Hot Sheet: Gravity's Rainbow

10. THEATER: Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead
Chicago LGBT ensemble Pride Films and Plays presents the world premiere of Martin Casella's drama, which won the troupe's 2013 Great Gay Play Contest. In the show, longtime friends take a vacation in England's Lake District after life-changing events find them dealing with issues regarding friendship, love, gender, and sexuality. Directed by David Zak, it opens tonight and runs through November 10 at Stage 773. For tickets and more info, click here. -- Trudy Ring

9. FILM: Bridegroom
Losing a partner is horrific, but being excluded from the funeral and denied legal connection is heartbreaking, as shown in Linda Bloodworth-Thomason's Bridegroom. Written and directed by Bloodworth-Thomason (Designing Women) and co-produced with Shane Bitney Crone, the film shows Crone's life following the accidental death of his partner of six years, Tom Bridegroom, as Crone struggles with his lack of legal rights to say goodbye to the man he loved. The documentary will be released in theaters by Virgil Films on October 4 in New York, and October 18 in Los Angeles. OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network will air Bridegroom on October 27 at 10:00 p.m. EST/PST. The film will also be available for instant streaming on Netflix beginning October 27. -- Nicholas Cimarusti

8. Theater: Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper
Shocktoberfest, a San Francisco Halloween tradition, returns for its 14th year with an evening of screams, spanking, and songs commemorating the 125th anniversary of London's Jack the Ripper murders. Taking place September 26 through November 23, Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper effortlessly combines the spirit of the horror-filled holiday with that of the City by the Bay, with entertaining performances of new and classic works including 1934's Jack the Ripper, a witty musical take on Oscar Wilde's Salome, and the Victorian spanking drama A Visit to Mrs. Birch & The Young Ladies of the Academy. Directed by Russell Blackwood, and performed by an enthusiastic ensemble cast, the passion of this performing arts troupe makes this S.F. ritual an absolute scream once again. Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. -- Jase Peeples

7. Art: On Location: Carol Jazzar Contemporary Art
The Carol Jazzar Gallery is known for its multi-disciplinary selections, focusing on modern issues of social relevance. Five gallery artists will be on view, each presenting their own perspectives on masculinity: Robert Huff, Kuhl & Leyton, Jorge Pantoja, David Rohn, and Roberto Visani. The artists' styles range from tortured abstractions to vibrant realism. but every display is sure to leave an impact. -- Michelle Garcia
Above: Artwork by David Rohn

6. TV: Valentine Road
The 2008 murder of Lawrence King was the most high-profile LGBT hate killing since Matthew Shepard's murder a decade prior. The tragedy was a perfect storm of intolerance and incompetence, which filmmaker Marta Cunningham captures in her documentary, Valentine Road, airing Monday on HBO. Named for the street where King is buried, the film not only explores the life of this brave child, who at 15 was exploring his sexuality and gender identity, but his killer, Brandon McInerney. Raised among the specter of drugs and poverty, McInerney was a ticking time bomb that no one diffused. King was often blamed for his own murder, with McInerney's defense team using the gay panic defense to paint him as a sexual aggressor, but Cunningham's film will help erase that distortion from King's legacy. -- Neal Broverman

5. Comics: Earth 2 Vol 1 and 2
The first 13 issues of Earth 2 - DC Comics' fan-favorite series featuring the reimagined adventures of the Justice Society led by gay Green Lantern Alan Scott -- are now available in collected form. Writer James Robinson weaves an intriguing tale as a new breed of heroes must come together to battle the evil of Apokolips after Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman fall in battle. Earth 2: Vol. 1: The Gathering (collecting issues 1-6) and Vol. 2: The Tower of Fate (collecting issue 0 as well as 7-12) are a perfect jumping-on point for new readers to familiarize themselves with one of most imaginative updates in the modern DC Universe. -- Jase Peeples

4. Film: The Falls: Testament of Love
The Falls: Testament of Love makes its world premiere at the Cinema 21 in Portland, Ore., on October 5 at 7 p.m. as a part of the Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. This sequel to last year's festival favorite, The Falls, picks up five years after the doomed romance between Mormon missionaries RJ and Chris ended, when the two men are reunited after the unexpected death of a mutual friend. Now living radically different lives, RJ and Chris find themselves grappling with old feelings of attraction and regret as they once again confront their seemingly impossible love. For tickets and more information visit The Falls: Testament of Love official Facebook page. -- Jase Peeples

3. THEATER: It Gets Better Tour
The It Gets Better Project, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, and Speak Theater Arts have collaborated to produce a musical theater performance, It Gets Better, featuring poignant narratives of growing up gay. The artists are touring communities around the nation; at each stop the production will be preceded by a week of educational workshops on combating bullying and promoting acceptance. Next week, Weber State University welcomes It Gets Better to Ogden, Utah, where workshops will begin Monday and the show will be presented October 11 at Peery's Egyptian Theater. Future engagements are set for Oxford, Ohio; Milwaukee and Whitewater, Wis.; Lincoln, Neb.; and Houston. For tickets to the Ogden performance, click here; info about further tour dates is here.-- Trudy Ring
Above: Jason Currie, Drew Tablak, Mario Mosley, Tod Macofsky, and Sacha-Sacket

2. Blu-ray: Curse of Chucky
Chucky, the murderous doll who made playtime petrifying for a generation, is celebrating his 25th anniversary in style with a new chapter in his killer legacy. Curse of Chucky slashes onto Blu-ray and DVD October 8, with another delightfully deadly round of thrills, chills, and blood spills from the killer icon courtesy of gay director Don Mancini. The latest installment in the blood-soaked saga also includes a lesbian plot that that is too good to spoil here. Check out the trailer in the video below and snag a copy for yourself at Amazon. -- Jase Peeples

1. FILM: Gravity
It's no secret that Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity is something special. The director of the sexually subversive Y Tu Mama Tambien and the dark parable Children of Men brought two of our sunniest movie stars to space and messed them up. Clooney is fine, doing a version of his real-life persona, but Bullock is at her best; it's impossible to take your eyes off her. As an astronaut lost in space, Bullock personifies female power and determination, without turning into caricature. Gravity is a story of finding yourself alone and forging forward, looking inward for strength. Bullock's character of Ryan Stone will go down as a science fiction heroine for the ages, on par with Sigourney Weaver's Ripley in Alien. The score and cinematography are revelatory; 3D is a must. -- Neal Broverman