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Home for the Holidays (Jodie Foster, 1995) USA
The Cinesexuals**Home for the Holidays (1995)** is a family comedy-drama directed by Jodie Foster, centering on Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) who returns to her quirky Baltimore family for Thanksgiving amid personal setbacks. The film features an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr. as her gay brother Tommy, Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning as the parents, and others like Dylan McDermott and Cynthia Stevenson. It grossed $22.1 million on a $20 million budget and holds a 64% Rotten Tomatoes approval rating for its authentic family dynamics.[1][2] ## Gay Relevance Robert Downey Jr.'s Tommy Larson stands out as a flamboyant, fully realized gay character—neither victim nor stereotype—who brings his partner Leo home, later revealed to have secretly married his longtime boyfriend Jack on a beach. The family largely accepts Tommy's sexuality without fanfare, though tensions erupt with his conservative sister Joanne, highlighting 1990s-era homophobia and "don't ask, don't tell" dynamics. This incidental yet central portrayal avoids clichés, making Tommy's queerness part of his multifaceted personality amid sibling rivalries and holiday chaos.[3][4][1] ## Foster's Direction and LGBTQ Ties Jodie Foster infuses the film with personal resonance, drawing from her own experiences as a Hollywood figure long rumored to be lesbian (she addressed this obliquely in her 2013 Golden Globes speech). Elements like chosen families ("How’s my real family?" Tommy asks his husband) and public-private identity struggles echo queer outsider themes, positioning the movie as a poignant mainstream exploration of estrangement within blood ties. Critics praise Foster's precise handling of natural moments, with Downey's improvisational energy revitalizing his career.[2][1][3] ## Legacy for Gay Cinephiles Now a cult Thanksgiving staple, the film resonates with LGBTQ viewers for subverting family tropes through Tommy's arc and Claudia's queered alignment (single teen mom, urban rebel), offering chaotic empathy over sentimentality. Its queer-positive twists—like casual same-sex marriage acceptance in 1995—mark it as forward-thinking amid era constraints. Available on platforms like Paramount+, it endures for blending screwball humor with heartfelt insights into found families.[5][4][3] [1](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/home-for-the-holidays-1995) [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_for_the_Holidays_(1995_film)) [3](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/queer-now-1995/) [4](https://queerfilmreviews.com/reviews/home-for-the-holidays/) [5](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/9-lgbtq-fall-movies-curl-194901710.html) [6](https://www.cede.com/en/movies/?view=detail&aid=15994389) [7](https://web.library.yale.edu/film/notes/fn00080) [8](https://www.queerty.com/home-for-the-holidays-avoids-the-gay-cliches-for-thanksgiving-with-the-family-20241130/) [9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc9T1Ab6peo) [10](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0113321/) -
Some of My Best Friends Are... (Mervyn Nelson, 1971) USA
The CinesexualsSome of My Best Friends Are... (1971) USA "Some of My Best Friends Are..." is a 1971 American drama film set on Christmas Eve in a Greenwich Village gay bar called The Blue Jay. [1][2] ## Plot Overview The story follows a diverse group of patrons—gay men, women, bisexuals, and trans characters—as they gather, share personal struggles, and form a makeshift family amid societal prejudice. [3][4][8] It unfolds slowly, blending comic moments with raw depictions of self-loathing, relationships, and identity in pre-Stonewall-era New York. [9] ## Key Cast Notable performers include Fannie Flagg as the bar hostess who dances with gay couples to avoid arrests, Rue McClanahan as a hustler, Candy Darling (a Warhol superstar) in a transgender role, Gary Sandy as a belligerent hustler, Gil Gerard as a bisexual pilot, and Dick O'Neill in a straight-but-curious part. [1][5][9] ## Production Notes Written and directed by Mervyn Nelson, the R-rated film runs 109 minutes and features an eclectic TV-familiar cast, marking it as an early queer cinema landmark more realistic than contemporaries like "The Boys in the Band." [7][9] Availability remains limited, with rare DVD releases and online versions from old broadcasts. [9] Citations: [1] Some of My Best Friends Are... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_of_My_Best_Friends_Are... [2] Some of My Best Friends Are... (1971) https://mubi.com/es/us/films/some-of-my-best-friends-are [3] Some of My Best Friends Are... (1971) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067771/ [4] Some Of My Best Friends Are... - Film https://parkcircus.com/film/102980-Some-Of-My-Best-Friends-Are... [5] Review of 1971 film Some of my Best Friends starring ... https://www.facebook.com/groups/warhol.newyork/posts/8060766707362376/ [6] Some of Your Best Friends https://www.frameline.org/distribution/films/some-of-your-best-friends/ [7] Some of My Best Friends Are... https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/some_of_my_best_friends_are [8] Some of My Best Friends Are... (1971) https://letterboxd.com/film/some-of-my-best-friends-are/ [9] Cult Oddities - Some of My Best Friends Are... https://sites.google.com/site/cultoddities/home/movies/some-of-my-best-friends-are [10] Algunos de mis mejores amigos son... (1971) https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film838280.html -
The Happiest Season (Clea DuVall, 2020) USA
The CinesexualsDONATE to watch thousands of gay-themed movies for free. https://ko-fi.com/genetsbastard/shop The Happiest Season **Happiest Season** is a 2020 Christmas romantic comedy directed by Clea DuVall, centering on queer relationships and family acceptance [1]. Kristen Stewart stars as Abby, who plans to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) during a holiday visit to Harper's conservative family, only to learn Harper hasn't come out to them [2]. ## Plot Overview Abby pretends to be Harper's straight roommate amid family tensions, including Harper's competitive sisters Sloane (Alison Brie) and Jane (Mary Holland), and parents Ted (Victor Garber) and Tipper (Mary Steenburgen). Secrets unravel at a Christmas party, leading to confrontations about identity and past hurts, with support from Abby's friend John (Daniel Levy) [1][2]. The story resolves with growth, forgiveness, and an engagement a year later [1]. ## Cast and Crew Key performers include Aubrey Plaza as Riley, Harper's ex, and Jake McDorman as ex Connor, blending humor with emotional depth in this Hulu original [3]. DuVall co-wrote the screenplay with Mary Holland, drawing from personal queer holiday experiences [1]. ## Reception Critics praised its heartfelt take on coming-out tropes, earning a 83% on Rotten Tomatoes for sharp comedy and representation [5]. It resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences for subverting holiday norms, though some noted familiar rom-com beats [9]. Citations: [1] Happiest Season - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiest_Season [2] Plot https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8522006/plotsummary/ [3] Happiest Season (2020) - IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8522006/ [4] Happiest Season - Trailer (Official) | Hulu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h58HkQV1gHY [5] Happiest Season | Rotten Tomatoes https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/happiest_season [6] Watch Happiest Season Streaming Online - Hulu https://www.hulu.com/movie/happiest-season-8bd1884d-b39d-4dc7-9c44-29f07de2f1ef [7] Happiest Season (2020) https://letterboxd.com/film/happiest-season/ [8] Happiest Season (2020) Watch HD - video Dailymotion https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9ihl1i [9] Official Discussion - Happiest Season [SPOILERS] https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/k2ctta/official_discussion_happiest_season_spoilers/ [10] Happiest Season reviews? https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/k1spbk/happiest_season_reviews/