(https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Luca-Guadagninos-Queer.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
via Deadline: A24 to distro latest Guadagnino picture-- (https://deadline.com/2024/08/queer-daniel-craig-luca-guadagnino-a24-1236072192/)
"Queer began screening to distributors via CAA Media Finance in late June and we heard then A24 was kicking the tires. There were other suitors. A24 came through and the deal just closed. All of this spells for a theatrical release.
Queer is getting its world premiere at Venice Film Festival with a North American debut at TIFF. It's also getting a NY Film Fest Spotlight Gala.
Guadagnino reteamed with his Challengers scribe Justin Kuritzkes, and promptly shot Queer in Cinecitta after that Zendaya movie recreating a multi-colored Mexico in the heart of the legendary Rome, Italy studio. Challengers catapulted the Call Me By Your Name Oscar nominated filmmaker into the box office charts in late April with his first No. 1 opening ($15M domestic), the sexy romantic tennis drama ultimately grossing over $94M worldwide.
The movie also stars Drew Starkey, Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta, Michael Borremans and David Lowery.
Pic's blurb: Set in 1950s Mexico City, Queer follows William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, as he leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.
"
Ghostboy is in it, apparently.
What aches today?
Throughout the night you shifted
and shuttled off
down deep wells.
I heard the dark of space in those moans.
It sounded not unlike a hammer, cocked back,
again and again
sent with force onto the matter of whether it matters
you've killed, and died a dozen deaths.
And still you're here.
Aching
for a fix.
In the end, our heads will lull back and we are alone with all we have done and all we have been. Guadagnino directed two of my favorite films this year. Mature tales of desire - and the inability to be the humble ants we are when our hearts and souls ache for the stars. Movies about guilt and release.
I can easily see people taking qualms with the film's tone, but it takes aplomb to aim for Existentially Broken and Goofy Laissez Faire. Does the film 'take it easy' on Burroughs? Or is this an understood avenue of pain, for all of us? Redemption might not judge.
I'm severely under-studied on Luca Guadagnino. Queer and Suspiria are the only films under my belt so far. I'm also severely under-studied on William Burroughs. Cronenberg's Naked Lunch was my only real connecting perspective. And from that POV I found quite a bit to enjoy. Many Lynchian visual sequences brought life to what I found to be a somewhat un-visual story.
Craig, while rather alright, seems to really feel out of place tho. I never quite bought his performance. Dare I say this smelled a bit of gay-for-pay-Oscarbait? A swing for acclaim by a typically lower-brow-than-the-Oscars actor. I dunno. Gimme a real gay actor that can disappear into this role and I think I'd swap Craig out 9/10 times.
I found the middle chapter to bit saggy... but the jungle chapter was quite good. Recalled Altered States, a favorite of mine.
My big gripe, honestly, are the needle drops. I found every one of them to take me out of the film. I would love to see a version that replaced all of them with original score by Reznor. Come As You Are? Ugh. Heavy-handed and silly IMO.
Queer HAD me. It bought me a ticket to the sublime and made me promise I knew I could leave whenever I wanted. I just had to be nice to it. That was mostly agreeable.