Queer Up with Lily & Melody – Details, episodes & analysis

In our first episode of the year, we're taking a break from queering up to instead talk about some existing queer media that we enjoy. We'll be recommending some of our favourite queer films, books, and games, in a relaxed chat before we head into 2025 gayer than ever.

Films:

• Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
• Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (2011)
• Merry & Gay (2022)
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
• Pride (2014)

Books:

• "Deadendia" by Hamish Steele
• "Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir
• "Roadqueen: Eternal Roadtrip to Love" by Mira Ong Chua
• "This Is How You Lose The Time War" by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Games:

• "Secret Little Haven" by Hummingwarp Interactive
• "Ascension: Transition and Silver" by SulMatul
• "Get in the Car, Loser" by Love Conquers All Games
• "Newfound Courage" by Cafe Empty
• "An Outcry" by Quinn K.
• "Super Lesbian Animal RPG" by ponett
• "Extreme Meat Punks Forever" by Heather Flowers

Music:

• Pansy Division
• Against Me
• Ethel Cain
• Chappell Roan
• Pupil Slicer
• Jasmine.4.t

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Everything is pleasant in Pleasantville - until it isn't. In this episode, we watch a film that feels out of time in many ways, but still manages to be strangely prescient. We dig into the many mixed metaphors of Gary Ross' splendid debut film, and see how it could be read a parable for queer awakenings.

CW: Mentions of misogyny, racism, racial violence, Nazism, fascism

References:

• DVD Commentary by director Gary Ross
• Going back to ‘Pleasantville’: when doing a DI wasn’t so easy by vfxblog
• Totally Trans podcast

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Robert Downey Jr really wanted to play a gay Sherlock Holmes and he so nearly did. In this episode, we look at the somewhat maligned Sherlock Holmes films directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Downey Jr and Jude Law. We discuss why the first one is such a delightful romp and how the two leads play with the intensen queer subtext to great effect. We spend less time talking about the dreadful sequel, except to dig into the behind-the-scenes drama that forced Sherlock deeper into the closet.

CW: Mentions of homophobia, drugs, misogyny

References:

• Is Sherlock Holmes Gay? by Nikki Gloudeman
• Sherlock Holmes: Queer, Straight, Neither? by Lambda Library
• Is Sherlock Holmes gay? by The Week
• Robert Downey Jr.'s allegedly gay 'Sherlock Holmes.' Seriously?! by PopWatch (archived)
• No Holmes 2 for Ritchie? by Film News (archived)

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In a shocking twist to our usual formula, we are compelled to say many nice things about a Tim Burton film. You see, once upon a time, Burton truly had the juice and made a messy masterpiece that's only sort-of a Batman film. We are also extremely proud to welcome our very first guest; the amazing Raptor, who will help us tackle this delightful disaster.

Follow her on https://bsky.app/profile/ohthatraptor.bsky.social

CW: Child abuse, murder, misogyny

References:

• Batman Returns (1992) feat. Alex Hall by Horror Queers Podcast
• The (not) gay movie club – Batman Returns by Jonny Stone
• Tim Burton's Unmade Catwoman Spin-Off Would’ve Been a 'Boys'-Like Experience Ahead of Its Time by Collier Jennings
• "Look what I found" and "Just like riding a bike" on Michelle Pfeiffer's Instagram

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Equilibrium is a film that we have a lot of feelings about, which is perfectly fitting. We take a look at this unfairly maligned flop from the post-Matrix era of philosophical action films, and discuss how its themes of emotional repression, self-expression, and waking up to who you truly are can be turned into a queer story. Also, about how totally awesome gun kata is.

CW: Death, suicidal ideation, mental health, anti-depressants, transphobia, homophobia, gender dysphoria, police violence, fascism

References:

• Equilibrium Director's Commentary by Kurt Wimmer
• Equilibrium Director and Producer Commentary by Kurt Wimmer and Lucas Foster
• Equilibrium by Kill James Bond

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Well, we've had a good run, so it was about time we watched something mediocre. In this episode, we take a look at Tim Burton's mostly failed attempt to recapture the magic of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and why it fails to make us care for its tepid characters or lifeless love story. It needs a good queering up, and we're just the ones to do it.

CW: Mentions of death, suicide, forced marriage, murder, poison

References:

• Tim Burton's World of Sadboys by Infinite Snow Productions
• Looking For Meaning in Tim Burton's Movies | An Analysis by Maggie Mae Fish
• The Corpse Bride is Actually Jewish by Jewitches

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In this episode we learn why Bend It Like Beckham is a modern classic and why it has such a massive queer fanbase. We had to take our own shot at queering up this delightful coming-of-age classic - and explore if there is any truth to the rumour that the film was always intended to be even more gay.

CW: Mentions of racism, sexism, homophobia, generational trauma

References:

• Q&A: Keira Knightley on Gay Directors, a Lesbian Sequel to 'Bend It Like Beckham' and Her Drag-Inspired Sugar Plum Fairy
• Special Episode: Gurinder Chadha Spills The Chai on 'Bend It Like Beckham' - The Film & The Musical by Burn It All Down Podcast
• Dropping Lesbian Romance from Beckham the Right Decision by AfterEllen
• ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ isn’t a Queer story, but it’s part of mine by Sarah Rahman
• Bend It, More Like Straighten It: A look at the queer subtext of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM by Everything You Love is Gay

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Some like it hot - but how about we make it even hotter? In this episode, we tackle a true comedy classic, which ended up breaking boundaries both for the American film industry and for queer representation on screen. And it's our job to make it even queerer.

CW: Alcohol, gun violence, mentions of transphobia, acephobia, and homophobia

References:

• Behind the Scenes of SOME LIKE IT HOT: Secrets, Scandals, and Marilyn's Mystique by Matt Baume
• "Nobody's Perfect" - The Making of 'Some Like It Hot' with Monroe, Curtis & Lemmon
• Memories From The Sweet Sue's Tony Curtis on Some Like It Hot - Nostalgic Lookback Documentary Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Marilyn Monroe - The making of Some Like It Hot (2006)
• Joani Hannon
• A Trans Perspective on “Some Like It Hot” by Natasha Troop

Opening theme: Mini Vandals - Who Do You Think I Think You Are?

Ending theme: King Canyon - Mulholland

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For our first Queer Up, we tackle one of the most influential animated films of all time: Disney's The Little Mermaid. We dig into its queer legacy and themes - both that of the 1989 film but also the original story by Hans Christian Andersen - to see how we can turn it into an explicit story of self-acceptance, transitioning, and community. And why Flounder needs to end up on the cutting room floor.

CW: Mentions of parental abuse, transphobia, homophobia, sexual abuse, knives

Opening theme: Mini Vandals - Who Do You Think I Think You Are?

Ending theme: King Canyon - Mulholland

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Two decades after its release, Let The Right One In continues to be one of the most beloved vampire love stories of all time. And yet, it seems many have forgotten, or completely missed, the inherent queerness at its core. In this episode, we investigate the queer history of John Ajvide Lindqvist's masterful debut, and the original Swedish film adaptation, and discuss how we could bring these themes to the forefront.

CW: Pedophilia, rape, murder, bullying, violence against children, alcoholism, parental abandonment

References:

• About Eli´s gender by John Ajvide Lindqvist
• Let the Right One In is a Queer Vampire Love Story by Vrai Kaiser
• The Northlander Sits Down With The Writer Of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN! by Aint It Cool News
• Queerness And The Exploration Of Childhood Sexuality In Let The Right One In by BJ Colangelo
• Oskar Loves Eli: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN And Trans Romance by Fae Basir

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