A- Archives

Bono: Stories of Surrender is one of the Great Concert Movies (2025) A-

Posted by Patrick | Aug 12, 2025 | A-, Apple TV+, Documentary, Film Music | LA Music Scene, LA Music Scene, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming

The man, on stage, in Naples, without the rest of his U2 bandmates, is in a great voice and equally fine storytelling form.

Love and Death (2023) Elizabeth Olsen Asks “Is That All There Is?” A-

Posted by Patrick | May 6, 2023 | A-, HBOMAX, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, Television

This is the superior version thanks to a spectacularly good Elizabeth Olsen as Montgomery, a housewife who has everything on the Baby Boom checklist.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 9, 2023 | 2023, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

We also discover, in a beautifully acted scene by McAdams, who steals the picture, that Barbara is estranged from her devoutly Christian parents.

How to Have Sex (2023) Mia McKenna-Bruce shines in Manning Walker’s debut A-

Posted by Patrick | Nov 6, 2023 | 2023, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, MUBI, Queer Film, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming

“How to Have Sex” follows three teenage girls on vacation in Greece. Mia McKenna-Bruce delivers a heartbreaking performance as Tara. One of 2023’s best.

You Can Live Forever (2023) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 16, 2023 | 2023, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Laporte is tremendous in portraying a complex character who appears to have an “escape” but really doesn’t. It’s a heartbreaking performance.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Aug 21, 2022 | 2022, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Beautifully Queer friendly, the relationship between Bee (Maria Bakalova) and Sophiie (Amanda Stenberg) is the emotional center of the movie.

The Tale of King Crab (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 1, 2022 | 2022, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

The directors are extremely cine-literate. However, their references never seemed forced and I basked in their cinematic vision.

Great Freedom (2021) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 9, 2022 | 2021, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, MUBI, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Meise directs what must be some of the most beautiful and heartfelt scenes ever captured on film between two men in love.

Dance of the Forty-One (2020) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Dec 27, 2021 | 2020, A-, Film Reviews, Netflix, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming

Ignacio de la Torre was the son in law of Mexico’s president for life and dictator Porfirio Díaz’s. But he was leading a double life with his lover Evaristo.

Dressed to Kill (1980) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Oct 25, 2025 | 80s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Music, Film Music | LA Music Scene, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Thanks to Ralph D. Bode’s cinematography and Pino Donaggio’s haunting score, it is both a visual and an aural feast.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Apr 27, 2023 | 70s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming

Excellent work by Robert Stephens (his best screen performance) and Colin Blakely (Dr. Watson). Geneviève Page gives a gorgeous melancholy performance.

Death In Venice (1971) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 5, 2022 | 70s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Music, Film Music | LA Music Scene, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Visconti’s best idea was changing Aschenbach’s profession from a writer to a composer opening up the movie to the Mahler Adagietto .

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1971) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 9, 2022 | 70s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

“The Garden of the Finzi Continis” is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by gay Italian writer Giorgio Bassani who is played in the film by Helmut Berger.

Suspiria (1977) Dario Argento’s Cabal of Lesbian Witches A-

Posted by Patrick | Apr 4, 2024 | 70s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Streaming, YouTube

Italian director Dario Argento’s supernatural horror sensation! Jessica Harper is a ballet student whose school is a front for a coven of lesbian witches.

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 60s, A-, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television

A beautiful adaptation of the William Inge play directed by Delbert Mann from a great script by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch..

Advice and Consent (1962) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 60s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Preminger always liked to be cutting edge and he was with “Advise and Consent” a beautifully written, acted and directed movie.

The L-Shaped Room (1963) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 60s, A-, Cinematographers, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Writer/director Bryan Forbes lovely and faithful adaptation of the Lynne Reid Banks novel boasts Leslie Caron’s greatest performance.

The Loved One (1965) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 60s, A-, Amazon, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Great fun was had by all adapting Evelyn Waugh’s 1948 short satirical novel about the funeral business in Los Angeles.

Strangers on a Train (1951) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 1, 2022 | 50s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Directors (Hitchcock and others), Film Reviews, Queer Film, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

Hitchcock reverses himself here, having gay actor Farley Granger play the straight character and straight actor Robert Walker play the gay character.

Niagara (1953) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 15, 2022 | 50s, A-, Film Noir, Ratings: Movies and Television

The buildup to Monroe’s superstardom started here. The magnificent widescreen technicolor cinematography is by Joseph MacDonald.

Tea and Sympathy (1956) Film Review. A-

Posted by Patrick | Jun 5, 2024 | 50s, A-, Amazon, Apple TV+, Film Reviews, Queer Film, Ratings: Movies and Television, Streaming, YouTube

“Tea and Sympathy” has aged well. What could not be said under the Hayes code lends it beauty and delicacy, especially in Deborah’s sublime performance.