Skip to main contentStraight folk love to watch the world from the queer point of view. How else do you explain the success of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? Likewise, queer movies aren't just for gay people anymore, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to figure them out. So we've run a few selections from Sensory Perceptions' Seventh Annual Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival through a "gay meter." Anyone can use the meter, but it's designed for the clueless straight readers. It's our way of letting them know just how well a film gives them access to that queer point of view, from 1 (just riding the queer wave) to 10 (a good representation for all audiences of what queer life is like). --Byron Beck
You'll Get Over It (8:30 pm Saturday)--Good for the whole family, gay or straight. This quintessential queer coming-of-age French flick identifies and explores the time in a young gay man's life when he can no longer deny his sexuality to self or family. This time out, it's a jock swimmer (love the Speedo!) who must sleep with a woman, get into a naked towel fight and come out to his folks before he's able to love himself or anyone else. Sure, it's trite in an after-school special kind of way, but it's sweet, too (especially the nude scenes). (BB)
GAY METER: 6 (for adults), 9 (for teens who can handle full frontal nudity)
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin (5:30 pm Sunday)--This documentary shines light on a fearless--and openly gay--African-American civil-rights activist. Interviews with Rustin's lovers also spotlight pre-Friendster mating games, but the real story here is his tireless work to secure human rights for all nationalities, races and sexual orientations. In his words: "We are all one. And if we don't know it, we will learn it the hard way." (CT) GAY METER: 4
9 Dead Gay Guys (9 pm Monday)--This comedy crime caper wears its Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels influences on its little cap sleeves, intertwining the stories of several obtusely stereotyped characters in a tale of blow jobs, back rooms and murder. At the center of the action are best friends Byron--now there's a gay name--and Kenny (Brendan Mackey and Glen Mulhern), two likely Irish lads who come to London in search of their fortunes. Rather confusingly, both these resolutely straight fellas seek their fortunes on their knees, giving head to older men in toilet stalls. A repetitious and mildly offensive farce, which checks off every worn-out stereotype of gay men, the film has as its only female character a violent, overweight dyke. (MM) GAY METER: 3
ALSO SHOWING
Tipping the Velvet (7:30 Thursday, Guild Theatre, 829 SW 9th Ave.)--Sexual coming-of-age tale set in the 1890s finds a young woman looking to try on a more comfortable pair of shoes.
Girls Will Be Girls (7:30 Friday)--John Waters-style comedy about three actresses--played by men--trying to survive in Hollywood.
Don't Worry, It'll Probably Pass (2 pm Saturday)--Swedish documentary chronicling the lives of three bisexual teenage girls.
Kiss & Tell: Girls' Shorts (4 pm Saturday)--A varied collection of shorts centered on women.
Gasoline (6:30 pm Saturday)--Two young women working in a gas station find their lives shattered when they accidentally commit murder in this Italian film.
Die, Mommie, Die (10:30 pm Saturday)--From the writer of Psycho Beach Party comes this twisted comedic tale of an aging, has-been pop diva who plots to kill her husband so she can be with her gigolo boyfriend.
Venus Boyz (1:30 pm Sunday)--Documentary that profiles the lives of professional drag kings.
Dangerous Living (4 pm Sunday)--A documentary that explores the dangers and oppression faced by homosexuals in other nations.
Radical Harmonies (7:30 pm Sunday)--The Women's Music Cultural Movement is explored in this documentary.
The Event (9:30 pm Sunday)--The ensemble cast includes Parker Posey and Olympia Dukakis in this tale of a man with AIDS who opts to take his own life.
Laughing Matters (7 pm Monday)--Four comedians--who happen to be lesbians--are profiled in this documentary.
Yossi & Jagger (7 pm Tuesday)--Based on a true story, this film chronicles the relationship between two soldiers in the Israeli army.
Sexo: Boys's Shorts I (9 pm Tuesday)--A varied collection of shorts centered on men.
Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave., 223-4515. Thursday-Sunday Oct. 9-19. $8 general admission, $10 opening-night gala, $80 half pass (15 programs, gala), $130 full pass (all programs, gala), $190 platinum pass (special seating).
For information and schedule updates, see www.sensoryperceptions.org
Call 866-468-7623 for passes and individual tickets, or go to www.ticketweb.com Passes can also be purchased at Balloons on Broadway, Gai Pied, Videorama or Video Chest (no service charge at store outlets).
Look for a preview of more LGFF films in next week's paper.
WWeek 2015