Weekend (2011) Directed by Andrew Haigh

4/5

Andrew Haig definitely knows how to make a compelling gay love story, although the director's commentary that comes with the Criterion Collection version does see the directoy emphasize a more "universal" story that intentionally can appear to more than just a gay audience. Although I would say this movie's gayness is a strength and could be, at least, appreciated more to a certain extent by a gay male audience. Either way, very enjoyable movie in a "small" world with a compressed timeline that is well-paced for the story. I also think seeing more of the director's films gives me more of an appreciation for each one as it fits into his ouvre.

Beautiful Thing (1996) Directed by Hettie Macdonald

5/5

Now THIS is gay movie excellence, so many beautiful scenes both visually and emotionally. It also has a certain British nostalgia that makes it a pleasure to watch, great music, some great acting (especially from the supporting characters) and a feel-good ending that doesn't feel too cheesy. I find myself enjoying more with each rewatch and it seems to be underrated/surprisingly niche for how good it is.

Nowhere (1997) Directed by Gregg Araki

2.5/5

Continuing on in the Araki watching this is probably the most forgettable thus far, not to say that it was bad but has less stand out moments than the others. Probably the weakest in terms of plot and characters but has the usual dose of weirdness and softcore violence too keep it interesting - oh and aliens.

The Doom Generation (1995) Directed by Gregg Araki

3/5

On the one hand I have to give the movie credit for nailing the tension between Jordan and Xavier - it also does the camp-style gore well. Overall the plot and characters a little less compelling than Totally F***ed Up so a little less easy to recommend.

Shelter (2007) Directed by Jonah Markowitz

5/9/2026: 4/5

This is an all-time favorite of mine and my first rewatch in a while. There is something so great about this movie... it has a certain mid-2000s je ne sais quoi that becomes even more interesting over time. There are moments of really poorly written dialogue and bad acting juxtaposed with some really nice visuals and an overall unqiue (but highly contrived) plot. The highs are high and the lows are low but it remains a timeless gem in my eyes!

Totally F***ed Up (1993) Directed by Gregg Araki

4/30/2026: 3.5/5

Major thanks to my friendly neighbor for recommending this movie that I would otherwise probably never find or watch! I enjoyed this quite a lot, it has a grittiness to it that makes it feel like an amateur movie in addition to its very 90s look and feel. The division into the "celluloids" and the captions in between each one actually worked and established a good pace. I would assume that it was very low-budget but there are some really good shots and the acting is pretty good from all the characters. Would definitely recommend for a short, queer (albeit melancholy) movie night.