DVDs

—Out director Lee Daniels has been feted far and wide for his staggering film about a desperate downtrodden, overweight teen in 1987 Harlem. Despite the subject matter, it’s a glorious piece of work by newcomer Gabourey Sibide as the titular character and Mo’Nique, unforgettable as her monstrous mother. Kudos also must go to the underappreciated turns by a de-glammed Mariah Carey as a no-nonsense counselor and Paula Patton as a sympathetic lesbian teacher.

—Robin Wright-Penn gets a workout as the tormented, reflective wife of elderly Alan Arkin in this adaptation of the novel of the same name. Maria Bello, Blake Lively, Winona Ryder, and Monica Bellucci offer solid support, Keanu Reeves remains his handsome, blank self, but it’s Julianne Moore (as usual) who makes the strongest impression, as a lesbian fetish photographer.

 
Up in the Air

— In this critically acclaimed, insightful 2009 dramedy, George Clooney gives his smartest, sexiest performance as Ryan Bingham, a “career-transition consultant” in the throes of an existential crisis. While there’s no overt gay content, the story line is universal and, as Carrie Bradshaw once not-so-poetically waxed, “Clooney’s like a Chanel suit, he’ll always be in style.

—The folks at ABC Family thought it would be clever to name all of the series' DVD releases “chapters” ... problem is, this is chapter 4 from season 2 ... which aired seven months ago. Anyhoo, life in the Greek system is salacious as ever, with good gay story lines courtesy of Dale (Clark Duke), Heath (Zack Lively), and Grant (Gregory Michael) and one of the sorority sisters exploring her lesbian side.

FlashForward, Season One Pt. 1

— Before FlashForward returns for the second half of its first season (which is what TV does to string you along with these cliffhanger dramas), catch up on all the action with the first ten episodes. The show, which revolves around a blackout causing everyone to see their lives six months in the future, has a number of questions to answer. Like with FBI agent Demetri Noh (John Cho) really be dead? And how did lesbian agent Janis Hawk (Christine Woods) wind up pregnant? After all... with Lost going off the air, something has to fill the "I'm hooked, but I so don't get this crap" void.