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
184 episodes
Silkwood with Laura Venning
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 ...
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1:41:30
Conclave with Emily St. James
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by one of the all-time greats Emily St. James to talk the most memeable film of 2024. Existing beyond certainties! Xerox drama! Nespresso! The incredibly complex ideas of faith and belief! This movie has it all. P...
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1:42:54
The 2024 QQ Qualifiers
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 criti...
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2:24:17
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World with Nat Torres
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-...
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2:08:02
Pitch Perfect with Alison Sivitz (Bald Ann Dowd)
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...
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1:37:48
The Wolf Man (1941)
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 ...
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1:26:37
Romeo + Juliet with Joe Reid
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 pe...
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1:52:29
Rent
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 music...
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1:41:46
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Emma Logsdon
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 ...
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1:30:24
The Wizard of Oz
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 tru...
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1:50:02
Mrs. Doubtfire with BJ & Harmony Colangelo
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 messa...
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1:37:43
Venom: The Last Dance
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. Follow us on
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1:19:11
My Favorite Wife with Abby Monteil
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
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1:24:09
Birds of Prey with Carly Usdin
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 a...
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1:40:41
Showgirls with Louis Peitzman
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 cl...
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1:45:21
Bridesmaids with Caroline Framke
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...
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1:40:32
Shrek with Caitlin Durante
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...
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1:47:57
Little Shop of Horrors with Kenny Neibart
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 A...
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1:41:30
Thelma & Louise
Jordan and Brooke rev up their T-Bird and hit the road for an anniversary episode (crime spree not included). Topics include: feminism! Lesbianism! Dream cars! Thelma & Louise getting more butch as the movie goes on! The Criterion edition's...
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1:47:03
Hustlers with Roxana Hadadi
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by Roxana Hadadi (Vulture) for Lorene Scafaria's 2019 masterpiece – yes, masterpiece! There is directorial style! There are great needle drops! There is JLo in an incredible fur coat! We discuss why this movie was...
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1:50:08
Challengers with Ben from Canada
Jordan and Brooke are rejoined by filmmaker, video essayist and actor Ben Chinapen for our fave fim of the year (so far). Luca Guadagnino goes god mode with under the court shots, intense homoeroticism as always, and a real, actual, proper love...
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2:08:53
Johnny Guitar with Mitchell Beaupre
Jordan and Brooke are joined by Letterboxd senior editor Mitchell Beaupre (The Letterboxd Show) for Nicholas Ray's unconventional 1954 Western. We get to talk about icon/legend/notorious hater Joan Crawford, Nicholas Ray's frankly crazy life, a...
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1:30:11
High Tension with Jose Cañas
Jordan and Brooke are joined by friend and producer Jose Cañas for 2003's midnight slasher. They inevitably get mired in this movie's insurmountable twist, praise director Alexandre Aja for the sheer craft on display, and debate what we should ...
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1:45:22