Make the Yuletide Gay

Overall I am not too impressed with Christmas movies, they tend to be too, sickly sweet.

Since I'm a gay man, and had a free subscription to a gay video channel, I thought I would blow caution to the wind and view the movie.

I actually did like it more than six stars but for one just horrific casting, the father Sven, played by Derek Long. What shall I say about this performance? Hmm, maybe that Derek should find a fall back career? I think that's enough.

Otherwise, I thought the other actors were just fine. Anya the mother played by Kelly Keaton was fabulous I thought. Her comic timing was wonderful, and she pulls of the intensely upper Midwestern accent flawlessly. Either she's a native, or she has an amazing ear.

Now this might seem a strange focus for a review right? Well if you watch the movie, you'll quickly understand why it is important.

The other college male protagonists were great also, attractive and knew their craft obviously.

The strangest part of the movie was the inclusion of Gates McFadden as Martha, the mother of Thomas, the "out" gay college boyfriend. Her scenes we fine, she is a skilled actress oh course, but she had such a small part in the film. Makes you wonder about her motivation for being involved in this project.

If you are looking for a bit of a different Christmas themed movie, check it out and let me know what you think with a thumbs up of my review.

Cheers. Mark (aka The Dying Atheist) P.S. If I were to give this an (MPAA) film rating, it would be PG-13

Being gay, I'm subjected to a lot of bad gay movies. It's solidarity; we know they're bad, but we watch them anyway, out of loyalty more than anything else. This is why I'm glad to report that Make the Yuletide Gay is, well, not bad. It's not great, but when I was going in expecting another cringe-worthy gay romantic "comedy", I got a pretty decent... gay romantic comedy. The writer needs a few lessons in subtlety, given the vast number of over-the-top stereotypes and often wince-inducing double entendre in the film, but the actors take the material and make it work pretty well. As a long-time fan of Degrassi: The Next Generation, I primarily was interested in Adamo Ruggiero's movie debut, and he acquits himself nicely. His character starts off as vain and somewhat obnoxious but becomes sympathetic as the film progresses, and when Ruggiero smiles that beautiful smile of his, I can't help but love him all the more. It's a fun little film, and if you can get past some of the writing, it's worth a watch.

This film is about a closeted gay college student who visits his parents for Christmas. Things go messy when his boyfriend pays them a surprise visit.

It's unusual to have a squeaky clean gay comedy with a festive theme. "Make the Yuletide Gay" is just that. It's so much fun to watch. Even if the budget was low, it didn't show. Every scene is decorated nicely in detail, creating a homely atmosphere that people feel immediately comfortable in. The script is funny, full of double meanings that makes me laugh hard. It also engagingly explores painful realities, making sure that it is not just a piece of forgettable popcorn flick. I enjoyed watching "Make the Yuletide Gay" a lot, and I would recommend it to others.

I knew upon viewing the film's trailer it would be a worthwhile watch. Fortunately, the film stayed true to my expectations and even exceeded them.

It's a straightforward story in some respects as a young gay couple struggles to come to terms with one partner not yet out to family. But that aside, it's a story well told and with plenty of humor along the way.

The lead characters are strong and well-rounded and the script flows nicely too. Gunn's mother is a scene stealer on many occasions. Her wicked laugh and affection makes for plenty of interesting scenes.

Make the Yuletide Gay is not pretending to be some deep exploration of any particular issue, but instead a funny examination of the struggles some couples must face when coming out to family. It's humorous yet delicate and touching when needed.

The jokes are mostly sharp and effective. A few of the gay jokes feel a little forced at times, almost obligatory, but this is picking for holes and easily forgiven.

This film is a celebration. A celebration of Christmas and being with family while a celebration of love and being true to yourself.

The film is frothy and fluffy but that is what gives it charm and makes for a fun journey.

Make the Yuletide Gay is a movie about Olaf, a proud gay-on-the-campus, who is afraid to come out to his eccentric family due to hearing many stories about good family relationships failing after a member came out of the closet. However, it appears that this Christmas, when his boyfriend Nathan joins Olaf's family festivity and his parents want desperately to pair him up with the pretty neighbour Abby, the truth will have to be told.

I did not have high expectations for this movie, as the production appears fairly low and, at first sight, the acting seems b-class. I could not be more wrong, and once again it shows how so often great works are overlooked just because they are not made on high budget or weren't promoted or stars do not play in them. The script is cool, everyone of the main cast is really strong - actors have great chemistry among each other as well as with their own character - and you can feel their enjoyment of acting in this movie through the screen. The jokes are funny and I haven't laughed like this at a movie for a long time. Definitely worth seeing and more than once!