Hot Sheet: Week of
April 13

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- The Spirit : One of the cultural obligations that gay men have been fulfilling for generations is finding the very worst of mainstream movies and making sport of them. So if you're tired of chuckling your way through Valley of the Dolls and Showgirls, consider checking out this utterly ludicrous screen adaptation of the classic Will Eisner comic strip, featuring Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson running around in Nazi uniforms and other bizarre outfits against flagrantly artificial backdrops. Check out Eisner's online gallery of sketches, illustrations, and full stories.

- November Son : This queer-flavored horror film about women mourning the loss of three gay men -- and two friendly mysterious strangers who may have been involved in their deaths -- features legendary scream queens Judith O'Dea (Barbra in the original Night of the Living Dead ), Brinke Stevens, and Debbie Rochon, along with gay indie musician Sacha Sacket. Cracked.com shares its list of the top 5 unintentionally gay horror movies of all time.

- TCM Spotlight: Doris Day Collection : For those fond of the many movies Doris Day did without Rock Hudson, this collection spotlights some of her less remembered, but every inch as entertaining flicks. From Tea for Two to It's a Great Feeling , Doris is at her best in this five film collection .

- Ready? OK!: One of the most charming films to hit the gay and lesbian film festival circuit last year, this sweet comedy follows 9-year-old Josh (Lurie Poston), who tests the patience of his mother (Carrie Preston, Duplicity ) and the nuns at his Catholic school with his obsessive desire to become a cheerleader. (Choosing Maria von Trapp for "Dress as Your Hero" day doesn't help either.) Lost 's Michael Emerson costars as the understanding gay next-door neighbor.

Watch the trailer:

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- Antebellum in Washington, D.C.: The gay playwright-director team of Robert O'Hara and Chay Yew tackle a period story of forbidden romance, set in 1939 against the backdrop of Hollywood movies, Berlin cabarets, and the outbreak of World War II. This world premiere at Washington, D.C.'s adventurous Woolly Mammoth Theater plays through April 26.

- The Singing Forest in New York City: Renowned gay playwright ( Reckless ), screenwriter ( Longtime Companion ), and filmmaker ( The Dying Gaul ) Craig Lucas already had one play produced this season, A Prayer for My Enemy at Playwrights Horizons. Now he's mounting a magnum opus called The Singing Forest , another collaboration with director Bartlett Sher, with whom he co-created the Adam Guettel musical The Light in the Piazza. The new play, which stars Olympia Dukakis, ambitiously crosscuts between the story of a contemporary family, Freud's inner circle in Vienna, and World War II Paris. The play runs at the Public Theater April 7 through May 17.

- The Gingerbread House in New York City: Mark Schultz's new play is a dark fairy tale about an upwardly mobile couple who will do anything to get into a sinister club. The playwright is known for exposing the creepy underbelly of human behavior, and director Alex Kilgore has assembled a cast intriguing enough to take on this journey: Bobby Cannavale, Jason Butler Harner, Sarah Paulson, and Jackie Hoffman. How's that for an ensemble of gay icons? The show begins performances April 11 at the Rattlestick Theater off-Broadway and plays through May 10.

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- Definition of Forever by Balloons: "Don't say the safeword, 'cause I can't stop and I won't stop," warn the boys of Balloons on their debut EP. With a no-holds-barred approach to their cleverly titillating lyrics, the trailblazing "homo-goth" band bares all in songs about sex, confusion, and relationships. Definition of Forever is a short but sweet album that promises great things for Balloons, demonstrating a wide variety of styles, from dance-ready pop to a hard-hitting ballad that feels more empowering than wistful. (April 14). Download the song "Safeword" on Amazon.com.

- You Can Have What You Want by Papercuts: San Francisco native Jason Quever's third album under the moniker Papercuts is an example of perfect pop rock -- minus all the airbrushing and guyliner of a major label release. Taking inspiration from Gainsbourg, Can, and early-'90s indie, Papercuts' third album is chock-full of happily nostalgic influences (it was even recorded on something called "tape" -- remember that?), but stays fresh through the power of Quever's fascinating falsetto and lulling lyrics. (April 13). Download the album on iTunes , or grab a free version of the title song at Stereogum .

- Debris by Michelle Malone: Even homos get the blues. Carrying on the family legacy (her grandmother and mom were both professional singers), celebrated slide guitarist "Moanin'" Michelle Malone displays grit and skills that rival Lucinda Williams, Melissa Etheridge, and Bonnie Raitt. Debris finds the celebrated soul-filled singer delving into emotionally raw territory with one of the most epic breakup stories ever told. Download the album on iTunes and scour her tour schedule for an appearance near you.

- That's So Gay by Pansy Division: With a sense of humor as sharp-witted as ever, the seminal S.F. queercore combo is still on top of their game, taking on heteronormative hypocrisy in their triumphant return after a six-year hiatus. The band who set the stage for Green Day with their cunning mix of punk, pop culture, and politics hasn't lost their fine-tuned sense of raunch, but That's So Gay is their most sophisticated album yet. Check out front man Jon Ginoli's new tell-all memoir, Deflowered , too. Download the album on iTunes .

Watch the Pansy Division playing "He Whipped My Ass in Tennis" live at the 2005 Houston Pride Festival:

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- State of Play: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Robin Wright Penn, Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, and Helen Mirren star in this crime drama about a congressman's mistress's murder. From the trailer it seems like one of those "trust no one" plots that we love so much. Especially if Helen Mirren turns out to be the killer.

- Crank: High Voltage: The next chapter of the meaningful story of the human equivalent of the bus in Speed . And the last one had burning-hot British tough person Jason Statham standing on the seat of a speeding motorcycle with a boner, wearing only a hospital gown. Hell yes, you want to see this one too. Add another useless app to your iPhone with the Stun-o-Matic: Crank High Voltage , a weak attempt at a virtual stun gun.

- Every Little Step : We understand that you gays tend to enjoy musicals. Howsabouta documentary that's all about A Chorus Line ? Would you like that? Sure you would. And here it is. Flip through a photo gallery from the original and revival productions of A Chorus Line.

- 17 Again : Is it just us or does Zac Efron have the kind of smirky, smug face that suggests he might be kind of a pain? Not that it matters here. He's a grown-up (Matthew Perry) who wants to be young again and then -- bam! -- he's Zac. So it's like Big but backwards. Also like all those other body-switching movies they made in the '80s.

Watch the latest viral video from Funny or Die, "Zac's Pool Party," starring Zefron, his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens, and a slew of other stars: