope you like our subject for January - Coming Out! We're looking at In and Out to kick things off, and, well, the rest of the month can only go up from here. This is a gay story shot through the lens of a straight sensibility, and while there are some amusing moments, they're few and far between and make it nearly impossible to recommend this. Feel free to send feedback and recommendations to CinemaQueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens! 

It's hard to believe that 2018 and John Waters' month is at an end, but here we are! This week we take a look at his most well-known and arguably, best film, Hairspray! Most people will be familiar with the Broadway and movie musical from 2007, but this is where they get their roots from - a story about teenagers confronting racism in the early 60s. Of course it wouldn't be a John Waters film without some problematic content including white appropriation and the "white knight" way of addressing problems with race. Feel free to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens. Happy New Year, everyone!

Just in time for Christmas, we get together to talk about A Dirty Shame which is the last film John Waters made. As always, he has a point to make, and this one is about the puritanical and incorrect view of sex and nudity that the United States has and perpetuates. The problem is, one of the most important points the film makes is that any sex act is ok so long as it doesn't harm anyone and everyone involved is consenting, but then goes on to completely ignore this cardinal rule. We hope everyone has a safe and fun Christmas with their families and friends, and be sure to send feedback and suggestions to CinemaQueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

We want to apologize for the delay; between strep throat and a mental breakdown between the two of us, it's been a week. But to be honest, missing out on Desperate Living isn't that much of a bad thing because this movie is the pinnacle of crap, and it's almost enough to make us not like John Waters anymore. This seems like his last hurrah before moving onto more sensible, "R" rated movies, and nothing here really works at all. So skip it and just listen to us rant about it instead. Feel free to send feedback and suggestions to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

John Waters month continues with Polyester which was one of his first movies to be restricted by an R rating, and it definitely shows. While this has more of a plot line than some of his earlier work, both of us were somewhat confused as to the point he was trying to make outside of his normal indictments of the nuclear family and the desire for fame. But it's not all bad, and there are definitely some funny moments to be had as well as feeling horrible for Divine's character who is absolutely the nicest person in the world. Be sure to send us suggestions and feedback to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

It's December! And what better way to celebrate the reason for the season than with John Waters' flicks! We start with one of the most palatable ones, Serial Mom, and we finally find one of his films that Clark likes! We discuss if the movie is truly a John Waters' film, whether or not it's a queer movie or just one with a following by the community, and why we need to be honest with who we are and how this media can help with that. Be sure to send feedback and requests to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and follow us on social media @CinemaQueens!

We wrap up Transgender Awareness Month with The Danish Girl and are joined once again by our good friend Lucas and Adam's boyfriend, Clark. First things first, this is a gorgeous movie that deserves to be seen even if it is very problematic (cis guy playing a trans woman, anyone?) and also a perfect example of Oscar bait. But as much as we call it out for these issues, it's still highly recommended and generates some excellent discussions we are happy to share with you. Also, WHO has mono, and HOW did they get it? Please feel free to send us feedback and recommendations to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and all over social media @CinemaQueens!

It might be Thanksgiving this week, but we jump ahead to events around Christmas with this week's movie - Tangerine. Everyone going in should know that this was a Sundance film shot on an iPhone, so the gimmick is that it's meant to look voyeuristic and kind of off, so if you notice that, don't let it bug you. Aside from that, there are a lot of good one liners to have fun with, but this is basically an 88 minute movie with only 10 minutes of content. Be sure to send us feedback or recommendations on social media @CinemaQueens and to cinemaqueens@gmail.com! 

This week is a rough one as we discuss Boys Don't Cry and the tragic story of Brandon Teena, a young trans-man whose life was brutally ended by some people who showed us what evil incarnate looks like. As much as we both think it's an important story that people need to know about, it's extremely difficult to watch what plays out on the screen. We also talk about the importance of finding your tribe and especially the right one and the controversy of allowing trans roles to be played by cis-actors of a differing gender. Any feedback or suggestions, send them to CinemaQueens@gmail.com or on social media @CinemaQueens!

The second week of November is Trans Awareness Week, and we wanted to take a whole month to cover movies dealing with topics revolving around the community. We are here with the documentary, Transformer, which chronicles the life of weight lifter Janae Kroczaleski and her journey towards accepting her identity and the steps she took to become the person she always has been. Special guest Lucas Fowler joins us to give more insight into the trans community and how all of us can be better and more effective allies. We would love feedback and film requests, so feel free to email us at cinemaqueens@gmail.com and on social media @CinemaQueens!

Can you believe it? October is nearly over, and we are wrapping on Gay Christmas month with the ever fabulous and somewhat problematic Rocky Horror Picture Show! It's a musical, so of course Eddie is back, and we are joined once again by Clark and our very special guest and friend, Jordan! Rocky Horror was instrumental in introducing queer culture to countless people for decades now, so we discuss the impact it's had as well as why there are issues, and what we, as men with privilege, can do to affect that and help those in our community. Oh, and Chris picks which fictional serial killers he would f**k, marry, kill and be killed by! Finally, stay 'till the very end for a review of the new Freddy Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Please feel free to send suggestions and feedback to cinemaqueens@gmail.com and also on social media @CinemaQueens! 

This week for Gay Christmas, we are talking about Hellbent, which has been billed as the first gay slasher. Let's be honest here, this isn't high art by any definition of the term, and it would be a stretch to even consider it a decent film. But we get to watch hot gay guys make out with their shirts off and get killed in horrible ways, so it's not all a loss. The biggest discussion here revolves around problematic content in entertainment and whether or not we should still enjoy those kinds of products and how. Also, stay tuned to the end for a brief review of the new Halloween in theaters now! As always, feel free to leave feedback or suggestions on social media @CinemaQueens!

This week we are taking a look at the most unintentionally gay horror film ever made, Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. It's a slasher film so guest star Eddie returns to break down the movie and talk about all the hidden themes within. And yeah, it's chock full of homoerotica with the iconic villain, Freddy, actually standing in as a representation of internalized homophobia and quite possibly the upcoming AIDS crisis. Also, we recorded on National Coming Out Day, and in the middle of the episode, Clark, Adam's boyfriend, publicly came out, so this was a huge deal we briefly talk about and congratulate him for. As always, check us out on social media and send feedback and recommendations @CinemaQueens!

We continue gay Christmas month, aka Halloween, with a literally campy film - Sleepaway Camp! This is one of Eddie's favorite slasher films, so he's back to guest and discuss this movie's merits and flaws. It's definitely a product of its time and has some problematic content, but we can't really talk about it here without going into spoiler territory. The problematic content has been a standard trope in horror films for decades, so we break that down and also decry the "mental illness is the reason people do messed up things" that is so prevalent in society. Oh, and fair warning, we get REALLY NSFW and blasphemous in this one, so you've been warned. Be sure to tell us what you think on social media @CinemaQueens!

October is here which means Halloween, aka, Gay Christmas is almost upon us! So of course we had to cover horror movies this month starting with The Babadook. Now this isn't necessarily an LGBT film, but the Babadook has definitely become a queer icon over the last few years, so we felt it was perfect to kick the month off. We also dive into the themes of dealing with grief and mental health issues, as well as what to do with a cryogenically frozen piece of the male anatomy all while wondering what exactly is leaking on the floor. Be sure to hit us up with suggestions as well as feedback on social media @CinemaQueens!

We wrap up September with a movie that might not seem queer at first glance, but there's a lot of queer themes hiding within -- Labyrinth! Eddie is back to chime in, and we are joined by our good friend, Ciara, because this is her favorite film of all time, and she can literally recite it line-by-line. And YES, we do spend time discussing Bowie's codpiece, but we end up taking it a lot deeper, especially with our discussion of what the phrase, "you have no power over me," means to all of us individually. Some tears may have been shed. But there's still lots of laughs to be had, so be sure to check us out on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play, and send us feedback and suggestions on social media @CinemaQueens!

We sincerely apologize for missing a week, but we are roaring back with our review of Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. This documentary is about Scotty Bowers who was basically the pimp who supplied queer Hollywood with men and women to fulfill their sexual needs during the repressive 40-70s. While not the tell-all it was promised to be, both of us thought it was a great character study on a man who claims to have done so much to influence behind-the-scenes of old time Hollywood. We also introduce a new feature, "smash or pass," discuss whether either of us would utilize the services of a gentleman of the night and if public outing is ever ok. And yes, it is in one very specific instance. Be sure to send us feedback and/or  recommendations on social media (@Cinemaqueens) or via email (cinemaqueens@gmail.com)!

We had to add ONE more movie from the Damn These Heels festival, and we're glad we did because we both loved it! "Ideal Home," while quite predictable and full of romantic dramedy tropes, is a ton of fun and features GREAT chemistry between Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan. Taco Bell quite obviously invested a lot of money to help get this movie made, as it's featured prominently throughout the film, but both Adam and Chris wonder if their target demographic should be GBT men for ... obvious reasons. We also discuss the difference between cheating on your partner empotionally or physically and which is worse. Be sure to check us out on social media and leave feedback and recommendations @CinemaQueens!

We wrap up August with our final movie from the Damn These Heels festival, "Alaska Is a Drag," which was Chris's least favorite thing he saw over that weekend. Our biggest problem with it is that it never really wraps any of the dozen stories it starts and lacks any sort of catharsis that it desperately needed. Chris also hops on Adam's case for never having seen Kyle XY, and Adam wonders how the lack of a belly button would affect intimate moments. Be sure to check us out on social media and leave feedback and recommendations @CinemaQueens!

This weekd, we take a look at Chris' favorite movie from the Damn These Heels film festival, "Close-Knit" which tells the story of a young Japanese girl and the relationship she forms with her brother and his transgender girlfriend and how family is really what and with whom you make it with. We also discuss the importance of representation of having people of the correct gender and identity play their roles in entertainment and how our views have evolved even in the last few months on this issue. We briefly dive into the James Gunn debacle and also list our opposite gender celebrity crushes. Be sure to check us out on social media @CinemaQueens!

We're back with Adam's least favorite movie from the Damn These Heels film festival - "My Big, Gay, Italian Wedding." And for the first time ever, Adam and Chris disagree on a film, so there's a lot of fun back and forth between the two of us. Adam thought it was trying to be earnest and legitimate, and Chris felt the whole thing was poking fun at the rom-com genre. Either which way, we spend time ranting at each other and also discuss the fact that for the first time ever, the listeners knew more than we did. How so? Well, you'll find out! And be sure to check us out on social media and recommend any movies you want us to see @CinemaQueens!

We're back with our most blasphemous episode ever as we start our coverage of the Damn These Heels film festival with "Leitis in Waiting," a fascinating documentary chronicling the lives and struggles of trans women in Tonga. This was Adam's favorite movie of the film festival, and both of us really learned a lot about not just the issues facing trans women in Tonga because of the influx of evangelical Christianity in that culture, but just the people in general. Chris goes on his longest rant ever and makes some excellent points! Be sure to follow us and send feedback on social media @CinemaQueens!

21 episode! We're officially old enough to drink now! The kids in this week's movie, "Geography Club," are not however. We finally disagree about a movie! Chris enjoyed it a lot more than Adam did despite both of us giving it a similar score. The toxic masculinity we discussed last week rears its ugly head again with this film, Chris gives out parenting advice and also wishes upon a star for something incredibly naughty. Be sure to send us feedback and check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, @CinemaQueens. We'll be back next week to start our coverage of the Damn These Heels film festival!

We apologize for lying to you again! Our plan to do "Geography Club" got bumped 'till next week because we wanted to talk about Hannah Gadsby's brillaint Netflix stand-up, "Nanette," because it is so vitally important for everyone, especially women and the LGBTQ community to hear ASAP. In fact, we recommend you watch the special before listening because we have to spoil parts of it in order to fully discuss it. We dive deep and have a really emotional episode as all of us, including guest Eddie, talk about the internalized homophobia we still carry despite being out and proud, what wisdom we wish we could impart on our teenage selves and a bunch of serious topics. Be sure to check us out and send us feedback on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!

We're tackling another John Waters classic, "Female Trouble," and we get a bit political. As he did with "Pink Flamingos," Waters is throwing the bird to society and getting across the message that we need to be fiercely queer in all aspects of our lives, and that's just, if not moreso, relevant now with our current political climate. Be sure to give us feedback and let us know if there are any movies you want us to cover. We're on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!

We realized we hadn'tackled an action movie yet, so this week, we are talking about "Atomic Blonde," the first summer, tentpole movie featuring a bisexual main character and starring the bad-ass Charlize Theron as an MI6 spy in Berlin during the end of the Cold War. And for the first time ever, the two of us disagree on a movie, so we actually got to debate its merits! We also discuss the difference between bisexulity and pansexuality, our favorite and most hated words and dig into our sexual orientations a little more deeply than before. Be sure to send feedback and let us know if there is a movie you want us to cover on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!

Back to something a little less serious with "Alex Strangelove;" we just wish we could tell you it's good. It's not. Aside from just the general issues from a filmmaking standpoint, this movie is extremely problematic. From the way it handles the female characters, bi-erasure, and glorifying violence, it's the antithesis of "Love, Simon," the film it's bound to draw comparisons to. Just go see that instead. Clark guests again and aptly discusses the film and the bi-phobic aspects of it as well. Be sure to check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!

It's hard to believe PRIDE month is almost over! And as it wraps, so do we on our coverage of "Angels in America" by discussing the last two episodes of the fantastic HBO miniseries. Eddie hops in once again as we all give our final thoughts and reviews of the show. Fair warning, we're a lot more serious this time around, but there are a lot of heavy themes at hand. What exactly IS "The Great Work" Prior talks about? What does each of us think Heaven is really like? And how can we show kindness to our enemies? It's all here and more! Be sure to check us out and send feedback on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens. Happy PRIDE, everyone!

We've hit the last half of PRIDE month, and we started Act Two of "Angels in America," "Perestroika." As much as the first act was about tearing down lives and relationships, act two starts the rebuilding process as new relationships and developments are formed. We also talk about what we want our funerals to look like, our drag personas, and Adam thinks that Chris invents a new gender! Be sure to follow us and leave feedbaack on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!

First of all, our sincerest apologies for some of the background noise, as Adam was simultaneously making dinner (it was delicious BTW). But we are discussing episodes two and three of "Angels in America" which finishes up part one, "Millenium Approaches," and there is a lot of heavy stuff to unpack. We discuss the disparity and often racism and sexism among the different members of the LGBT community, the importance of voting and praise a local hero in Salt Lake who singlehandedly stood up to a mob of bigots trying to harass two gay men during PRIDE weekend. Be sure to check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CinemaQueens!