Out Takes JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities

As the heading states, this program was all about ‘Challengers’, the latest film from Luca Guadagnino (two times Out Takes guest and one of our favourite filmmakers) which is set in the world of professional tennis and focuses on an unconventional, dysfunctional and highly explosive love triangle.  Along with our very comprehensive review, we also heard from the three stars of ‘Challengers’ – Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor and Zendaya – from their recent media conference in Sydney where they officially launched the film and started a global press tour which saw Zendaya serving major looks on red carpets around the world. There was also quite a few tennis puns used in this one so you have been warned and it’s fair to say we loved this film a lot so that’s game, set and match to Luca, Zendaya and the boys for this one!

For this Out Takes, we’re heading back to high school with the cool kids from Hartley High to look at season 2 of Heartbreak High which is on Netflix now.  We explored the entire HH universe, including ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ movie from 1993 and the spinoff original TV series that ran for seven seasons, on to the re-boot that dropped on our screens in late 2022 and introduced a whole new cast of crazy, cool and very queer kids navigating modern teen life in Western Sydney on to our screens.

All of your favourite characters are back plus a few new editions to the crew and there is a whole lot of new drama, laughs and chaos along the way.  We bring you our season 2 reviews and recaps (with no spoilers) plus a plea to the TV goddesses to bless us with a third season soon!

For this Out Takes we looked at two new releases that have brilliant performances and innovative stories plus jump scares and action scenes that will literally have you on the edge of your seat.

First up was ‘Late Night with the Devil’, a new Australian made horror film that uses the backdrop of a late night U.S. talk show in 1977 called “Night Owls with Jack Delroy” to tell the story behind the infamous show that saw a young girl go on live television to talk about being possessed by a spirit and in turn unleashed a wave of evil into the lounges of viewers across the country and exposes the hidden secrets behind one man’s determination to become rich, famous and number 1 in the ratings. We were also joined by special guests Cameron and Colin Cairnes, the directors of ‘Late Night with the Devil’ which is in cinemas from April 11,

We then looked at ‘Monkey Man’, the new film from Dev Patel who wrote, produced, starred and directed this project which is his very personal and innovative take on the revenge story that sees him coming into his own as a leading man. It is set in Mumbai and features so much action and drama packed into it that it becomes a very bloody, very intense and very entertaining ride too.

With a longer than usual weekend for many of us, this program seemed like the perfect one to catch up on some reviews and recommendations for Easter and beyond. As always it is an eclectic mix of new movies and television we’re enjoying plus we through a You Tube recap series and an audiobook in the mix too so definitely something for everyone to check out. We also look at the latest film in the Ghostbuster franchise and reflect on how disappointed we were to see it use old tropes (lesbian villain alert!) to make up for a lacklustre plot and bad CGI… plus we celebrate the continued renaissance of Lindsay Lohan with her latest film, the so-bad-it’s-amazing ‘Irish Wish’. Enjoy!

For this Out Takes program, we took a deep dive into the world’s largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer media advocacy organisation, who are so well known for their mission in increasing media accountability and community engagement that ensures authentic LGBTQ stories are seen, heard, and actualised that Taylor Swift name checked them in one of her biggest hits.

GLAAD formed in New York City as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in 1985 to protest against what it saw as the New York Post’s defamatory and sensationalized AIDS coverage and has transformed over the past 39 years into a high profile and well respected organisation that aims to ensure fair, accurate, and inclusive representation across the media landscape and create national and local programs that advance LGBTQ acceptance. We examined their latest  Studio Responsibility Index Report they put out annually that indicates how the distributors and networks are representing the queer community on our screens and behind the scenes too (spoiler alert – it’s a mixed bag, lots of room for improvement). We also looked at the nominees and winners at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards and revisited our recent interview with writer/director Andrea Pallaoro who’s film ‘Monica’ won this year’s award for Outstanding Film – Limited Theatrical Release.

The latest film from Rose Glass stars Kristen Stewart as Lou and Katy M. O’Brian as Jackie who meet in New Mexico in 1989 and their chemistry is immediate. They fall hard for each but their intense love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family. Peter Travers from the ABC said that “it is unabashedly queer and winningly deranged” and we had a great time reviewing it plus we had an informal ‘Kristen Stewart Fan Club’ meeting at the same time!

We also spoke with Dr Sian Mitchell, the Festival Director for the Melbourne Women in Film Festival about this year’s program and the importance of the festival in advocating for a world where the voices, stories and creativity of women and gender diverse people are equally valued, recognised and celebrated on and behind the screen. It also aims to expand the vision of gender equality and diversity in the Australian screen industries and culture by creating dynamic and inclusive spaces that bring diverse practitioners and audiences together to be moved by compelling, provocative and entertaining cinema.