Stud Life (2012)

Actually saw this last month but including cause it's a insta-classic for me.

Maybe I missed it at the height of popularity but honestly surprised it doesn’t come up more on rec lists outside of tumblr.

So indie. So British and Caribbean. So 2010s coded. Hilarious moments with painfully real ones in between. Can't say I love the ending (JJ owed Elle a better apology) but knowing the hoops they went through just to get this made and the relevance even now, it's ahead of its time.

Also the club scenes? Love them bad. And not just cause of how funny they were (on purpose and unintentionally). I've gotten so used to not seeing *any* queer media with Caribbean party culture (with us as leads too) that even set in the UK, they had me like "Well this is a nice change of pace."

I really want to see our film industry grow to the point where we get drama, romance, comedy and social commentary like this in projects set in the region. Any Caribbean queer film getting made and distributed widely is a feat but based on what I know, a lot of it is skewed towards documentaries and dramas. Which we absolutely need but more movies with campy humour would be so nice to have too.

There was a reunion with the director and leading ladies where they spoke about wanting it expanded to a series and I agree. Plenty left on the table to explore.

If you're put off by the poster, don't be. It's definitely worth the watch.

Noah's Arc (2005-2006)

Unlike Stud Life, which I found by accident looking for another movie, I heard about this a few years ago but couldn't get time to watch.

Well I finally did and even with rushed writing coming down to the end this was such an easy binge. I hardly ever wish for longer/more seasons of a show but man the original run deserved way more than just two.

First of all, obsessed with the theme song. Not every show needs a theme song but when they do have one, it should sound and age as good as this.

Noah and Wade are sooo messy my god. They deserve each other and need to leave everyone else out of it.

I absolutely adore Alex and Trey. My favourite couple on the show. Coulda done with more eps of Alex in drag too.

Oh Ricky. Sigh. Great friend to Noah though.

I appreciate this show a lot as a time capsule for HIV/AIDS awareness and advocacy. Depending on the generation, there's a real disconnect from how much work was constantly being done in the early 2000s and 2010s. Having that cemented in media is so important.

Photo Source/Credit: Max Dembiński