The visuals in Tron: Legacy might be state-of-the-art, but the characterisation ain’t. A camp, predatory gay guy as a villain – what will they think of next? Just when you think Disney is becoming a bit more inclusive…

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Rupert Everett going on about how coming out ruined his career (he does make some good points, though); an aging, gay star advising others to keep the closet door firmly shut and gay journos playing devil’s advocate – it seems the hot topic of the week (again) is ‘gays in Hollywood’ and the subject isn’t any more interesting than it was last month.

One Hollywood star who astutely sees the future as grey when it comes to actors and sexuality is James Franco, telling Entertainment Weekly that: “There are lots of other reasons to be interested in gay characters than wanting myself to go out and have sex with guys … Or, you know what, maybe I’m just gay.”

Until other actors, gay or straight, realise there is mileage in ambiguity, Franco (who will be playing gay again in The Broken Tower) will continue to milk it.

One straight actor who’s excited about playing gay is The Social Network’s Armie Hammer – you can watch him talking about playing Leonardo DiCaprio’s lover in J. Edgar and joking about a little bromance in the clip below.

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The Hollywood Reporter brings news that next month’s Berlin International Film Festival (Feb. 10-20) will have a strong gay flavour, not least because the festival’s gay cinema prize, the Teddy Award, reaches its silver anniversary.

Making its international bow is Korean film Ashamed. Directed by Soo-hyun Kim it’s the story of a suicidal woman who finds love in the most unexpected way. It stars young South Korean model and actress Kim Hyo Jin, who also portrayed a lesbian relationship in another recent film, In My End Is My Beginning.

Also set to screen are two gay documentaries. The first, Rent Boys, is a gritty look at Berlin’s immigrant sex trade. Gay cinema veteran Rosa von Praunheim follows the young men as they go to work and uncovers their individual stories and motivations.

The other gay doc showing in the festival is The Advocate For Fagdom by France’s Angelique Bosio. It’s about controversial filmmaker Bruce LaBruce and features contributions from other groundbreaking directors, including John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Harmony Korine and Richard Kern. You can watch a trailer above (mildly NSFW).

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This sweet, funny, sexy short film is for anyone who went through a break-up over the holidays, or is just feeling a bit ‘grrrr’ on the first day back at work.

Tech Support is Erik Gernand’s follow-up to gay short Non-Love-Song. This Iris Prize 2010 nominee (co-written with Jenny Hagel, who plays the frustrated customer) has already won a few awards, including Best Lesbian Short at Hamburg International Queer Film Festival.

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Well the votes are in and I can now reveal the readers’ Top 10 Gay Movies of 2010.

It turned out to be a one-horce race for the top with powerful gay documentary Out In The Silence clearly striking a chord last year with its focus on a bullied gay teen in a small town.

The race for second spot was a closer call, but potential Oscar winner The Kids Are All Right just snagged it, closely followed by the much hyped I Love You Phillip Morris and one of my faves, Strapped, in third and fourth place respectively.

The guys take their turn at parenting in sharply funny Swedish dramedy Patrik, Age 1.5 at number five, while the BBC’s Boy George early years biopic, Worried About The Boy, is a surprise hit in sixth place.

Another documentary at number seven looks into the Mormon Church’s support of Proposition 8.

The lower reaches of the chart is a very serious affair and has a distinct Latin flavour with incest drama From Beginning To End and tragic love story Undertow rounding out the Top 10.

1: Out In The Silence

2: The Kids Are All Right

3: I Love You Phillip Morris

4: Strapped

5: Patrik, Age 1.5

6: Worried About The Boy

7: Eight The Mormon Proposition

8: Brother To Brother

9: From Beginning To End

10: Undertow

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