One of the best movies, in my humble opinion, about trangenderism and related issues is one that has been out some time and is now on video. Those looking for deep political statements will not found them here. It is FAR from politically correct in a time when many are making points, understandably, about the need to truly understand and come to terms with the issue of the very deep need of a TS to be the woman they feel themselves to be. This movie is unabashedly about Drag Queens and/or has a lot to say about human interaction and acceptance. The movie I am speaking of is "To Wong Fu: Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar".

The movie focuses on three drag queens, 2 of which tie for New York "Queen of the Year." They are Vida (Patrick Swayze) and Nozema Jackson (Wesley Snipes). Let me just say as an aside here that this movie has the likes of RuPaul and Robin Williams in it--as cameos. They befriend another drag queen that was in the contest and the two winners decide to trade in their airlines in order for all three to head to Los Angeles California. This is both their "prize" and a chance for another larger pageant.

The movie revolves around the three drag queen's decision to head all way across country in an old Cadillac and all the encounters they have. All sorts of interesting adventures await them, from dealing with Vida's alienation from her family to being chased in a twitched version of "Cinderella" by a crazed "country bumpkin" with the unfortunate name of "Sheriff Dollard..." What is especially comedic about this is the way his name is miss-spelled on his badge.

A large portion of the movie is spent in a dust bowl type town with very colorless and unhappy people. These three drag queens manage to give this town color and "style" and in process teach and learn a lot about what it means being human even if as Stockard Channing says "you are lucky and have a girlfriend that just happens to have an adams apple". Love is seen very clearly between these "red necks" and these "big city drag queens" and every character in the movie is enriched by the encounter.

I can only urge you to go to your local video store and check it out. You wont hear much about transexual rights or issues related to the rights of crossdressers. What you will see is a darn funny movie that also reflects a lot of love and acceptance. As Siskel and Ebert would say, "two thumbs up"