Movie Review – Home For The Holidays

In the spirit of the season I found a Thanksgiving movie with a gay character hoping to impress you, the reader.  Instead, I think it’s more likely to depress you.  It’s the 1995 film, Home for the Holidays.

The story follows Claudia Larson, played by Holly Hunter, as she fumbles through Thanksgiving with her certifiable family.  Her life is falling apart before she even arrives so she begs her gay brother who happens to be her best friend, Tommy who is played by Robert Downey Jr., to come home as well.  For the rest of the movie we are forced to endure chaotic scene after chaotic scene while we try to follow long, rambling stories while two characters talk over each other.  Very typical of the ’90s style I might add.  The ending is even more cliche.  Director Jodie Foster sends us through this whole whirlwind of madness just to leave us with the point that there is no point.

I understand that 20 years ago directors were taking big risks making movies like this.  This was a new style and a new concept on life and art.  However, at the end of 2014 when I’m sitting with my own crazy family and developing a headache from their boisterous claptrap, the last thing I want to do is watch more of the same.  That said, I think this movie would have a great audience with anyone who loves the National Lampoon movies and all the mess of the Griswolds.

Now, I cannot rate this movie on Netflix because for once I am not giving you a Netflix title.  Instead, this movie can be watched on YouTube.  If you choose to do so I hope you enjoy!  Happy Holidays!

Movie Review – Girltrash: All Night Long

Wanting to watch something just for fun I decided onGirltrash: All Night Long.  I was expecting it to be silly, but I had no idea I was about to get the government cheese of all cheesy movies!  It’s an indie, rock-pop musical… yeah.

I almost stopped watching it within the first five minutes when the actresses busted out in song.  However, knowing that this would make for a very interesting movie review, I stuck it out.  The movie opens with Daisy, played by Lisa Rieffel, telling her friend Tyler, played by Michelle Lombardo, that they have a gig at a local band competition.  She admits that they only got it because about five other bands couldn’t make it… and you kinda see why.  Then we meet Daisy’s little sister Colby, played by Gabrielle Christian, who just graduated from college and is ready to come out as a lesbian; which is a little weird because college is probably the best place to be a lesbian.  She’s determined to hook up and lose her V-card but she needs help from her sister and, lucky for her, Daisy needs her car.  They spend the night chasing their tails, and sometimes each others, getting into the most insane situations imaginable.

The storyline was actually interesting in an overly dramatic kind of way.  They balanced the bits that seemed too crazy to be true with normal, everyday problems to make the whole story seem more believable.  As for the music, it became more bearable and there was even one song I liked at the end.  I will add that I typically hate pop music, so that was a real hang up for me.  Being brutally honest here, it really helped a lot that all the actresses were incredibly hot.  Who doesn’t like to look at pretty people?

While doing research on the film to help with my review I found out that the movie is actually a spin-off of Girltrash, a Youtube mini-series.  Curious to know if it would add to the movie to watch this first I looked it up.  I have to admit, I ended up binge watching all eleven episodes in one sitting; but hey, they were only 3-5 minutes each.  They were actually kinda funny, especially since they were sans singing!  What I found is that it’s not necessary to watch the mini-series first because the movie doesn’t follow the exact same plot, but it certainly won’t hurt and it is quite fun.

In the end I have to say that I am not in love with this movie.  It’s too girly, too silly, and too poppy.  However, I realize that it’s pretty cool for an independent film and that others may really like it.  So, while I give this movie about 2.5 stars per my own tastes, I would still recommend this movie to young lesbians who like pop music.