The Queer Quadrant
Four-quadrant films are movies designed to appeal to the biggest, widest audience possible. In the process, they can often leave out a lot of LGBTQ+ representation – but end up loaded with subtext. In The Queer Quadrant, hosts Brooke Solomon and Jordan Gustafson examine cinema in all its cultural contexts, and explore why your favorite four-quadrant blockbuster is maybe…not as straight as you think it is.
Episodes
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by Erik Anderson (AwardsWatch) to complete this female fantasy duology (we do not talk about 2019). Join us to discuss the supernatural powers of the Angels, living in a world free from failure, Drew Barrymore's affinity for roller derby (gay), Demi Moore as a delightfully campy bisexual temptress, and how the celebrity churn should really just leave women alone forever.
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Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by film & culture writer Lillian Crawford for 2002's sad and lovely ode to the interiority of women's lives. We talk awards-y lesbianism, the enduring impact of Virgina Woolf's brilliant writing, Philip Glass's divisive score, the ins and outs of this movie's intense Oscar campaign (courtesy of David Canfield), and being DEPRESSED and GAY and BUYING THE FLOWERS YOURSELF.
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Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by film critic Laura Venning for this harrowing drama where the corruption – gasp – goes all the way to the top. We discuss shirtless Kurt Russell chopping wood (good), Meryl's mullet (good), Cher saying the word "dyke" in a Southern accent (GOOD), and our favorite pro-union films. Plus the messed up things that happen in blue-collar America and why Nora Ephron really is the best to ever do it!
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by one of the all-time greats Emily St. James to talk the most memeable film of 2024. Exisiting beyond certainties! Xerox drama! Nespresso! The incredibly complex ideas of faith and belief! This movie has it all. Plus we discuss the nuances of adaptation for the screen, casting within the GNC community, Emily's incredible new book, and if we correctly predicted Best Picture. CONCLAVE HIVE RISE!
It's the third annual QQ Qualifier Awards – aka the Quallies! In advance of the Oscars, Jordan and Brooke award the coveted "Rainbow Prism" to their favorite performances of the 2024 cinematic year, along with a healthy dose of subjective criticism, Brooke slacking on viewing stats, and Jordan's "chaos picks" for new awards.
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Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by screenwriter Nat Torres for a very special Valentine's Day episode! We talk Edgar Wright's 2011 cult classic, including swordfights, the power of love AND the power of self respect, manic pixie dream girls, bi-furiosity, Brie Larson in peak "gay awakening" mode, and some of our all-time favorite camerawork. Plus, a special Toronto dispatch from Canadian legend Phillip Iscove.
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Jordan and Brooke are joined by Alison Sivitz (aka Bald Ann Dowd), as we rocket agrressively back to 2012 and every piece of culture that comes with that. We discuss why this movie has aged like milk but still hits, questionable fashion choices (heeled...Converse...), Universal queerbaiting their audience, actual Peacock spinoff show "Bumper in Berlin," what Kenny Ortega is up to these days, what Hailee Steinfeld is also up to thes...
Jordan and Brooke celebrate some early 2025 horror by kicking it all the way back to 1941 and discussing the original "Wolf Man." We chat our own personal Universal Monster rankings, soundstage-sized sets and practical makeup, the evolution of werewolves and werewolf transformations, plus a healthy dose of Halloween Horror Nights content.
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Jordan and Brooke are joined by Joe Reid (This Had Oscar Buzz) for Baz Luhrmann's 1997 sun-soaked adaptation that taught a whole generation how to be young and horny. We talk Leo's floppy lesbian haircut, the best and gayest Harold Perrineau performance you could ask for, why Juliet really needs her own squad, and how much we love swords as guns. The Bard, baby!
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Jordan and Brooke close out the year with Chris Columbus's unconventional holiday movie about the supposed power of collective action...or maybe just a toxic friend group! We go through which characters have been terrible people since the musical premiered, Jonathan Larson's catchy tunes and personal writing journey, the stereotypes of cheating bisexuals and tragic drag queens (eek), and our favorite questional "La Vie Bohème" lyri...
Jordan and Brooke are joined by editor Emma Logsdon for 2011's tense, understated, elegant spy drama that may or may not be a big hit with the Inception (2010) fandom?! We talk if we would be bad at spycraft (talkative, cries too much) or very good at spycraft (gay), the actual intelligence team this was based on, the intimacy of killing, our main squeeze Tom Hardy, and why this movie made the CIA so angry (not clickbait!).
Jordan and Brooke go over the rainbow for this 1939 classic that changed filmmaking forever, and may or may not have inspired the modern day pride flag! We rank every main character by canonical queerness (shoutout high femme lesbian Glinda truthers), discuss the very inclusive Oz books, ignore all other movie spin-offs (Wicked, you're on thin ice...), and get a bit emotional about how much this move means both to us and to th...
HELLOOOO! Brooke and Jordan are rejoined by BJ and Harmony Colangelo (This Ends at Prom) to talk this Chris Columbus 1993 blockbuster which has aged...pretty well, actually!? There's outwardly gay supporting characters, there's a charming message about how family can look like anything, there's a nearly $500M box office take, and – oh, no, there are definitely still a few transphobic jokes. But we tackle that, 90s cu...
On the weekend of its release, Jordan and Brooke bid farewell to the Venom franchise with symbiote rankings, praise for Venom's #1 fan Tom Hardy, a Symbrock A03 update, and this year's Halloween costumes.
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Jordan and Brooke are joined by writer Abby Monteil for this 1940 screwball about your wife coming back from the dead on the same day you marry someone new. Super relatable! We dive (once again) into David Canfield's VF article on the co-stars of this picture Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, the film's unique blend of comedy and melancholy, getting hot and bothered over your romantic rival (very heterosexual), and Cary Gran...
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by filmmaker Carly Usdin for another trip to our favorite queer space – Gotham City! Despite its rep as a film that got kneecapped by the pandemic and some good ol' studio sexism, this Cathy Yan bop kinda has it all! We gush over Margot's committed performance, the canon of "kickass ladies" cinema (the highs and the very, very lows), how there really isn't a single straight pe...
Jordan and Brooke hitch a ride to Vegas with writer Louis Peitzman for another wonderful entry in the Paul Verhoeven canon of horny queer cinema! We thrust it to the beat of a deeply misunderstood lead performance, the legitimacy of of "cult classic" status, commodifying the male gaze for your own sapphic tendencies, and how there is not one normal conversation in this whole movie (complimentary).
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Jordan and Brooke are joined by TV critic Caroline Framke to talk Paul Feig's seminal 2011 comedy, including masterful levels of improv, the "shocker genre" of female-led raunchy comedies, the wedding industrial complex, and how Annie and Helen should really just run off together.
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Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by Caitlin Durante (The Bechdel Cast) for a simple Shrek-tastic visit to Duloc. Along with a healthy dose of memes, we break down the "edgy" anti-Disney sentiment, marginalized fairytale creatures, Lord Farquaad's casual ethnic cleansing, how inescapable to the culture this was, and if this film is actually quite queer!
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Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by writer/producer Kenny Neibart for another movie musical – this one very near and dear to our hearts. For Frank Oz's 1986 film, we discuss gender performance, stage to screen changes, advanced puppetry, Howard Ashman's incredible pen, and – you knew it was coming – the Muppets.
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