Five movies walk into a bar...

Breakfast With Scot - Eric (Thomas Cavanagh) and his lover, Sam (Ben Shenkman), are pushed into becoming temporary parents to an 11-year-old boy (Noah Bernett) with a fondness for gold chains, lace and the color pink while Eric's brother (Colin Cunningham) -- the boy's guardian -- is out of the country. Neither man ever saw himself as a father, but having such an undeniably colorful child around the house has a funny way of changing their minds.

(rent) The blurb of this movie is kind of misleading, as the real focus is Eric and Scot, their clashing personalities, and whether they can find happiness by reaching a middle ground. I was uncomfortable with this movie in the beginning, as Scot is over the top and Eric is nearly incompetent. I ended up getting through it by multitasking, but overall it was a well-done movie dealing with bullying, stereotypes, and family. The story didn’t really grab me, and I found more dynamic between guardians and child than the main couple, which made it hard to believe.

Weekend - This frank drama centers on the cautious relationship between two gay men--one a genial lifeguard, the other a lusty art-gallery worker--who contemplate turning a passionate one-night stand into something more meaningful.

(meh/rent) There was nothing particularly wrong with this movie, but it also wasn’t fantastic either. I found the accents quite pleasant, but the actors tended to mumble their lines (although this could be in part due to accent differences). It was pretty slow moving and tended toward awkward, which the description somewhat indicates. I found the end to be both hopeful and depressing. I didn’t particularly enjoy this movie, but I could see others liking the alternative feel.

Weiss Kreuz - Refined florists by day but deadly fighters by night, the Knight Hunters are led by the silent Aya Fujimiya, with temperamental athlete Ken Hidaka, computer expert Omi Tsukiyono and playboy Youji Koudo rounding out the foursome. When the sun dips below the horizon, the quartet -- also known as Weiss Kreuz -- metes out rough justice against terrorists, drug lords and other baddies who are beyond the long arm of the law.

(rent) If you’re looking for good anime, this is not it. However, it also is kinda famous among the yaoi community despite a complete lack of canon gay. The first season (described above) has a wandering, ambling story that often skips major plot points or doesn’t explain things completely (or at all). The characters are funny and the action is laughable. Also, I found the art style a little too ‘90s for me.

Season 2 (Gluhen) has a much more cohesive plot and an art style that appealed to me more. Unfortunately, large chunks of information via alternative mediums that is available to the native speakers is not available in translation, so some things are a little confusing. The plot was pretty good still, although I found the ending to be more somber than I was hoping. In some ways I liked season 1 more because I could laugh at it, although I can’t deny having actual plot was good.

Brave - Scottish princess Merida uses her archery skills to establish her independence, but when she accidentally angers the ancient land's three powerful lords and is granted a poorly conceived wish by a witch, she must go on a quest to repair the damage.

(rent/buy) First off, I felt the blurb was a bit misleading with the ‘ancient land’s three powerful lords’ bit. Not strictly a lie, but it made it sound like she pissed off ancient spirits. The plot development was so-so, as many things happened just to further the plot/action, especially things involving the spirits. To some extent it works with the somewhat mystical elements, but sometimes it was just like, “Really? Again?”

Still, this was a cute, fun-for-the-family movie. Definitely more for ‘girls’ than ‘boys,’ although there are things that will keep the boys entertained. It’s funny, well animated, has a fair amount of adventure and a soft, cuddly theme. Overall pretty enjoyable.

De-Lovely - Kevin Kline stars as the celebrated 20th-century composer Cole Porter, who looks back on his life unfolding like one of his musicals, replete with drama, suspense and joy -- at the center of which is his mercurial relationship with his wife, Linda (Ashley Judd). After meeting in Paris, the couple marries with the understanding that Porter -- who penned many hits, including "Anything Goes" and "It's De-Lovely" -- is gay.

(rent) This was a very slow moving and mellow movie and definitely isn’t for everyone. I think it’s important to go in with no expectations, as this movie doesn’t really do anything. It’s mostly just a visual biography, although I’m not sure the amount of research involved. It was interesting and had plenty of musical numbers (well timed), but it didn’t particularly move me or absorb me into the tale. Worth a viewing, but not necessarily extremely entertaining.

Rhys Has a Crush by Melanie Tushmore

Rhys Has a Crush by Melanie Tushmore
Stars: 4/5

Length: 10,700 words (28 pages)
Blurb
Nineteen-year-old wannabe rockstar Rhys spends his days hanging out and drinking with his garage band in his friend's house. It's not like there's anything else to do in their boring home town.

Then Seb's older brother appears; a gorgeous vision in tight, black clothing, and long dark hair. Rhys is instantly attracted, though his attempts to flirt with the mysterious Damien don't go all that well. So Rhys resorts to a fail safe plan: steal Damien's phone number, and send him anonymous love-texts.

Overall
A short that turns from an annoyingly realistic rocker teen tale to a heart-warming snuggle.

Review
The beginning had me unimpressed with the main character, who came across as shallow and...well kind of like a self-centered teen should. And Rhys is that (both, actually), but as surly Damien is introduced, we also get to see the softer, unsure side of him...which is oddly likeable. As the story progresses, it gets cuter and cuter.

I think my only complaint would be that the characters that start the story don't feel like the ones who end it, and there wasn't enough time to really explore the change.

Still, overall this is an enjoyable freebie...especially if you like rockers.

Long Tall Drink by LC Chase

Long Tall Drink by LC Chase
Stars: 3.5/5

Length: 161 pages
Blurb
Fourth generation rancher, Ray Ford has lived a lie for nearly forty years. Having seen what can happen to an openly gay cowboy in small town America, and not willing to risk his ranch Ford Creek's legendary reputation, he keeps that part of himself tightly locked down. Everything changes one Sunday morning when Ray, out of character, picks up a handsome hitchhiker looking for work. Hiring the enigmatic cowboy stretches the bounds of Ray's control and, suddenly, he finds himself asking just what he'd be willing to risk for a chance at true love.

Travis Morgan learned a hard lesson early in his life -- love is conditional. Even though he's a world-class horse trainer in high demand, he lives the life of a drifter, moving from ranch to ranch like the wind. He'll play when the opportunity arises, but he won't invest himself emotionally. But when he takes on the job training horses at Ford Creek Ranch, the stoic rancher with the sexy five o'clock shadow just might change all that -- if Travis can take the risk and stick around long enough to find out.

Overall
A smoking cowboy story that was a little heavy on the sex and sexual tension for my tastes, but I imagine would be perfect for most readers. Overall, fairly standard, but enjoyable.

Review
The two points that made this story slightly less enjoyable for me, but may make it perfectly enjoyable for other readers, are its high sexual content and it's somewhat standard cowboy themes. I don't judge either poorly (the story makes no bones about what it is), but it did make it more humdrum for me while reading.

The sex is steamy, but most of the pages are filled with longing rather than doing, as the two men oogle one another and get a little grabby hands. The tension makes sense, given their situations, but if you want hard and fast, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The strain works for the story, although I found it understandably frustrating at times!

The underlying drama that Sam causes works well to move the story and create friction, while also exhibiting how tender the men can be to each other and others. Plus it works as precedent to show the reader how the ranch will react to one of their own being gay.

What I found most refreshing about this cowboy tale was the climax. It wasn't what I was expecting it to be, but it turned out to be just what the characters needed. Some may feel that it comes out of left field, but I thought it was fitting. It earned the story extra points in my mind.

First Impressions and Fuzzy by Josephine Myles

First Impressions by Josephine Myles
Stars: 3/5

Length: 34 pages
Blurb
Surly artist Jez just can't help staring at the brightly colored socks of the businessman who sits opposite him on the train every day. He weaves a whole history for the mysterious stranger in a vain attempt to stave off his attraction, but it only ends up feeding his bizarre obsession. Then one hot morning, Jez finally snaps and starts sketching...

Overall
This is a cute story, but after a lengthy "courtship," the relationship moved too fast for me.

Review
This story is a fun idea and the characters are loveable, but everything felt underdeveloped. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between the main characters instead of so much happening solely in Jez's head. I realize due to the type of narrative, that’s going to happen, but the jump in time kept me from really getting to see a relationship develop. It’s hard to understand why these two men are together.

The visual descriptions, character interaction, and general storytelling were great, I just wanted more depth.

Fuzzy by Josephine Myles
Stars: 4/5

Length: 8 pages
Blurb
When sofas attack!

When Jez gets home early and discovers his incapacitated lover hiding something under the sofa cushions, he expects it to be porn, but what Steve's really hiding is something both embarrassing and strangely sensuous!

Overall
This was a fun little short that gives us a little more of a look into the lives of Jez and Steve. Despite figuring the "surprise" being fairly obvious, I found this to be delightfully cute and funny. It's got a little bit of everything for romance readers: humor, sweetness, and sexytime. Definitely worth picking up, I enjoyed it more than the first story, I think.

Bewitched by Bella's Brother by Amy Lane

Bewitched by Bella's Brother by Amy Lane
Stars: 3.5/5

Length: 192 pages
Blurb
Sebastian Craig and Isabella Bryne have been best friends for five years in the Neverland of academia, and that's where they're planning to stay. So when Bella's brother, Asa, offers them a rent-free summer in his gorgeous home before they move to their next college and degree, they jump at the chance. It looks like a good deal at first... but there's more to Asa than meets the eye, and Sebastian finds himself suddenly hip-deep in complicated, grown-up problems and the frightening, bemusing prospect of having a family that will miss him when he's gone.

When the best summer of his life finally ends, Sebastian has to make a difficult decision between staying in perpetual childhood forever, and facing adulthood—with all of its joys and fears. It seems that when Sebastian and Bella came up with a master plan for the future, they didn't count on Sebastian being bewitched by Bella's brother.

Overall
A charmingly sweet, sometimes silly, exploration of serious topics such as divorce, sexuality, family, and growing up.

Review
I'm not sure if it's the mood I was in or just the laidback storyline, but it took me two reads to really sink into this one. My first read, I enjoyed it, but it didn't grab me by the heartstring (or any other anatomical part) like Lane's books normally do. I gave it a second read because I didn't trust my post-accident brain to know what it likes.

This is a mellow story, despite a fair amount of drama happening all around. Even when events were occurring that would normally have me snotting up like a five-year-old, I didn’t cry. This may be because the story was just kind of...happy. Even when shit was going down I felt closer to happiness than in other stories. This isn’t a bad thing, but it makes for a less dramatic reading, at least for me.

It also made the story extremely accessible and comforting. It’s one I can imagine reading again and again, because it just put me in a content, happy place. It’s like the hoodie that doesn’t look like anything special, but I wear all the time.

The descriptions of the room and the house were gorgeous and made me insanely jealous. But even though money was obviously not an issue for Asa, this didn’t feel like a ‘kept boy’ story either. While Sebastian had lots of emotional growing he needed to do, he also was pivotal in helping Asa grow (in a very different way). There was balance in the relationship.

The Bryne family is amazing, and there is a powerful contrast between their presence in Sebastian’s life and Sebastian’s own family’s absence. It’s one of those things that just fits so well without having to be pointed out. (Except by annoying reviewers. :)

While this is a well-written story, I wouldn’t pin it as one of Lane’s finest, although it has a multitude of good qualities. As I said before, it’s comfortable, not fancy. I almost hate to score it so low just because it didn’t make me an emotional wreck. I loved it and I look forward to curling up with it again later. It just didn’t blow me out of the water.

Monsters, and Guardians and Hugo OH MY!

Hugo - When his father dies, 12-year-old orphan Hugo takes up residence behind the walls of a Parisian train station. There, he meets Isabelle, the daughter of filmmaker Georges Méliès, who holds the key to Hugo's destiny.

(rent/buy) This movie wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I only vaguely remembered the advertisements for it and didn’t really think about it beyond that and knowing it got good reviews. While this film has a PG rating, some kids may find it rather slow progressing. There are plenty of fun bits though, with some little adventures and interesting characters. Oddly enjoyable, although I’d definitely mark this as something to watch before you purchase. It’s a deep movie, focusing on characters and pathos rather than solely plot.

Gods and Monsters - As his life draws to a close, film director James Whale--the openly gay genius behind The Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man--befriends a gardener, and both men learn from their unexpected but platonic bond.

(rent) This movie hit home in many ways for me, which made it difficult to view. It’s a slow movie, especially in the beginning when the characters are first meeting and we’re learning about them. I found James to be a bit of an old man pervert, but as the movie progresses, it seems to be less that and just his personality. These two very different men come together in a most unexpected way and I would say the last half hour is worth sitting through the beginning.

Originally I was mocking the “platonic bond” that is mentioned in the blurb, but I can see why they felt the need to mention that, although there is no real sexual chemistry between the two men, especially since one is gay and one is straight. Definitely worth checking out, especially for people interested in film and directing.

Rise of the Guardians - In this animated adventure, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost come together to battle Pitch, a malicious spirit determined to take over the world and destroy the innocent beliefs and dreams of children.

(rent) I’ll be honest, the way Jack and Pitch were drawn is what drew me in. The characters are fun, and there is a fair amount of humor bantered about, which I think is what carries this movie. The plot is...nothing new, really, and there are some holes that my friends and I had to ‘explain away’ to each other. Kids will probably like this for it’s adventure and story and character design, while adults will like some of the more subtle elements like character development and humor. This was enjoyable, but not something I’d rush out to buy.

Wreck-It Ralph - Wreck-It Ralph longs to be the good guy instead of the villain in an old-school video game. He sees his chance and sneaks into the arcade's newest game, a flashy first-person shooter. But in doing the forbidden, he unleashes a deadly enemy.

(rent/buy) A humorous, learn-your-lesson, feel-good movie. While this isn’t groundbreaking or amazing, it definitely brings some refreshing elements to the table and is littered with old-school (and new-school) video game humor and in-jokes. But I don’t think video game knowledge is a must in order to enjoy this. The story is good and takes some unexpected turns, which keeps the tale from being the stale.

Another Gay Movie - Studly Jarod, nerdy Griff, flamboyant Nico and innocent Andy all want the same thing -- to lose their virginity -- and they'll paint the town lavender to do so in this gay take on the teen comedy genre that's filled with naughty gags aplenty.

(rent) This movie won’t be for everyone and it barely was for me. I didn’t really give it my full attention, but it had enough chuckle-worthy moments that I stuck through to the end. As a parody on American Pie, I didn’t get most of the injokes, since I’ve never seen that movie and the humor (crude) was similar. It had some good moments, but overall I found the film mediocre, but for people with a different sense of humor than me, it may be just the thing to lift the spirit.

Khaos Komix by Tab Kimpton

Khaos Komix by Tab Kimpton
Stars: 4/5*
*Because they’re free, I’d probably bump them up to 5 stars

Length: 8 stories at 51-97 comic book pages each
Blurb
This is a comic about gender and sexuality. It follows the lives of 8 main characters: Steve, Mark, Amber, Nay, Tom, Alex, Charlie and Jamie. It’s about them finding themselves, falling in love, lust and like and how hard they fight to get there.

This comic contains so many issues I can’t even really list them. Some of the things you may find here include: Gays, lesbians, those weird bisexuals everyone is talking about, faggotry, homophobia, transgender issues, dubious consent, body issues, abuse, hate and most important of all, a big old helping of LOVE. There’s a reason I called it Khaos.

Overall
I read five of the eight stories and I loved every one of them. (The only reason I didn’t read all was I was reading them all in one night and it was getting late. And they had female protags. I know, I have my preferences in romantic settings.)

Review
All the stories cover around the same period of time, with some going longer than others. Each story takes place from the protagonist’s perspective, so even when certain events are repeated, we’re given a new look at what was going on. Not only that, but the artist is obviously aware of the repeated events and doesn’t drag them out.

In many ways this is a standard high school/college romance story. But that’s sort of what makes it amazing. You know what you’re getting. And yet you get so much more. All of the stories tell the same general time period, but they also delve into the childhoods of the main cast, so we get so much more than if we just saw the events unfold as told.

The other great thing about these stories is that we have a variety of cast members. Yes, most are gay, but there are also heterosexual couples, MTF, FTM, gay, and ambivalent. They have good pasts and bad pasts. They have shitty parents and understanding parents. They have confused families and broken families. We get a little bit of everything.

Also, if you read the tales in order, they start off pretty light and slowly venture into darker and darker territory, but because you see where things are heading, you can avoid reading the darker tales if you want. I skipped over a few of the stories (Nay, Amber, and Charlie’s) but read through Jamie’s to get the full story on almost all the characters. It was pretty intense.

So these are fun, sometimes dark, often angsty stories that are definitely worth reading. Especially as they’re free and well done (with only a few typos in the text...but it’s a comic, so I’m more forgiving).

Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.

Clothing Optional by Allen Mack

Clothing Optional by Allen Mack
Stars: 2.5/5

Length: 5,200 words
Blurb
Jim convinces his partner Brad to spend a day at a newly “liberated” beach -- meaning nudity is permitted within designated bounds. Brad overcomes his shyness and agrees to go, on the lookout for “watchers” the whole time.

The couple meets others like themselves, some interesting folks, some interested in only one thing. Their little excursion turns out to be far from the quiet, restful vacation Jim originally planned. By the end of the day, the sun isn’t the only thing heating up the beach!

Overall
A slice of life short that peeks into the life of Jim and Brad, long-time partners who are venturing into something new! This is definitely a nice, sweet story, and while there isn’t much to it, it’s still enjoyable for what it is.

Review
What I loved most about this story was that even though it took place on a nude beach, the story wasn’t sexual. Yes, there were sexual allusions and the two main characters are obviously together, but nudity didn’t equate to sex. It was refreshing to read something that wasn’t just a hot little number. (Not that those aren’t enjoyable too!)

We only really get a glimpse of these two men, which made me want to see more of them. Brad used to be in the clergy, which in itself brings up plenty of questions. While they may not have a novel-length book in their story, it definitely feels like they have a tale to be told. While I liked what we saw, I would like to see more.

There is a definite sense of fun and playfulness between the two men, which was a strength of the story. However, their interactions with other couples was hit or miss with me. The first couple felt good and fine, but the second two pairs felt like forced interactions to cause drama (the final couple most of all). It wasn’t a big deal, but it made me scrunch my nose a tad.

Received this book for review.

The Gentlemen’s Parlor: Room of Chains by Geoffrey Knight

The Gentlemen’s Parlor: Room of Chains by Geoffrey Knight
Stars: 2.5/5

Length: 15,500 (54 pages)
Blurb
Dr. Darius inhaled on his cigar and a pillow of smoke drifted from his lips. "This place, the Parlor, it's about more than just money. The Parlor is somewhat... unique. The vast majority of people in the outside world—those beyond the walls of this mansion—would be offended and outraged by what goes on here. But those within these walls, they come to feel alive. They come to be loved, to feel that they belong to something... or someone. They come to find themselves. They come to heal... or be healed. In the Gentlemen's Parlor, nothing and nobody is judged."

Gather your secrets, slip on your mask, leave your inhibitions at the door...

Overall
A short story that offers more promise than it gives, but hopefully is just an opening into the world of the Gentlemen’s Parlor.

Review
For me, this story felt like a teenager, awkwardly stuck between the innocence of youth and the sexuality of adulthood. The two men of the tale are fairly pure and innocent, as is their love, but they are surrounded by sex and lust. This in itself isn’t a bad thing, as it brings into stark contrast the two worlds and the difference between love and lust, but it also gives a sense of a gangly teen who can’t quite control his limbs.

The blurb seems to promise a high level of sexuality, which in some ways is given, but the juxtaposition of sexuality and the two main men seems at odds at one another. While I loved the role Dr. Darius played, both as the buyer and as a plot device, very little else drew me into the story. The characters were nice young men who relied on each other, but while I liked them, I never really thoroughly connected. The young men are still boys in many ways and cannot satisfy the promised sensuality that the club seems to offer.

That being said, the story was written well and paced properly. I think this short opens up the world of the Gentlemen’s Parlor and provides good footing for other stories to be explored, specifically Dr. Darius’ role in it. While every story (in what seems to be preparing for a series) would toe the line between pure smut and something more, I’d be interested in seeing where this leads.

Received this book for review.

All Wrapped Up, an anthology

All Wrapped Up, an anthology
Stars: 4/5

Length: 80,000 words (186 pages)
Blurb
Tentacles are a taboo subject for most, something most people look at from between their fingers as they hide. All Wrapped Up explores this genre through the lens of gay erotic romance, offering four science-fiction and fantasy stories featuring tentacled heroes in all their wiggly glory.

The men in Ground Mission are podmates, a matched set: Simon Pollux, the lethal scout, and Adrian Lovasz, his willing and even more lethal combat specialist. In the midst of exploring an alien world, Simon is infected with an alien virus; to what lengths will Adrian go to ensure Simon's comfort?

In the wood-locked town of Orm, ranger Koster meets the mysterious Irsing: the guardian of the forest. Is he the one letting the forest turn to wilds, or is the forest turning to wilds on its own? In Wildwood, Koster aims to do whatever it takes to set things right.

Eli exchanges his a life of poverty in Dark Covenant when tricked into signing a contract giving himself to the masters of the Academy. His body, his movement, his life is theirs to do with as they wish, until the enigmatic Eramus offers Eli his power—if Eli will join with him.

Sebastian Reed lives on the legal limits in Situation Normal, barely scraping by in his hunk of junk ship until a Peace Officer, Ten, commandeers his ship... and his body. Not that Sebastian minds, except for wondering exactly where it is that Ten means to take him.

Overall
Tentacles aren’t my thing, per se, but this anthology was hot! It’s a wonderful mix of plot and tentacle sexiness, where the naughtiness may involve the squirming bits, but it’s not the focus of the entire story. A fantastic collection, especially for readers who are fond of this specialty. It has a little bit of sci-fi and a little bit of fantasy, providing a range of genres for readers.

Ground Mission by Laylah Hunter
4/5
A sci-fi story that originally didn’t interest me, but when I returned to it and finished it, I thoroughly enjoyed what it had to offer. The beginning, which is necessary to set the tone of the book, was more focused on the sci-fi than anything, which left me very blase about the story being told. However, as the plot progresses it gets good and really builds the bond between the two men. I ended up enjoying this more than I was expecting and it was a great start to the anthology.

Wildwood by Thea Hayworth
5/5
I loved this story from beginning to end. Of course, it had a slight advantage over the sci-fi story because fantasy stories are my thing. There was beautiful descriptions, a plot that was edgy yet simple, and a conclusion that was both sweet and heartbreaking. My only mark against this one would be that it ends on a slightly bitter note, but even that was realistic enough that I had to forgive the author because it was true to the story’s tone.

Dark Covenant by Gryvon
3/5
I enjoyed the plot and world building in this story, but I wanted so much more. This really felt like the first few chapters of a novella (at least!). There are so many places this can go and there are a number of questions left unanswered. Overall it was enjoyable, and while the end was satisfactory in some ways, it also left me feeling like the tale was not yet finished being told.

Situation Normal by Morgan Harcourt
3.5/5
The writing in this story was the weakest of the bunch, but still enjoyable. I’m pretty sure I could read about these two characters in a hundred different short stories and not be bored. It was fun and almost silly, but also intense, both in action and the sex. The characters come off as 2-D initially, but the last scene gives more depth to Ten and the struggle scene gives more depth to Red, enabling the characters to grow in their relationship together. It was a pleasant way to end the anthology.

Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.