Advertise on podcast: Movies That Made Us Gay

"A naked American man stole my balloons." We watched "An American Werewolf in London" with our friend Billy Roach, and we will, in fact, dust OFF the moors. What can we say about this horror classic that hasn't already been said? We are still dazzled by the visceral, gory, just plain icky practical transformation scenes; we are charmed by the chemistry between David Naughton and Griffin Dunne; and we are mesmerized by Naughton's buns. Naughton and Dunne's David and Jack bicker like a married couple, and we love the intimacy of their straight male friendship as they navigate this new plane of existence. We also cannot get enough of the lovely Jenny Agutter as nurse Alex Price and her kicky London flat. Alex is diving headfirst into this romance with David Kessler; honestly, we can't blame her. The practical effects, horror/comedy script, and charming English locations keep us coming back for more after all these years.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"I want to be with my real Mom and Dad. I want you to let me go." We watched Coraline directed by Henry Selick and ParaNorman directed by Chris Butler, and we voted to bring back scary kids movies! As the first entry into Laika Entertainment's impressive catalog, "Coraline" set a pretty high standard. Not only is the movie beautiful, with a cool, eerie score, and some pretty stellar voice work - it's pretty scary. We are champions of scary kids movies, and this one is right up there with "Return to Oz" and "The Dark Crystal." We also talk about Laika's second film, "ParaNorman." We've got the walking dead, a kid who can speak to ghosts, and a spooky stand-in for Salem, MA, in all its kitschy glory. Watch them back-to-back as a double feature this spooky season, or if you're like us - they never go out of regular rotation. Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"If I cannot send your payment, how on earth do you expect to transport an entire castle across the sea? The number of stamps alone is mind-boggling." We watched "High Spirits" with our friend Hiko Mitsuzuka and we'd consider risking it all for a ghostly Liam Neeson. They sure don't make horror comedies like they used to, and "High Spirits" really hearkens back to the greats like "Beetlejuice" and "Ghostbusters." The cast is full of '80s movie stalwarts like the dreamy Steve Guttenberg, stunner Beverly D'Angelo, and early turns from Jennifer Tilly, Peter Gallagher, and of course the ethereal Daryl Hannah. Peter O'Toole delivers as the perpetually sauced proprietor of Castle Plunkett, and his troupe of loyal employees are hilariously charming. We will admit, the writing may not be perfect, but the delightful performances, beautiful Irish setting, and the cast of '80s babes make us revisit this one time and time again.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"Roger that Burt, and congratulations. Be advised, however, that there are two more, repeat, two more motherhumpers." We watched "Tremors" with our friend Ashley Casseday (with a special appearance from her husband Joe) from "Keep It Weird" and we would like nothing more than to visit Perfection, Nevada with this rag tag groups of survivors. This cast is so extremely well put together, we don't even know where to begin. Actually, Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward - this movie begins and ends with these two actors charming the pants off each other and us, the audience. Valentine (Bacon) and Earl (Ward) are two handymen working their way through Perfection and squabbling like an old married couple the entire time. You can cut the sexual tension with a knife. We may be stretching a bit there, but they are indeed a bit familiar with each other. The rest of the townsfolk are extremely well used and we are still talking about a "B" monster movie with giant worms. Speaking of which, the practical effects used to bring the Graboids to life are second to none. Tremors is a "handmade" film and the movie magic used adds to the charm. And yes, we absolutely Ship Val and Earl.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"In the end, my girlfriend became my arch enemy, my arch enemy became my best friend, and my best friend became my girlfriend. But, hey, it's high school." We watched "Sky High" with Hannah and Cullen from "Not My Fantasy," and yes, this is definitely unintentionally queer. The gayness that is fully embedded in this movie is most likely accidental, but it's pretty hard to miss. How else do you explain a full-on coming-out scene, color-coded wardrobes that create an entire rainbow, and the overall high-camp aesthetic? It may have been unintentional, but the queerness is there, and a generation of kids grew up on this movie and felt seen when Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) tells his father, The Commander (Kurt Russell) that he's "proud to be a sidekick." We talk about the fun cast - Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston as Superhero parents! - TWO Kids In The Hall members as teachers! -  the fun midcentury modern design elements and the early/mid-aughts fashion choices. "Sky High" might be accidentally queer, but it's an intentionally fun ride.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"I love the Power Glove. It's so bad." We watched "The Wizard" directed by Todd Holland and we're still trying to pass "Super Mario Bros. 3." When this movie was released in 1989 it was the Superbowl, Christmas and Summer Vacation all wrapped into one. A move... about Nintendo... starring Fred Savage - there was no other choice than to Stan. While it's now a cult classic among adults of a certain age (read: Xenniells and older Millenials) it does suffer from an over written plot with a pretty depressing storyline. What could have been a run of the mill, 80's underdog competition movie along the lines of "Karate Kid" or "Rad", set against a Nintendo backdrop, instead we got a sometimes heavy family drama. Overcoming trauma, living with PTSD and a possibly neuro-divergent co-lead is some pretty heady stuff for kids who wanted to see Mario, Luigo, Link and Samus on the big screen. Savage is screaming his performance (no doubt attempting to go toe to toe with Beau Bridges and Christian Slater) but the standouts are Luke Edwards playing the titular video game Wizard and the iconic Jenny Lewis as street smart tough girl Haley. We also get the fantastic use of "Send Me an Angel" by Australian band Real Life. They reeled us in with actual Nintendo games on the big screen - they kept our butts in the seats with sweet behind the scenes Universal Studios action! Oh yeah - and a sweet cameo from the world famous Cabazon Dinosaurs!  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"Have fun stormin' da castle." We watched "The Princess Bride" with our friend Melanie Vartabedian and we're still shouting quotes from this movie at each other from across the room. This movie is an absolute classic but like, it's really deserving of that moniker. This cast is pitch perfect, the script is non-stop quotable gold, and the direction by gone too soon Rob Reiner is top notch. Who would have thought that Borscht-Belt humor would mix so well into a medeival fairy tale? Rob Reiner, that's who. The film adaptation of the book by William Goldman passed through many directors hands but it was Reiner who completed the task and he made it work. Bringing on board new talent like Cary Elwes and Robin Wright, along side comedy mainstays like Christopher Guest and Billy Crystal, this cast is nothing short of phenomenal. Oh and we definitely think this movie gives "The Mummy" a run for it's money with the sheer number of bisexual awakenings. LIsten and find out our one squabble with this otherwise nearly flawless movie. "As you wish." Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"My professors would kill me for even thinking this, but in her own strange way, Emma Bovary is a feminist." We watched "Little Children" with our friend Dev Lotfi, and we're unsettled but also… intrigued. We've asked this many times on the podcast, but this film really begs the question… are straight people OK? This film is a character study of modern American suburbia, but we would like to study Patrick Wilson's… character. Wilson and Kate Winslet play stay-at-home parents (to different families) drawn to each other through a mutual need of adult companionship. Jackie Earle Haley plays Ronnie, who lives with his elderly mother (Phyllis Somerville) and was just released from prison for exposing himself to a minor. Their lives are messy, and they intersect in some messy ways, but we can't tear our gaze away from Patrick Wilson's bod - it's on full display for a good portion of the movie. This movie is full of grown adults making some immature decisions, which really makes you appreciate the double meaning of the film's title.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"Well, "Sinead O'Rebellion." Shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior." We watched "Empire Records" with our dear friend Espie Quintero, and we don't feel that we need to explain our art to you. We know this movie may be polarizing to viewers - it's the kind of film that if you didn't grow up with, you may not hold it as dear as those who did. We're okay with that. Yes, this movie is a series of needle drops and vignettes in which a group of tattooed weirdos lip sync to pop/rock songs of various levels of acclaim. Yes, this movie at times feels like a young adult/teen soap in which the characters are overly emotional. And yes, this movie is a little light on plot. But what "Empire Records" really has going for it is a very endearing cast, a fun "slice of life" storyline set in the coolest of the cool, crown jewel of teen/young adult jobs - the '90s end-all-be-all - a freakin' record store! We wax nostalgic about our earliest memories of watching this movie, or record store memories from the 90s and early aughts, and play an EPIC game of FMK with "Empire Records" characters. Say it with us - "Damn the man! Save the Empire!" Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"Bloody Hello! The breath on that thing!" We watched "Jaws: The Revenge" with author Paul Downey and we had a roaring good time. This film is the final entry in the "Jaws" franchise and we honestly had a great time with it. We know, this one has a reputation for going a little off the rails - the main character is Chief Brody's wife Ellen (Lorraine Gary), she has a dubious "psychic" connection to the shark and the shark itself followed her from Martha's Vineyard to the Bahamas. If this all sounds a little cuckoo, don't worry - the movie itself is quite watchable and at times, a lot of fun. Lorraine Gary does a fine job as our new heroine but it's her chemistry with pilot Hoagie played by Michael Caine that stands out. It sort of feels like "The Golden Girls" take the Caribbean but thats what we love about it. The dings this movie got from the critics about the supernatural elements and Ellen's psychic bond with the shark can be taken with a grain of salt - we were fine with all those elements. The movie really does suffer from a rushed production and a script that can feel cobbled together. Early-80's dream boat Lance Guest, and Mario Van Peebles play Mike Brody and his colleague Jake respectively, and they create the electromagnetic device that shocks the shark and gets it to emit that much maligned roar in the climax. Yes the shark does roar and the altered ending included on the DVD and streaming versions are the biggest sins of this movie. At the end of the day we still had a fun time watching a fierce woman of a certain age find love, get her groove back in the Caribbean and protect her family from a shark all while wearing chic eyewear a modern hairdo and shoulder pads for days.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"I am Nikki Finn. I will not be denied. I will know vengeance!" We watched "Who's That Girl" with our friend Robbie Barnett, and we still remember the brief period in the '80s when Madonna was Latina. We all know Madonna has had a complicated history in the movie biz.  While "Who's That Girl" was not necessarily well received by critics upon its first release, it's gone on to gain a cult following, not just from Madonna super fans. Griffin Dunne is as adorable as always as uptight tax attorney Louden Trott, and Madonna created an iconic character in Nikki Finn. Is she psychotic? An alien? Or just plain nuts? Probably all of the above, and we're perfectly okay with that. There's also a mountain lion named Murray in this movie since it's a (very) loose adaptation of "Bringing Up Baby." Maybe Madonna's performance was panned, but we got a great soundtrack, a memorable character, and some iconic scenes with Madonna running around NYC with a big cat on her tail.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"We look after each other, don't we?" We watched "Heartstopper Forever" with our friend and fellow Heartstopper-head Harper Thomson, and we still haven't decided if we're a Nick or a Charlie. "Heartstopper Forever" is the series finale movie event, the would-be Season 4 of the oh-so sincere and very, very gay Netflix series "Heartstopper" based on the graphic novel series created by Alice Oseman. When the series first premiered in 2022, we were instantly hooked - Nick and Charlie and their rag-tag clique representing every color in the Pride Flag may have started out pretty chaste, but as the seasons went on they were allowed to grow up and get a little freaky. This finale movie wraps up the story lines for Nick and Charlie, but our friends who we've spent the last 3 seasons growing up with were sadly short-changed. Yes, we're all mostly here for Nick and Charlie but a lot of us are equally invested in Tara and Darcy, Elle and Tao (and the rest) only to be given somewhat truncated storylines. Now listen, we'd travel far and wide to protect these little f-slurs, and for our money this show has healed a lot of old scars for gays of a certain age, but we really would have loved a full season to allow these characters to breathe and get the send-off they deserve.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

"She never meant for us to leave that attic." We watched "Flowers in the Attic" (1987) with our friend, the hilarious Michael Morgan, and we will not be eating those cookies. Based on the novel by the prolific V.C. Andrews, this film is melodramatic, American gothic, and just a little trashy.  The Dollanganger children have been locked away in their grandparents' mansion by their scheming mother (Victoria Tennant) and uncaring grandmother, played by Nurse Ratched herself, the real queen diva Louise Fletcher. Every school kid in the 80s and 90s knew the dark secret the source novel, Flowers in the Attic, held - but the filmmakers got cold feet when it came to depicting eldest brother and sister Chris (Jeb Stuart Adams) and Cathy (Kristy Swanson) in shall we say, compromising situations. Even without the sensational aspects of the original book, the movie is still a ton of fun with the three female leads trading barbs (and slaps, and whips) every chance they get. Louise Fletcher is iconic as the grandmother you love to hate, while Victoria Tennant feels like she may have taken an Ambien and washed it down with her nightly Franzia. While not the most faithful book-to-screen adaptations ever, it may be all for the better since the source material is a little too cuckoo even for the 80s. We'll leave the full story of the Dollanganger clan to the Lifetime original movie series. Come for the Hagsploitation, stay for the iconic lines - "Eat the cookie, Mother!" Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

It's our last week of summer vacation on the podcast, and we picked another one of our favorite episodes for a movie that's turning 40! Well, Ridley Scott's Legend had its United Kingdom release in December of 1985, but the United States didn't get it until the spring of the following year! Enjoy this classic MTMUG episode orginally released November 11th 2021.  "What is light without dark?" We watched Legend (1985) directed by Ridley Scott and what we wouldn't give to run around the forest hugging woodland creatures and get wine drunk with fairies. This movie is HIGH fantasy and we are here for it. Baby Tom Cruise is prancing around without any pants, Mia Sara is serving high-fashion face, face, beauty, face and Tim Curry is giving us CAMP as gym-bunny muscle-queen Lord of Darkness. This movie is peak 80's fantasy up there with any Henson or Lucasfilm classic and definitely not to be missed.  Thank you for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela

It's Summer Vacation and we're taking 2 weeks off to recharge. In the meantime, enjoy these rewind episodes reviewing a couple of our favorite films that just happen to be turning 40 this year! Enjoy this classic MTMUG episode originally released April 15, 2022.  "Turn Back, Sarah. Turn back before it's too late." We watched Labyrinth (1986) with our good-Judy Jared Anderson and we wish the Goblin King would come and take you away… right now. Sixteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelley) faces off against Jareth the Goblin King (David Bowie) and a generation's sexual awakening began. Bowie is giving androgynous ren-faire realness and Connelley is giving ethereal drama-kid/teen model. And you can trust and believe we get into that cod-piece. Is it icky that the Goblin King is so actively seducing this young girl?  A little, but it's all fantasy and (spoiler alert) Sarah finds her way back to her kick ass bedroom in her dad and stepmoms sweet Victorian house in Portland.  The puppet work by Jim Henson's Creature Shop will transport you to another world, the costumes will make you want to head over to Party City right now, and the MUSIC! Don't get us started on the soundtrack by David Bowie.  It's FIRE.  Grab a cold mug of mead, break out your tights and lets get theatrical!  Say it with us… "You have no power over me!"   Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna Cover Art by Shaun Piela