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.
25 Reviews
Fun Holiday Fluff
cynjendrejcak15 June 2010
This falls right into line with every cheesy, over the top, Christmas romance I have ever seen- and I loved it.
It was lighthearted and fun and I giggled snorted through most of it. Gunn is absolutely adorkable, and Nathan is just SO snarktastic.
All kidding aside, there is a tremendous amount of love and affection in this movie, between the boys obviously, but also those around them. The cast of supporting players was interesting as well, lots of familiar faces.
This wasn't made to be any sort of serious social commentary, folks, it's holiday fluff and if you take it as such you'll giggle too, and enjoy it.
It was lighthearted and fun and I giggled snorted through most of it. Gunn is absolutely adorkable, and Nathan is just SO snarktastic.
All kidding aside, there is a tremendous amount of love and affection in this movie, between the boys obviously, but also those around them. The cast of supporting players was interesting as well, lots of familiar faces.
This wasn't made to be any sort of serious social commentary, folks, it's holiday fluff and if you take it as such you'll giggle too, and enjoy it.
Everything You Want from Gay Themed (PG-Rated) Holiday Film!
adam_world9 August 2009
Make the Yuletide Gay is not a great piece of art. This is not a film that will open on a ton of screens worldwide and earn millions of box office dollars. This is a small budget gay themed holiday film. If you go into it expecting anything more than a bunch of corny jokes and a formulaic plot, you'll be disappointed.
College student Gustav "Gun" Gunderson (Keith Jordan) is out and proud at school but is secretly not out to his eccentric Midwestern parents (Derek Long and Kelly Keaton). During the Christmas holidays he struggles to find the right time to finally tell his parents the truth. When his boyfriend Nathan's holiday plans fall through, Nathan (Adamo Ruggiero) surprises Gustav by showing up on the Gunderson home to spend the holidays. Comedy ensues.
This film explores familiar territory but it's a fun ride. Some of the jokes you see coming, but generally the script is quite clever. There are a few awkward transitions and the editing could have been a lot tighter. The camera particularly overplays Keaton as mom Anya Gunderson, lingering on her a few moments too long after each punch line. Often removing a few beats here and there would have made a lot of difference.
Keith Jordan does a fantastic job. Despite the fact this is a comedy and everything will probably turn out for the best, Jordan manages to make the "what if" fears seem real.
Degrassi-The Next Generation's Adamo Ruggiero seemed oddly uncomfortable in front of the camera during the early scenes. Initially I had trouble believing he and costar Jordan were in a long-term relationship. Ruggiero's acting steadily improves as the film progresses and eventually delivers a good performance, but he was obviously chosen to draw in an audience.
Make the Yuletide Gay is fun and light-hearted with a few good laughs. It won't become a mandatory Holiday viewing, but it is perfect for what it is. In other words, you get what you pay for.
College student Gustav "Gun" Gunderson (Keith Jordan) is out and proud at school but is secretly not out to his eccentric Midwestern parents (Derek Long and Kelly Keaton). During the Christmas holidays he struggles to find the right time to finally tell his parents the truth. When his boyfriend Nathan's holiday plans fall through, Nathan (Adamo Ruggiero) surprises Gustav by showing up on the Gunderson home to spend the holidays. Comedy ensues.
This film explores familiar territory but it's a fun ride. Some of the jokes you see coming, but generally the script is quite clever. There are a few awkward transitions and the editing could have been a lot tighter. The camera particularly overplays Keaton as mom Anya Gunderson, lingering on her a few moments too long after each punch line. Often removing a few beats here and there would have made a lot of difference.
Keith Jordan does a fantastic job. Despite the fact this is a comedy and everything will probably turn out for the best, Jordan manages to make the "what if" fears seem real.
Degrassi-The Next Generation's Adamo Ruggiero seemed oddly uncomfortable in front of the camera during the early scenes. Initially I had trouble believing he and costar Jordan were in a long-term relationship. Ruggiero's acting steadily improves as the film progresses and eventually delivers a good performance, but he was obviously chosen to draw in an audience.
Make the Yuletide Gay is fun and light-hearted with a few good laughs. It won't become a mandatory Holiday viewing, but it is perfect for what it is. In other words, you get what you pay for.
A very enjoyable film
Gordon-1114 February 2010
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.
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.
A Film That Tests How Many Double Entendres You Can Fit in One Screenplay
dennis_chiu125 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Writer / Director Rob Williams has created a pleasant and funny independent, small budget film that features a stand-out performance by Keith Jordan as Olaf 'Gunn' Gunnunderson, the main character who is a gay student leader at college, but stuck in the closet with his Midwestern family. Christmas time is the setting for a sometimes hilarious and touching coming out story.
Jordan reaches a genuine honesty in every scene, and considering how fast the shooting schedule is for these low budget features, this is the mark of genuine talent. Jordan's performance is the heart and core of the film and keeps it grounded despite the screenplay by Rob Williams that is filled to the brim with sexual double entendres. However, through the miracle of Jordan's pitch perfect performance, no matter how many references there are to tops, bottoms, muffins, and penis size, the film stays on course.
Support for Jordan's acting comes from Austin Wintory's low-key folksy songs and soundtrack that provides a grounded tone to each scene, and from a great supporting role by Hallee Hirsh, who plays Jordan's ex-high school sweetheart.
For "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fans, Gates "Beverly Crusher" McFadden has a brief but important role that is the catalyst for mayhem as the mother of Olaf's boyfriend, Nathan Stanford (played by Adamo Ruggiero), who abandons Nathan at Christmas, forcing him to seek refuge at his boyfriend's home -- thereby creating the pressure on Olaf to come out to his parents.
"Make the Yueltide Gay" was a surprisingly entertaining late night film downloaded from Neflix that held my attention.
If you keep your expectations at the level of a campy low budget film, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I recommend this film.
Jordan reaches a genuine honesty in every scene, and considering how fast the shooting schedule is for these low budget features, this is the mark of genuine talent. Jordan's performance is the heart and core of the film and keeps it grounded despite the screenplay by Rob Williams that is filled to the brim with sexual double entendres. However, through the miracle of Jordan's pitch perfect performance, no matter how many references there are to tops, bottoms, muffins, and penis size, the film stays on course.
Support for Jordan's acting comes from Austin Wintory's low-key folksy songs and soundtrack that provides a grounded tone to each scene, and from a great supporting role by Hallee Hirsh, who plays Jordan's ex-high school sweetheart.
For "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fans, Gates "Beverly Crusher" McFadden has a brief but important role that is the catalyst for mayhem as the mother of Olaf's boyfriend, Nathan Stanford (played by Adamo Ruggiero), who abandons Nathan at Christmas, forcing him to seek refuge at his boyfriend's home -- thereby creating the pressure on Olaf to come out to his parents.
"Make the Yueltide Gay" was a surprisingly entertaining late night film downloaded from Neflix that held my attention.
If you keep your expectations at the level of a campy low budget film, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I recommend this film.
My new favourite Christmas movie
nnenok5 October 2011
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!
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!
It's Christmas Don'Cha Know
bkoganbing12 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Make The Yuletide Gay is a wonderful film that I would recommend to far more than LGBTQ audiences. It is to be fondly hoped that more and more gay youth experience what the leads Keith Jordan and Adam Ruggiero at Christmas time.
Jordan plays an out and proud college student and Ruggiero is his boyfriend. Except for one thing, neither has come out to parents.
Their concerns are quite real. In my own life I've met too many gay people who were disowned by families and had some terrible life experiences stemming from that.
Jordan is heading home to his Wisconsin family and Ruggiero was going to go home, but his parents Ian Buchanan and Gates McFadden are busy in their social world and have just won a cruise for two. So left on his own devices Ruggiero comes to Jordan's and the two have to figure out where their relationship is going.
Jordan's parents are an interesting pair. Derek Long was a Grateful Dead fanatic in his youth, now he seems like someone who's just retreated from life. Kelly Keaton is in her own world and appears totally clueless about all around her.
Without going into too much detail let's say it's Merry Christmas to all.
For a gay themed movie this thing is practically G-rated. Sad to say that the sight of two attractive young men showing passionate care for each other is still likely to earn a restricted rating. Really there's nothing here,even the youngest audiences could see it and not be 'damaged' for life. But just the subject of same gender sex is enough to get the Puritan in some going.
I would recommend this as a model film for PFLAG to show how some parents really do care for their children first no matter what their sexual orientation may be.
Jordan plays an out and proud college student and Ruggiero is his boyfriend. Except for one thing, neither has come out to parents.
Their concerns are quite real. In my own life I've met too many gay people who were disowned by families and had some terrible life experiences stemming from that.
Jordan is heading home to his Wisconsin family and Ruggiero was going to go home, but his parents Ian Buchanan and Gates McFadden are busy in their social world and have just won a cruise for two. So left on his own devices Ruggiero comes to Jordan's and the two have to figure out where their relationship is going.
Jordan's parents are an interesting pair. Derek Long was a Grateful Dead fanatic in his youth, now he seems like someone who's just retreated from life. Kelly Keaton is in her own world and appears totally clueless about all around her.
Without going into too much detail let's say it's Merry Christmas to all.
For a gay themed movie this thing is practically G-rated. Sad to say that the sight of two attractive young men showing passionate care for each other is still likely to earn a restricted rating. Really there's nothing here,even the youngest audiences could see it and not be 'damaged' for life. But just the subject of same gender sex is enough to get the Puritan in some going.
I would recommend this as a model film for PFLAG to show how some parents really do care for their children first no matter what their sexual orientation may be.
Nice story needlessly marred
Havan_IronOak5 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I've been a fan of Adamo Ruggiero since his earliest Degrassi days and I really wanted to like this film. Unfortunately it was so poorly made that I can never recommend it to any of my friends. The film just couldn't seem to get out of it's own way.
The parents and the neighbors were more caricatures than characters. In fact they would have had to have been toned down considerably to have been reasonable caricatures.
The dialogue was good in spots but then seemed to immediately slip off the rails. The dialogue jokes were forced at best and often groan-worthy. If half of them had been removed, the story might have been able to carry them but as it was they were just too much. Just as there always seemed too be one syllable too much in the name Gununderson, the lines always seemed to go a bit too far.
Actually, the main characters Olaf and Nathan were OK and both actors were adorable and able to make me care about their characters. However, the mother's character was just too far over the top and the father was beyond "beyond." (I've seen Derek Long in one of this director's earlier works and he was MUCH better in that) I'm not saying that the actors didn't do a great job with what they were given but this film could have really used at least one more script revision before it was shot.
I've often railed about the lack of perspective that occurs when the writer is also the director and this film is just another example of that problem.
Just one example should suffice but this does contain a spoiler so be forewarned: When Nathan returns to the Gununderson's house after claiming that he's going to fly home. The audience is concerned with what Olaf will think and do. Will he welcome Nathan back? Will he finally be honest with his parents? Instead we're given a meaningless joke about headless gingerbread men. The joke was entirely unnecessary, and then it isn't even executed correctly as Nathan lifts a normal gingerbread man from a plate that has just been shown to contain only headless ones.
Overall I really wanted to like this movie and it wasn't as painful as a few gay films that I've been unable to sit through but it was clearly pushing that limit.
The parents and the neighbors were more caricatures than characters. In fact they would have had to have been toned down considerably to have been reasonable caricatures.
The dialogue was good in spots but then seemed to immediately slip off the rails. The dialogue jokes were forced at best and often groan-worthy. If half of them had been removed, the story might have been able to carry them but as it was they were just too much. Just as there always seemed too be one syllable too much in the name Gununderson, the lines always seemed to go a bit too far.
Actually, the main characters Olaf and Nathan were OK and both actors were adorable and able to make me care about their characters. However, the mother's character was just too far over the top and the father was beyond "beyond." (I've seen Derek Long in one of this director's earlier works and he was MUCH better in that) I'm not saying that the actors didn't do a great job with what they were given but this film could have really used at least one more script revision before it was shot.
I've often railed about the lack of perspective that occurs when the writer is also the director and this film is just another example of that problem.
Just one example should suffice but this does contain a spoiler so be forewarned: When Nathan returns to the Gununderson's house after claiming that he's going to fly home. The audience is concerned with what Olaf will think and do. Will he welcome Nathan back? Will he finally be honest with his parents? Instead we're given a meaningless joke about headless gingerbread men. The joke was entirely unnecessary, and then it isn't even executed correctly as Nathan lifts a normal gingerbread man from a plate that has just been shown to contain only headless ones.
Overall I really wanted to like this movie and it wasn't as painful as a few gay films that I've been unable to sit through but it was clearly pushing that limit.
Surprise package
jjnxn-110 May 2013
Gunn has a holiday surprise for his folks and boy is it a big one!! A sweet and goofy film that has a fine message of acceptance but doesn't hit the viewer over the head with it. The male leads are endearing and attractive but this is stolen by Kelly Keaton as the mom who gets a natural high from the joy of Christmas and life in general. She and Derek Long have fun as the long married couple who accept each other as they are, she a motor mouthed dervish and he a semi clueless stoner. Hallee Hirsh is sprightly as the girl next door who is wilder than she appears and hey look its Nellie Olsen as her Mom! Speaking of Alison Arngrim she is having a ball as the randy next door neighbor who engages in veiled verbal jousting with Gunn's mom to the audience's delight.
Merry awkward Christmas and have a gay new year!
Jellybrother21 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Actually I was hoping it would be something along the lines of "Home for the Holidays", you know, big family of goof balls in midst the already insane holiday crazy, only with the focus being the gay son. "Make the Yuletide gay" is anything but that. No holiday antics, no pestering relatives, in the end it's just a coming-out-story. Which isn't a bad thing at all, of course, but... OK, one step after another.
The first thing we learn about the main character, "Gun" (actually Gustav - his family is Swedish, methinks), is that he's one hot dude, known in his college as the "Big Gun". Who tells us this? His philosophy professor! Who sort of hits on "Gun" after he has finished his last exam of the year. Whose also a pretty hot dude himself, because we all know how sexy philosophy profs are. OK, I was already prepared to hate that movie. So in comes Gun's boyfriend Nathan. Or should I rather say "flies in"? Like a fairy? Throughout their first romantic scene together, where they exchange gifts (well not exactly "exchange" - Nathan bought one for Gun and for himself and makes Gun give it to him, hahaha. How sweet.) my eyes were rolling as if they'd try to screw themselves out of my head.
Anyway, Gun is going to stay at his parents over Christmas holiday, BUT he isn't out to them yet. Nathan was originally supposed to stay at his parents, but they won a Christmas cruise and decide to simply leave their son on his own over the holidays. So Nathan decides to stay with Gun's family. Much to the dismay of Gun, because he never told his boyfriend that his parents think he's straight. This, of course, is when things get more interesting, funny and occasionally even touching in an understated way.
Now, Gun's parents are two very special people. At first I thought his father had Altzheimer because he constantly forgets things and mutters random nonsense, but it turns out he's just a weed head. A hardcore weed head. He hasn't a single scene where he's sober. Apparently Gun's mother isn't doing drugs, but then again... she's always giggling, always cracking weird jokes and I swear in one scene where Nathan's just in his underwear, she drops on her knees to take a closer look at Nathan's panties because there are monkeys on it! I can't believe she's sober! Well, OK, maybe kissing a guy who smokes weed 24/7 makes you stoned too, I don't know. Most scenes with those two turn out to be more awkward than funny, with many pauses and the camera lingers on them for far too long after they said anything substantial, adding to the already awkward atmosphere.
Then there's also Abby the girl next door and mom's first choice for Gun's bride. Abby seems to be a nice, harmless, obnoxiously sweet girl at first, but as soon as she meets Nathan, she immediately finds out the two guys are gay and *snap* out of the blue turns into a freakish Paris Hilton-style fag hag, calling them bitches and all of that hilarious stuff. It's painful to watch. And finally there's Abby's mother, who is... just some obnoxious snob who has a feud with Gun's mother and has no real relevance to anything.
Well, with the side characters out of the way, I'll finally get to the part that actually made the movie worthwhile. Our two heroes of course. It's undeniable, there is a good chemistry going on between these two. They're also by far the best actors in the movie. Keith Jordan as Gun does a good job conveying that irrational fear that makes it so hard for him to come out to his parents. He doesn't want to lose their love, because he's afraid that they might be not as liberal as they appear on the outside. That's a feeling a lot of homosexuals (either men or women) can relate to. His portrayal of this struggle within him is low-key and thus more convincing. But to my surprise it's Adamo Ruggiero as Nathan who is most interesting. Turns out he isn't the queen I figured him out to be. In the end he's by far the more mature of the two men, though he also has his fears and problems (i.e. his cold, unloving parents). It was fun to watch him as he watched Gun and his family in disbelief and actually touching when he gradually started to compare this family to his own. You can actually see how this feeling of loneliness unfolds in him.
It's the moments the film spends exclusively on these two that made it worthwhile for me. And in a romantic comedy that's what counts the most.
I didn't go much into the plot, because, frankly, there isn't one to speak of. It's more like an observation of this family's Christmas holidays with Gun's struggle as the red thread.
I give the film credit for trying. Director Rob Williams captured that everyday feeling quite well and the movie never gets boring; the message is clear but not forced on you with schmaltz and although I didn't like any of the side characters, they're quite original. And it's humor is OK too - if you like humor that almost entirely consists of double entendre. I swear, they crammed every sexual innuendo into this movie the setting has to offer. Like loft-beds, Swedish sausages and... beavers? OK, I'm not so sure about this. Are beavers actually standard decoration in America on Christmas!? Well, as you can see it's quite lowbrow humor but it usually came so unexpected that I found it genuinely funny.
All in all you won't lose anything from watching this movie. And especially with the holidays approaching, it's a nice way to spend an evening with your sweetheart. And I think I learned some lessons on tolerance myself as well.
The first thing we learn about the main character, "Gun" (actually Gustav - his family is Swedish, methinks), is that he's one hot dude, known in his college as the "Big Gun". Who tells us this? His philosophy professor! Who sort of hits on "Gun" after he has finished his last exam of the year. Whose also a pretty hot dude himself, because we all know how sexy philosophy profs are. OK, I was already prepared to hate that movie. So in comes Gun's boyfriend Nathan. Or should I rather say "flies in"? Like a fairy? Throughout their first romantic scene together, where they exchange gifts (well not exactly "exchange" - Nathan bought one for Gun and for himself and makes Gun give it to him, hahaha. How sweet.) my eyes were rolling as if they'd try to screw themselves out of my head.
Anyway, Gun is going to stay at his parents over Christmas holiday, BUT he isn't out to them yet. Nathan was originally supposed to stay at his parents, but they won a Christmas cruise and decide to simply leave their son on his own over the holidays. So Nathan decides to stay with Gun's family. Much to the dismay of Gun, because he never told his boyfriend that his parents think he's straight. This, of course, is when things get more interesting, funny and occasionally even touching in an understated way.
Now, Gun's parents are two very special people. At first I thought his father had Altzheimer because he constantly forgets things and mutters random nonsense, but it turns out he's just a weed head. A hardcore weed head. He hasn't a single scene where he's sober. Apparently Gun's mother isn't doing drugs, but then again... she's always giggling, always cracking weird jokes and I swear in one scene where Nathan's just in his underwear, she drops on her knees to take a closer look at Nathan's panties because there are monkeys on it! I can't believe she's sober! Well, OK, maybe kissing a guy who smokes weed 24/7 makes you stoned too, I don't know. Most scenes with those two turn out to be more awkward than funny, with many pauses and the camera lingers on them for far too long after they said anything substantial, adding to the already awkward atmosphere.
Then there's also Abby the girl next door and mom's first choice for Gun's bride. Abby seems to be a nice, harmless, obnoxiously sweet girl at first, but as soon as she meets Nathan, she immediately finds out the two guys are gay and *snap* out of the blue turns into a freakish Paris Hilton-style fag hag, calling them bitches and all of that hilarious stuff. It's painful to watch. And finally there's Abby's mother, who is... just some obnoxious snob who has a feud with Gun's mother and has no real relevance to anything.
Well, with the side characters out of the way, I'll finally get to the part that actually made the movie worthwhile. Our two heroes of course. It's undeniable, there is a good chemistry going on between these two. They're also by far the best actors in the movie. Keith Jordan as Gun does a good job conveying that irrational fear that makes it so hard for him to come out to his parents. He doesn't want to lose their love, because he's afraid that they might be not as liberal as they appear on the outside. That's a feeling a lot of homosexuals (either men or women) can relate to. His portrayal of this struggle within him is low-key and thus more convincing. But to my surprise it's Adamo Ruggiero as Nathan who is most interesting. Turns out he isn't the queen I figured him out to be. In the end he's by far the more mature of the two men, though he also has his fears and problems (i.e. his cold, unloving parents). It was fun to watch him as he watched Gun and his family in disbelief and actually touching when he gradually started to compare this family to his own. You can actually see how this feeling of loneliness unfolds in him.
It's the moments the film spends exclusively on these two that made it worthwhile for me. And in a romantic comedy that's what counts the most.
I didn't go much into the plot, because, frankly, there isn't one to speak of. It's more like an observation of this family's Christmas holidays with Gun's struggle as the red thread.
I give the film credit for trying. Director Rob Williams captured that everyday feeling quite well and the movie never gets boring; the message is clear but not forced on you with schmaltz and although I didn't like any of the side characters, they're quite original. And it's humor is OK too - if you like humor that almost entirely consists of double entendre. I swear, they crammed every sexual innuendo into this movie the setting has to offer. Like loft-beds, Swedish sausages and... beavers? OK, I'm not so sure about this. Are beavers actually standard decoration in America on Christmas!? Well, as you can see it's quite lowbrow humor but it usually came so unexpected that I found it genuinely funny.
All in all you won't lose anything from watching this movie. And especially with the holidays approaching, it's a nice way to spend an evening with your sweetheart. And I think I learned some lessons on tolerance myself as well.
There's much to say against it, but I still loved it!
johannes2000-123 September 2010
Due to my own not-so-good experiences with my coming-out, I'm a real sucker for feel-good coming-out movies - they never fail to bring me to some heartfelt tears of shared happiness. So with these kind of movies I'm not that critical as to whether the script, the direction or the acting is really above par. That's a good thing with this movie, for it's rather balancing on the verge.
For starters: there seem to have been made some strange and awkward choices in the editing. At many, many points the movie comes to a stand-still, when the camera lingers far too long on the face of a person after he or she has said or done something. Especially at moments when comedy is intended, it's killing: it not only effects the pace but it sucks the punch out-off every punch-line! This brings me to my next reservation: there are way too many double entendres in the script, it dangerously tilts the movie to the point of below-the-belt cheapness. Sure, I laughed at some of them (even at the beaver-joke), but it annoyed me too, this movie really didn't seem to need all that.
A last negative remark to the script: although it's a comedy, there ought to be maintained - especially in this kind of situational comedy - some sort of basic feeling of reality. Here this was put to the test way too often. Can a renowned professor walk around for a whole professional career being perpetually stoned out of his wits? Are these parents (obviously from the 60's love-generation) blind as bats, not to see that their son's room-mate Nathan is gayer than gay?! Is the switch of the neighbor-girl from love-sick goody two-shoes to an almost professional foul-mouthing fag-hag not a tiny bit too abrupt and weird??
Well, anyway, now for the good things. This is without any doubt a very sympathetic, warm and sincere movie. There is, thank god, not so much a Big Message that has to be drilled-in, it just keeps close to the real-life fears of a gay adolescent who is on the brink of revealing his true self to his family: will they accept me in this new light? Will I disappoint them? Will things change between us? The script doesn't provide a big plot - like in so many other comparable coming-of-age movies - with complicated misunderstandings, plot-shifts and all kinds of side-stories; it just sort of strolls along on it's basic theme and in this way gets a nice and quiet development.
Main characters Olav and Nathan both are given a fine and convincing portrayal by Keith Jordan resp. Adamo Ruggiero. I didn't know Ruggiero, I never saw "Degrassi", he's certainly beautiful and very cute and I thought that he grew in his role; he was supposed to be the gayish extrovert of the two boyfriends, but he proved that within that stereotype he could actually find his own nuances. But I especially liked Keith Jordan, he had this subdued way of acting that only enhanced the feeling of reality, and in his seriousness he is all the more endearing.
All in all the good things far outweighed the bad, and I vote it a heartfelt 8 out of 10!
For starters: there seem to have been made some strange and awkward choices in the editing. At many, many points the movie comes to a stand-still, when the camera lingers far too long on the face of a person after he or she has said or done something. Especially at moments when comedy is intended, it's killing: it not only effects the pace but it sucks the punch out-off every punch-line! This brings me to my next reservation: there are way too many double entendres in the script, it dangerously tilts the movie to the point of below-the-belt cheapness. Sure, I laughed at some of them (even at the beaver-joke), but it annoyed me too, this movie really didn't seem to need all that.
A last negative remark to the script: although it's a comedy, there ought to be maintained - especially in this kind of situational comedy - some sort of basic feeling of reality. Here this was put to the test way too often. Can a renowned professor walk around for a whole professional career being perpetually stoned out of his wits? Are these parents (obviously from the 60's love-generation) blind as bats, not to see that their son's room-mate Nathan is gayer than gay?! Is the switch of the neighbor-girl from love-sick goody two-shoes to an almost professional foul-mouthing fag-hag not a tiny bit too abrupt and weird??
Well, anyway, now for the good things. This is without any doubt a very sympathetic, warm and sincere movie. There is, thank god, not so much a Big Message that has to be drilled-in, it just keeps close to the real-life fears of a gay adolescent who is on the brink of revealing his true self to his family: will they accept me in this new light? Will I disappoint them? Will things change between us? The script doesn't provide a big plot - like in so many other comparable coming-of-age movies - with complicated misunderstandings, plot-shifts and all kinds of side-stories; it just sort of strolls along on it's basic theme and in this way gets a nice and quiet development.
Main characters Olav and Nathan both are given a fine and convincing portrayal by Keith Jordan resp. Adamo Ruggiero. I didn't know Ruggiero, I never saw "Degrassi", he's certainly beautiful and very cute and I thought that he grew in his role; he was supposed to be the gayish extrovert of the two boyfriends, but he proved that within that stereotype he could actually find his own nuances. But I especially liked Keith Jordan, he had this subdued way of acting that only enhanced the feeling of reality, and in his seriousness he is all the more endearing.
All in all the good things far outweighed the bad, and I vote it a heartfelt 8 out of 10!
Don we now our gay apparel.
adamjohns-4257523 June 2020
I was absolutely expecting to hate this, imagining some badly made gay film on a low budget or a badly made Christmas film on a low budget, but actually it was a badly made Christmas film that was also gay with a low budget! I didn't even think that Dr Beverley Crusher (Gates Mcfadden) would be able to save it. However, I really enjoyed it.
I love Christmas films and the made for TV ones keep me going through the season from about October and sometimes in to February so I'm used to this style of production. It's not my favourite type with exaggerated parent figures and situations, but this is a prime example of a cheaply made festive film that wins you over because of the heart that it contains. When love wins, everyone wins and Christmas is always safe.
It turns out that my Dr friend from Star Trek didn't actually do very much, but she was probably the best actor in the film, but I think the lead has the talent to go further. He would certainly make it far in my bed, and I would have liked to have seen at least a little bit of butt as it is a gay film, but I am glad I've watched it and will actually be keeping one of the DVDs I've bought from eBay for a change.
It turns out that my Dr friend from Star Trek didn't actually do very much, but she was probably the best actor in the film, but I think the lead has the talent to go further. He would certainly make it far in my bed, and I would have liked to have seen at least a little bit of butt as it is a gay film, but I am glad I've watched it and will actually be keeping one of the DVDs I've bought from eBay for a change.
waste of time
tatararabuga21 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
it's as bad as Christmas movies can go. poor making, bad acting, cliché jokes badly delivered and above all, so sugar-y it'll make you cringe. I was attracted by the theme and the nice poster. the beginning certainly seemed promising. but as it went on, i was only more and more astonished to see how truly bad it was!
A movie made in 2009 should not be yelling 'being gay is okay!' like a pamphlet and hoping to win us over with that only. It should have at least some emotional depth. And I did not even get a very 'okay' feeling from its condescending attitude. I mean, a movie can have low production value and story-without-surprise and still produce empathy for the characters. take latter days for example. but the storyline has to be developed properly and credibly.they fail to come up even with a decent crisis.a problem does occur, but there is no real building-up OR resolving. This one also wins the award for holding the highest amount of familiar sexual innuendos. but my insides are cramped with all the cringes resulting from very bad delivery. There are so many not-so-bad light-hearted movies about young people coming out to the family... Mambo Italiano and Touch of Pink for example. Then there's Get Real, Edge of Seventeen, Summerstorm, Wedding Banquet, Saving Face and many others. This one is just a punishment.
A movie made in 2009 should not be yelling 'being gay is okay!' like a pamphlet and hoping to win us over with that only. It should have at least some emotional depth. And I did not even get a very 'okay' feeling from its condescending attitude. I mean, a movie can have low production value and story-without-surprise and still produce empathy for the characters. take latter days for example. but the storyline has to be developed properly and credibly.they fail to come up even with a decent crisis.a problem does occur, but there is no real building-up OR resolving. This one also wins the award for holding the highest amount of familiar sexual innuendos. but my insides are cramped with all the cringes resulting from very bad delivery. There are so many not-so-bad light-hearted movies about young people coming out to the family... Mambo Italiano and Touch of Pink for example. Then there's Get Real, Edge of Seventeen, Summerstorm, Wedding Banquet, Saving Face and many others. This one is just a punishment.
nice
Kirpianuscus17 January 2023
Romance in pure form, familiar cliches and Christmas,cool parents and rivalries between neighbors, supportive cast with good contribution to create the fair atmosphere- Derek Long is one of very good motives to see this lovely film - , the delicate problem of coming out , a cheesy story and a not so significant difference by the films of genre.
The humor and the not bad dialogues are the basic virtues. Like the seductive love story, dillemas and short lessons about life.
In few words, a good entertainment, destroying some prejudices, not being manifesto or pledge but proposing fair perspective about relations, feelings, emotions and life assumation.
And , sure, nice portrait of friendship, in the proper terms who are wise used in this case.
So, just nice.
The humor and the not bad dialogues are the basic virtues. Like the seductive love story, dillemas and short lessons about life.
In few words, a good entertainment, destroying some prejudices, not being manifesto or pledge but proposing fair perspective about relations, feelings, emotions and life assumation.
And , sure, nice portrait of friendship, in the proper terms who are wise used in this case.
So, just nice.
Barely six stars, for one glaring reason.
Dying-Atheist20 February 2019
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
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
Fun movie, not too heavy handed
risteen594 December 2009
I enjoyed this movie. . .
I was not perfect, but it was fun. . .
It didn't preach hard about coming out. . .
It seemed that the problems were that there was no communication from any of them. . .
It had touches from old screw ball movies of the 1940's. . .
Misunderstandings. . .
Confused identities . .
Anya the mother could have played off of the Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers. . .
I would love to see these characters in another movie. . .
Perhaps, the lives of the two young lovers as a couple.
I was not perfect, but it was fun. . .
It didn't preach hard about coming out. . .
It seemed that the problems were that there was no communication from any of them. . .
It had touches from old screw ball movies of the 1940's. . .
Misunderstandings. . .
Confused identities . .
Anya the mother could have played off of the Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers. . .
I would love to see these characters in another movie. . .
Perhaps, the lives of the two young lovers as a couple.
A Waste of My Time and Money
michaelwsf12 December 2012
This movie was awful and I could barely get through it! The actors were bad and seemed as if they were just randomly picked up off the streets and asked to participate in a gay Christmas movie.
I lived in San Francisco for 16 years and even in that very gay city there aren't gay guys trying to pick you up in every public bathroom that you enter, nor are there overly cheery gay guys with cheap, fake smiles dominating every college campus.
The dialog was just as bad as the acting. The clueless, hippy-ish father was extremely unconvincing in his role, but in his defense he is very handsome.
Don't waste your time on this movie!
I lived in San Francisco for 16 years and even in that very gay city there aren't gay guys trying to pick you up in every public bathroom that you enter, nor are there overly cheery gay guys with cheap, fake smiles dominating every college campus.
The dialog was just as bad as the acting. The clueless, hippy-ish father was extremely unconvincing in his role, but in his defense he is very handsome.
Don't waste your time on this movie!
A film does not need to be a masterpiece to be good.
Dr_Coulardeau6 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
A sweet or really fabulous film on coming out; not in the world which is college for the two boys (That was done a long time ago and everyone knows about it), but in their families. On one side Olaf has to reveal his parents he is gay, on the other side Nathan has to reveal his family he has a boy friend. Both are hard, both situations and probably both boys too. One has to be done face to face. The other has to be done on an answering machine that will only be listened to three weeks later.
But the film is not only fabulous because of these last five minutes but because all along it is innuendo upon innuendo and it never ends. We believe up to those last five minutes that it is pure innocence if not simple-mindedness on Olaf's parents' side, but it is true there is some humour when people who play straight 100% start telling you that "If you put enough meat in a man's mouth, he is happy". And there is also some humour when the two boys confronted with sharing the same room and bunk beds the one like the other both pretend that they both like to be on top, and the poor mother does not seem to catch the very direct meaning.
The best part is not about the film. It is about the quotes from this film given by cinema sites: I have not found one single of these funny remarks that are funny because of their double-entendre. Why on earth are some people shy about it, even when it does not concern them directly? I wonder. That is not modesty at all but guilt somewhere, and probably rejection.
The film is probably not going to revolutionize our way of looking at gay people coming out of the famous closet, and it is probably not that simple and easy to do. But it is a funny film that reveals how two men can really love each other just because they love each other and there is no explanation for love. It is just beautiful and hot, indeed, burning hot. "All you need is love!" Quoted in the film.
And even if it is true we are always amazed how well most people are able to accept love, no matter what kind of love it is because there are always a few who will become brutal and aggressive just for the fun and the anger of blowing up a gay man.
I cannot understand why so many people can only see that love can only be straight, whereas love can be mental, artistic, musical, sentimental, passionate, gay, straight or LGBT. And there is no obligation for that love to be hormonal at all. We can, we must, we should love many people for all types of reason and in all types of way, each form of love reinforcing all other forms. Just loving another person is the most beautiful thing in the world and the phenomenal transformation it operates in one's mind and way of looking at the world is a good enough reason to accept and even worship every and any form of love.
And a love affair can always be carried out to its acme between two sheets of paper in a book, or two prints from the 18th century or two blankets of silky thinking on the latest physical discovery about how protons, neutrinos, electrons, and so many other photons can spend their whole life chasing one another and yet never meeting and having any kind of a direct physical encounter.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
But the film is not only fabulous because of these last five minutes but because all along it is innuendo upon innuendo and it never ends. We believe up to those last five minutes that it is pure innocence if not simple-mindedness on Olaf's parents' side, but it is true there is some humour when people who play straight 100% start telling you that "If you put enough meat in a man's mouth, he is happy". And there is also some humour when the two boys confronted with sharing the same room and bunk beds the one like the other both pretend that they both like to be on top, and the poor mother does not seem to catch the very direct meaning.
The best part is not about the film. It is about the quotes from this film given by cinema sites: I have not found one single of these funny remarks that are funny because of their double-entendre. Why on earth are some people shy about it, even when it does not concern them directly? I wonder. That is not modesty at all but guilt somewhere, and probably rejection.
The film is probably not going to revolutionize our way of looking at gay people coming out of the famous closet, and it is probably not that simple and easy to do. But it is a funny film that reveals how two men can really love each other just because they love each other and there is no explanation for love. It is just beautiful and hot, indeed, burning hot. "All you need is love!" Quoted in the film.
And even if it is true we are always amazed how well most people are able to accept love, no matter what kind of love it is because there are always a few who will become brutal and aggressive just for the fun and the anger of blowing up a gay man.
I cannot understand why so many people can only see that love can only be straight, whereas love can be mental, artistic, musical, sentimental, passionate, gay, straight or LGBT. And there is no obligation for that love to be hormonal at all. We can, we must, we should love many people for all types of reason and in all types of way, each form of love reinforcing all other forms. Just loving another person is the most beautiful thing in the world and the phenomenal transformation it operates in one's mind and way of looking at the world is a good enough reason to accept and even worship every and any form of love.
And a love affair can always be carried out to its acme between two sheets of paper in a book, or two prints from the 18th century or two blankets of silky thinking on the latest physical discovery about how protons, neutrinos, electrons, and so many other photons can spend their whole life chasing one another and yet never meeting and having any kind of a direct physical encounter.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
So Gosh-Darn hokey
ozjosh0317 December 2019
There's a line in Make The Yuletide Gay that goes something like: "If you're gay, then what's going on with your clothes?!" You see Olaf is gay, but closeted, so he can't wear bright, colourful gay clothes. Because gays all wear loud, garish designer clothing, don't you know? It's just one cliche in a movie entirely woven together by cliche's, but it's symptomatic of the overall problem. You have to wonder: what year is this? Is there really anyone left on earth who thinks all gay men are flamboyant fashion tragics? The movie is equally clueless when it comes to characterisation. Olaf's parents might be from Wisconsin/Minnesota, but Dad's a stoner college professor and Mom's totally dotty; there's nothing to justify the notion that they wouldn't accept their only son being gay, or Olaf's fears that they might. Sure, the movie's heart is in the right place, but it's hopelessly old-fashioned, and in a way that's condescending to it's audience and kind of offensive to gay kids who really do have to worry about homophobic parents. There's always a place for cute gay romantic comedies, but we have a right to expect something a little more up-to-date in the 21st century.
A great film worth seeing
matthewlee198524 December 2012
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.
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.
Love this movie
butterbuns-5341419 July 2019
Ah! That's it!
teryenu4 March 2010
It took me a while to figure out what about this movie was bugging me. I loved the story, the dialog was fine, the actors were great. Finally, I realized I was watching a filmed play. Once I got the mindset that I was watching a play as opposed to a movie I enjoyed it twice as much.
Have watched it three times. Love it!
Not too sugary or predictable, I fell in love with his parents. I'm tired of watching movies where everyone looks like they just stepped out of a salon. This family was very "real".
The trick is to get in a "I'm watching a play" mindset and you won't have that "This movie was just okay" attitude.
Have watched it three times. Love it!
Not too sugary or predictable, I fell in love with his parents. I'm tired of watching movies where everyone looks like they just stepped out of a salon. This family was very "real".
The trick is to get in a "I'm watching a play" mindset and you won't have that "This movie was just okay" attitude.
Cheesy (it is in Wisconsin) but sweet
mschenkman90826 November 2019
OK, this movie is a gay Hallmark Christmas movie. It is cheesy, mushy, feel good, etc. But despite that it is a sweet movie. You can like the characters and the pacing is nice. Mom is a little over the top, not very realistic and neither is the father but the two boys work very well together, you are routing for them throughout. You know how this is going to end but want to see how it plays out to get there.
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