Reel advice: Damaged goods

In theaters

Gay filmmaker Pedro Almodovar returns to his comedic sex romp roots with the high-flying "fiction and fantasy" of I'm So Excited (Sony Pictures Classics). A Mexico-bound Peninsula Airlines jet with faulty landing gear is forced to circle while a suitable place to land is sought. As you might expect, a plane full of passengers in an Almodovar movie is a source for laughs, lust and loony situations.

At first, it's only gay flight attendants Joserra (Javier Cámara), Ulloa (Raúl Arévalo) and Fajas (Carlos Areces), and pilot Alex (Antonio de la Torre) and co-pilot Benito (Hugo Silva), who are aware of the severity of the situation. But pretty soon others, including psychic virgin Bruna (Almodovar regular Lola Dueñas), know that something's up (in the air).

Before long, with the passengers in economy class in a drug-induced sleep for the flight, those in the first class cabin begin to make a fuss. There's high-powered madam/dominatrix Norma (Cecilia Roth, another of Almodovar's regulars), financial swindler Mas (José Luis Torrijo), actor and ladies man Ricardo (Guillermo Toledo), hitman José María Yazpik, and a pair of newlyweds (Miguel Ángel Silvestre and Laya Martí). Each one has their own fascinating (and funny) story to tell and there are even some amusing and unexpected connections.

With the aid of alcohol and mescaline (the new groom is also a drug mule), the first-class fliers let it all hang out. Even bisexual Alex and questioning Benito do things they might not have otherwise done. Through it all, Joserra, Ulloa and Fajas do everything they can to keep the travelers safe and distracted, even going as far as performing a choreographed lip sync routine to the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited." Meanwhile, down on the ground, a couple of Ricardo's lovers – unstable painter Alba (Paz Vega) and reasonable Ruthie (Blanca Suárez) are coming to terms with the limitations of their relationships with him.

Almodovar must be so beloved that he inspires the kind of devotion that includes brief appearances by Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas (as airline employees Jessica and Léon), both of whom made early career performances in films by the director. The lightweight I'm So Excited isn't Almodovar's best work; it's a candy-colored trifle. But it's good for a laugh and it reminds us that Almodovar hasn't lost his sense of humor.

At home

Of all the former Friends cast members, Lisa Kudrow has probably had the most daring career. She's definitely had the most gay-positive one! From the campy Romy and Michele's High School Reunion to overtly queer features such as All Over The Guy, Easy A, The Opposite of Sex and Happy Endings (both directed by out filmmaker Don Roos), among others, Kudrow is a true friend of the community.

Web Therapy – The Complete Second Season (eOne), her latest project on Showtime, is based and expands on the online series which features Kudrow as unaccredited therapist Fiona Wallice who sees patients via Skype. This premise sets up a variety of comedic and catastrophic events all handled with shocking detachment by Fiona who is in greater need of a therapist's couch than her clients.

How gay is Web Therapy? Working once again under director Roos, the series is co-written by Kudrow, Roos and Dan Bucatinsky (Roos' husband, who also co-stars as Fiona's bumbling assistant Jerome, and can also be seen playing gay in ABC's Scandal). Fiona's queer husband Kip (out actor Victor Garber) has political aspirations that could potentially be destroyed by a scandal involving his confusion over the gender of potential lover Robin (Julie Claire) and his intimate relationship with campaign manager Ben (gay comedian Michael McDonald). Zillionaire media mogul Austen (out actor Alan Cummings), who is bankrolling Kip's campaign, has Kip sent to a de-gaying program run by flighty sex-bomb Camilla (Meryl Streep) and her ex-gay husband. You can probably guess how that goes.

Comedy legend Lily Tomlin steals virtually every scene in which she appears as the mother of Fiona and her competitive and embittered sister Shevaun (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Rosie O'Donnell acts up a storm as a religious fanatic employee of Austen's and the underrated Jennifer Elise Cox earns her laughs as Fiona's former employee Gina. Among the other guest stars, it's Conan O'Brien (playing an insecure version of himself seeking therapy) who holds his own against Fiona.

The double DVD second season set includes an array of bonus features, such as deleted scenes, gag reel, director's cut with Streep and O'Brien, a behind the scenes featurette, an auto tune music video, as well as a preview of season three (premiering on Showtime on July 22).

In the final season of Damages (SPHE), ruthless attorney Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) may have finally met her match. Patty's granddaughter Catherine (Kiley Liddell), whom Patty is raising, reminds her in the first couple of minutes of the season opener that she is "no one's mommy." Not to mention former employee Ellen (Rose Byrne), who "knows things" and want to "hurt" Patty. Ellen has volunteered to testify against Patty in the child custody case involving Patty's son Michael (Zachary Booth).

Right from the start, through a series of gruesome and ominous flashbacks, we already know that Ellen is dead (or is she?). Damages fluidly moves back and forth from the present to the past (a period of roughly three months), filling in the blanks and leaving plenty of blanks to be filled. Leverage, corruption, betrayal, revenge, paranoia, manipulation, familial obligation and "playing outside the lines" all play parts in Damages' intricate plot structure.

An unfortunate and ultimately devastating mishap involving investment banker Naomi (Jenna Elfman) and whistle-blowing blog operator Channing (Ryan Phillippe), adds an additional dimension of tension to the already taut series. After Patty meets with Channing, she turns down the job, recommending Ellen instead, potentially pitting Patty against Ellen in yet another arena. The addition of Kate (Close's Albert Nobbs co-star Janet McTeer), a person from Patty's past who could potentially go to work "for the other side" simply ups the ante. Special features in the triple DVD set include deleted scenes and outtakes.