This past weekend, a new Rambo movie hit theatres, the first in 20 years. Recently, we've also seen a new Rocky film arrive 16 years after the previous one, a Die Hard sequel that took 12 years to reach theatres and a fourth Indiana Jones film - 19 years after Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade - is expected to draw huge audiences in May.

Seeing so many characters return after a long absence got me thinking about the various gay characters who'd I'd like to see again and gay films that deserve a sequel more than Rambo does:

Parting Glances

The complicated relationship of Parting Glances is one that really leaves me wondering what happens next with Robert (John Bolger) running away to Africa to avoid the grief his partner, Michael (Robert Ganoung) will experience when Michael's ex-boyfriend Nick (Steve Buscemi) succumbs to his battle with HIV. Would Robert and Michael's relationship be able to survive Nick's death -- especially when Michael's lingering feelings for Nick was straining the relationship when he was still alive?

The Lost Language of Cranes

In The Lost Language of Cranes, Philip Benjamin (Angus McFayden) came out to his parents, only to eventually learn that his father, Owen (the unbiqutous Brian Cox), was hiding in the closet, as well. At the film's end, Owen had finally come out to his wife and son, moving out of the apartment he shared with his wife for many years. Even though the David Leavitt book that inspired the movie ended there, I've always wondered where Owen and Philip's journey went next -- how a man who comes out late in life like Owen adjust to such a change? How does a young gay man handle being more mature than his father when it comes to love and relationships?

Maurice

Much like, The Lost Language of Cranes, Maurice ends just as the main character has begun to accept himself as a gay man. That's the end of one journey, but the beginning of another. How did Maurice (James Wilby) navigate the homophobic atmosphere of early 20th century England?

Trick

The thing I loved about Trick when it came out was that this was a romantic comedy more about the differences between its two leading men than about being gay. They spent the movie realzing that they had more in common than they expected and whenever I see Trick I find myself imagining the challenges Gabriel (Christian Campbell) and Mark (JP Pitoc) would face while dating... Gabriel was surprised to learn that Mark found Gabriel interesting as a person, but would Gabriel see more in Mark beyond a hottie who found noticed him? How would the two navigate their very different circles, would Mark pull away from his friends, finding Gabriel's circle more interesting?

The Sum of Us

The Sum of Us seemed to end at a point when Jeff (Russel Crowe) was looking at a very different life, now having to take care of his father (Jack Thompson) after a stroke. It looked like he was about to start a serious relationship with Greg (John Polson) -- a man's first serious relationship while dealing with the stress of caring for a disabled father, that's enough of a story to fill another movie.

Of course, that's just a start... which gay movies have you wondering what happens next?

It's not to hard to find gay characters who work in the arts or as teachers, doctors, bartenders and as assistants, but blue collar gay characters don't come up nearly as often. In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday in the U.S., let's take a look at some of those blue collar gay characters that have graced the big and small screen.

Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist
From: Brokeback Mountain

A look at gay characters who put in a day's hard work could never overlook the sheep herders who spurred the discussion of gay relationships like never before in 2005. Working outdoors for a summer under the endless Wyoming sky, the two forged a bond that couldn't be severed by time or distance.

Ivan Jones
From: Emmerdale

Having just learned about him, I can't ignore the hunky bisexual garbage man from Brit soap Emmerdale. Ivan struggled with his feelings for Paul, only to have the relationship thwarted by Paul's step-sister. Did you know that they're called "binmen" there? I wonder if "binman" has less unpleasant connotation than "garbage man" does.

Jeff Mitchelland Greg
From: The Sum of Us

This 1994 comedy gave us Russel Crowe as a gay plumber who lived with a father that couldn't be shocked by his son's sex life. Crowe's character, Jeff, makes a connection with one of his dates, Greg, a gardener, though Jeff requires pressure from his father before finally pursuing the relationship.