STONEWALL ( American )

"See; there's as many Stonewall stories as there's gay queens in New York; and that's a shitload of stories, baby!" 'La Miranda' leads us into her story, and continues throughout with a barrage of caustic and snappy one-liners. After some actual footage of the infamous Stonewall riots, we backtrack to a dramatized version of events. Matty-Dean is fresh chicken: right off a Greyhound from the deep south, and finger-lickin' good. Straight away he meets a gay rights campaigner, but it's when he falls in with 'La Miranda' and her chums that he really lands in the thick of it. Between crooked cops and the Mob, his hopes of a more tolerant lifestyle in New York are immediately shattered. However, you can never underestimate the resilience of a bunch of drag-queens, nor their ability to lip-sinc under pressure: even through the campest of sixties girl-group numbers! It may be a fictionalised account, but the gritty portrayal of these sarcastic queens: their frocks and timely musical numbers, make the period come alive. I can't wait for the stage production!

A LOVE TO HIDE ( French )

Visually superb, this film evokes the era so perfectly that at first it seems like a sort of Gallic 'Brideshead Revisited'. Handsome Phillipe works for the resistance in occupied WW2 France. His boyfriend, Jean, has had a relatively priveleged life as the youngest son in a family-run laundry. He is the apple of his parent's eye: to the chagrin of his mischievous big brother. With the influx of uniforms, business is booming, so the older boy is keen to show his elderly folks that he is a worthy heir and successor. Their Jewish competitors having been closed down, one by one the Jewish customers also fail to collect their laundry. He spots the opportunity to score a little contraband and lots of francs: bringing the family much relief from wartime privations. Unscrupulous characters are only too pleased to pay him for inside info about any newly vacated properties. However when Sarah, a Jewish childhood friend seeks refuge, the brothers give her work in the shop. The jealous older boy falls in love with her, but she is more interested in Jean's dashing boyfriend and his work for the underground. Meanwhile, the Nazis are becoming decidedly less tolerant of the homosexuals in their ranks. Even though our characters are all living dangerous lives, the conclusions are more shocking than anyone can believe.

BLIND SPOT ( American )

James Franco is Danny: a student who has scored a place at an up-market school on account of his swimming prowess. But he's a fish out of water until he meets and starts a relationship with an older guy; Darcy. When his man offers to take him away on a trip and then stands him up, Danny goes looking for some answers. A bit of snooping leads him to Darcy's home, where an attractive but distraught female is also missing him. Although each is unsure of the other's relationship to the fugitive, it is apparent that something is seriously amiss, and so they set off to search together. The trail quickly leads them into deep trouble. They realise that not only is Darcy secretive about his love-life, but his business affairs are dodgy too. Enter another handsome stranger. This guy is also on the scent trail, but he's much tougher and seems to know his way around the underworld. Unsure of his motives, they are forced to bow to his expertise, and so the trio join forces for what will be a very bumpy ride. Each has a piece of the puzzle but doesn't know who to trust. The stakes are high, the adrenalin pumps, and the plot twists and turns right through to a breath-taking climax.

STRAIGHT JACKET ( American )

Just like Rock Hudson when he and Doris Day were at their shiny, squeaky-clean best, our hero; Guy Stone, is married off to the company secretary. The marriage of convenience is meant to forestall any gay rumours, but no-one has bothered to let poor secretary Sally in on the secret. Overcome by her new-found fame and fortune, she throws herself into the Hollywood highlife. Meanwhile, like Rock and Doris before them, they play a game of musical beds as he dodges the dreaded consumation. When Guy meets the man of his dreams (and mine !) he is faced with the ultimate dilemna: the man or the money? With computer graphics used to enhance the retro feel, and actors who look flawless enough to be air-brushed, this movie could be set in the fifties or the here and now. You may laugh yourself silly, but it just shows how little the celluloid closet door has opened in all that time!

LOGGERHEADS ( American )

A very sombre and subdued movie which consists of three stories that switch back and forth between separate time periods. In common is the character of Mark, played by the georgous Kip Pardue, who arrives every year to sleep on a North Carolina beach and guard the eggs of the endangered Loggerhead Turtle. When the local sheriff tries to move him on, the hunky George offers him a room (who wouldn't !) at the run-down hotel he has inherited. Each is isolated by their own private grief, but a tentative relationship develops. Meanwhile, a mother's search for the son that she gave up for adoption years ago, has lead her to an uptight wife and her stern and unforgiving husband. The complex stories and relationships depicted are offset by dialogue as sparse as the beautifully shot coastline and spartan interiors. Despite a sometimes gloomy atmosphere, and the fact that it takes a while to work out the time jumps and how the stories tie together, this is nonetheless a thought-provoking and well-made film.

BEAUTIFUL THING ( English )

Barmaid and single mum, Sandra, is struggling to bring up her son Jamie in a council flat at Thamesmead housing estate, on London's outskirts. She's a tough nut, and naturally concerned to find that the boy has been skipping school to avoid bullying by his classmates. On one side lives another distraught mother, with a drop-out daughter who's only interest seems to be listening to Mama Cass at full volume. The other neighbours are an all male trio consisting of an alcoholic father, one son who is a petty crook, and a younger son, Ste. Ste is one of the 'blokes' at school and football, and normally wouldn't let on that he knows Jamie.Then one night after he's bashed by his brother, the motherly Sandra takes him in. The only problem is that the two boys will have to 'top and tail' in a single bed. I don't think I have to tell you where the story goes from there! The Mamas And Papas soundtrack adds enormously to the feelgood factor of this film, as do Leah's hilarious antics and Sandra's stoner/hippy boyfriend.One for the true romantics.

CAMP ( American )

Every Summer Camp Ovation plays host to "a bunch of freaks": kids who excell at drama, music and song. For the most part their folks are glad to be shot of them, and for the regulars this is the one place where they truly feel at home. Sharing a dormitory are one group who are joined by a new guy: a handsome guitar-player with the voice of an angel. Pretty soon everyone's batting their eyelids at him, trying to find out which way he swings. Unfortunately, he's in such need of affection that he schmoozes each of the friends in turn, and a bit of dissention results. Of course he's found out, but nobody can stay angry at someone so cute. Egos boosted all round, they head off to a grand musical finale (a-la 'Fame'), performed to an audience of astonished parents and a surprise celebrity guest. This funny and uplifting flick is even more amazing when you consider that the talented teens play their real age. Consequently all the filming was done during a few weeks of school vacation.With a brilliant script, lyrics, performances and very little funding, it's proof to Hollywood that quality musicals are still possible.