Queer Cinema: Coming to a Theater Near You?

Imagine Brad Pitt and Channing Tatum or Jennifer Lawerence and Salma Hayek acting out the plot of "When Harry Met Sally" or "You've Got Mail" or "Sleepless in Seattle" or even "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" as queer versions.  Is American society, or the world at large, ready for mainstream films casting big named stars in homosexual roles and acting in romantic comedies or any other genre? "When Harry Met Sally" all of the sudden becomes "When Brad Met Channing" or "When Jennifer Met Salma."    The sex scenes from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" would have a very different imagery (I am specifically thinking of the scene where Steve Carell's character (Andy) and Catherine Keener's character (Trish) are about to have their first sexual encounter and Andy spends at least five minutes fumbling and struggling to get a condom on.)  Are we ready to see a queer version of the 40-Year-Old Virgin?  Of course, this all assumes that the aforementioned actors and actresses would participate in such an endeavor, but suppose they agreed -- are we ready?

There currently exists a queer cinema genre of film; however, it mostly exists outside of the mainstream media and scope of the general population.  We rarely see movie trailers for these kind of films or other kinds of promotional activity.  With the growing cultural support that homosexuals are gaining, not only in the U.S. but abroad as well, it is very likely that in the next five years or so we will see queer cinema come into the mainstream.  As a movie reviewist, interested in the impact that film has on culture and culture's impact on film, I will be paying close attention as this genre is rolled out to the public.

There is an important note that must be made here.  There have been films in the past that have brought the queer lifestyle into the mainstream.  For example, Brokeback Mountain released in 2005 spotlighted two homosexual cowboys.  This film, and many others like it, portray homosexuality as something shameful and/or an activity that is frowned upon.  However, in You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are not ashamed of their heterosexuality.  The characters are not compelled to justify their sexuality to anyone at any time during the movie.  The heterosexual nature of Hanks' and Ryan's relationship is presupposed to fit a noncontroversial status quo.  My question, then, should be understood in this context.  Are we ready for queer films to go mainstream wherein the plot is not concerned with justifying the homosexual relationship, but instead homosexuality is presupposed to fit the cultural status quo, like in You've Got Mail?

So, what do you think, are you ready for queer cinema to go mainstream?  Let us know in the comment section.