Napoleon Dynamite

Very few films apart from Love, Simon manage to accurately depict the feeling of being a closeted gay teen. Based on the bestselling novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, director Greg Berlanti’s adaptation introduces us to the roller coaster that is Simon Spier’s life after he develops an online crush on a fellow closeted classmate at his high school who uses the alias “Blue.” While trying to figure out who “Blue” is, Simon also juggles collapsing friendships, potential blackmail, and his undisclosed sexuality. Love, Simon is acclaimed for being the first film distributed by 20th Century Fox that centers around an LGBTQIA+ teenage romance.

Note by Rami Gross.

On his first day at Padua High School, Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) becomes infatuated with the popular Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik). When Bianca’s overprotective father stipulates that she cannot date unless her outcast, tough-to-crack sister Kat (Julia Stiles) does as well, Cameron bribes the mysterious Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to woo Kat. This modern classic of the teen comedy canon is a contemporary retelling of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and remains one of the most cited films on best romantic comedy lists.

Note by Sari Navarro.

In person: pre-screening conversation with co-writer, director Brian Dannelly.