Queer Up with Lily & Robin

The heavens over Berlin is beautiful, but they could definitely stand to contain more gays. This time, we discuss Wim Wenders' classic Wings of Desire (as well as its sequel and American remake), why its themes still resonate today, and why it's kinda weird that it's so very straight. It's set in Berlin, for crying out loud! CW: Discussions of suicide, depression, child death, fascism, substance abuse, homophobiaMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/

In this episode, we discuss the ableist dystopia of Gattaca, where perfection is everything and the scope of what counts as acceptable human variation is narrowing. What place does such a world have for queerness? CW: Discussions of ableism, suicide, homophobia, transphobia, misogynyMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/References:Masculinity, Masquerade, and Genetic Impersonation: Gattaca's Queer Visions by Jacqueline StaceyThe Disablist Nature of Desiring Perfection in Gattaca by Dom EvansThe Adversity in “Gattaca”: Vincent Freeman’s Struggle and Triumph Over Genetic Determinism by John Jimenez

Your Name is a film about the first ever cis T4T relationship, and we are joined once again by Raptor to talk about it. It's an incredible film that touches on gender, grief, human connections, and the value of fighting for your happiness. We also talk about body swap stories in general and the value of kissing your bros. Oh, and we also have a new theme song!CW: Discussions of death, natural disasters, gender dysphoriaMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/References:5 Centimeters Per Your Name by RaptorTrans Allegories in Film: 'Your Name' (2016) by Atreyo PalitYour Name | Kimi no Na wa: Interpreting Progress in Gender and Rule-breaking by ATMA & FunomenaYour Name And The Message Of Hope It Gives Transgender People by Jade KingI’ll Remember Your Name—Will You? by Tsunderin

What couple possibly be more gay than to plan and execute a multi-million dollar heist with your homies? And yet, neither of the crews from the all-male or all-female spend literally any time kissing each other. Let's fix that in this episode, where we break down what works and what doesn't about Ocean's Eleven and it's female-centric spin-off, and what kind of queer spin we can give these charming criminals.CW: Discussions of misogyny, prison violence, rape, sexual harassment, homophobia, transphobiaReferences:Ocean's 11 but it's gay! by Gabriel Shane Dunn‘Ocean’s 8’ is Extremely Gay—So Why Isn’t It Gay? by Jill GutowitzOceans 8 Is a Lesbian Movie by E. Alex Jung

Queer Up is a year old and we celebrate by revisiting our underwater roots. After celebrating you, our amazing listeners, we look at the largely forgotten mermaid movie Aquamarine. It's what happens when you attempt to cram a season of a mediocre sitcom into 100 minutes of film, and a good testament to why the gays are better at mermaid stories.CW: Discussions of suicidal ideation, parental trauma, abandonmentReferences:Aquamarine is Less Straight Than You Thought (and I can prove it) by Drawpinion Dump

What would a world built and inhabited entirely by robots be like? It turns out, very much like the one we live in now - gender roles included. In this episode, we dive into the strange, undercooked world of Bluesky Studios' 2005 Robots, and examine its strange approach to sex and gender. We talk about robot skirts, robot penises, and robot misogyny.References:The Art of Robots by Amid AmidiHow Robots (2005) Rejects Gender and Capitalism by Drawpinion DumpTrans Allegories in Film: 'Robots' (2005) by Atreyo PalitRobots Production Notes by Robin Williams FansiteLooking Back, I Think ‘Robots’ Was My Gay Awakening by Ky Stewart

Two decades after its release, Let The Right One In continues to be one of the most beloved vampire love stories of all time. And yet, it seems many have forgotten, or completely missed, the inherent queerness at its core. In this episode, we investigate the queer history of John Ajvide Lindqvist's masterful debut, and the original Swedish film adaptation, and discuss how we could bring these themes to the forefront.CW: Pedophilia, rape, murder, bullying, violence against children, alcoholism, parental abandonmentReferences:About Eli´s gender by John Ajvide LindqvistLet the Right One In is a Queer Vampire Love Story by Vrai KaiserThe Northlander Sits Down With The Writer Of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN! by Aint It Cool NewsQueerness And The Exploration Of Childhood Sexuality In Let The Right One In by BJ ColangeloOskar Loves Eli: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN And Trans Romance by Fae Basir

One of the most beloved live-action Disney films from the 90s gets a queering up in this episode. We specifically examine two characters and their joint journey towards self-acceptance, while imagining why their story gives big gay vibes. We also take the opportunity to talk generally about this delightful gem of a film, and remind ourselves just how good John Candy was.CW: Mentions of racism, stereotypes, oppressive families, sports injuriesReferences:Cool Runnings: An oral history by Samantha HighfillSome Rough Sledding Making 'Cool Runnings' by John Hartl