10. TV: Game of Thrones Season Finale
Winter is coming, Game of Throners, as well as the finale of season 4, which airs this weekend. And the showrunners have promised that it's the best finale yet. Titled "The Children," the 66-minute episode will revisit the plotlines of every major character from the epic fantasy series. Will Tyrion Lannister be put to death? Will Jon Snow survive an encounter with the Wildlings' leader? And what of the fates of Sansa, Arya, and Daenerys Targaryen? Watch Game of Thrones on HBO Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern to find out, and check out the trailer below. - Daniel Reynolds
9. MUSIC: Ultraviolence, Lana Del ReyAvailable Tuesday, Lana Del Rey's
Ultraviolence is another hauntingly beautiful serving of the singer-songwriter's unforgettable sound. A follow-up to her 2012 breakthrough,
Born to Die, Del Rey's latest effort is a hypnotic collection of tracks including the ethereal "Shades of Cool," the dark-tempered "West Coast," and the disarming "Brooklyn Baby." Watch the official music video for the album's lead single, "West Coast," below. -
Jase Peeples8. THEATER: The Trial of Oscar WildeIn the season of pride, immerse yourself in gay history with this "theatrical concert" focusing on the great writer's trial on charges of "gross indecency." James Melo's script draws on trial transcripts, Wilde's literary works, and his love letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, and it's set to chamber music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Chausson's Concerto for violin, piano, and string quartet, and works by Satie, Elgar, Faure, and Franck, performed by the Amphion String Quartet, violinist Susie Park, pianist Max Barros, and a barbershop quartet. Michael Halling stars as Wilde and Robert Ian Mackenzie as his nemesis, the Marquis of Queensberry. Presented by the Ensemble for the Romantic Century at New York City's Symphony Space for four performances only, beginning Thursday. Order tickets
here. -
Trudy Ring7. FILM: 22 Jump StreetJonah Hill, one of the stars of
22 Jump Street, made
headlines last week when he shouted an antigay slur at a paparazzo. The actor apologized multiple times for the incident, telling talk show host Jimmy Fallon, "Words have weight and meaning, and the word I chose was grotesque. No one deserves to say or hear words like that." For his heartfelt apology (as well as his
X-rated bet that he would kiss the penis of his studly costar Channing Tatum if the original film did well at the box office),
The Advocate recommends
22 Jump Street, a bromance about two undercover cops on a college campus. Below, check out the trailer for the movie, which opens in theaters this weekend. -
Daniel Reynolds6. EVENT: Boston and Oregon PrideNo matter which coast you're on, Pride Month continues with some epic festivals this weekend.
Boston has been showing off its Pride all week, embracing this year's theme of "Be Yourself, Change the World." Saturday's annual Pride Parade steps off at 11 a.m., with Gov. Deval Patrick and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence serving as grand marshals, followed by more than 200 groups proudly marching in the streets, with thousands expected to attend the festival. The city's Pride is evident even on its crosswalks -- two of which have been painted in rainbow colors for the celebration. Get all the info, including festival schedules and party details, right here.
Portland, Ore., celebrates all the colors of the rainbow with Pride Northwest, taking over downtown Portland starting at noon Saturday. The two-day festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park asks for a $7 donation upon entry but promises no one will be turned away because of inability to pay. With marriage equality newly the law in the Evergreen State, the celebrations are sure to be especially joyful this year. Portland's parade, led by grand marshal Daniel Franzese, steps off at 11 a.m. Sunday. Find more information at PrideNW.org. - Sunnivie Brydum
5. FILM: Love Is All You NeedIn the world of this short film, to be gay is the societal norm, while to be heterosexual is to face ridicule and persecution. This flipping of the anti-LGBT bullying script has proved to be a powerful message, and the short has won more than 30 awards and had over 30 million viewings on various platforms since its release in 2011. Now writer-director Kim Rocco Shields hopes to turn it into a feature film and is raising funds via Indiegogo. The project has the support of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, marking the first time it has partnered with a production company. Watch the campaign trailer and the full short film below. The campaign runs through July 2; find out more
here. -
Trudy RingCampaign trailer:
Full movie:
4. TV: The Fosters Summer PremiereWhile other shows are checking out for the summer, ABC Family's lesbian family dramedy The Fosters is back to chase away the rerun blues. The series, about a mixed-race family headed by lesbian moms raising biological, adopted, and foster kids, is one of those shows at the fore of a new kind of television in which LGBT representation is seamlessly folded into a larger narrative.This season, expect to meet a new member of the Adams-Foster clan, hold your breath during a mysterious hospital visit, and see if Brandon finally faces the consequences of his perpetually poor decision-making. Find out Monday at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central on ABC Family. And in the meantime, don't miss our sister site SheWired's exclusive interviews with stars Cierra Ramirez and Sherri Saum! -- Sunnivie Brydum
3. MUSIC: In the Lonely Hour, Sam SmithIn the Lonely Hour, the eagerly anticipated debut album from newly out British crooner Sam Smith, finally lands Tuesday. Smith spent the previous year building a wave of momentum with several collaborations, cameos, and critical accolades in the U.K., and now the singer-songwriter's falsetto-fueled collection is an emotional journey that ranges from the driving "Money on My Mind" to the soulful "Stay With Me" and through the heart-wrenching "Not That Way." -
Jase Peeples2. EVENT: World PrideWorldPride comes to Toronto this year and promises to "turn streets into parades, parks into parties, and strangers into friends." The event, running June 20-29, offers something for everyone. There will be performances by musicians such as Melissa Etheridge, Rufus Wainwright, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tegan and Sara, Against Me! and the Village People; plays, including a production of
Angels in America and a Second City comedy revue; film screenings; a street fair and festival; drag shows; dance parties; a human rights conference; and a Trans Pride March, a Dyke March, and of course the World Pride Parade. Get all the info on this fabulous international event at
WorldPrideToronto.com. -
Trudy Ring1. FILM: How to Train Your Dragon 2In the second installment of the popular animated trilogy,
How to Train Your Dragon 2 follows our band of Vikings and their dragons five years after the last film's conclusion. Hiccup, now a young adult, has led his village to an era of harmony between humans and dragons, who now help each other in companionship and commerce. This relationship is threatened, however, by a new villain, Drago, who is trapping dragons in order to amass an army, which threatens the village. Hiccup and his dragon Toothless must rush to its defense, which is aided by an unexpected helping hand ... from his long-lost mother.
How to Train Your Dragon 2, which also features the surprise coming-out of a beloved
character, opens in theaters this weekend. Watch the trailer below. -
Daniel Reynolds