By Hans Pedersen, June 2017 Issue.
Staying Vertical
Available on DVD May 30 | 98 minutes | Unrated | Comedy, Drama
Openly gay, award-winning French director Alain Guiraudie (Stranger By the Lake) directs this explicit, dream-like comedy about a bisexual filmmaker named Léo, who’s seduced by Marie, a free spirit living in southern France. When Marie winds up pregnant, Léo continues having sex with other guys, including two roommates. But after Marie gives birth, she abandons both the infant and Léo, who must face the challenges of single parenthood. Nominated for the Palme d’Or (the highest prize) at the Cannes Film Festival, the Guiraudie’s latest work is both sexually charged and quirky as it grapples with such topics as sheep herding and, even stranger, sex during euthanasia.
Wonder Woman
In theaters June 2 | PG-13 | Adventure, Fantasy
In the epic origin story directed by Patty Jenkins, Princess Diana (Gal Gadot) must leave her home in 1918 to study the humans who are deadlocked in the Great War. As she visits an embattled Europe, Diana’s determination to save women and children who are threatened by Germans leads her to discover and utilize her inner superpowers. Ignoring proscribed gender conventions of the era, Diana is reborn as Wonder Woman. And, as she helps U.S. intelligence officer Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), who is stranded behind enemy lines, Wonder Woman must stop the Germans from launching a massive chemical weapon and try to save millions from mass destruction.
Wild Awakening
Available on DVD May 30 | 94 minutes | Drama
The clash between shirtless ranch hands and a homophobic dad fuel a lot of the conflict in this erotic thriller that easily slides into campy, gay soap opera territory. Emma tries to run the family riding school while her brother, Toni, is busy bed-hopping with the town hunks, leaving them to rely on an older, more aggressive ranch hand, Ramón, for help. But Ramón’s hot, sultry-eyed son, Aaron, has caught the attention of both Emma and Toni. And as Ramón begins hurling epithets when his son, Aaron, enjoys some male bonding with Toni, the threats start to fly and the danger ramps up. Directed by Joan Fermí Martí, this steamy Spanish soap includes a fun, over-the-top performance by female impersonator Jordi Pujol.
Tomcat
Available on DVD June 13 | 124 minutes | Drama
This Austrian film, set in a rambling home in a Viennese vineyard, centers around Stefan and Andreas, lovers who spend time lounging around their house naked, working in the classical music industry and socializing with friends. But when the life of their cat, Moses, is threatened, their idyllic paradise is thrown into tumult. Written and directed by Händl Klaus, the drama is sweet and tender – at first – until the mayhem breaks out. And a warning, cat-lovers may want to think twice before checking out this slightly nihilistic, yet award-winning flick. Lukas Turtur and Philipp Hochmair co-star.
