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whyqueerbaitingisbad · 3 years

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movies & shows

cracks knuckles* alright this is going to be more of a rant than an analysis because i’m basing this on both my research, but also how it felt to personally be baited by these shows. there are obviously more pieces of bad (almost every horror movie) and good ones but these are the ones i’ve watched.

please keep in mind that i am but one queer and everyone has different opinions.

Supernatural (CW) 2005

This show is 15 years old and just ended. From season 5 till 15, there has been tension between two of the lead characters. They were constantly shipped together and not only did the entire fandom know about this ship but so did almost all of Tumblr. On top of that, the actors and show runners knew about it as well. Which is why it makes it ridiculous that it was constantly pushed aside while the romantic coding kept happening, even after show runners dismissed it as being intentional. The Destiel (Dean x Cas) case has been going on for years, and as the show came to its end, many fans had hope. But N O P E. Instead, we got a love confession from Cas where Dean looked like he was near constipated and the Cas was killed and sent into a fiery place that was not hell but s u p e r h e l l.

… w hy.

Sherlock (BBC) 2010

Just like Supernatural, this show was renown on Tumblr for not only how good it was, but its hinting at a potential relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. But again, like Supernatural, the intentional tension between the two characters was denied by producers. This caused an uproar within the fandom, and even left some people believing that, after the last season aired, it had been a joke and the producers were hiding a “secret, unaired season” because they had felt so robbed by this show that had implied something and denied it.

The 100 (CW) 2014

We got lesbians. We got background gays. We were happy. Then, all of a sudden, one of them is killed for no reason. Did it advance the plot? No. Was she fighting and died in battle? lol no. She was doing literally nothing and got shot and died. And then the producers kept bringing her back once a season in the form of a ghost or illusion because why? Because she was a fan favourite queer character. ✨bury your gays and sparingly bring them back for profit anyone?✨

Voltron: Legendary Defender (Netflix) 2016

*deep breathe* This one is a special disaster. Not only was there romantic tension and romantically coded scenes for 7 seasons, but producers, voice actors and artists working on the show repeatedly said “don’t worry klance (Keith x Lance) shippers, you’ll be happy”

. … w h e r e??? You code one of their scenes with a sunset in the background while they talk about love and then one of them goes on a date with someone who has declined his advances for 7 seasons but now in season 8 decides to do a full 180. Not only that, but you announce at a Comic Con (a convention) that a character is gay and has a fiancé, only to kill off the fiancé and never make it explicit in the show except at the last second of the last episode where he marries a no name character.

Personally, i’d like to say a big fuck you to the show that strung me along for 2 years and never stopped saying we’d be happy to then pull the rug out from under us and call us crazy for thinking anything from the past 8 seasons was intentional.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

While not being outwardly queerbaiting, this movie’s filmmaker has just revealed some shocking news, which wasn’t at all shocking to the gays who had watched this movie over the years. In July of 2020, James Gunn, the filmmaker of Scooby-Doo, revealed in a podcast that, initially, Velma was explicitly gay in his script, but then the studio watered it down until it became nothing. This isn’t an example of baiting as much as it is changing a character’s initial design to “better fit an audience”. The worst part of all this is that with Velma’s character having been written with a l i t t l e queer subtext, people had been theorizing about if since the movie came out, but were always yelled at by the internet for “imagining something that isn’t there”. But now, even with it being said that the initial point was for her to be gay, people have no objections to still refusing to accept it. Why?? So we can’t get the subtext gays OR the confirmed gays?? Make it make sense.

Brooklyn 99 (NBC) 2013

To have the queer characters firstly introduced without mentioning their sexualities and have it brought up naturally was so goddamn nice to see, because no one does a big deal about it unless they ask for that. This show is amazing in general but the way they show their queer characters is *chefs kiss*.

She-ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix) 2018

This. Show. My heart SOARS. It's just a remake of an old show so absolutely nothing was ever expected, but then it was sprinkled in and ENDED WITH A BANG. And it was so beautiful and real to see the struggle of two friends who care for each other and want to be together but have different visions of the world fall in love. And they also had characters with disabilities, a non-binary character and jUST SUCH A GOOD SHOW.

Kipo and The Age of Wonderbeasts (Netflix) 2020

This is a case where you go into it not expecting anything and are BLOWN AWAY by the bare minimum. And not because it’s bad!! It's mind blowing because this is the simple representation we need!! Not something over the top, but an every day relationship. It’s just two boys falling in love and going on dates and being nervous around each other, yet i was so stunned. Because it’s not shown enough. I should not be this excited over something that should be this normal. 10/10 though this show is so good for all kinds of representation.

Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) 2013

This show did so much for queer representation with its general message of loving everyone and loving who you want. Especially since it was aired on Cartoon Network, a channel for kids, it was able to help normalize something so looked down upon in some circles. It made it easy to watch for s o m e people because it's a cartoon but it's so beautiful to see these ladies so in love with each other, both platonically and romantically and we see them have a family dynamic that isn’t a “nuclear family”. Rebecca Sugar (creator) really said “lemme just break all stereotypes real quick”.

Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) 2010

It's the “knowing a fanbase shipped something so hard that the creators made it canon” for me. This relationship had been theorized by fans for years, but it had never been explicit in the show. When the finale episode came out and the two shared a kiss, it was a moment of celebration. The producer of the show said that it had not really been planned but when the episode was being made, the choice of what happened was given to one of the artists (bless your soul Hanna K. Nyströmthe). And as the show releases little bonus episodes, its latest was centered around Marceline and Bubblegum and their relationship. AND WE LOVE TO SEE OUR DOMESTIC LESBIANS BEING HAPPY AND IN LOVE.

Yuri on Ice!!! (anime) 2016

The fact that an A N I M E gave us a love story between two men is mind boggling and it makes me so happy!! Especially because it's a Japanese show and they’re very conservative about these things just makes it more emotional. The creators said they wanted to make the anime take place in a world where gay/straight isn’t a thing, it’s just love (ladies, you’re going to make me cry). So as the weekly episodes came out and fans start speculating, THEY GAVE US THE LAST FEW EPISODES FULL OF ROMANCE AND EMOTIONAL SCENES BETWEEN THE TWO AND THEN THEY GET R I N GS?!???!! You watch for the figure skating, you stay for the figure skaters that are in love.

Shadowhunters (Freeform) 2016

*insert me being frustrated that the actors are straight so we can move on from that disappointment*

This show really said “let’s name a whole episode after this couple because they deserve it”. But seriously, they gave us two characters whose entire plot does not center around their sexualities while still showing us the differences in a relationship between someone experienced and someone new at this. They were both powerful and amazing characters apart from each other, with their own story lines and goals but they loved each other so much omgs. SO MUCH.

It was so great to watch.

Love, Simon (2018)

There’s a lot of disagreement on whether this movie is good representation or not. However, we need to take into consideration that this was Hollywood’s first movie with a main character that was gay, where the story’s focus was on Simon’s love story. The biggest problem, for me at least, was that the actor playing Simon is a straight man and not queer. My problem is not with him, but the fact that there are other actors that are gay and that could have played Simon just as well. (the love interested was however played by a queer actor so ✨progress✨)

All in all, this movie does represent what a lot of queer kids have to go through: being outed at school, how they then come out, the bullying and doubt they go through.

The book is also really good.

Call Me By Your Name (2018)

This movie is so aesthetically pleasing and was able to capture the confusion and heartbreak felt by a boy who’s struggling with his own feelings towards a man. His inner conflict and joy and l o v e he feels but doesn’t know how to deal with is so well communicated through the screen and just breaks your heart because it feels so real.

But again, they could’ve gotten gay actors to play gay characters…

through having this list here, i want to show you that it’s not hard for creators to give good queer representation. the LGBTQ+ community isn’t asking for much, we just want to be well represented on screen as just a regular character, not some token queer kid there for the diversity points. having been exposed to so much queerbaiting and just not seeing any representation on screen, i always get over-excited when i see a queer character, and that’s not how it should be. it should be a normal thing, something you can find in most pieces of media, just like there’s a straight white cisgender person in everything.

and they seriously need to start casting queer actors for queer characters...

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ruraljuror94 · 7 years

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My Top 15 Films of 2016

Since the Oscar nominations were announced this morning, I figure it’s time I get off my ass and compile my personal top 15 movies of the year. And since I’m too indecisive this year to make a Top 10 I’ve decided to expand it to 15. Stay tuned, my 3 followers!!

1. MOONLIGHT

Initially, I had a difficult time choosing between this and La La Land as my #1 of the year, but after letting it sink in, I can confidently put Moonlight in the top spot. A haunting and moving piece of cinema from a perspective that is all too rare in movies in general, featuring the best ensemble of the year. However, I wish Trevante Rhodes and Andre Holland got more attention throughout awards season given how they electrifying they were together in the last 40 minutes. The movie is subtle and tells its story through body language, facial expressions, and glances, and yet still manages to say a lot. Although it is harsh for the most part, Moonlight is ultimately hopeful and an important depiction that needs to be shared.

2. LA LA LAND

Magical is the world I would use for this film. From the stunning opening to that spectacular ending, La La Land proves that Damien Chazelle is one of the best working directors today. It’s joyful and a gorgeous piece of filmmaking. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s chemistry are out of this world; but if I’m to be honest, it’s the former who is the true heart and soul of the story. On top of that, it has managed to snatch 14 Oscar nominations along the way. I have been playing the soundtrack almost everyday and I doubt the songs will leave my head soon.

3. ARRIVAL

OK, let’s get this out of the way first: Amy Adams was goddamn robbed by that overrated Meryl. Sad! But on a more serious note, it was upsetting to see her best performance yet to be overlooked by the Academy. Her subtle performance anchors the movie and makes the entire thing the more effective knowing the outcome of the third act. Possible my favourite sci fi movie, Arrival is a unique entry to the genre, using communication and language as the focus to tell a beautiful and intimate human story at its core.

4. THE HANDMAIDEN

Another outstanding achievement by Park Chan-wook. Adapted from the novel Fingersmith, The Handmaiden brings a fresh take to the story with its settings and time period. Visually striking and engaging from start to finish, the film is a thrill ride with two amazing leading performances by .Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri. It’s the kind of story that will keep you guessing throughout its 140 minute runtime, which passes by as quickly as it came.

5. THE WITCH

It has been a while since I have seen a movie as unsettling as The Witch. Not exactly full of scares like Insidious or The Conjuring, this period piece horror film is a slow burner that is filled with a dreaded atmosphere from its very first shot, and the tension just gradually creeps up throughout the runtime, resulting in an unforgettable and terrifying entry to the genre.

6. CLOSET MONSTER

Described as Xavier Dolan meets David Cronenberg, Closet Monster is a stylish gay coming of age story that follows a teenage boy in a small Canadian town. This premise might not be original, especially within queer cinema, yet Stephen Dunn manages to create a unique voice for this movie, from a talking hamster voiced by Isabella Rosselini to disturbing surrealist imageries presented at unexpected moments. Overall, it’s a well made film with obvious personal touches from the director/ writer himself, making it the more intimate.

7. THE WAILING

Korean cinema has always been a personal favourite of mine, and movies like The Wailing reinforces my love for it. Starting off as a seemingly common murder mystery story, The Wailing slowly builds and hints at something much more sinister, and the result is one of the most original, terrifying, and thought provoking horror films in a while. Although it could use some trimming in the runtime as the middle drags a little bit, the film is still fascinating to follow, and the distinctive cultural lores of a small Korean village is what makes it so unique as a whole, and the last 30 minutes of The Wailing will surely haunt you for a long time.

8. HIDDEN FIGURES

While it follows a pretty typical route for biopic films, Hidden Figures lends a voice to a perspective that we usually don’t get to see, and in this case it’s from 3 brilliant black women working for NASA, whose stories remained untold til now. With 3 ferocious performances from Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae, and Octavia Spencer (congrats on her nod!), Hidden Figures is inspirational as it is important and essential. Unfortunately, Taraji P. Henson didn’t receive a nomination for her incredible performance as Katherine Johnson, but hey, it’s the Oscars. Janelle Monae is proving to be a natural screen presence with her second movie role this year, and Octavia Spencer is always reliably great.

9. GREEN ROOM

Possible one of the most intense cinematic experience of 2016. Green Room is an unnerving thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout its entire run. The suspense is impeccable and the way Jeremy Saulnier lets it build and build to the point of unbearable is simply masterful. It’s violent and brutal and certainly not for the easily squeamish.

10. AMERICAN HONEY

Initially, I was put off by this movie because damn, it’s almost 3 hours. But I’m glad I came around to it. Raw and authentic, American Honey doesn’t feel like it’s as long as it is, and it makes you want to following these youths living their care free lives, even though it’s from motel to motel and they have to share a cramped up van everyday. The standout of the film is Sasha Lane, who is such a natural that it feels like you’re a fly on the wall in this young woman’s life as she searches for herself on the road. Don’t let the runtime intimidate you and miss out on this gem.

11.10 CLOVERFIELD LANE

Another incredibly suspenseful thriller set in a contained space on this list, but instead of Nazis, it’s John Goodman this time. 10 Cloverfield Lane is nailbiting tension as its finest, making you doubt everything and having you nervously waiting for everything to unfold. John Goodman is absolutely menacing in this and Mary Elizabeth Winstead does an amazing job as the intelligent heroine who is constantly 2 steps ahead of the audience.

12. NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

Nocturnal Animals is possibly one of the most polarizing movie of the year. You either love it or hate it and I happen to fall in the love camp. It’s incredibly stylish and unsettling, and the way Tom Ford intertwines the 2 tales is masterful. Amy Adams gives another great performance here, and Michael Shannon and Jake Gyllenhaal are also solid but the biggest surprise is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the psychopath redneck, who is chilling and so perfectly despicable as the main antagonist.

13. SPA NIGHT

Mostly under the radar (and is now on Netflix!), Spa Night is another gay coming of age story, but this time it’s from the perspective of a young Korean American man. Representing a voice that never seemed to get any attention in queer cinema, Spa Night also depicts a brutally honest reality of what the American dream is for immigrants of colour coming to the country. A confident debut from director Andrew Ahn, who I’m looking forward to see tackling on future projects.

14. KRISHA

Filmed with such a low budget that most of the cast comes from the director’s family, it’s amazing how well craft this little movie is. Krisha Fairchild, hands down, gives my favourite performance of the year. While the role has been done before, Fairchild skillfully injects so much layer to this pained woman who is silently suffering and slowly boiling up throughout the movie, leading to an explosive and absolutely gut wrenching climax.

15. TRAIN TO BUSAN

Every zombie movie that has ever made has been leading up to Train to Busan. This Korean zombie flick is highly entertaining, thrilling, at times scary and surprisingly emotional, and in my opinion, the best that the zombie subgenre has got to offer.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

DON’T BREATHE

After giving us a horrifying bloodbath with the Evil Dead remake, Fede Alvarez and Jane Levy team up again in this anxiety ridden thriller that involves a robbery gone horribly wrong.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

One of the rare trilogy where the sequels improve with the third one being the best, Civil War successfully adapts the iconic comic storyline to the screen, resulting in a critically acclaimed thrilling spectacle.

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devils-gatemedia · 7 years

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A few weeks ago, my phone buzzed. It was a message from DGM Towers asking whether I would like to shoot Ghost in Cardiff, as someone who had previously bagged the gig had taken some time out. Following one of the easiest decisions I have ever had to make, I nipped up the motorway to Cardiff for the second European leg of the Popestar tour. An evening with Papa Emeritus III and the Nameless Ghouls is unlike any other experience I have ever witnessed on a stage. This was my first “night-time” experience of Ghost (the others being at festivals in the daylight), and the only other time I have been quite so blown away was my first introduction to live Rammstein.

As has been the case on many previous Ghost occasions, the support show was an odd choice. Zombi, from Pittsburgh are a synthwave duo featuring Steve Moore on bass and keyboards and Anthony Paterra on drums. Due to the stage set up for Ghost, they were restricted to a small stage area, and whilst the music was creative and the drumming powerful and intricate, a lack of interaction with the crowd and no sign of a setlist, lyrics, or song intros meant I had no idea whatsoever as to what they played! The crowd were also a little bemused, reacting with polite applause at the front and long bar queues to fill the gap before the headliners.

After a 45 minute support set, the clean up was one of the fastest I have ever seen, and Ghost’s stage set was revealed, all ready to go. The lights went down and the intro music started up with some gentle piano. Road crew placed incense sticks on the light stands to the side of the stage and the sweet smell filled the auditorium, wisps of smoke curling across the crowd. Uniquely, this set the scene for the next twenty minutes. Soft, choral music and a crowd getting more and more excited until finally, “Earth” and “Wind” took their places behind the drums and keyboards at the back of the otherwise empty stage, bringing a huge cheer from the animated fans. “Fire” stood astride a guitar podium and launched into the intro to “Square Hammer” and as “Ether” and “Water” kicked into the body of the song, Papa Emeritus III appeared. As an opener this was perfect. Papa, complete with mitre and robes had the crowd in the palm of his hand from the first note, and was a compelling sight with his make up and demonic eyes. “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” followed swiftly, the huge fuzzy bass riff intro leading into a darker vocal and showcasing the band’s ability to deliver uniquely melodic black metal.

The almost fairground keyboard intro to “Secular Haze” took the sound in yet another direction before another powerful bass line took us into “Con Clavi Con Dio” and it’s early Black Sabbath like riffs. “Per Aspera Ad Inferi” slowed things down to a more theatrical level, with Papa leading the crowd in a Latin sing-along. Surely a first at any gig I have ever attended. A pair of nuns were introduced and sent out into the crowd for “Body and Blood”. Unfortunately, whilst the visuals and the sound mix for the band were superb, the acoustics in the hall where I was, meant that when Papa talked to the crowd his voice was muffled, so I couldn’t make out much of the banter. A church organ introduced “Devil Church”, and some deliciously layered twin guitar playing took us into the equally delicious darkness of “Cirice”. The masks and matching costumes, along with the jealously protected anonymity, perhaps obscure just how good the musicians on stage are. Behind the initial impression of face paint and mitre, Papa Emeritus III is a wonderful showman, waltzing around the stage and encouraging the crowd to sing or clap along or appreciate the musical skill of those on stage. The demonic chants that introduced “Year Zero” were spine-chilling, and followed by “Spöksonat” played over the PA before the band launched into the stunning guitar intro of “He Is” bringing a huge cheer and the entire crowd clapping and singing along. If a song demonstrates the potential of Ghost to be absolutely massive it’s this one. Ridiculously tuneful and catchy, it crosses boundaries. If you were to listen the song without seeing the band at all, their appearance would come as a complete surprise. We switched back to Dark Metal with a delicious version of “Absolution” and rock into “Mummy Dust”. “Ghuleh/Zombie Queen” was introduced by some crystal clear keyboard, followed by extremely dark vocals, before the set was closed by “Ritual”. There was no way that the crowd were letting Ghost leave without an encore, and they duly returned for “Monstrance Clock”, with it’s deliciously creepy vocals and Hammer Horror riffs.

What surprised me about Ghost was that they confounded my initial thought that they would prove to be all about the stageshow and less about the music. The stage was almost bare. There was no pyro to speak of (a confetti cannon somewhat at odds with the darkness of their catalogue) and a bare set with few frills. Instead the Nameless Ghouls and Papa Emeritus III showed why there is such a buzz about them at the moment. They have the potential to be festival headliners (many of the shows are sold out on the tour and a step up to larger venues seems inevitable), and the songs would easily take the much bigger staging and production that would need. The only obstacle will appear to be the “Religious Right” in the U.S, who, as you can imagine, are not exactly the band biggest fans. Devil Worship and Satanic Latin incantations gaining the band something of a reputation across the pond. However, if they carry on gaining momentum as they are, it can only be a matter of time before they achieve the greatness they are destined for.

Review and images: Rob Wilkins

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Live Review: Ghost – Cardiff University A few weeks ago, my phone buzzed. It was a message from DGM Towers asking whether I would like to shoot Ghost in Cardiff, as someone who had previously bagged the gig had taken some time out.

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