It’s a rare thing to hear from one gay man, let alone a whole office of them, BUT some great queer things really do come in small packages.  Take the new GROVES AND PINES FILM FESTIVAL, set against the stunning backdrop of Fire Island; this new community-led celebration of LGBTQIA storytelling will  channel the island’s unique mix of intimacy, energy, art, and allure.  With 42 Shorts and 4 Features over three days that include comedy, horror, docs, and everything in between, starring Alan Cumming, Cheyenne Jackson, and Miss Peppermint, the emphasis for the new event is ‘quality over quantity,’ and that definitely is something (most)  gay men say.  Well, at least the nice ones who take you home to meet Mother! 

Check out the whole program, BUT if you just want to see one (shame on you) then the QUEERGURU Must See Movie is BOOKENDS .  Our reviewer wrote When it comes to movies, timing is everything. In the midst of all the mayhem caused by the current (temporary) tenant of the White House, which sets so many of us here in the US into another round of depression, this is the perfect time to watch a wee, joyous movie like Bookends.  Written by openly gay Noam Ash (The Other Two) , who also stars in this story based on his life, as Nate, who, after a painful breakup from his boyfriend, is forced to leave his sophisticated city life behind and move in with his grandparents in their retirement community in the burbs.

Nate is determined to finally start writing the novel he has been talking about for years, but meanwhile, he struggles to cope with his grandfather’s early-onset dementia. Dealing with this new family dynamic puts a strain on them all, especially as his grandmother is in total denial of her husband’s decline.  Not only does Nate actually finish the novel, but he also ………no, we shouldn’t give that potentially happy ending away.