Eric Debets in ‘Hollywood, je T’aime.’ Photo credit: Wolfe Video
Welcome to your weekend streaming recommendations, a.k.a. the Weekend Watch, a handy guide to the queerest film and TV content that’s just a click away!
“I am big. It’s the pictures that got small!”
If you’re familiar with that famous line, you’ll love this week’s streaming picks. Hollywood has a certain mystique—everyone moves to La La Land with big dreams, but what happens when those dreams are derailed by surreal nightmares, crazed silent film stars, scandalous pasts, and closeted actors? The queer experience in Hollywood can be quite chaotic…
Check out these Hollywood-themed movies to stream this weekend.
Mulholland Drive
David Lynch’s 2001 masterpiece, reworked from a failed ABC pilot, follows idealistic aspiring actress Betty (Naomi Watts) as she navigates Hollywood’s dark underbelly and meets a mysterious amnesiac femme fatale named Camilla (Laura Elena Harring). Along the way, Lynchian nightmares slowly begin to warp the world around Betty, whose sapphic desires lead to dark twists. That’s all we’ll say about this sexy, confounding thriller that is best watched with as little information as possible.
Now streaming on Showtime with an Apple TV subscription. Available to rent digitally Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store and DirecTV.
Hollywood, Je t’aime
In this 2008 indie romantic comedy by Jason Bushman, Eric Debets is Jerome, a heartbroken Parisian who comes to Hollywood looking for stardom (and love). After some wacky hookups gone wrong and a series of silly hijinks, he finds himself on the brink of success, and love! Gay actor Chad Allen makes one of his final film appearances in Hollywood, Je t’aime as a sweet pot dealer. This film wears its low budget on its sleeve, but endearing performances make it worth a watch.
Available to stream via Revry.tv.
Boulevard! A Hollywood Story
Did you know? Before Andrew Lloyd Webber’s striking musical adaptation of the Billy Wilder masterpiece Sunset Boulevard, the film’s star, Gloria Swanson, tried to commission a musical production of the movie herself! This fascinating documentary by queer documentarian Jeffrey Schwarz recounts Swanson’s efforts to mount a stage production of Sunset Boulevard, to be written by writing—and romantic—partners Dickson Hughes and Richard Stapley. When Swanson falls for Stapley, things get weird. This documentary is a must for fans of cinema.
Now streaming on Peacock and Dekkoo. Available to rent digitally on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube and Vudu.
Going Down In La-La Land
This 2011 film by Casper Andreas follows twunk Adam (Matthew Ludwinski), a naive guy who moves to Los Angeles to be an actor and quickly finds himself caught up in the adult film industry. When Adam gets a chance at both love (with a closeted sitcom actor, of course) and mainstream success, his past threatens to derail his chances. Going Down In La-La Land has a cast filled with fun queer cameos, including Bruce Vilanch, Alec Mapa, Perez Hilton (ugh) and more.
Now streaming on Vudu. Available to rent digitally on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play, YouTube and Vudu.
The Kicker…
Saturday Night Lives pokes fun at problematic celebrities in this hilarious sketch depicting an increasingly chaotic episode of Hollywood Squares with stars like Baby Spice (Anya Taylor-Joy) and, uh, Bill Cosby (Kenan Thompson).
