Last night we entertained ourselves by seeing a film. We had planned to attend "Good Night and Good Luck," however a slight miscalculation regarding the time it takes to walk to the theater resulted in getting there too late. Instead we watched another movie we were interested in seeing, "Capote."

"Capote" is the fourth movie we've watched in the last few months with prominent gay or transgender roles and topics. The other movies include "Brokeback Mountain," "Transamerica" and "Breakfast on Pluto." I was engaged and thoroughly entertained by each of these movies featuring unique stories and the capacity to show gay and transgender folks as human beings rather than stereotypes.

Movies and TV featuring gay people in prominent roles have existed in the past, but I would argue that frequently these characters are shallow and replete with tired stereotypical displays. For example "The Birdcage" was entertaining, but it reinforced the idea that gays men are silly queens living in South Beach, Florida. With the exception of the film "Philadelphia" there have been few movies that have used gay and transgender roles and themes to tell us stories about multidimensional people.

It is encouraging to see these four films and imagine that Hollywood may break away from the "Queer as Folk" model and instead tell stories which may include gay and transgender people who are capable of having a wide range of emotions and personalities. GLBT persons can be femme, but also quite butch. We are capable of love and compassion as well as violence and destruction. "Capote" was an excellent example as the author was not a black or white character. At times I was charmed by his personality, but at other times I was revolted by his egotism and selfishness. Capote was gay, an important aspect of Capote's life that also deserves attention. He was feminine and quirky, but he was primarily human, remarkable for his accomplishments and achievements.

Kudos to Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance in this movie. He is gathering accolades by winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and being nominated for the Oscar. Please take some time to see these movies and tell your friends. These films are well worth your time.