Su Friedrich Lucy Liu, "Three Needles" Stockard Channing, "3 Needles" Chloë Sevigny, "3 Needles" Sandra Oh and Olympia Dukakis, "3 Needles"

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See also "What Makes a Movie Gay?" by Jack Varsi

Su Me: The short films of Su Friedrich come to DVD

She's a one (wo)man movie-making band. Recognized as a resident of the top tier of GLBT cinema's most prolific contributors, Su Friedrich began writing and directing her own films in 1978, as well as acting as cinematographer, sound recorder, and editor.

Nearly 30 years later, the best of her efforts are now available in a five-disc set.

For those unfamiliar, Friedrich's works are essentially high-art house in flavor; largely shot in black and white 16mm, scenes are grainy and oddly focused yet quirkily beautiful.

Those more familiar Friedrich-philes will swoon at the hefty collection of short films, which begins with 1984's The Ties That Bind. This story of the rise of Nazi Germany, as told by Friedrich's mother who grew up in its shadow, is simultaneously chilling and oddly familiar.

Volume 1 continues with 1993's The Lesbian Avengers Eat Fire, Too. Co-directed with Janet Baus, this film documents the first year of actions by the now spottily-resurgent dyke activists group.

Volume 2 features Damned If You Don't (1984), Friedrich's "subversive and ecstatic" revisitation of her Catholic foremothers. Bonus selection, Rules of the Road (1993), examines the ups and eventual downs of a lesbian love affair in far starker imagery than The L Word 's pretty portrayals.

In volume 3's header, Sink or Swim, Friedrich turns the lens to the father/daughter dichotomy, earning her the Grand Prix award in the 1991 Melbourne International Film Festival.

The collection peaks with volume 4's Hide and Seek (1996), perhaps the most surgically accurate portrayal of a young lesbian's coming-of-age to be captured on celluloid. Nominated for Sundance Film Festival's 1997 Grand Jury Prize, it took L.A. Outfest's Grand Jury Award that same year for Outstanding Documentary Feature.

Sometimes hypnotic, sometimes alarming, and always thought-provoking, all five discs' selections are digitally re-mastered from the original 16mm negatives. Available from Microcinema DVD (www.microcinemadvd.com or 415/447-9750). — Preview: Nancy Ford
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Color Me Kubrick

John Malkovich is not Stanley Kubrick, as his character, Alan Conway, wants you to believe. The conman Conway spent the last decade of the reclusive director's life posing as him in a search of profit, friends, and romance. From one mark to the next, Conway hilariously changes his accent and mannerisms; since most knew so little about Kubrick (Conway included), no one was the wiser. 2005. Directed by Brian W. Cook. FYI: Cook was assistant director for Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. From Magnolia Home Entertainment (www.magpictures.com). — Preview: Eric A.T. Dieckman
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Paper Dolls

What a curious, fun, and moving documentary. A group of Filipino transsexuals emigrated to Tel Aviv to become caregivers for elderly religious Jewish men, some of whom are Orthodox. On their one day off each week, they perform in drag shows as "The Paper Dolls." They work as men, despite their plucked eyebrows and hormonally enhanced busts, and perform by night in Filipino clubs as glamorous women. 2006. Written and directed by Tomer Heymann. English, Hebrew, and Tagalog with English subtitles. From Strand Releasing (www.strandreleasing.com). — Preview: E.D.
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Hard

A fearfully closeted gay rookie detective and his seasoned partner hunt down a serial killer the rest of the intolerant police force couldn't care less about. Young male hustlers are turning up dead in Hollywood's gay underworld. Will he be stopped? The unrated director's cut uncovers all the subject matter that made the critically acclaimed film so controversial. 1998. Co-written and directed by John Huckert. From Westlake Entertainment (www.westlakeent.com). — Preview: E.D.
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I Am Guilty

This dark German yarn pits Armin, a young, disaffected, unemployed college grad, against his own imagination. He fantasizes about committing violent crime and being gang-raped by leathermen, but is it all in his mind? Just how dark is Armin's dark side? 2005. Written and directed by Christoph Hochhäusler. German with English subtitles. From TLA Releasing (www.tlareleasing.com). — Preview: E.D.
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Trapped!

Alexandra Paul (Baywatch) stars as Samantha, an Internet security expert living a life out of balance. There's her career, her girlfriend, and her difficult daughter Gwen. On their way to a bonding day at a spa, Samantha and Gwen are kidnapped by Adrien. Adrien uses Gwen as leverage to force Samantha to hack into an FBI database to find a relocated witness Adrien intends to murder. How will Samantha make it through this delicate balance and come out with Gwen alive? 2006. Directed by Rex Piano. From Liberation Entertainment (www.libent.com). — Preview: E.D.
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Not Just the Best of The Larry Sanders Show

In one of the show's funnier episodes, David Duchovny plays a mischievously seductive homoerotic version of himself and crosses his legs a la Sharon Stone's Basic Instinct during a visit with talk show host Sanders (Garry Shandling). Other episodes include "I Was a Teenage Lesbian," "Ellen, or Isn't She?," and "Putting the 'Gay' Back in Litigation." Also look for appearances by Ellen DeGeneres, Alec Baldwin, Scott Thompson, Sharon Stone, and others. From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (www.sonypictures.com). — Preview: E.D.
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"3 Needles," Three Stories

Three separate stories from across the globe tell a unifying story of the AIDS pandemic. Ping (Lucy Liu, left) lives in a small rural village in China where she runs a black market blood collection scam. Her schemes result in an epidemic infecting her village.

Porn actor Denys (Shawn Ashmore) lives and works in Montreal. Although he's learned he is HIV-positive, he conceals his status to continue supporting himself and his mother (Stockard Channing).

In South Africa, young nun Sister Clara (Chloë Sevigny, left) finds herself in a spiritual race against the clock as she attempts to convert dying infected Africans. She and her sisters (Sandra Oh and Olympia Dukakis) approach a corrupt plantation owner in an effort to prevent spreading in the region.

Included in the extras are two short documentaries. Local sports fans might be interested to know that one of the two docs is "China AIDS Initiative with Magic Johnson and Yao Ming."

2005. Written and directed by openly bi Thom Fitzgerald. English, Xhosi, Mandarin, Afrikaans, and French with English subtitles. From Wolfe (www.WolfeVideo.com or 1-800-GET-WOLFE). — Preview: E.D.