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By Sean Boelman
Outfest is one of the most important LGBTQIA+ arts organizations, and their annual film festival in Los Angeles is one of the most important LGBTQIA+ film events of the year. This year’s hybrid festival brought audiences across the United States some of the most exciting queer films of the year.
Here are our thoughts on some of the films that we watched as part of the festival. Anhell69
Anhell69 is one of the many hybrid/experimental documentaries that played at this year’s Outfest, and also probably one of the most successful. In the film, Theo Montoya explores what it meant to grow up as a queer youth in the conservative and violent city of Medellín. It’s a complicated, multi-layered, and nuanced film that is almost like a puzzle to unravel. Although not everything about the film works, those parts that do are pretty brilliant.
Big Boys
Corey Sherman’s coming-of-age comedy Big Boys is one of the most incredibly awkward and uncomfortable films of the year, but the story is told with so much sincerity that it’s hard not to be charmed by it. The film follows a teenage boy who experiences a self-discovery after forming an unexpected crush on a camping trip. Young actor Isaac Krasner gives a very nuanced, often hilarious performance in the leading role that will be extremely relatable to anyone who went through a period of sexual questioning in their adolescence. Although the film is straightforward, its honesty allows it to stand out.
Captain Faggotron Saves the Universe
Harvey Rabbit’s Captain Faggotron Saves the Universe is the type of niche genre film that will appeal to its target audience and absolutely piss off everyone else. The film follows a closeted priest and a gay superhero who try to thwart an alien trying to turn the Earth into a homosexual planet. The film’s purposefully low production values and stilted performances give the film a feeling akin to a porn parody, but there are tons of really funny and satirical moments throughout. It’s not for the squeamish or easily offended, yet there is certainly an audience who will appreciate its relentless absurdity.
The Fabulous Ones
Roberta Torre’s documentary The Fabulous Ones is at once a joyous celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community and a heart-wrenching examination of an issue that affects them. The film follows a group of transgender women who set out on a journey to fulfill the last wish of their late friend, who was buried in male clothing against her will. It’s both poignant and insightful in its exploration of how the trans community unfortunately remains oppressed, but there’s something undeniably charming about seeing this group of women who are there to support each other, no matter what.
Playland
Georden West’s experimental documentary Playland is the type of film you respect more than you enjoy. Having played at both IFFR and Tribeca to a positive reception, Playland hoped to cement itself a place in the ranks of LGBTQIA+ cinema canon by making a stop at what might be the world’s most important queer film event in the country. Telling the story of Boston’s oldest gay bar, the film incorporates archive materials and recordings along with some creative reenactments. It’s a pretty astounding experience visually, but it leaves something to be desired narratively.
Outfest ran in-person in Los Angeles from July 13-23, and online from July 17-30.
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By Sean Boelman
Every summer in Montreal, Canada, cinephiles descend on the city for the Fantasia Film Festival — one of the most prestigious genre film festivals in the world. Every year, the festival has a lineup combining exciting world premieres with some of the greatest horror and genre film festivals that have been touring the festival circuit.
We at disappointment media are excited to again be covering Fantasia remotely, and of course, we had to give you some recommendations of films we think you should see: Birth/Rebirth
Laura Moss’s Birth/Rebirth has been touring the festival circuit since its Sundance debut, and we haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The feminist Frankenstein riff is making a quick stop at Fantasia before its release in the United States next month, and while it might not be particularly “scary,” it’s certainly unsettling and thought-provoking. The main thing working in the film’s favor is two extraordinary leading performances from Marin Ireland and Judy Reyes, who sell every bit of the film’s emotion.
It Lives Inside
For those looking for a straight horror movie at Fantasia that will leave them feeling scared, there’s not a better choice at Fantasia than Bishal Dutta’s It Lives Inside. At the film’s SXSW debut, it picked up the Audience Award in the Midnighters section, and it’s understandable why — this story of an Indian-American teenager dealing with a demonic entity that she unknowingly releases is absolutely terrifying at points, containing what might be the single best film of the year. It’s a movie that *will* be talked about when it is released this fall, and you don’t want to miss the chance to see it now.
Mami Wata
Mami Wata is one of the less genre-oriented films in this year’s Fantasia lineup, although it does have a bit of a genre-esque spin with its folkloric fantasy elements. Set in a West African community, the film follows two sisters who fight to protect their community from outsiders by turning to the water deity they once worshiped. Festival-goers would be hard-pressed to find a film more visually transfixing than this at this year’s festival, as the directing by C.J. “Fiery” Obasi and cinematography by Lílis Soares are simply stellar.
Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls
Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls is one of the best midnight movies to debut on the festival circuit this year. Written, directed by, and starring Andrew Bowser in an expansion of his eponymous viral character, this is a pitch-perfect send-up of ‘80s horror (among other things) whose charm is hard to deny. Given that the Fantasia crowd is full of genre cinephiles, it’s certain that they’ll eat up all the easter eggs — but it’s also just an all around great horror-comedy.
Vincent Must Die
For those of you who enjoyed seeing The Sadness when it played at the festival back in 2021, Vincent Must Die is a must-see at this year’s festival. Stephán Castang’s horror-comedy following a man who finds himself suddenly being attacked by everyone around him for no apparent reason debuted at the Cannes Semaine du Critique a couple months ago where it understandably divided audiences. The Fantasia crowd will likely give it a much warmer reception, as it’s a wicked little treat — with some genuine scares, gnarly action, lots of humor, and a surprising amount of emotional warmth.
The 2023 Fantasia Film Festival runs from July 20 to August 9.
By Sean Boelman
Outfest is one of the most important LGBTQIA+ organizations in film, and their annual festival in Los Angeles is one of the most exciting events of the year. A showcase of some of the year’s best LGBTQIA+ films — from both established and up-and-coming talent — the film is a great place for the community and allies to see stories that represent the LGBTQIA+ experience.
Many of the film’s playing at this year’s festival have been touring the festival circuit to great acclaim. Here are just a few recommendations of films that we think you shouldn’t miss if you’re attending this year’s Outfest in-person or online. Chasing Chasing Amy
Chasing Chasing Amy is the closing night film of this year’s Outfest, fresh off its warmly-received Tribeca premiere. There truly have not been many documentaries that feel this intimate in a very long time. In the film, director Sav Rodgers explores his complex relationship with Kevin Smith’s controversial romance Chasing Amy, and how the film helped him in his journey of coming out as a trans man. It’s a great LGBTQIA+ film, but it’s also an exceptional dive into what it means to appreciate problematic art.
Egghead and Twinkie
Adapted from her award-winning short of the same name, Sarah Kambe Holland makes her debut with the ridiculously charming Egghead and Twinkie. Although the film’s a little bit scrappy, being a low-budget feature debut and all, what it has no shortage of is personality. It’s consistently funny and cute, telling a story that has undeniably familiar beats from a perspective that feels refreshing and honest. This is a film made for the younger attendees of festivals like Outfest, thus filling a worthy niche in the lineup.
Kokomo City
D. Smith’s documentary Kokomo City took home both the Audience and NEXT Innovator awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, showing how much it resonated with viewers and the industry alike. Telling the story of four transgender sex workers in their own words, this is not the type of documentary that’s polished and slick — instead opting for production values that could almost be described as amateurish. However, the storytelling on display here is so captivating that it’s hard to deny the power of the film.
Rotting in the Sun
When Rotting in the Sun played at Sundance, we called it “audacious” and expected it to never be seen again because of its edgy, explicit, and dick-filled gay dark comedy. Thankfully, Mubi picked it up for a release later this year and is making a stop at Outfest to build up some buzz. If you are able to see one movie at this year’s festival, make it this. Sebastian Silva’s film remains one of the most idiosyncratic and singular to come out this year, and while some viewers may be put off by the film’s aggressive nature, it’s the type of film that you just have to see.
Outfest runs in-person in Los Angeles from July 13-23, and online from July 17-30.
By Sean Boelman
Although many of the July additions to the Criterion Collection are more mainstream picks, there are a few that are on the more historically important side. The Watermelon Woman remains one of the most important films in LGBTQIA+ film canon, making it an essential pick-up — especially considering the ongoing sale.
The movie follows filmmaker Cheryl Dunye playing a fictionalized version of herself — a Black lesbian filmmaker who sets out on a quest to uncover the truth behind a seemingly buried figure in African-American and lesbian film history. Although the eponymous character is fictional, the movie offers an absolutely fascinating exploration of these themes. One would be hard-pressed to find an LGBTQIA+ film that is as relevant as this. The Watermelon Woman is considered one of the foundational films in the New Queer Cinema movement, which paved the way for queer independent filmmakers to make a splash. By this alone, the movie earns its spot in the collection. However, the film also stands as an exceptional movie on its own. The meta narrative, about Cheryl (the character) having to create her own LGBTQIA+ film history as Dunye (the filmmaker) actually did it — even if it might have been unexpected on a budget of a few hundred thousand dollars — is brilliant. 
Furthermore, The Watermelon Woman is just an extraordinarily funny comedy. There are so many jokes that — even more than 25 years later — still manage to get a laugh every single time. The karaoke scene, in which Kathy Robertson gives a… rousing (?) performance, is an all-timer.
The 2K restoration of the film included on the Blu-Ray edition isn’t anything new — it’s been floating around in theatrical presentations and on streaming since the movie’s 20th anniversary in 2016 — but it’s still gorgeous. The work that the folks at the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project did to ensure this film was preserved in its full glory is nothing short of admirable. Something else that makes this Criterion Collection edition stand out is its wealth of bonus features. For a movie that is as widely available as this, it’s important to have these perks to make the new disc worth the purchase. The disc features a new interview with Dunye, new conversations with Dunye and producer Alexandra Juhasz, as well as six of Dunye’s early short films. Although it was a bit of a missed opportunity for the folks at Criterion not to release their edition of The Watermelon Woman in June in time for Pride Month, it’s still an essential addition to any cinephile’s shelf. There’s no denying how good this movie is, and it’s a joy to be able to bring it home. The Criterion Collection edition of The Watermelon Woman is now available. |