Netflix and Gay Cinema

[MikeW]

Alright, so I just had a little Netflix gay movie marathon and watched "Out in the Dark" and "Weekend" back to back. They are both very well done and similar in some respects.

Both are love stories. In "Out" the relationship is complicated by the realpolitik of the Israeli/Palestinian situation. This is more than a thematic backdrop. It is an outside force that ultimately limits the relationship. "Weekend," is a discussion about being gay that takes place between two men over a period of days. The antagonist in this film isn't a direct external political force but the more indirect consequences of having grown up and living within the confines of a heteronormative society. The characters in both films are well portrayed and "believable" within their films. Although "Out" is a good movie with a political point, "Weekend," to my mind is more endearing. I felt like I got to know both characters more intimately than in "Out."

It may be unavoidable at this stage of our social evolution, but wouldn't it be nice to see a movie with gay main characters where their sexual orientation was *not* a central component of the narrative?