I ‘Scream,’ you scream

‘Scream 4’ arrives this spring. (Photo courtesy of Dimension Films)

Once again, TV is outpacing film by leaps and bounds when it comes to LGBT characters and themes. Look to the return of Reel Affirmations this spring — in a change from its old October slot — for the most abundant depictions of gay life.

In theaters:

Reel Affirmations: “You Should Meet My Son” — March 11 at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. After learning that her son, Brian, is gay, Mae and her sister set out to scour gay cruising sites as well as bars and clubs to see if they can find “Mr. Right” for him. The full festival is slated for April 29 to May 7. Look for details in the Blade as the festival date gets closer.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” — March 11 and 12. E Street Cinema will feature two midnight showings of this film classic. Each of these dates will include live casts that perform key numbers within the movie. While silence is typically golden, audience participation is encouraged during this midnight classic.

“Bill Cunningham New York.” — March 16. The documentary, created by the husband-and-husband team of Richard Press (director) and Phillip Gefter (producer), takes a look into the life of 81-year-old Manhattan style photographer Bill Cunningham. The film features Anna Wintour, Michael Kors and Tom Wolfe, among others. Slated for a New York release, there’s no word yet on further distribution.

“Scream 4” — April 15. The campy “Scream” series returns with David Arquette and Courtney Cox-Arquette. The script for the wildly anticipated sequel has been protected by producers, but there are rumors that this installment could be a jumping-off point for “Scream 5 and 6.”

“The Beaver” — May 6. Directed by and starring Jodi Foster, the film also stars Mel Gibson. After Gibson’s notorious anti-Semitic and racist rants, it will be interesting to see how the film is received. The plot revolves around a troubled husband (Gibson) who resorts to using a beaver hand puppet to aid in communicating.

On DVD:

“A Marine Story” — March 1. This film tells the story of a highly decorated Marine who is suddenly discharged during wartime under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The film was included last year in the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. The film stars Dreya Weber and Paris Pickard.

“Burlesque” — March 1. Christina Aguilera and Cher star in this small-town-girl-goes-Hollywood story. Ali (Aguilera) helps to revive an ailing theater in Los Angeles with her spectacular voice. Stanley Tucci and Alan Cumming also star.

“I Love You Phillip Morris” — April 5. The much-hyped story of a Texas policeman whose fraudulent activity lands him in jail and falling in love with his inmate. The movie stars Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.

“Behind the Burly Q” — April 12. The history of burlesque in the United States is explored in this documentary through interviews with actual performers. Until now, many performers had been ashamed to address their roles in the movement and the how they became involved with the raucous shows.

“Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould” — March 1. This documentary takes a look at the very secretive life of Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould. For much of his life, Gould was labeled as “asexual” or “gay.” While rumors swirled up to his untimely death, a heterosexual love affair with Cornelia Foss is explored in the documentary.