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Frank J. Avella
Tomatometer-approved critic
Frank J. Avella is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and film journalist. His plays include LURED, VATICAN FALLS and CONSENT. He currently writes for Edge Media Network and Awards Daily. Frank is a member of the New York Film Critics Online and the East Coast Rep for GALECA - The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. He's a proud queer Italian-American.
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Studio One Forever (2023) |
This film is another important addition to the ever-growing gay canon of vital stories about our community. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Sep 19, 2023
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Bones and Names (2023) |
(Fabian) Stumm proves to be as gifted a writer/director as actor...(he) never feels the need to spoon feed his audience, but allows us to peel back the layers of these complex characters. The results are exhilarating. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Sep 19, 2023
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The Sixth Reel (2021) |
What ensues is madcap madness and mayhem. Busch and his co-conspirator, Carl Andress, have assembled a marvelous supporting cast that includes a scene-stealing Julie Halston, Tim Daly, and Margaret Cho. Lovers of old movies will kvell. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Sep 19, 2023
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A Haunting in Venice (2023) |
In the third Kenneth Branagh-as-Hercule-Poirot installment, we are treated to a dark and spooky tale that toys with the supernatural and is often quite funny (thanks mostly to a terrific Tina Fey as an amped-up Christie type, by way of Peggy Guggenheim). - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Sep 11, 2023
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Barbie (2023) |
The Kens steal the show with…"I'm Just Ken," destined to go down in queer history alongside other classic homoerotic movie musical moments like "The Aggie Song" from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," and "Take Off with Us" from "All That Jazz." - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jul 20, 2023
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Commitment to Life (2023) |
"Commitment to Life" is a potent cinematic document that tells vital stories from a time in the not-too-distant past when the queer community had to literally fight for its life. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jul 04, 2023
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1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture (2022) |
Roggio uses her own complex story as the queer daughter of a minister to examine an extraordinary discovery, the false translation of the word homosexual in the bible, and how it has been used to promote a horrific anti-gay agenda by conservative churches - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jul 04, 2023
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Egghead & Twinkie (2023) |
Both actors have great screen presence, and Holland provides the right light touch so the audience is left feeling satisfied. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jul 04, 2023
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Bottoms (2023) |
Director Emma Seligman keeps the action swift and virtually non-stop. Both Seligman and Sennott wrote the slightly subversive screenplay. Yummy Nicholas Galitzine is sidesplittingly funny... - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jul 04, 2023
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Easy Tiger (2022) |
he film is under 60 minutes, and has some whackadoodle moments and indelible images. It certainly stays with you long after the credits roll, which speaks volumes. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 26, 2023
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The Adults (2023) |
"The Adults" never delves deep enough, but is worthwhile for its three central performances, especially Gross and Lillis, whose facial expressions speak volumes in terms of conveying past trauma and disappointment. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Dead Girls Dancing (2023) |
"Dead Girls Dancing" soars in the second half when it gains energy and momentum, pivoting from its moody and somber tone to a more exciting and stakes-raising one. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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The Graduates (2023) |
There's also a quartet of terrific performances, beginning with a deeply affecting Mina Sundwall as Genevieve...But it's John Cho's devastating turn as the father of one of the dead that is most moving and elevates the film to another level. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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He Went That Way (2023) |
Elordi, stunningly photographed as if Tennessee Williams himself were behind the lens, has cinematic presence and magnetism to spare. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Transition (2023) |
What makes this so riveting, besides the obvious, is Byron's ethical dilemma about deceiving his subjects and his feelings of comfort in a place where there is only unrest and danger. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Downtown Owl (2023) |
...the mostly-engaging film is still worth seeing, and is anchored by a daring, unhinged, beguiling turn by Rabe as a new teacher who arrives in the small town of Owl, North Dakota, in 1983, to get away from her unfulfilling life. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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LaRoy (2023) |
Dylan Baker – so evil in Prime's brilliant "Hunters" – walks away with all his scenes as a visitor to town. I'd love to see a film exclusively about his character. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Waitress, the Musical - Live on Broadway! (2023) |
Bareilles...is splendid here, especially when delivering her Act 2 tour de force, "She Used to Be Mine." Sure, the show can be super-sugary and sentimental, but I was sold. And now I am hungry for pie. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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The Line (2023) |
Ethan Berger's feature narrative debut, "The Line," shows a strong grasp of the visual medium and an impressive ability to dive into themes that attack class, wealth, and power, especially when it comes to the most elite students in the good ol' U.S.A. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Bucky F*cking Dent (2023) |
David Duchovny's sophomore directorial outing, "Bucky F*cking Dent," scores a triple (that's one base shy of a home run)...a funny, bittersweet (possibly autobiographical?) film... - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 22, 2023
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Fresh Kills (2023) |
Quadruple-threat Jennifer Esposito, an Italian-American...wrote, produced, directed, and stars, knocking it out of the cinematic park! - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 20, 2023
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I.S.S. (2023) |
Filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite ("Megan Leavey") delivers a nail-biting, engrossing, and sometimes confusing sci-fi thriller that owes much to Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity" and even Ridley Scott's "Alien." - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 18, 2023
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Catching Dust (2023) |
But it's Moriarty, diving deep into the role of a seriously conflicted woman, who is most memorable. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 18, 2023
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Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music (2023) |
It's a staggering, breathtaking, and significant addition to the queer canon. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 18, 2023
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The Lesson (2023) |
The entire ensemble does outstanding work in this engrossing and disturbing film. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 13, 2023
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Cora Bora (2023) |
...Stalter (delivers a) refreshing and deliberately chaotic turn.... "Cora Bora" is an indie that manages to move and provoke you at the same time. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 13, 2023
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Egoist (2022) |
"Egoist" is a stunning and truly haunting work, and all three performances are rich and nuanced. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 13, 2023
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The Lost Boys (2023) |
Gharbia, so sexy in François Ozon "Peter von Kant," is riveting as Joe. And sexy de Saint Jean's intense and passionate turn proves once again that he's a sizzling new cinematic force. The film evokes Milos Forman's seminal One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (2022) |
Aristotle and Dante is a sweet love story of sorts (except when it turns dark, which is much appreciated) with terrific performances, gorgeous cinematography and important messages about love and the damage hate and self-hate can cause. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Chasing Chasing Amy (2023) |
Not only does this work examine the film's place in queer cinema...but it also allows an actor to speak her truth about her mistreatment by the Hollywood establishment, as well as by the man who directed her in her most celebrated role. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023) |
Stephen Kijak's Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed, is the best Hudson doc yet. Kijak boldly begins his film from the vantage point of the actor's queerness and then delves into Hudson's bumpkin beginnings... and charts his meteoric rise, - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Glitter & Doom (2023) |
There's nothing new here and the plot is rail-thin, but Gustafson delivers a lot of cinematic shimmer and the musical moments soar. Also, Cammish and Diaz provide sexy eye-candy–both have faces made for the close-up. They also give impressive performances - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Jess Plus None (2023) |
It's great to see a bisexual character depicted without any fuss over her orientation. It's also a delight to watch a comedy that is funny, but also has a few interesting things to say about relationships and the necessity to like oneself first. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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The Mattachine Family (2023) |
Totorella delivers a sharp, nuanced turn as a gay man trying to figure out what he truly wants...Totorella and the truly gifted and invigorating Emily Hampshire, as Thomas's bestie, make this endeavor worthwhile. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 12, 2023
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Last Night of Amore (2023) |
Writer-director Andrea Di Stefano crafts a taut, stylized thriller where we are never certain if our protagonist and his loyal wife (a terrific Linda Caridi) will make it through the suspenseful, increasingly maddening night. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 11, 2023
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Our Son (2023) |
Porter, in a departure from what we've previously seen him do, unearths the complexities of a rather enigmatic character. Evans is masterful here in a revelatory performance - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 11, 2023
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Afire (2023) |
There are many awesome surprises in "Afire," including a bizarre, but welcome, queer relationship that seems to develop literally overnight and then go on to become a great love immortalized. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 09, 2023
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Shortcomings (2023) |
Standout supporting turns include Tavi Gevinson as a whackadoodle performance artist, Debby Ryan as Ben's bisexual rebound, and a hilarious, scene-stealing Sherry Cola as Ben's no-bullshit lesbian bestie... - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 09, 2023
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Maggie Moore(s) (2023) |
Slattery deftly directs Paul Bernbaum's sharp and often unpredictable script. The film enthralls. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Jun 09, 2023
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Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023) |
This script nearly stops the film from being even marginally good. Nearly. The fact that it still soars, on occasion, is entirely thanks to the stellar quartet of actors doing their best with very little to work with and the stunning Italian landscapes. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted May 08, 2023
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Lie with Me (2022) |
Jérémy Gillet and Julien De Saint Jean both excel as the teen boys who fall hard for one another in flashbacks. De Saint Jean is an especially exciting newcomer to watch. The character's struggle with shame resonates deeply. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 25, 2023
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Hilma (2022) |
The film casually depicts her same-sex relationships and the drama that ensues. "Hilma's" greatest asset is Lena Olin, seen too fleetingly, in a fully-committed, enigmatic turn. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (2022) |
Some of Buirski's audio/visual blending choices are a bit maddening as they draw attention away from one another, but the doc is definitely worthwhile for cinephiles, and anyone interested in what the culture was like in the late '60s. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Three Nights A Week (2022) |
Director and co-writer Florent Gouëlou paints an engrossing picture of two people destined to fall in love but fated to part ways in the gem, "Three Nights A Week." Pauly, in a rich and affecting turn, shows us all Baptiste's vulnerabilities. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Eismayer (2022) |
Wagner, quite cleverly, unearths the obvious homophobia in this milieu while depicting how organically minds can change. The film has its own triumphant spin the famous "Officer and a Gentleman" ending, this time with two men. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Burning Days (2022) |
...while the homoerotic tension between Emre and Murat is palpable, the filmmaker never dares to go far enough--of course, given how homophobic Turkey has proved to be in the past, this film can also be seen as rather brave. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Drifter (2023) |
The performances have a palpable authenticity, especially Hochhuth...There's a fleeting nod to the sexual freedom of Weimar Berlin and a breeze of doom in the air which adds to the film's intrigue. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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The Lord of the Ants (2022) |
This highly ambitious historical endeavor, like Austria's "Great Freedom" last year, shows just how malevolent a society and government could behave towards same-sex love. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Winter Boy (2022) |
Kercher anchors the film in a beguiling turn...radiant Juliette Binoche is poignant and heartbreaking...We've seen deeply personal films about loss before, but rarely through a queer lens and rarer still presented in such a frank and authentic manner. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Apr 18, 2023
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Blue Jean (2022) |
Thatcher's terribly conservative government promoted homophobia and this film captures that anxiety-ridden time and milieu perfectly...a terrific, truly engrossing film. - Edge Media Network
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| Posted Mar 27, 2023
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