Movies

Happy Tears — Out director Mitchell Lichtenstein directs Parker Posey and Demi Moore in this story of sisters who return home to care for their ailing father (Rip Torn) and confront not-so-pleasant memories of their childhood. Lichtenstein’s last film was about a woman born with teeth in her vagina (let that one settle for a second), so it’s clear that, as a gay man, he has a lot to say. He says the story was born out of his observation that gays and lesbians often become caregivers for ailing parents because they’re the ones without children to care for. What quirky life lesson will he bring to the table here? With Moore and Posey in the leads, anything is possible.

The Good Guy — A straight romantic comedy set among the world of stockbrokers, The Good Guy positions itself as Sex and the City meets Wall Street for the 20-something set (ladies talking sex over cocktails and lamenting that all the good ones are gay). With Gilmore Girls star Alexis Bledel in the lead, reviews suggest it's really more like a poor attempt at remaking Wall Street for lovelorn women who like money. If gays as the punch line and the best friend are your thing, check it out.

The Ghost Writer — Whatever your feelings about Roman Polanski as a person, as a director, he’s in a league all his own. Here he tries his hand at an ode to film noir with the story of a ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) who goes to work on the memoirs of a British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan) and stumbles upon a slew of political secrets best kept buried. Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City’s Samantha) pops up as Brosnan’s mistress (the icy blond present in all Hitchcockian thrillers), and reviews for the film are particularly strong.

Shutter Island — Martin Scorsese is back with this psychological thriller–horror flick about detectives (Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo) investigating the disappearance of an inmate of a mental asylum. Gay favorites Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson pop up in supporting roles, and while this hasn’t exactly been scoring raves, it’s a Scorsese pic, which means reviews are stronger than for most films this time of year.