I really would love to do a review of Moonlight this week, except for the tiny fact I have not seen the whole thing yet *bows head in shame*
I fully intend to write a review of it the day I see it. I promise. I just live in a very small town with a very small movie theatre that usually doesn’t show these kinds of films *dies*
And so. This week. We’re going to do a more light hearted film which could stand a wider viewer ship:
Basically, I just want to say this one of the best representations of the LGBTQIA community I’ve ever seen. Yes, Deadpool the superhero does go off in search of his girlfriend, but as a proud member of the bisexual community, I can so solemnly swear that does NOT invalidate his sexuality (which is cannon).
Ryan Reynolds, who was nominated for a golden globe for the character, plays a man who is diagnosed with cancer. Desperate for treatment, he cuts off ties with his former life and signs onto a really sketchy experimental place that the long and short of it is turns him into a superhero. After he gets out, he goes on a revenge hunt and kidnapping search party to right his wrongs and obtain his goals.
Which don’t always coincide with traditional goals. Of other superheroes. Who they really couldn’t afford to have in the movie *X men*
What’s so great about this representation is that Deadpool is his own man independent of his identity and the movie really drives that home.
Just like a straight audience doesn’t need to be told by a character “I’m straight” every five seconds and do traditionally “straight” things, so Deadpool couldn’t care less about what other people think of him, nor does he feel the need to constantly try to hammer the point home to the audience of his identity.
He’s literally a badass, wicked awesome character, who kicks butt and cracks punny, sarcastic, crude jokes while doing it. The point of the film is his goals as a person, his revenge on the man who distorted him, and getting back together with his girlfriend, not to fight for his identity. In this movie, it’s a non-issue. And it’s beautiful.
I am not trying to put words in other people’s mouths here, but when Steven Moffit talked about representation of the LGBT community, and how it needs to be done in such a way that there isn’t a conversation of “this person is gay, but they’re a perfectly normal person too,” that raises a question if it was ever okay in the first place, I can’t help but think that this movie does that amazingly well.
Deadpool just is. And he rocks. And there isn’t a question there. He’s just himself. He is a character who is who he is and has an amazing, hilarious movie to prove it.
What’s even better is that more than the LGBT community is interested in the film. People connect to the character because of his charming wit. People love him as a character who he is. This movie makes the empathetic jump of connecting people with unlike experiences together.
And that, my friends, is just beautiful.
Now get out there and have fun tonight :)