Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987)

Netflix and Ryan Murphy have once again answered our desperate pleas for queer representation in film. The Prom — Broadway musical turned colorful screen explosion — advocates for simple LGBTQ+ rights as high-schooler Emma Nolan, (played by queer actress Jo Ellen Pellman), wants to bring her girlfriend to prom. Having drawn in the ultimate all-star cast, Ryan Murphy created a version of the Broadway musical that feels dated and at times focused more on homophobia than acceptance. As a huge musical theatre fan, the theatrical conventions conveyed on-screen were visually exciting but at times overwhelming. Design elements such as the lighting, cinematography, and costume design were reaching to achieve the larger-than-life Broadway aesthetic. This exaggerated translation to the screen made the film feel like an uphill battle between the saturated color palette and the storytelling.