Perks of Being A Wallflower: and other films (Reviews by Eric)

So far this week I have covered Aristotle and Dante (one of my favourite books) and a collection of comic books and graphic novels. Today’s blog review will discuss the medium of film. TBPL has a growing collection of lgbt films – primarily non-fiction, but also some popular big name movies. Out of these, I will primarily focus on the film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s Perks of Being A Wallflower. Although I have admittedly not read the book, I am going to focus on the film version to fit the theme of this review.

While this movie is not specifically classified as an lgbt film, one of the main characters is homosexual. He, however, is not the main focus of the film. Instead, it centres around Charlie, a young boy in high school. He is shy and introspective, but also very smart. Charlie is the quintessential wallflower. I think this is something that fits in well with the purpose of pride week. The film is about coming of age, trying new things, accepting others, and ultimately yourself – whatever your true self may be. The film shows that whether we are straight, gay, bisexual or whatever you classify yourself as, we have all been that wallflower and we all can overcome it. I find this to be a powerful message to consider during pride week. The acting in Perks of Being a Wallflower is also superb. Logan Lerman (as Charlie) and Emma Watson (as his good friend Sam) give outstanding performances in the leads, and the supporting cast does equally well. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find something to relate to in these characters. If you’re also like me, make sure you have kleenex on hand because you’re going to need it. Whether you read the book or watch the film I think this piece of work will make an excellent and meaningful addition to your lgbt film collection.

Sadly, although I haven’t seen many other lgbt films, I would still like to recommend some other notable films to the blog. To start off, there is the new TV sensation, Orange is the New Black. Everyone I know is talking about it these days, and it seems as though everyone loves it. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Piper Kerman (played by Taylor Schilling in the series). The show has a variety of lgbt characters: lesbians, bisexuals and even a transgendered woman. If the complex and surprising life of women in prison appeals to you, check out the book or the TV show.

A few more of my personal favourites are GBF and Gayby. GBF is about a high school boy who is outed by his classmates and joins the league of the hottest girls in school. This movie is not only hilarious, but also touching. The main character, Tanner (Michael J. Willett) is your average teenage boy who just so happens to be gay, and learns how to make a place for himself in the world. Gayby, on the other hand, is the story of a woman named Jenn (Jenn Harris) who feels her maternal clock is running out. She decides that her best friend, who is gay, would make the perfect father and hilarity ensues. These two films can be found on Netflix, so check them out. However, if you’re looking for some excellent lgbt films in the library, check out Milk, Brokeback Mountain, Ellen DeGeneres’ comedy shows, or the collection of positive non-fiction DVDs. You can’t go wrong with any of these choices!

With Thunder Pride ended, we can all celebrate another successful celebration. Remember, TBPL has a number of items you can check out to celebrate pride year round, not just during this one week. Happy Thunder Pride Week everyone.

-Eric Stein