Winter has officially arrived in Chicago though you can't tell by the temperate weather we've been experiencing to date. At the movies, there's plenty of queer-friendly fare now in theatres (Pariah, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes 2 and Joyful Noise, as just a few examples). In addition, a lot more such movies are on the horizon. A sneak peek at some things to anticipate:
January
Dirty Girl, a road-trip comedy in which an overweight gay twentysomething hooks up with a sluttish party girl, is in theatres and arrives on DVD Jan. 17.
Albert Nobbs, which landed fourth on my 2011 Top 10 LGBT film list, finally arrives in Chicago Jan. 27. Glenn close stars, produced and adapted for the screen this Victorian-era drama. She plays a woman impersonating a man, working as a genteel butler in a small residential hotel. Janet McTeer co-stars.
That same weekend, the Music Box opens the French transgender drama Tomboy, which has been winning raves on the festival circuit and played at last Fall's Reeling Fest.
Pedro Almodovar's twisted drama The Skin I Live In begins a one-week return to theatres at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., Jan. 27.
February
Madonna's feature directorial debut, W.E., is a historical romance focusing on the controversial romance of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (played by Abie Cornish and James D'Arcy). The film has drawn wildly divided opinions on the festival circuit (some have hailed the performances, others are calling it the camp movie of the year) and arrives in Chicago Feb. 3.
Two old-fashioned haunted house movies—The Woman In Black, an expensive adaptation of a British stage and television movie set during the Edwardian period starring Daniel Radcliffe and the indie suspense thriller The Innkeepers with lesbian actors Sara Paxton (wondrous in Martha Marcy Mae Marlene) and Kelly McGillis—both arrive in Chicago on Feb. 3. The latter is now available OnDemand as well.
For classic fans, the arrival of a special edition of the queer-infused classic 1930 Oscar winner All Quiet on the Western Front Feb. 14 will be cause for celebration.
J. Edgar—Clint Eastwood's long-winded biopic of J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial onetime head of the FBI, scripted by Oscar-winning queer writer Dustin Lance Black—arrives on DVD Feb. 21. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the title role and Armie Hammer plays Hoover's longtime (and apparently long-suffering) companion Clyde Tolson. Judi Dench portrays Hoover's overbearing mother with typical finesse.
The Music Box Theatre will present Frederick Weisman's sex-rated documentary Crazy Horse, about the legendary Parisian stripper palace, beginning Feb. 24.
The 84th Academy Awards, aka known as the gay man's national holiday, will be presented Sunday, Feb. 26, with the very welcome Billy Crystal ably stepping back in to the hosting duties. Here's hoping that the show's producers have had the sense to also re-sign queer icon Bruce Vilanch as head writer. Look for a lavish tribute to Elizabeth Taylor and other queer audience favorites at some point. Also, here's my official shout-out to the Academy to give Doris Day an honorary Oscar already.
The Australian crime drama Snowtown, based on a true story about a murderous crime boss Down Under and his love affair with the 16-year-old son of his girlfriend, appears OnDemand Feb. 29.
March
The campy fantasy-action thriller Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, with Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, is in theaters from Paramount March 2. I can't wait!
Another crime thriller, The Raven, is set in the Victorian era and stars John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe. British hunk Luke Evans, who is reportedly out, co-stars.
Weinstein releases the thought-provoking documentary The Bully Project, which addresses the subject from all sides, March 9.
The queercentric My Week with Marilyn, with its luminous title performance by Michelle Williams, arrives on DVD March 13.
Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer and Sean Bean co-star in the dark comedy fantasy thriller Mirror Mirror. (This seems to be the year for fairy-tale action flicks.) Roberts gets to play the evil queen and seems to have a great time hamming it up. March 16
Nothing is setting the hearts of readers (apparently) and those looking for the next Twilight blockbuster series on fire more than the film versions of The Hunger Games. The first movie arrives March 23 so stake your place in line now.
Eating Out: The Open Weekend, the latest in the series of soft-core porn comedies featuring a bevy of muscular hunks and bitchy sidekicks (male and female) from Q. Allan Brocka, arrives on DVD March 27.
April
Just as spring arrives, it's time to go back to sea with Titanic 3D (April 6) and TV star (Will & Grace)-turned-Broadway headliner Sean Hayes plays one of The Three Stooges the following week. Lesbian actress Jane Lynch co-stars in the latter movie.
