Hot Sheet: Franco, Miley, and Virginia Woolf

Movies

Eat, Pray, Love -- Director Ryan Murphy (Glee, Nip/Tuck) inspires audiences with a deep sense of wanderlust in the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir. Julia Roberts as Gilbert spends a year traveling through Italy, India, and Bali in order to discover herself by discovering the world around her. Viola Davis is lively as her best friend and James Franco, Javier Bardem, and Billy Crudup provide romance and eye candy.

The Expendables -- A Sylvester Stallone flick might not seem like the most obvious choice to see this weekend, but when you consider that he's recruited just about every big action star of the past 25 years for his latest directorial effort, you realize there's appeal for everyone here -- even a highly touted scene involving Stallone, Bruce Willis, and California's governator, Ah-nuld. Don't expect a gay story line, but with hotties (Jason Statham), still-hotties (Dolph Lundgren), and enough muscle to flip a Hummer, Stallone's mercenaries gone wild flick is bound to put some gay butts in the seats.

Patrik, Age 1.5 -- A gay couple desperate to adopt a child respond to a letter offering the chance to look after a Swedish child in need of a home -- Patrik 1.5. But when a homophobic teen Patrik shows up instead of the toddler they were expecting, the three have to put their differences aside and make the best of a bad situation. A favorite at on the film festival circuit, Patrik, Age 1.5 seamlessly blends comedy and drama, with a surprisingly serious tale of love and acceptance underneath. Director Ella Lemhagen was nominated for Sweden's academy award for her first film in 1996 and won for her second three years later.

Music

Disconnect From Desire by School of Seven Bells -- In its sophomore album, the band delivers a strong combination of ethereal sound and driving beats. Identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza serve up breathy vocals over Benjamin Curtis's dream-like riffs on tracks like "Windstorm" and "I L U" that carve out a chill space in the otherwise manic world of pop. Other tracks, such as "Dust Devil," are more club-friendly, laying down a musical road map for an all-night escape onto the dance floor.

Watch the video for "Windstorm" below:

DVDs

The Last Song -- Based on her pop hits, Miley Cyrus may have potential as a gay icon, but judging from her performance here, she's not yet an accomplished actress. Cyrus pouts, storms about, and smiles a lot in this Nicholas Sparks tale about a rebellious teen reluctantly reunited with her father (Greg Kinnear, who really deserves better) in a Southern beach town, experiencing first love while dealing with a family member's terminal illness. Lush scenery, including the often-shirtless Liam Hemsworth, makes the film somewhat tolerable.

Off and Running -- Nicole Opper's gripping, moving documentary follows Avery Klein-Cloud, a black track star adopted by a white Jewish lesbian couple into a multicultural household who becomes determined to connect with her biological mother and her ethnic roots.

Orlando -- Virginia Woolf's classic 1928 novel about an androgynous young nobleman (memorably played by Tilda Swinton) traveling through centuries changing his gender is turned into a sumptuous visual feast by director Sally Potter. Cameos by Quentin Crisp as Queen Elizabeth I and Bronski Beat's Jimmy Somerville add to the surreal, dream-like experience. This special edition release of the 1992 film, long out of print, includes commentary by Potter and a featurette on Somerville.