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"I just feel, perpetually, like I'm out of my own comfort zone." Another excellent short that is worth your time to watch. Alex's Dream is a 9-minute short film written and directed by British actor Jack Cooper Stimpson. It originally premiered in 2018 and is now available online to watch thanks to Short of the Week. Alex Lawther stars as Alex, a young man who arrives uninvited to a party and after a set of excruciating interactions with other guests, is forced to recount a memorable dream he's had about being on a fishing boat. The film is described by Stimpson as "a meditation on oneiric experience in cinema, mental health, talking dogs and fishermen." The short also stars Emma Corrin, Chris New, Sam Haygarth, and Simon Manyonda. There's some fascinating nuance in this short, and heaps of uncomfortable anxiety. Lawther is also so incredibly talented. Thanks to ...

Whether a curse or a blessing, “May you live in interesting times” certainly applies to the Lgbtq community — the past decade saw the legalization of same-sex marriages and the end of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, but every advancement has been met with pushback and threats to overturn equal protections under the law. Trans characters got their largest public spotlight on television shows like “Pose” and “Transparent,” while at the same time they remain the targets of violence and of hysterical and reactionary lawmakers. Whatever triumphs and travails the community faced in day-to-day life, their lives and loves continued to be reflected on the big screen; here are some of the decade’s greatest examples, listed alphabetically.

Runners-Up: “1985,” “Appropriate Behavior,” “Booksmart,” “Bpm,” “Cola de Mono,” “Drunktown’s Finest,” “Kiki,” “Love, Simon,” “Paris 05:59 Théo & Hugo,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”

“Call Me By Your...

Founder and managing director of the UK’s Peccadillo Pictures awarded last night.

Tom Abell, founder and managing director of the UK’s Peccadillo Pictures, was presented last night (April 11) with the inaugural Iris Fellowship, honouring those who have made a significant contribution to the Lgbt+ film industry.

The award is an extension of the Iris Prize, which awards £30,000 annually to the best short film shown at Cardiff’s Lgbt+ Iris Prize Film Festival, with entries selected by multiple international partner festivals, and £20,000 to the best British short. The prizes are supported annually by a £50,000 donation by the Michael Bishop Foundation.

Lgbtq Pride Month was started to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots that launched the gay rights movement. To help celebrate the ever-increasing number of films and TV shows centered around Lgbtq themes, here are some of the best titles streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and HBO.

Netflix

Queer as Folk

L. Pief Weyman/Showtime/Kobal/Rex

Adapted from the British series of the same name, “Queer as Folk” was the first hourlong drama in the U.S. to portray the lives of Lgbtq men and women at the forefront of the story.

The Fosters

Blazing Elm/Nitelite

After portraying Emmett on “Queer as Folk,” Peter Paige went on to create “The Fosters” for ABC Family/Freeform, which was notable for relaying a loving family drama with an interracial, lesbian couple as the matriarchs of the clan.

The L Word

Carole Segal/Showtime/Kobal/Rex

Showtime’s trailblazing series “The L Word...

What makes a sex scene sexy? More to the point, what makes a sex scene good? That’s become an especially thorny question in recent years, with detailed accounts of what goes on behind the scenes of movies we love complicating our relationship with their most memorable moments (we’re looking at you, “Blue Is the Warmest Color”). And though we’re ever so slowly moving away from the male gaze serving as the default perspective on love, sex, and everything between, there’s still a long way to go.

Read More:The 25 Best Sexy Movies of the 21st Century, From ‘Y Tu Mamá También’ to ‘Blue is the Warmest Color’

Still, there’s been a lot to celebrate over the last 17 years. A number of sex-positive, Lgbtq-friendly, and otherwise forward-thinking filmmakers have directed scenes that are as steamy as they are moving. There’s nothing missionary about the movies below — S&M,...

Team Experience is celebrating Valentines Day with favorite love scenes. Here's Jose...

Early on in my life I decided that all my favorite romances had to end with the lovers apart. And I mean, seriously, can you name a perfect romance that ends with happily ever after? From Casablanca to Dr. Zhivago and Roman Holiday, it's as if the movies have always told us that a brief, but powerful romance, the kind which makes us swoon in our 80s like Gloria Stuart in Titanic, is the kind of romance we all should crave. But it wasn't until I watched Andrew Haigh's Nottingham-set Weekend in 2011 that I realized as a gay man there was finally one of these romances for someone like me (I won't go into details of how this movie seems to me my biopic...) in which no one ended dead, as most gay romances do in fiction.

The Duplass brothers, Jay and Mark, put together a list of their top nine favorite films available on Sundance Now, the streaming service with award winning films, documentaries and TV series. Their curated collection features the early works of directors like Barry Jenkins, Andrea Arnold and Andrew Haigh, among others.

Since it’s a list for Sundance Now, the brothers recommended movies that in their mind are “quintessentially Sundancian” and have a “rawness of emotion.”

“In my mind, these films have a surprising number of specific elements in common: pin-pointed specific point of view from the director, a first or early film, non-professional actors, an uncontrolled documentary style, low budget, rawness of emotion, and performances that make your subconscious wonder at times if it’s a documentary,” said Jay Duplass. “More than anything, the films feel like they have been made by someone very specific, and you get the feeling...

Scott Chambers gives a detailed and affecting performance as a young man with learning difficulties

This very affecting feature debut from director Joe Stephenson, adapted from Freddie Machin’s play by Chris New, centres on a teenager with learning difficulties (Scott Chambers, superb) who communicates more easily with animals – both dead and alive – than with people. Living in a caravan with his volatile and violent brother Polly (a convincingly wired Morgan Watkins), 15-year-old Richard befriends Yasmin Paige’s Annabel, whose family owns the land they live on. With its clash of natural beauty and societal disorder, Chicken nods towards the template of Ken Loach’s Kes, with Richard doting on pet hen Fiona, a symbol of his own flightless yet nurturing plight. Like the young Leonardo DiCaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Chambers’s performance has tuning-fork precision, his slightly skewed physical movements and scattershot speech creating a childlike...

Exclusive: Korean sales agent has taken international rights to Joe Stephenson’s directorial debut.

Seoul-based sales agent Mirovision has picked up international rights outside of the UK to Joe Stephenson’s Chicken.

Starring Scott Chambers, Morgan Watkins and Yasmin Paige, the feature debut premiered at last year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. It also screened at the Busan International Film Festival where Mirovision founder Jason Chae met the filmmakers.

Based on Freddie Machin’s stage play of the same name, the film revolves around an optimistic teenager with learning difficulties, his abusive older brother and the older girl he falls in love with. The play was adapted for the screen by Chris New.

“The film is a fresh, impressive debut and we’re very pleased to have come on board for world sales,” said Chae. “We hope to start picking up more English-language titles. Our aim is to work with new talents and help them in the...

From "Milk" to "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, of which I'm a proud voting member, has released the Top 10 Best Lgbtqa movies every non-lgbtqa must and should see! And I agree with all the selections. Some are brutally and politically honest, some are just fun but all speak volumes about the history of Lgbtqa in and around the world of cinema!

Here's the complete press release with the aforementioned list! Do you agree?

November 24, 2015 . Hollywood, Ca.: Just in time for the holidays, as they say . . . the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (galeca.org) today announced its membership.s picks for their second .Galeca Ten Best. list: The 10 Best Lbgtqa Films Galeca Every Non-lgbtqa Person Should See!

Oscar winners to community classics to modern independent discoveries . there.s a movie for every persuasion here.

Critics from the 120-member organization...

★★★☆☆ The debut feature from Joe Stephenson, Chicken (2015) - premièring at the Edinburgh International Film Festival - is based on the stage play of the same name with an adapted screenplay co-written by original author Freddie Machin and Weekend (2011) actor Chris New. After a shaky start, this British drama set against the sweeping East Anglian backdrop picks up considerably before reaching a conclusion that packs quite the emotional punch. Richard (Scott Chambers) lives in a beaten-up caravan on someone else's land with his older brother, Polly (Morgan Watkins). He spends his days farming and caring for his pet chicken - and lifelong best friend - Fiona.

Tonight's show, kicked off with Andi going over how she feels about her final three men , Chris Soules,Nick Viall, and Josh Murray. Then they revealed that the drama had moved to the Dominican Republic. Andi and Nick's 1 on 1 date footage, was shown first. They hit up the beach for some water fun. they talked for a bit before they ended up, kissing. Then on the 2nd half of their date, Nick sprung out a corny love book he made that described a story that was very similar to his Bachelorette experience with Andi. Andi thought it was cute and they proceeded to do the whole fantasy suite thing, which involved more giggling and kissing action. Also, Nick was finally able to tell Andi, he loved her. Next, Andi and Josh did their 1 on 1 date thing. They started things off by playing some baseball with a lot of little kids,...

Chris New, one of the stars of the acclaimed Weekend, has just wrapped principal photography on his feature directorial debut A Smallholding.

Man in Rum produces the micro-budget feature.

The film is adapted from Chris Dunkley’s stage play Smallholding, about a couple who escape the city for a new start in the Northamptonshire countryside. Matti Houghton and David Hayler play the leads. Johnny Flynn is among the supporting cast and also created the film’s soundtrack.

New, who starred in the stage play, adapted the screenplay with Dunkley.

Producers are Dunkley and Hannah Jones.

The feature was funded entirely from a Kickstarter campaign.

New is also the writer of Chicken, another feature in post.

Exclusive: Shoot readies on B Good drama starring Yasmin Paige.

Morgan Watkins (Wild Bill) and Michael Culkin (Downton Abbey) have joined former Screen Star of Tomorrow Yasmin Paige (Submarine) and Scott Chambers on Joe Stephenson’s feature debut Chicken.

Shoot is due to commence in London and Surrey on August 27.

Watkins recently wrapped on Alan Rickman’s A Little Chaos. Culkin most recently played in Bill Condon’s Wikileaks drama The Fifth Estate, which premieres at Toronto. Gina Bramhill (Being Human) and Rada graduate Kirsty Besterman round out the cast.

Weekend actor Chris New has adapted Freddie Machin’s play of the same name, in which two brothers living in a caravan on someone else’s land have their lives turned upside down with the arrival of a new land-owner. Paige will play the new land-owner’s daughter.

As previously reported, Scott Chambers will also act in the project.

B Good produces in association with Bold Turtle...

Exclusive: Shoot readies on B Good drama starring Yasmin Paige.

Morgan Watkins (Wild Bill) and Michael Culkin (Downton Abbey) have joined former Screen Star of Tomorrow Yasmin Paige (Submarine) on Joe Stephenson’s feature debut Chicken.

Shoot is due to commence in London and Surrey on August 27.

Watkins recently wrapped on Alan Rickman’s A Little Chaos. Culkin most recently played in Bill Condon’s Wikileaks drama The Fifth Estate, which premieres at Toronto. Gina Bramhill (Being Human) and Rada graduate Kirsty Besterman round out the cast.

Freddie Machin and Weekend actor Chris New have adapted Machin’s play of the same name, in which two brothers living in a caravan on someone else’s land have their lives turned upside down with the arrival of a new land-owner. Paige will play the new land-owner’s daughter.

New and Scott Chambers had been previously attached to act in the project.

B Good produces...

Young British newcomer 21 year old Scott Chambers will star alongside Submarine star Yasmin Paige in the film directorial debut of up-and-coming British director Joe Stephenson.

They team up with Weekend star Chris New in Chicken, an adaptation of a stage play, which the original author Freddie Machin will be scripting, along with New.

Scott (represented by Curtis Brown) will reprise a role he played in the original play, with New playing his brother. The two brothers live in a caravan on someone else’s land and have their lives turned upside down with the arrival of a new land-owner and his daughter Annabel (Paige).

21 year old Yasmin (also Curtis Brown) was nominated for a Best British Newcomer Bifa in 2010 for her performance in comedy-drama Submarine. She is familiar to TV audiences for her roles in The Sarah Jane Adventures and Ballet Shoes and most recently Pramface.

Chris New was nominated...

Brace yourselves. This list of the Top 100 Greatest Gay Movies is probably going to generate some howls of protest thanks to a rather major upset in the rankings. Frankly, one that surprised the hell out of us here at AfterElton.

But before we get to that, an introduction. A few weeks ago we asked AfterElton readers to submit up to ten of their favorite films by write-in vote. We conducted a similar poll several years ago, but a lot has happened culturally since then, and a number of worthy movies of gay interest have been released. We wanted to see how your list of favorites had changed.

We also wanted to expand our list to 100 from the top 50 we had done previously. We figured there were finally enough quality gay films to justify the expansion. And we wanted to break out gay documentaries onto their own list (You'll find the...

By Allen Gardner

Quadrophenia (Criterion) Franc Roddam’s 1979 film based on The Who’s classic rock opera tells the story of working class lad Jimmy (Phil Daniels) struggling to find his identity in a rapidly changing Britain, circa 1965. Jimmy is a “mod,” a youth movement dedicated to wearing snappy suits, driving Vespa motor scooters bedecked with side mirrors, popping amphetamines and obsessed with the new sound of bands like The Who and The Kinks. Their other pastime is engaging in bloody brawls with “rockers,” throwbacks to the 1950s, who listen to Elvis and Gene Vincent, wear leather biker gear, grease in their hair and drive massive motorcycles a la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Often cited as a worthy successor to “Rebel Without a Cause” as the greatest angry youth picture ever made, it is that and more, including a first cousin to the “kitchen sink” dramas of scribes John Osborne,...

The first-ever feature-length film bringing to life Franz Kafka's 1915 tale Metamorphosis is complete, and we have a trailer for you that gives a few sneak peeks at the giant bug around which the story revolves as well as news of where the film will officially premiere.

Metamorphosis is directed by Chris Swanton and stars Chris New, Robert Pugh, Maureen Lipman, Laura Reese and Chloe Howman. The film is scheduled to premiere at the 6th Annual B-Movie Celebration held in Franklin, Indiana, on September 14 and 15.

Fans of Kafka's story will be thrilled to know that director Swanton tried to stay as close to original tale as possible. Dig on the trailer below to get an idea of how Metamorphosis will look on the big screen. Thanks to Avery G. for the tip on this one!

Synopsis

Metamorphosis is the story of a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning after...

It's the mid-way point of the month, and Cannes or no Cannes, the Criterion Collection will do their traditional unveiling of their releases for three months down the line. After a banner July line-up, which included Jim Jarmusch, Whit Stillman and Aki Kaurismaki, could the beloved specialty top themselves for August? Well, perhaps not, but there's a few very pleasant surprises in the latest batch of announcements.

Perhaps the biggest news for cinephiles is the Criterion debut of the Dardenne Brothers, hot off their critically acclaimed new film "The Kid With The Bike." The Belgian filmakers haven't yet had a film included in the selection, but that'll change on August 14th, when both 1996's "La promesse" and 1999's "Rosetta" are released. The films will be available on both DVD & Blu-Ray, and contain new interviews, and a conversation between the filmmakers and critic Scott Foundas, as well as the usual trailers and booklets.

Actors' union Equity enlists famous names, including Antony Sher, to support gay actors who choose to be open

When Antony Sher started acting with the pioneering Gay Sweatshop theatre company in the 70s, he managed to stay in the closet. "I look back and blush," he said. "We all agreed to do it on the basis that it was stated that not all the performers were gay so you didn't know who was and who wasn't.

"Then, in the mid-80s, when I did the British premiere of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song Trilogy, I still wasn't out. I was doing press interviews about this great gay play that I felt so strongly about for a specific reason and I wasn't saying it – it was an astonishing waste of energy. But that's the kind of tangle you get into if you're not out."

Sher finally came out in 1990, inspired by...

★★★★☆ Andrew Haigh's Weekend (2011) was lauded by many critics as one of the best films of last year (despite being snubbed at February's BAFTAs) and comes to DVD and Blu-ray this week courtesy of Peccadillo Pictures following a strong box office performance. The film depicts the heady, intense weekend spent by Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) in an around Russell's flat following the pair's one night stand. Not only is the film a superb portrait of contemporary gay life, but also a touching portrayal of fleeting romance.

Read more »...

Dreams of a Life; Moneyball; Snowtown; Weekend; The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn; Resistance; Wreckers

While many mawkish middle-of-the-road melodramas are lazily referred to as "heartbreaking", few films are as genuinely deserving of that epithet as Carol Morley's Dreams of a Life (2011, Dogwoof, E). An insightful account of the life and death of Joyce Vincent, a vibrant young woman who lay undiscovered in her flat for years after slipping through the cracks in an increasingly alienated, isolated society, this sobering cocktail of drama and documentary is at once engaging and enraging, enthralling and appalling.

Interweaving soul-searching contributions from Vincent's friends and lovers with hauntingly dreamy reconstruction footage, Morley paints a fable-like picture of a fractured personality, seen in tantalising glimpses through the memories of those who (never really?) knew her. Audiotape recordings of Vincent's voice (she was a promising singer) prompt uncanny reactions from the interviewees,...

The legendary cartoonist Bill Watterson once remarked that “weekends don’t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless”. The brains behind Calvin and Hobbes would love this film, as it takes all those pointless weekend activities we love – chatting, drinking, having sex etc – and produces a screen relationship that counts more than just about any other I’ve ever seen.

The twist is that this relationship is between two men. This in itself would mark Weekend out as worthy of intrigue, of course, given the scarcity of even pat depictions of homosexual relationships committed to celluloid. But Weekend is neither gimmicky nor worthy. It instead provides an unerringly realistic portrayal of what it means to be a gay man today in Britain, and then rightly treats the sexuality of its two main characters as essentially incidental.

Oh sure, there’s more discussion of “being out” and shots of...

"More please!"

...That's my chief criteria for nominating actors for Breakthrough prizes at this site's own annual gongs, the Film Bitch Awards. (For new readers the name is a long story. We're not so bitchy about the movies unless by bitchy you mean so in love with them that we hold them to high standards). We're hoping that Pariah is only the first great performance from Adepero Oduye (pictured left).

Rather than hand Her Lady of Sudden Ubiquity (Jessica Chastain) the gold silver and bronze this year, we're giving her a special "body of work" medal.

It's not our usual practice to nominate someone whose been working as long as Olivia Colman alongside debut artists like Martha herselves Elizabeth Olsen, but Colman was completely unknown to us here in the Us.

You can see the Breakthrough nominations under the Film Bitch pulldown menu up top. We've also started handing out...

Chris New, Tom Cullen in Andrew Haigh's Weekend Anna Paquin, Terrence Malick: Cinephile Society Winners Best Picture 01. A Separation 02. The Tree of Life 03. Mysteries of Lisbon 04. Certified Copy 05. Weekend 06. Margaret 07. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives 08. Drive 09. Meek's Cutoff 10. Hugo 11. Melancholia Best Director Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life Runner-up: Asghar Farhadi – A Separation Best Film Not In The English Language 01. A Separation 02. Mysteries of Lisbon 03. Certified Copy 04. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives 05. The Skin I Live In 06. Poetry 07. House of Pleasures 08. Le Havre 09. Le Quattro Volte 10. Of Gods and Men Best Actor Tom Cullen – Weekend Runner-up: Peyman Moaadi – A Separation Best Actress Anna Paquin – Margaret Runner-up: Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy Best Supporting Actor Brad Pitt – The Tree of Life Runner-up: Shahab Hosseini – A Separation Best Supporting Actress J. Smith-Cameron – Margaret Runner-up: Jessica Chastain – Take Shelter Best Original Screenplay A Separation – Asghar Farhadi...

Well hello there! Welcome to this week's installment of The Ae Movie Club, the most eclectic collection of eccentric characters since Wadsworth poured after-dinner drinks in the study. ("Not the cognac - just in case!")

I'm a very bad club president (self-appointed), because I didn't see a single one of the movies opening this week. Forty lashes with a wet Twizzler for me. But never fear! There's still plenty of cinematic fat to chew.

For starters, I've got a new Fast Five celebrating romance in honor of today's release of The Vow. I've got a great report from a recent Rocky Horror revival where star Barry Bostwick got more into character than expected (it's seriously awesome), as well as some seriously Vintage Beefcake courtesy of a studly leading man of days past.

It Came From Instant Queue questions Netflix's recommendation algorithm, The Iron Lady gets the Limerick Review treatment, and...

Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to worthwhile titles currently streaming on Netflix Instant Watch. This week we offer alternatives to Safe House, The Vow, & Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D.

Facing off against the Galactic Empire in theaters this weekend are two ill-matched secret agents and a pair of lovers more beautiful than lucky. But if this isn’t enough to satisfying your thirst for action, adventure and romance, you’re in luck as we’ve got some choice titles that are Now Streaming.

Ryan Reynolds is a desk-bound secret agent thrown into the fray when a disgraced ex-operative (Denzel Washington) barges into his safe house, throwing his whole world into free-for-all. Vera Farmiga co-stars.

Craving crime thrillers?

Blitz (2011) Jason Stratham stars as a furious cop who channels his overdrive aggression into tracking down a grisly serial killer.

Chris New, Tom Cullen in Andrew Haigh's Weekend Film Of The Year Midnight in Paris / Sony Pictures Classics The Artist / The Weinstein Company The Descendants / Fox Searchlight The Skin I Live In / Sony Pictures Classics The Tree of Life / Fox Searchlight * Weekend / IFC Films Film Performance Of The Year Christopher Plummer / Beginners (Focus Features) Leonardo DiCaprio / J. Edgar (Warner Bros.) Janet McTeer / Albert Nobbs (Liddell Entertainment) * Meryl Streep / The Iron Lady (The Weinstein Company) Michael Fassbender / Shame (Fox Searchlight) Rooney Mara / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony/Columbia) Documentary Of The Year (Film, DVD or TV) Carol Channing: Larger Than Life / Entertainment One Cave of Forgotten Dreams / Sundance Page One: Inside the New York Times / Magnolia Pictures Pina / IFC Films * We Were Here / Red Flag Releasing Lgbt-themed Film Of The Year Albert Nobbs / Liddell Entertainment Beginners / Focus Features Pariah / Focus Features Tomboy / Rocket Releasing * Weekend / IFC Films Lgbt-themed...

Tom Cullen, Chris New, Weekend The Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association has announced its list of Dorian Award nominations for film, television, and pop figures in various categories. Though dominated by movies and characters featuring/playing gays/lesbians/bisexuals/etc., the Gay & Lesbian Critics have made some eclectic choices. [Full list of Gay & Lesbian Critics' nominations.] For Film of the Year, for instance, only Andrew Haigh's romantic drama Weekend could be considered a "gay movie." Pedro Almodóvar's mystery melodrama The Skin I Live In does play with the issue of gender identity, but it's not exactly about it. The other nominees — Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist, Alexander Payne's The Descendants, and Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life — focus on other issues. On the other hand, the Performance of the Year category mostly consists of non-heterosexuals: Christopher Plummer, who plays Ewan McGregor's gay father in Mike Mills...

[1] I find it difficult to say whether 2011 was an unusually strong or unusually weak year for films. As in any year, there were pleasant surprises and disappointments alike. If I had to pinpoint the one thing my favorites tend to have in common, though, it's a sense that each of them were made with great love by people who cared desperately about them. I don't think there's anything anyone can say at the start of a top 10 list to totally deflect the disgruntled comments from readers who incensed to see that X made my top 10 when Y didn't, etc., but I'm still going to throw out the usual caveats. There are certainly deserving films that were left off just because I forgot about them, or because I missed the theatrical run, or because I couldn't fully appreciate them due to my own biases, or what have you. I also want...

This Just In: Brett Rattner has resigned as producer of the Oscar telecast after his gay slur this weekend at a Q&A. So we don't even need to link you to Mark Harris's sharp opinion piece about why they should fire him. Good. Let us wash our hands of this one and move on... although I'm still more worried about him ruining Wicked for all time than ruining the Oscars for one year. The Oscars survive everything.

Coming Soon we're going to get a youth-centric fictional film about the adventures of the young Leonardo da Vinci.

Hollywood Reporter interviews the recipients of the upcoming honorary Oscars including Her Oprahness

Tom and Lorenzo object to this new pictorial of Chloe Moretz

Vgl Bruce Weber shoots Weekend star Tom Cullen (left). I think this is the most clothed I've ever seen a Weber shoot but beautiful pics. I hope Cullen...

Two years ago Haigh's debut, Greek Pete, a messy semi-documentary about a dim Anglo-Greek rent boy servicing middle-class gays in London, held out little hope for a career as a film-maker. Set on a single weekend in Nottingham, his second film is a vast improvement. It concerns the 34-year-old Russell (Tom Cullen), a lifeguard at a public swimming pool, picking up conceptual artist Glen (Chris New) in a gay bar and spending two days with him, chatting, walking around town and having drug-and-booze-fuelled sex. There's a fresh, sweaty, honest, unpretentious air to it, and when they part, with Glen on his way to spend a year working in Portland, Oregon, we genuinely believe that something like love has come into their yearning lives.

DramaPhilip French

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions...

Weekend (18)

(Andrew Haigh, 2011, UK) Tom Cullen, Chris New. 97 mins

You could easily label this a gay Before Sunrise or suchlike, with its 48-hour, boy-meets-boy premise, but it deserves to be judged on its own merits. There's a beautiful naturalism to the way these two Londoners progress from random one-night stand to something deeper, through sex, drugs and revealing conversation. Despite the narrow focus, it speaks volumes about love, art and gay identity.

Tower Heist (12A)

(Brett Ratner, 2011, Us) Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda. 104 mins

With Murphy's coaching, an all-star cast storms the high-rise fortress of Ponzi tyrant Alda in what could have been a great comedy for our times, but ends up just a mildly enjoyable one.

In Time (12A)

(Andrew Niccol, 2011, Us) Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy. 109 mins

Stylish, if logic-stretching, adventure set in a future where time is money and nobody looks older than 25.

The Future (12A)

(Miranda July,...

Just an ordinary Friday night in Nottingham. Russell (Tom Cullen) stops by a club on his way home from an evening with friends, and wakes up the next morning with Glen (Chris New) in his bed. These two sweet guys, a study in contrasts -- Russell is somewhat unsure of himself; Glen is dedicated to his unusual artform, and his unusual perspective on the world -- spend the weekend talking and getting drunk and high and having sex and getting to know each other... and it’s all meant to be terribly romantic how they fall in love over the course of a few days. But something doesn’t feel quite right to me. Writer-director Andrew Haigh has a delicate, sensitive touch, and this is appealing as a simple peek into modern romance... or what passes for it. Sex with an attractive stranger might create an instant connection, and a powerful one,...

A lo-fi, tremendously convincing account of contemporary gay life

"Weekends, like life, are short." That melancholy reflection from Kind Hearts and Coronets does justice to some of Andrew Haigh's unassumingly excellent lo-fi feature: a boy-meets-boy love story extending over a single weekend, and filmed with a kind of real-time realism. There is sadness here, as well as romance, and a sense that sexual experience is not merely exciting for its own sake, but an adventure in defining one's sense of self: what one character here calls finding both partner and your self as a blank slate. Weekend has something urgent to say to both gay and straight audiences about the windows of opportunity in our lives.

Russell is a gay guy in his 20s who seems happy enough. We see him first at a party being thrown by his straight friends, with kids. He leaves early – to his hosts' disappointment – claiming to be tired,...

CineVue were recently granted a half-hour interview with the Andrew Haigh, Tom Cullen and Chris New, the director and two stars of British film Weekend (2011), which received its UK premiere at the 55th BFI London Film Festival. When you meet filmmakers - or hear of other reviewers having met filmmakers - you often only hear the horror stories: the director who is far too opinionated or does not want to be found out if they mention a certain film as an influence. Which makes it so refreshing to meet three young men who have together made a film that is both original and entertaining. Read more »...

Writer-director Andrew Haigh follows up his well-received directorial debut Greek Pete with poignant character-based drama Weekend.

Weekend tells the story of Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glenn (Chris New): two off-base gay guys who meet at a club. After a weekend of heavy drinking, drug-taking and sex, they begin to realise that they may be falling in love, despite their marked differences and opposing approaches to life.

While littered with potent questions about gay rights, politics and love, Haigh retains a light-hearted, discernible air about Weekend for its entirety, never over-explaining anything and procuring plenty of breathing space for the relationship between Russell and Glenn to untangle at its own, slow-burning pace.

It may be entirely gay in its disposition but, thanks to Haigh’s keen formulation of the narrative, it remains accessible to all, which marks something of a turning point within what’s been dubbed “queer cinema”. The...

Gay British Director/writer Andrew Haigh loves gay dialog so much he’s devoted an entire gay movie to it! Weekend could care less about plot, unless you believe endless talking and walking around the city of Nottingham, England doing not much of anything is plot. Weekend follows Russell (Tom Cullen), a lifeguard at a community pool who, after smoking some pot with a group of straight friends on a Friday night, heads to a gay club where he randomly picks up artist Glen (Chris New) after eyeing each other at the urinal (I’ve always been thankful straight couples don’t meet-cute in toilets!). The two men unexpectedly spend most of the next 48 hours together in bedrooms, on streets, and in bars. They talk, smoke pot, have sex, snort cocaine, and talk some more. Their conversations get weirder and Glenn seems more unstable as they do more drugs, but...

HollywoodNews.com: The Advocate’s Brandon Voss has once again proven himself to be the luckiest gay journalist on the planet. A few days ago, I linked to his chat with Weekend star Chris New and now I’m sharing some excerpts from his interview with Kellan Lutz.

Brandon really asks the questions we want answered starting with this one:

Q. In your Calvin Klein X underwear commercial, when you look at the camera and cockily say things like, “You can look, but no touching,” it does feel like you’re speaking directly and specifically to gay men.

A. I’m so glad you said that. When they pitched that concept, I was all for it. That whole commercial was about speaking to everyone and grabbing every audience member that we could, so I’m glad we captured that.

On his gay fans: “Oh, they’re the best. I love them.

Above you can see actor Tom Cullen, director Andrew Haigh, producer Tristan Goligher and actor Chris New attend the Weekend premiere during the 55th BFI London Film Festival. It's now on PPV on my cable system. I may have to finally check it out. Rick Santorum is tired of all the bullying ... of him. TV Line has a spoiler about the next episode of Glee. As soon as I read it, I thought, "Well of course Brittany would think that." ABC's Pan Am stabilized after it's alarming 27% drop in ratings last week, and was down 5% this time out. f/x has renewed Sons of Anarchy for a fifth season. This is great news for show creator Kurt Sutter, but it means that he' still going to have put up with fatf**k, c**t bloggers. Last night's season premiere of The Walking Dead was the highest rated drama in basic cable history.

★★★★☆ Intimate, earnest and heartfelt, Andrew Haigh's Weekend (2011) - starring Tom Cullen and Chris New - is a refined and touching affair that showcases up-and-coming British film talent and an original approach to its subject matter.

On a Friday night after hanging out with his straight mates, Russell (Cullen) - an introverted lifeguard - heads out to a nightclub, alone and on the pull. After heavy drinking and hopeful cruising he meets Glen (New), an uninhibited and lascivious art gallery employee who he ends up spending the night with. An extended morning-after sequence of existential repartee sparks the beginning of a short lived relationship that sees the two extensively conversing, having sex, getting drunk and taking drugs – a recreational weekend romance which will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

Played out with sensitivity and grace, Andrew Haigh's gay romance Weekend will no doubt prove to be a career...

We've all seen love stories that make us wish we had the chance to be as happy as all of the beautiful people on the magnificent big screen. Often times the stories are cheesy, way too impossible to ever happen, or simply too perfect to ever happen to anyone, much less you. Andrew Haigh's film Weekend tells a (sort of) love story between two guys over who meet over a weekend hookup in October in England. It's a seemingly honest look at a burgeoning relationship between two gay men and the issues and/or topics that come up for discussion as they contemplate going public.

Russell (Tom Cullen) goes out to a gay club one night after hanging out with his straight friends and he catches the eye of Glen (Chris New). Fast forward to the next morning where Glen very enthusiastically wants to chat about the night they just shared,...

Director: Andrew Haigh Writer: Andrew Haigh Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New Why do we as a society label people according to their sexual preferences? Why does it matter if someone is heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, asexual, transgender...or whatever? Who cares? Why is sexuality anyone's business but one's own (and...well...their partner's)? Those labels have had a segregating effect for queer culture ever since their inception. Sure, it makes sense that bars and night clubs cater to specific gender demographics; but can't everyone hang out at the same bar or night club once in a while too? And why are homosexual couples granted less civil liberties (specifically the right to marry) than people of heterosexual persuasions? While I am at it, please tell me why some religious fanatics and churches feel it is within their power to damn non-heterosexuals to hell? What right does one human being have...

Craig here (of Take Three fame) reporting for Nathaniel from the BFI London Film Festival which opens today. I started my festival with two gay themed dramas from a couple of emerging filmmakers from the Us (Dee Rees) and the UK (Andrew Haigh). They've both made invigatoring narrative debuts.

Dee Rees’ New York coming out drama Pariah shows its mettle from the start: we’re dropped right in the thick of it, headfirst into a lesbian strip club (we hear, “♪ Lick my neck, my back, my pussy and my crack... ♪” on the soundtrack), and introduced to feisty Brooklyn girl and poetry student Alike (Adepero Oduye) thoughtfully yet gingerly sizing up her surroundings. She’s going through identity issues and is finding it hard to open up to her warring parents about her sexuality. Solace comes through friendship with Laura (Pernell Walker) and the possibility of love with local girl Bina...

The BFI London Film Festival is the biggest film festival the UK has to offer, and one of the most prestigious and well-recognised festivals across the globe. This year, the festival is celebrating its 55th run, and it has an absolutely fantastic line-up of films scheduled to play through the festival, from 12th – 27th October.

We’re now able to share with you the shortlists for the festival’s various awards, along with the juries for each of those awards. More excellent news also comes with the announcement that the BFI will be honouring both writer-director David Cronenberg, who is bringing his film A Dangerous Method to the festival this year, and actor-director Ralph Fiennes, who will be bringing his directorial debut Coriolanus to the festival, with its highest honour, in the form of the BFI Fellowship.

On receiving the award, Cronenberg has said,

“This is a monumental, in fact overwhelming,...

This year’s shortlist is: 360 The Artist The Deep Blue Sea The Descendants Faust The Kid With A Bike Shame Trishna We Need To Talk About Kevin The shortlist for...

After its opening weekend grosses and enthusiastic response at the IFC Center in New York, Andrew Haigh’s romantic drama “Weekend” will be expanding this Friday, September 30th to the Clearview Chelsea Cinemas in New York, as well as the Sunset 5 in West Hollywood, the Monica in Santa Monica and the Playhouse in Pasadena. In addition, it will be available On Demand beginning Friday. The film will expand to further cities, including Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and San Francisco, the following Friday, October 7th.

Weekend follows the unexpected 48 hours spent between Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) – after meeting at a nightclub on a Friday night – that will resonate throughout their lives. Weekend won the Audience Award (Emerging Visions) at SXSW Festival 2011 and Jury Prize at Outfest 2011.

Written/Directed By: Andrew Haigh

Produced By: Tristan Goligher

Starring: Tom Cullen and Chris New

Distributed By: Sundance Selects

Trt: 96 minutes

Rated: Not Rated.

Tom Cullen, Chris New, Weekend Writer-director Andrew Haigh's gay love story Weekend brought in $27,245 — about 8% above Sunday estimates — at the North American box office according to actuals found at Box Office Mojo. Currently screening at one single New York City location, the Sundance Selects-distributed Weekend scored by far the highest box-office average per theater this past weekend (Sept. 23-25). Set in Nottingham, Weekend features Tom Cullen and Chris New as two gay men who, during a long weekend, discover that a one-night stand has been transformed into something more profound. Us-based reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Whether that'll translate into some form of awards-season recognition remains to be seen, as truly small films — as opposed to "small" films featuring Hollywood stars and that are heavily marketed by the "indie" arms of the big studios — rarely receive much love from critics and awards-giving groups and organizations. Gay-themed films, in particular,...

Tom Cullen and Chris New spend the weekend together in Andrew Haigh's Weekend Writer-director Andrew Haigh's gay love story Weekend scored the highest per-theater average this weekend (Sept. 23-25) at the North American box office according to Box Office Mojo. Screening at one New York City theater, the Sundance Selects-distributed Weekend — which, by the way, has nothing to do with Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 film of the same name — grossed an estimated $25,200. For the mathematically challenged: $25,200 at one theater equals a $25,200 per-theater average. Featuring Tom Cullen and Chris New as two gay men who during a seemingly long weekend discover that a one-night stand has metamorphosed into something more profound, the British-made Weekend has been greeted by overwhelmingly positive reviews. Haigh's movie, in fact, has a 96% approval rating among Rotten Tomatoes' critics, with Salon's Andrew O'Hehir calling it "one of the bravest, most honest and most accomplished stories of...