Re-post: Queer movie notes
Mar. 9th, 2015 09:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sasha_featherConsolidated notes on Queer movies that I've seen over the last six-ish years, as people seem to look for recs from time to time. Since I wrote these a while ago, some may no longer be on Netflix. Will edit this from time to time. Adding stars to ones I especially recommend.
*D.E.B.S. 2004, PG-13
This movie is cheesy fun goodness! It is about a spy group made up of young women who are recruited from a secret test embedded in the SAT. They go to a special college-type spy school where they try to earn their stripes and wear pleated skirts. Amy breaks up with her boyfriend for reasons she doesn't entirely understand, and is facing some other existential crises, when she runs into the highly dangerous super-villain Lucy Diamond on a mission. Lucy Diamond sees something in Amy and the two fall in love. Family friendly. Recommended if you like The Middleman and queer comedies and awesome things.
Kinky Boots 2005 PG-13 starring Chiweitel Ejiofor!
Charlie Price takes over his father's shoe factory only to learn that it is failing. To save it, he decides to make boots for drag queens, after a chance encounter with Lola, a drag queen in London whom he befriends. Lola comes to Northampton and helps design boots to be shown in Milan. This is a very cute, feel-good movie, and of course I LOVE Ejiofor and will see anything that he is in. A few parts felt contrived but overall I really enjoyed this. Recommended.
This Film is Not Yet Rated - 2006
I found this a bit disappointing. It was too long and a bit content-light, and a lot of it I already knew-- the ratings system in Hollywood is biased against queer movies, female sexuality (ie, women enjoying sex), and male nudity. Meanwhile it gives a pass to violence. The ratings system itself is shrouded in secrecy. I enjoyed the interviews with directors of films such as But I'm a Cheerleader and Boys Don't Cry whose films were not treated fairly. But the self-insertion of the director, as he hires a PI and tries to figure out the identities of the people on the ratings board, was ultimately unrewarding to watch and kind of silly.
The Celluloid Closet - 1995
I loved this movie! It is a very engaging history of queer characters in film. Many wonderful interviews, many movie clips from silent films onward. Certain people watch films searching for coded messages, in the same way that slash fans have slash goggles. Certain facts are revealed that I almost don't want to spoil you for if you haven't seen this movie! Some of the films are obscure and some are very famous. At times funny and poignant. Highly recommended.
XXY Spanish language with English subtitles. 2007, not rated. Streaming on Netflix.
There aren't many stories about intersex people, and this one is great. Alex is a kid in Uruguay, being raised as a girl but who knows that she is intersex. Some friends of her mother's come to visit, including a teenage boy that she pursues sexually. This film uses silence and quiet well, and is an understated movie about a difficult subject. It is well-acted and the emotions really carry through. I also found it progressive: it subtly argues against a gender binary, and explicitly argues against surgery for intersex people.
There is one very upsetting scene at about 1:01 that includes an assault and attempted rape of Alex by some local boys.
The Kids are All Right 2010. R.
I hated this movie! Anti-rec! I have spoken to at least one person who liked it, though, so YMMV.
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play married lesbians with two teenage kids. The kids look up and contact their sperm donor, played by Mark Ruffalo. Drama ensues and he becomes intertwined in their lives in various ways.
The particular reason I hated this movie is because every character was unlikeable. It was a type of movie where there are problems, the people fight (and don't really make up), then there are more problems, and more, and eventually everything comes to a head. We're supposed to believe the members of this family love each other, but we're never really shown that-- they just seem annoyed to be around each other. Mark Ruffalo's character was likeable some of the time if only because he smiled and seemed to be having fun with his life, unlike everyone else. This movie has also been criticized by some queer people for other reasons, which I think are legitimate (?), but I hated it because it was simply not fun or enjoyable to watch. It's listed as both "comedy" and "drama" but I didn't think it was funny at all!
*Desert Hearts 1985. R. Streaming on Netflix.
This was a breath of fresh air, an antidote to The Kids are All Right, and one of the more realistic movies about lesbians that I've seen. Vivian Bell, a professor, travels to Reno for a quickie divorce in 1959. She stays at a ranch to establish residency and while there, meets Cay, a young woman who makes no secret about her sexuality. The romance develops slowly, the sex scene is good, and the major fight is about outness/visibility. The minor/supporting characters (Kay's friends and family) are all very interesting characters. Recommended.
*The Times of Harvey Milk Documentary film. 1984.
I liked this better than the biopic Milk (which I did like)! This documentary focuses on Harvey Milk's political life, interviewing people he worked with and using a lot of original footage. It is GREAT. Unlike the biopic, it focuses on Milk's talent of coalition building and media savvy, and does not focus on his personal life. There are great interviews with three lesbians and a straight ally (a union man), as well as gay men he worked with. It also covers the riots that happened after Dan White's sentencing. Really excellent film; it moves along quickly and full of wonderful content.
*I Love You Phillip Morris 2009. R.
I think this is mis-titled; it has nothing to do with tobacco or cigarettes. It's based on a true story and Phillip Morris is the actual guy's name. Jim Carrey plays Steven Russel, a gay con man who winds up in prison after running many ridiculous cons to support his expensive lifestyle. While in prison he courts Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) in a delightfully romantic and funny way-- by sending notes and gifts through other prisoners, etc. When he gets out of prison the cons continue. I don't want to spoil this movie too much because it is wild. It is an indie-type comedy a la Juno, but with a whole lot of gayness, and I LOVED it. There is some self-harm in this movie, mostly as part of escape attempts or cons.
Edie and Thea
This is a documentary about two older lesbians. After being together for 41 years, they decide to get married in Canada in 2007. The story focuses on their romantic relationship, how they met and fell in love, how their love has lasted, how compatible they are. Thea was diagnosed with MS and they talk about that somewhat-- how she manages being disabled etc. The film touches only briefly on politics, their jobs, and their families. No other people are interviewed for the film. Mostly I thought this story was boring, perhaps because I'm just not that interested in pure love stories-- I want there to be something else going on in addition. This film also fits into a certain HRC-style narrative of well-off, monogamous, white lesbians in search of marriage equality, and there is part of me that is a bit cynical about that narrative in that it is fairly mainstream, exclusive and palatable. Another part of me was glad to see a story about happy gay people who lived through an earlier time than me, and the inclusion of a disability narrative. Mostly I don't recommend this movie because boring.
Christopher and his Kind starring Matt Smith
This is based on the memoir of novelist Christopher Isherwood and his time spent in Berlin in the early 1930s. He goes there from England in search of adventure and a liberated gay culture, which he finds. He has a series of casual relationships before finding a somewhat serious boyfriend, whom he later tries to take to England as the Nazis rise to power. I especially enjoyed the unabashed sexuality in this movie, the lively characters, and the wonderful clothes. Despite the dire situation in Berlin, the movie keeps a fairly hopeful tone. I would rate it "pretty good". There are a few violent scenes.
Handsome Harry
I just watched this tonight in a bout of insomnia-induced bad judgement. It's the story of a Vietnam Vet who is confronting a demon of his past: a gay bashing that he was involved in while in the Navy. Guess what, Harry's also gay! There is something to be said for stories exploring reconciliation, forgiveness, etc; and to be honest the acting and production were good; but this was both slow and depressing. Not recommended.
Rag Tag English; streaming on Netflix; This movie is closed captioned!
I LOVED this indie film about two young black men in London. Tag (Tagbo) has just earned his law degree and is looking for a job. His old best friend, Rag (Raymond) shows up at his door after being gone for 10 years. The two men pick up where they left off, hanging out in the neighborhood. There is a lot going on in this movie in regards to race, class, and sexuality. Tag's family is from Nigeria, and in the middle of the movie the men go on a trip to Nigeria as part of some shady deal that I did not quite understand. While it's clear from the beginning that Rag and Tag love each other a great deal, their relationship takes a long time to really develop, and they each have to take care of obstacles in the way, such as not being honest with each other, not having money or jobs, and dealing with their families. All of this gets resolved by the end and there is a happy ending! Highly recommended.
*Tipping the Velvet
HIGHLY recommended. were_duck and I watched this one night without realizing how long it is; it's three episodes that are about an hour each. Nan Astley, an oyster girl in 1890s England, is swept up into a love affair with a cross-dressing woman performer. She embarks on an adventure to London and fortune takes her high and low. I loved it!
*Patrik, Age 1.5
I loved this Swedish film about two gay men who want to adopt a baby. They are at first turned down, but later get a letter saying that Patrik, age 1.5, needs a home. They accept, only to find out later that a there was a typo, and a 15 year old boy shows up at their door. This movie was exceptional at showing, rather than telling, the story. The main actor has a wonderfully expressive and compassionate face. There are small moments of homophobia in the neighborhood, and small moments of connection and love. A great film.
Soldier's Girl, starring Lee Pace
I liked this film a lot; it has great acting and a good story. If only it didn't have a horribly sad ending! Lee Pace is almost unrecognizable as Calpernia, a trans woman performer who falls in love with a soldier, Barry Winchell. This is based on a true story. The romance is captivating and yet ordinary; there is great chemistry between the characters. In many ways the couple is normal; the film emphasizes this. I only recommend this movie if you know you can stomach the ending (which is known in the beginning of the film). ETA: I now know better and can criticize casting a cis actor in a trans role; it's annoying to do so.
Get Your Stuff (streaming)
This film attempts to be what "Patrik" is: a film about a gay couple fostering troubled kids. But it is amateurish and strains credibility--for instance, why would a recovering alcoholic have a liquor cabinet in his house? The film tries for both light-hearted and serious when it should have gone one way or the other. There was a cloying, over-the-top montage at the end. Also the aspect ratio kept changing while I watched which was annoying. Not recommended.
Beautiful Boxer 2004
My roommate and I declared this "one of the better queer movies". It's based on a true story of a boxer in Thailand who is transgender. It was a bit slow in the beginning but soon I was emotionally invested in the story of Toom's life from childhood onward. With the support of a mentor, Toom wears make up in the ring and has a successful kick boxing career. Eventually she becomes famous, earns money and transitions to being to a woman. English subtitles.
Release 2010.
Anti-rec due to graphic violence, over-the-top angst, and unbelievability. This is the story of a priest who goes to prison for a crime he's committed, and while there falls in love with a guard. The love story part is pretty sweet and moving-- a very forbidden love and they are in constant fear of getting caught (Aside: I am informed that such a relationship is a 1st degree sexual assault in Wisconsin under the prevention of prison rape act). The tense, moody atmosphere is also effective, and I thought the performances were good. The other inmates think that the priest is a pedophile and are out to get him. The other guards and the warden are corrupt-- I couldn't figure out why-- and let the other inmates run wild. The plot hangs on threads that are just too thin; the violence is gross; and the ending sucks. It was also strangely hard to hear, but there are subtitles.
*Weekend 2011.
Wow, a good gay movie! It has subtitles, which I needed due to mumbling (also possibly due to accents). Russ goes out to a party and picks up Glen, in what he expects to be a one-night stand. Instead they spend the whole weekend together and form an unexpectedly strong connection. I very much related to how shy Russ is, how he finds the world subtly hostile. Glen is more outgoing and finds it easier to be out. They discuss politics, art, their lives and histories. I really loved this movie and felt connected to this couple. I thought about it a lot after seeing it. Content note-- there is quite a bit of drug use (cocaine and marijuana).
Imagine Me and You. 2005. Lena Headey, Piper Perabo.
This lesbian film came recommended, but I was disappointed in it. It's about woman who, on her wedding day, has an instant connection to the florist-- an at-first-sight kind of love. She then must wrestle with having to leave her husband, who's a really decent guy. It's a sweet movie with good actors and a happy ending, but it was about 20 minutes too long. It inexplicably has an R rating despite zero sex scenes (perhaps for language?). My main complaint is that I felt the absence of queerness in this movie, by which I mean queer politics and queer community. For instance, in one scene Lena Headey's character (Luce) is explaining to a kid that she will likely spend the rest of her life with a woman. "Oh that makes sense. Doesn't mean you're a lesbian or anything," the kid responds. And Luce *laughs*. AARGH. In her shoes I would absolutely correct the child. In several other scenes, a womanizing man hits on Luce repeatedly and it's played as cute and funny. I don't think most lesbians would respond this way! This film does get points for the happy ending, and for Anthony Steward Head being funny, but it loses points for other factors.
Plan B. Netflix streaming. Spanish with English subtitles.
were_duck and I watched this without knowing anything about it, and it is just hilariously bad. It's about a guy, Bruno, who is jealous that his ex-girlfriend is with someone new, so his plan is to seduce the guy away from her in order to break them up. You know the way these movies go; eventually he falls for the guy for real, then the guy finds out the deceit, everything goes bad, but they end up together anyway. Despite this thin and predictable plot that should have taken 30 minutes, the movie is an hour 45, because of long shots of scenery and shots of them staring into space doing NOTHING. Also, unexplained shots of them sleeping in the same bed in their undies (before they are together). There is no sex in this movie. "I think I am going to have to watch some porn afterwards, just out of self-defense," I said to were-duck, "because this movie is a giant cock tease." Also, we both hated Bruno, except in the opening scene where he is cuddling with a kitten (BEST scene. But WHY.).
*The Gymnast
A recommended lesbian film, and this one gets points for an inter-racial relationship and having a middle-aged woman as the lead character. Jane was an Olympic-level gymnast as a young woman, is now a massage therapist, is unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, and is unhappy with her life. I liked that this movie was largely about how Jane is reinventing herself, starting over at age 43. She reconnects with an old friend, starts a new career, and falls in love with a young woman. I enjoyed the earned happy ending.
2 Girls in Love
Also a recommended lesbian film. I was suspicious at first because it's about high schoolers, but it's a charming film about two very different girls who fall in love, and it's happy and mostly non-angsty. This one also features an inter-racial relationship and class differences.
*Midnight Cowboy. streaming on Netflix
It is so amazing this film was made at all, especially in 1969! It was rated X originally; now it is rated R. Joe Buck (John Voight) travels from Texas to New York with dreams of being a hustler to rich women. He is really bad at the business end of hustling and quickly ends up broke. The story is about his adventures in the city, trying to make money and survive, but mostly about his friendship with a man named Ratso (Dustin Hoffman). It was a strange, emotional, moving story and I loved it. [Including this in Queer films because it contains "gay for pay": discuss].
Fingersmith
What a disappointment! were_duck and I were looking forward to this one after really enjoying Tipping the Velvet; both movies are based on Sarah Waters novels and are historical lesbian romances. But Fingersmith was about people that we hated, was too long, didn't have kinky sex like the other one did, and was dreary. It's hard to care about a movie when you dislike all the characters-- they were lying manipulative people, every one! Boo. Also no captions!
*Wilby Wonderful with Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Gross, Sandra Oh, and Ellen Page
I didn't know this had queer content! I only knew it was a "Canadian actors/CD6" film. I loved this little movie about a small town called Wilby and the people who live there. Trigger warning for multiple suicide attempts, but it is not a sad movie. I liked that it is about flawed people who are trying, and about relationships. Streaming.
*Pride (2014) I quite liked this film about a group of gay and lesbian activists in the UK who support striking miners. It's great to see a film about activists and politics; it reminded me a bit of "Milk" but was better because it focused on a group of people instead of one individual, and it focused on the politics and not on the drama of their relationships. It's a hopeful movie about the power of community activism.
*Beginners (2010) R. Ewan MacGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent.
MacGregor plays Oliver, a 38-year-old graphic designer who has recently lost his father. In flashbacks and narration, we see his close relationship to his father, who came out publicly as gay at age 75. Now, in 2003, Oliver is struggling with grief, with the fact that his parents were never in love, and with his own relationships and feelings. Oliver falls for a woman named Anna. In flashbacks, his father falls for a younger man, played by Goran Visnjic, and gets involved with gay politics. The movie is engaging and told with sensitivity and emotional nuance. People at any age can be beginners at life and love.
*Cloudburst, 2011, starring Olympia Dukakis
A funny, great film about an old lesbian couple that have been together for nearly 30 years. Stella and Dot live together in a New England house, but when Dot gets hurt, Dot's granddaughter tries to put Dot in a nursing home. Stella busts her out and decides to drive them to Canada to get married. They pick up a hitch hiker along the way and have some adventures. There is lots of fun banter because Stella has a dirty sense of humor and good chemistry with Dot. Dot is blind and it's so refreshing to see realistic disability representation.
Content notes (here be spoilers):
This movie has a sad ending! I also found the scene near the beginning, where Dot is removed to the nursing home, a bit upsetting.
*Pit Stop, 2013
A sweet, slowly building film about getting over past relationships and moving on with life. It deals with the real complexity of gay relationships in a way that I loved, and dealt with working-class men in small-town Texas. I liked going into this movie not knowing who these people were and trying to figure out their relationships, so I don't want to give too much away. The movie's protagonists are Ernesto and Gabe, and each of them have pasts, attachments, and deep emotions that the viewer gets to see. Occasionally it looks a little low-budget in that the lighting and camera shots are bad, but overall it's well done. No content notes that I can think of.
*The Normal Heart (HBO): I loved it. I related a lot to Ned Weeks and his political anger.
Some of the content is disturbing as it's about the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s; the worst scenes for me involved a story of an airplane trip and subsequent terrible treatment at a Texas hospital. Other content notes: homophobia (structural and individual), some physical fighting, discussion of bad therapy, many depictions of death, dying, illness.
Stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Julia Roberts, BD Wong, Alfred Molina, others.
Before Stonewall (1984)
After Stonewall (1999)
Two documentaries about LGBTQ life in the US. These gave me such much-needed history lessons and I really enjoyed them. They mostly focused on positive things while not shying away from difficult material. They were made years apart yet interview some of the same people, if those people were still alive. Interviewees include Ann Bannon, Rita Mae Brown, Audre Lorde, Larry Kramer.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, starring Hugo Weaving. (not streaming)
Two drag queens and a trans woman go across the Outback in a bus to perform at a far-off hotel. I know this is an iconic movie but I thought it was boring; at least half an hour could have been cut out of the movie without affecting the plot at all. My roommate calls this type of film "an indie movie where nothing happens," which is a type of film I sometimes enjoy, but not this time. Also it has some problems with depictions of race, and there is a gay bashing in one of the small towns.
Aimee and Jaguar. German with English subtitles.
A true story about a Nazi officer's wife and a Jewish journalist who fall in love in Berlin in 1943. As you can imagine, it does not have a happy ending. It's not the lesbianism that's a problem: it's that one of the lovers is Jewish. There are some very funny, sweet, and dramatic moments in this movie, and I liked that it's a war movie about queer women (perhaps the only one?), but it's depressing as hell. The actors are wonderful, charismatic women; there were hardly any men in this movie at all.
Big Eden PG-13.
A New York artist returns to his rural hometown to take care of his grandfather. There he encounters his high school best friend/crush, nosy but good-hearted townsfolk, and a shy storekeeper. I didn't much like the lead actor/character in this film (Ayre Goss/Henry Hart), otherwise I would have liked it more. He just wasn't interesting to me; the character never really took shape. The whole movie had a very "Hallmark Hall of Fame" feel--over sentimental, washed in gold light, everyone tries to be nice to each other all the time. There is no overt homophobia and I don't think the word "gay" is ever actually said by anyone. I did like that one of the gay characters is Native American, but I wondered why he is apparently the *only* Native person in the town. His character doesn't much take shape either, partly because he's so shy that he doesn't speak hardly at all. A love story about two shy people can work in a film (see Amelie) but it didn't quite work here. It's a very family-friendly movie, a nice movie, but nothing special.
Jeffrey 1995. Steven Webber, Patrick Stewart, Michael T. Weiss.
Jeffrey gives up sex partly out of anxiety about AIDS. Of course it is right then that he meets somebody he's very interested in. This is a comedy with a lot of famous actors, based on a play. It's sometimes bizzare and over-the-top. It is chiefly about white gay men in New York in the 90s. This film led me to start using the term "token gay bashing" because after watching all these movies, the bashing depicted in this film seemed totally unnecessary! There for token purposes. Anyways, I liked it, it was funny and had a happy ending (with some sadness), and Patrick Stewart was just awesome.
*Breakfast with Scot starring that guy from the show Ed (Tom Cavanagh). 2007. PG-13.
I loved this movie! Eric is an ex-hockey player, now a sportscaster for TV. He lives with his boyfriend Sam but is not out at work. Eric and Sam take custody of Scot, a boy who likes wearing makeup, pink t-shirts, etc. The kid in this movie is really great! Both men are uncomfortable suddenly being parents, and Eric is especially uncomfortable with Scot's unabashed gender non-conformity. But, it's a funny and upbeat movie, everything works out fine as you expect it to, etc.
Dorian's Blues
Ugh, Dorian's ManPain and Daddy Issues. Skip this one. I did like Dorian's brother, a good-natured jock who treats Dorian well, and the prostitute who wanted to be a singer. Everyone else was horrible.
Small Town Gay Bar Documentary.
I got part way into this one and had to stop. It's about a gay bar in Mississippi and was fine at first, but then it started talking about extreme acts of violence toward queer people, and gave Fred Phelps screen time. I turned it off.
The Bubble
I liked this one a lot up until the last 10 or 20 minutes. The film takes place in Tel Aviv and is about Noam and his roommates. Noam falls in love with a Palestinian man named Ashraf. It is beautifully shot and acted, has interesting characters, and I liked seeing the love affairs, jobs, political groups, and daily lives of these people. And then the last 20 minutes are like HOPE IS GONE let's all go eat worms. English subtitles.
La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt.
This is mostly about the dad of a gay kid, Hispanic culture, masculinity, and the Mission district in San Fransisco. The actors are great. There are very few white people in it, I think only one white character with a name. There is domestic and other kinds of violence in this film, and angst, but I liked it; it was beautifully shot and well acted. Bechdel fail, but I loved the one woman in the film with a major part, Erika Alexander.
The Naked Civil Servant starring John Hurt. TV movie.
A biopic about an effeminate British socialite in the 1930s and 40s. This movie was made in the 70s and was way ahead of its time and clearly Quentin Crisp was way ahead of his time. Witty. Bechdel fail, full of white people. Great performance.
*Latter Days
About a gay guy in LA who tries to seduce a Mormon missionary who moves in next door. Mostly this movie was heartwarming and made me go AWWWWW. There were some sad and even tense moments but I loved it. There were people of color and HIV positive characters in this movie, and interesting women (but no lesbians), bonus points for Amber Benson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
*Itty Bitty Titty Committee
Cute story about a young lesbian who falls in with some radical feminists and has adventures with spray paint, has love affairs, etc. I liked it. Bechdel mega pass obviously. Also has a trans character, a bisexual character, several characters of color.
*Different for Girls
A love story about a trans woman, Kim, and Prentice, her old friend from school who she meets again by chance. This romance was surprisingly affecting. Cute movie. Bechdel pass.
Other queer movie recs:
*But I'm a Cheerleader-- So much love for this film. What strikes me now is Megan's concept of herself as a normal, good person, and how it's difficult for her to mesh that concept with being gay. In many ways she's conformist, obedient, wants to please others; coming out means she really can't do so anymore. News flash: gay is normal; but it means you are going to be an outcast. I wish I'd seen this film sooner.
*The Crying Game-- it's sad that this movie became a punch line to hundreds of jokes, because it's a beautiful film. I should watch it again; my memory of it is fuzzy but I remember having an understanding of what the characters were going through.
-----
*Saving Face 2004, Rated R. (Not streaming on Netflix.)
I watched this on a rec fromnny and I loved it! There is everything to like about this movie. It is about a young Chinese-American woman, Wil, who is part of a tightly-knit community, is a successful surgeon, and is a lesbian, but not out to her family. She begins a relationship with another Chinese-American woman in her community, Vivian. Meanwhile Wil's mother gets kicked out of family house for being pregnant and unmarried, and moves in with Wil. So, there is family drama and comedy as Wil's mom tries to find a man to please her own parents, Wil tries to come out to her mom to please her girlfriend, etc. There are almost no white people in this movie. Parts of the movie are in Chinese with English subtitles-- it is particularly cool with Wil and her mom have a conversation that is half in English, half in Chinese. This is an upbeat, romantic movie.
Outing Riley 2004. Bonus point for Nathan Fillion as one of the brothers.
Mostly I liked this movie, it's a funny story about an Irish Catholic man in Chicago who is trying to come out to his brothers. The actors were good, and similar to Saving Face, it was light-hearted and had themes of being closeted vs. out in terms of family and a romantic relationship (where one partner in the relationship is more out than the other). This movie was white and male, though, and I would have liked it better if one extended scene had been cut or rewritten: a scene where two brothers, as a prank, go spy on a neighbor woman (who is naked) through her skylight. This was played for laughs, as harmless/boyish fun, but it skeeved me out completely. The rest of the movie was very funny, and had some realistic moments, so that scene was just a huge disappointment; maybe if you watch this film you can fast forward through that part.
Show Me Love 1998. Swedish with English subtitles.
A story about lesbians in high school. Agnes is unpopular, Elin is popluar; the spin in orbit around each other through the movie. It's sweet and romantic. There is high school drama, parties, fights, etc. Warning for a brief scene of self-harm. Not a great film but I enjoyed it for what it was.
--
ETA July 2016
Rebel Without a Cause
A classic film, but upsetting due to death and police violence. Mostly what I gained from this was understanding of references in "Back to the Future Part 2".
*Boys (Jongens) 2014. English subtitles.
A very sweet coming-of-age film about two boys on a track team together. The pace is deliberate and there are some beautiful shots. Stars actual teenagers. No sex. This movie does a great job showing rather than telling, and has very little dialog; I got the sense that people were trying to say things but were unable to say them, at times-- a very relatable experience. No content notes.
The Way He Looks. English subtitles.
Enjoyable, if somewhat slow, film about a blind gay teenager and his first relationship. I liked the intersection of identities here. There was one somewhat bothersome bullying scene, but otherwise it is a nice film.
*Margarita with Straw.
I enjoyed this movie about a young disabled Indian woman who is exploring her sexuality. She is a wheelchair user and has CP. She falls in love with a boy who does not return her affections; later in New York, she falls in love with a young woman who is also a disabled woman of color. So unusual and great to see a self-identified bisexual, women of color, disabled characters, and political awareness in a film!
content notes: cancer (character's mom); brief scene of police violence at a protest (tear gas).
*Game Face
A documentary about two athletes who are coming out. It focuses on Fallon Fox, a lesbian trans woman who fights MMA, and Terrence Clemens, a basketball player at a 2-year college. Both are black. This was very sweet and nice. There was some anti-trans language (clips from the media talking about Fallon) but it really focused on the athletes and stayed upbeat. Recommended.
*D.E.B.S. 2004, PG-13
This movie is cheesy fun goodness! It is about a spy group made up of young women who are recruited from a secret test embedded in the SAT. They go to a special college-type spy school where they try to earn their stripes and wear pleated skirts. Amy breaks up with her boyfriend for reasons she doesn't entirely understand, and is facing some other existential crises, when she runs into the highly dangerous super-villain Lucy Diamond on a mission. Lucy Diamond sees something in Amy and the two fall in love. Family friendly. Recommended if you like The Middleman and queer comedies and awesome things.
Kinky Boots 2005 PG-13 starring Chiweitel Ejiofor!
Charlie Price takes over his father's shoe factory only to learn that it is failing. To save it, he decides to make boots for drag queens, after a chance encounter with Lola, a drag queen in London whom he befriends. Lola comes to Northampton and helps design boots to be shown in Milan. This is a very cute, feel-good movie, and of course I LOVE Ejiofor and will see anything that he is in. A few parts felt contrived but overall I really enjoyed this. Recommended.
This Film is Not Yet Rated - 2006
I found this a bit disappointing. It was too long and a bit content-light, and a lot of it I already knew-- the ratings system in Hollywood is biased against queer movies, female sexuality (ie, women enjoying sex), and male nudity. Meanwhile it gives a pass to violence. The ratings system itself is shrouded in secrecy. I enjoyed the interviews with directors of films such as But I'm a Cheerleader and Boys Don't Cry whose films were not treated fairly. But the self-insertion of the director, as he hires a PI and tries to figure out the identities of the people on the ratings board, was ultimately unrewarding to watch and kind of silly.
The Celluloid Closet - 1995
I loved this movie! It is a very engaging history of queer characters in film. Many wonderful interviews, many movie clips from silent films onward. Certain people watch films searching for coded messages, in the same way that slash fans have slash goggles. Certain facts are revealed that I almost don't want to spoil you for if you haven't seen this movie! Some of the films are obscure and some are very famous. At times funny and poignant. Highly recommended.
XXY Spanish language with English subtitles. 2007, not rated. Streaming on Netflix.
There aren't many stories about intersex people, and this one is great. Alex is a kid in Uruguay, being raised as a girl but who knows that she is intersex. Some friends of her mother's come to visit, including a teenage boy that she pursues sexually. This film uses silence and quiet well, and is an understated movie about a difficult subject. It is well-acted and the emotions really carry through. I also found it progressive: it subtly argues against a gender binary, and explicitly argues against surgery for intersex people.
There is one very upsetting scene at about 1:01 that includes an assault and attempted rape of Alex by some local boys.
The Kids are All Right 2010. R.
I hated this movie! Anti-rec! I have spoken to at least one person who liked it, though, so YMMV.
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play married lesbians with two teenage kids. The kids look up and contact their sperm donor, played by Mark Ruffalo. Drama ensues and he becomes intertwined in their lives in various ways.
The particular reason I hated this movie is because every character was unlikeable. It was a type of movie where there are problems, the people fight (and don't really make up), then there are more problems, and more, and eventually everything comes to a head. We're supposed to believe the members of this family love each other, but we're never really shown that-- they just seem annoyed to be around each other. Mark Ruffalo's character was likeable some of the time if only because he smiled and seemed to be having fun with his life, unlike everyone else. This movie has also been criticized by some queer people for other reasons, which I think are legitimate (?), but I hated it because it was simply not fun or enjoyable to watch. It's listed as both "comedy" and "drama" but I didn't think it was funny at all!
*Desert Hearts 1985. R. Streaming on Netflix.
This was a breath of fresh air, an antidote to The Kids are All Right, and one of the more realistic movies about lesbians that I've seen. Vivian Bell, a professor, travels to Reno for a quickie divorce in 1959. She stays at a ranch to establish residency and while there, meets Cay, a young woman who makes no secret about her sexuality. The romance develops slowly, the sex scene is good, and the major fight is about outness/visibility. The minor/supporting characters (Kay's friends and family) are all very interesting characters. Recommended.
*The Times of Harvey Milk Documentary film. 1984.
I liked this better than the biopic Milk (which I did like)! This documentary focuses on Harvey Milk's political life, interviewing people he worked with and using a lot of original footage. It is GREAT. Unlike the biopic, it focuses on Milk's talent of coalition building and media savvy, and does not focus on his personal life. There are great interviews with three lesbians and a straight ally (a union man), as well as gay men he worked with. It also covers the riots that happened after Dan White's sentencing. Really excellent film; it moves along quickly and full of wonderful content.
*I Love You Phillip Morris 2009. R.
I think this is mis-titled; it has nothing to do with tobacco or cigarettes. It's based on a true story and Phillip Morris is the actual guy's name. Jim Carrey plays Steven Russel, a gay con man who winds up in prison after running many ridiculous cons to support his expensive lifestyle. While in prison he courts Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) in a delightfully romantic and funny way-- by sending notes and gifts through other prisoners, etc. When he gets out of prison the cons continue. I don't want to spoil this movie too much because it is wild. It is an indie-type comedy a la Juno, but with a whole lot of gayness, and I LOVED it. There is some self-harm in this movie, mostly as part of escape attempts or cons.
Edie and Thea
This is a documentary about two older lesbians. After being together for 41 years, they decide to get married in Canada in 2007. The story focuses on their romantic relationship, how they met and fell in love, how their love has lasted, how compatible they are. Thea was diagnosed with MS and they talk about that somewhat-- how she manages being disabled etc. The film touches only briefly on politics, their jobs, and their families. No other people are interviewed for the film. Mostly I thought this story was boring, perhaps because I'm just not that interested in pure love stories-- I want there to be something else going on in addition. This film also fits into a certain HRC-style narrative of well-off, monogamous, white lesbians in search of marriage equality, and there is part of me that is a bit cynical about that narrative in that it is fairly mainstream, exclusive and palatable. Another part of me was glad to see a story about happy gay people who lived through an earlier time than me, and the inclusion of a disability narrative. Mostly I don't recommend this movie because boring.
Christopher and his Kind starring Matt Smith
This is based on the memoir of novelist Christopher Isherwood and his time spent in Berlin in the early 1930s. He goes there from England in search of adventure and a liberated gay culture, which he finds. He has a series of casual relationships before finding a somewhat serious boyfriend, whom he later tries to take to England as the Nazis rise to power. I especially enjoyed the unabashed sexuality in this movie, the lively characters, and the wonderful clothes. Despite the dire situation in Berlin, the movie keeps a fairly hopeful tone. I would rate it "pretty good". There are a few violent scenes.
Handsome Harry
I just watched this tonight in a bout of insomnia-induced bad judgement. It's the story of a Vietnam Vet who is confronting a demon of his past: a gay bashing that he was involved in while in the Navy. Guess what, Harry's also gay! There is something to be said for stories exploring reconciliation, forgiveness, etc; and to be honest the acting and production were good; but this was both slow and depressing. Not recommended.
Rag Tag English; streaming on Netflix; This movie is closed captioned!
I LOVED this indie film about two young black men in London. Tag (Tagbo) has just earned his law degree and is looking for a job. His old best friend, Rag (Raymond) shows up at his door after being gone for 10 years. The two men pick up where they left off, hanging out in the neighborhood. There is a lot going on in this movie in regards to race, class, and sexuality. Tag's family is from Nigeria, and in the middle of the movie the men go on a trip to Nigeria as part of some shady deal that I did not quite understand. While it's clear from the beginning that Rag and Tag love each other a great deal, their relationship takes a long time to really develop, and they each have to take care of obstacles in the way, such as not being honest with each other, not having money or jobs, and dealing with their families. All of this gets resolved by the end and there is a happy ending! Highly recommended.
*Tipping the Velvet
HIGHLY recommended. were_duck and I watched this one night without realizing how long it is; it's three episodes that are about an hour each. Nan Astley, an oyster girl in 1890s England, is swept up into a love affair with a cross-dressing woman performer. She embarks on an adventure to London and fortune takes her high and low. I loved it!
*Patrik, Age 1.5
I loved this Swedish film about two gay men who want to adopt a baby. They are at first turned down, but later get a letter saying that Patrik, age 1.5, needs a home. They accept, only to find out later that a there was a typo, and a 15 year old boy shows up at their door. This movie was exceptional at showing, rather than telling, the story. The main actor has a wonderfully expressive and compassionate face. There are small moments of homophobia in the neighborhood, and small moments of connection and love. A great film.
Soldier's Girl, starring Lee Pace
I liked this film a lot; it has great acting and a good story. If only it didn't have a horribly sad ending! Lee Pace is almost unrecognizable as Calpernia, a trans woman performer who falls in love with a soldier, Barry Winchell. This is based on a true story. The romance is captivating and yet ordinary; there is great chemistry between the characters. In many ways the couple is normal; the film emphasizes this. I only recommend this movie if you know you can stomach the ending (which is known in the beginning of the film). ETA: I now know better and can criticize casting a cis actor in a trans role; it's annoying to do so.
Get Your Stuff (streaming)
This film attempts to be what "Patrik" is: a film about a gay couple fostering troubled kids. But it is amateurish and strains credibility--for instance, why would a recovering alcoholic have a liquor cabinet in his house? The film tries for both light-hearted and serious when it should have gone one way or the other. There was a cloying, over-the-top montage at the end. Also the aspect ratio kept changing while I watched which was annoying. Not recommended.
Beautiful Boxer 2004
My roommate and I declared this "one of the better queer movies". It's based on a true story of a boxer in Thailand who is transgender. It was a bit slow in the beginning but soon I was emotionally invested in the story of Toom's life from childhood onward. With the support of a mentor, Toom wears make up in the ring and has a successful kick boxing career. Eventually she becomes famous, earns money and transitions to being to a woman. English subtitles.
Release 2010.
Anti-rec due to graphic violence, over-the-top angst, and unbelievability. This is the story of a priest who goes to prison for a crime he's committed, and while there falls in love with a guard. The love story part is pretty sweet and moving-- a very forbidden love and they are in constant fear of getting caught (Aside: I am informed that such a relationship is a 1st degree sexual assault in Wisconsin under the prevention of prison rape act). The tense, moody atmosphere is also effective, and I thought the performances were good. The other inmates think that the priest is a pedophile and are out to get him. The other guards and the warden are corrupt-- I couldn't figure out why-- and let the other inmates run wild. The plot hangs on threads that are just too thin; the violence is gross; and the ending sucks. It was also strangely hard to hear, but there are subtitles.
*Weekend 2011.
Wow, a good gay movie! It has subtitles, which I needed due to mumbling (also possibly due to accents). Russ goes out to a party and picks up Glen, in what he expects to be a one-night stand. Instead they spend the whole weekend together and form an unexpectedly strong connection. I very much related to how shy Russ is, how he finds the world subtly hostile. Glen is more outgoing and finds it easier to be out. They discuss politics, art, their lives and histories. I really loved this movie and felt connected to this couple. I thought about it a lot after seeing it. Content note-- there is quite a bit of drug use (cocaine and marijuana).
Imagine Me and You. 2005. Lena Headey, Piper Perabo.
This lesbian film came recommended, but I was disappointed in it. It's about woman who, on her wedding day, has an instant connection to the florist-- an at-first-sight kind of love. She then must wrestle with having to leave her husband, who's a really decent guy. It's a sweet movie with good actors and a happy ending, but it was about 20 minutes too long. It inexplicably has an R rating despite zero sex scenes (perhaps for language?). My main complaint is that I felt the absence of queerness in this movie, by which I mean queer politics and queer community. For instance, in one scene Lena Headey's character (Luce) is explaining to a kid that she will likely spend the rest of her life with a woman. "Oh that makes sense. Doesn't mean you're a lesbian or anything," the kid responds. And Luce *laughs*. AARGH. In her shoes I would absolutely correct the child. In several other scenes, a womanizing man hits on Luce repeatedly and it's played as cute and funny. I don't think most lesbians would respond this way! This film does get points for the happy ending, and for Anthony Steward Head being funny, but it loses points for other factors.
Plan B. Netflix streaming. Spanish with English subtitles.
were_duck and I watched this without knowing anything about it, and it is just hilariously bad. It's about a guy, Bruno, who is jealous that his ex-girlfriend is with someone new, so his plan is to seduce the guy away from her in order to break them up. You know the way these movies go; eventually he falls for the guy for real, then the guy finds out the deceit, everything goes bad, but they end up together anyway. Despite this thin and predictable plot that should have taken 30 minutes, the movie is an hour 45, because of long shots of scenery and shots of them staring into space doing NOTHING. Also, unexplained shots of them sleeping in the same bed in their undies (before they are together). There is no sex in this movie. "I think I am going to have to watch some porn afterwards, just out of self-defense," I said to were-duck, "because this movie is a giant cock tease." Also, we both hated Bruno, except in the opening scene where he is cuddling with a kitten (BEST scene. But WHY.).
*The Gymnast
A recommended lesbian film, and this one gets points for an inter-racial relationship and having a middle-aged woman as the lead character. Jane was an Olympic-level gymnast as a young woman, is now a massage therapist, is unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant, and is unhappy with her life. I liked that this movie was largely about how Jane is reinventing herself, starting over at age 43. She reconnects with an old friend, starts a new career, and falls in love with a young woman. I enjoyed the earned happy ending.
2 Girls in Love
Also a recommended lesbian film. I was suspicious at first because it's about high schoolers, but it's a charming film about two very different girls who fall in love, and it's happy and mostly non-angsty. This one also features an inter-racial relationship and class differences.
*Midnight Cowboy. streaming on Netflix
It is so amazing this film was made at all, especially in 1969! It was rated X originally; now it is rated R. Joe Buck (John Voight) travels from Texas to New York with dreams of being a hustler to rich women. He is really bad at the business end of hustling and quickly ends up broke. The story is about his adventures in the city, trying to make money and survive, but mostly about his friendship with a man named Ratso (Dustin Hoffman). It was a strange, emotional, moving story and I loved it. [Including this in Queer films because it contains "gay for pay": discuss].
Fingersmith
What a disappointment! were_duck and I were looking forward to this one after really enjoying Tipping the Velvet; both movies are based on Sarah Waters novels and are historical lesbian romances. But Fingersmith was about people that we hated, was too long, didn't have kinky sex like the other one did, and was dreary. It's hard to care about a movie when you dislike all the characters-- they were lying manipulative people, every one! Boo. Also no captions!
*Wilby Wonderful with Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Gross, Sandra Oh, and Ellen Page
I didn't know this had queer content! I only knew it was a "Canadian actors/CD6" film. I loved this little movie about a small town called Wilby and the people who live there. Trigger warning for multiple suicide attempts, but it is not a sad movie. I liked that it is about flawed people who are trying, and about relationships. Streaming.
*Pride (2014) I quite liked this film about a group of gay and lesbian activists in the UK who support striking miners. It's great to see a film about activists and politics; it reminded me a bit of "Milk" but was better because it focused on a group of people instead of one individual, and it focused on the politics and not on the drama of their relationships. It's a hopeful movie about the power of community activism.
*Beginners (2010) R. Ewan MacGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent.
MacGregor plays Oliver, a 38-year-old graphic designer who has recently lost his father. In flashbacks and narration, we see his close relationship to his father, who came out publicly as gay at age 75. Now, in 2003, Oliver is struggling with grief, with the fact that his parents were never in love, and with his own relationships and feelings. Oliver falls for a woman named Anna. In flashbacks, his father falls for a younger man, played by Goran Visnjic, and gets involved with gay politics. The movie is engaging and told with sensitivity and emotional nuance. People at any age can be beginners at life and love.
*Cloudburst, 2011, starring Olympia Dukakis
A funny, great film about an old lesbian couple that have been together for nearly 30 years. Stella and Dot live together in a New England house, but when Dot gets hurt, Dot's granddaughter tries to put Dot in a nursing home. Stella busts her out and decides to drive them to Canada to get married. They pick up a hitch hiker along the way and have some adventures. There is lots of fun banter because Stella has a dirty sense of humor and good chemistry with Dot. Dot is blind and it's so refreshing to see realistic disability representation.
Content notes (here be spoilers):
This movie has a sad ending! I also found the scene near the beginning, where Dot is removed to the nursing home, a bit upsetting.
*Pit Stop, 2013
A sweet, slowly building film about getting over past relationships and moving on with life. It deals with the real complexity of gay relationships in a way that I loved, and dealt with working-class men in small-town Texas. I liked going into this movie not knowing who these people were and trying to figure out their relationships, so I don't want to give too much away. The movie's protagonists are Ernesto and Gabe, and each of them have pasts, attachments, and deep emotions that the viewer gets to see. Occasionally it looks a little low-budget in that the lighting and camera shots are bad, but overall it's well done. No content notes that I can think of.
*The Normal Heart (HBO): I loved it. I related a lot to Ned Weeks and his political anger.
Some of the content is disturbing as it's about the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s; the worst scenes for me involved a story of an airplane trip and subsequent terrible treatment at a Texas hospital. Other content notes: homophobia (structural and individual), some physical fighting, discussion of bad therapy, many depictions of death, dying, illness.
Stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Julia Roberts, BD Wong, Alfred Molina, others.
Before Stonewall (1984)
After Stonewall (1999)
Two documentaries about LGBTQ life in the US. These gave me such much-needed history lessons and I really enjoyed them. They mostly focused on positive things while not shying away from difficult material. They were made years apart yet interview some of the same people, if those people were still alive. Interviewees include Ann Bannon, Rita Mae Brown, Audre Lorde, Larry Kramer.
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, starring Hugo Weaving. (not streaming)
Two drag queens and a trans woman go across the Outback in a bus to perform at a far-off hotel. I know this is an iconic movie but I thought it was boring; at least half an hour could have been cut out of the movie without affecting the plot at all. My roommate calls this type of film "an indie movie where nothing happens," which is a type of film I sometimes enjoy, but not this time. Also it has some problems with depictions of race, and there is a gay bashing in one of the small towns.
Aimee and Jaguar. German with English subtitles.
A true story about a Nazi officer's wife and a Jewish journalist who fall in love in Berlin in 1943. As you can imagine, it does not have a happy ending. It's not the lesbianism that's a problem: it's that one of the lovers is Jewish. There are some very funny, sweet, and dramatic moments in this movie, and I liked that it's a war movie about queer women (perhaps the only one?), but it's depressing as hell. The actors are wonderful, charismatic women; there were hardly any men in this movie at all.
Big Eden PG-13.
A New York artist returns to his rural hometown to take care of his grandfather. There he encounters his high school best friend/crush, nosy but good-hearted townsfolk, and a shy storekeeper. I didn't much like the lead actor/character in this film (Ayre Goss/Henry Hart), otherwise I would have liked it more. He just wasn't interesting to me; the character never really took shape. The whole movie had a very "Hallmark Hall of Fame" feel--over sentimental, washed in gold light, everyone tries to be nice to each other all the time. There is no overt homophobia and I don't think the word "gay" is ever actually said by anyone. I did like that one of the gay characters is Native American, but I wondered why he is apparently the *only* Native person in the town. His character doesn't much take shape either, partly because he's so shy that he doesn't speak hardly at all. A love story about two shy people can work in a film (see Amelie) but it didn't quite work here. It's a very family-friendly movie, a nice movie, but nothing special.
Jeffrey 1995. Steven Webber, Patrick Stewart, Michael T. Weiss.
Jeffrey gives up sex partly out of anxiety about AIDS. Of course it is right then that he meets somebody he's very interested in. This is a comedy with a lot of famous actors, based on a play. It's sometimes bizzare and over-the-top. It is chiefly about white gay men in New York in the 90s. This film led me to start using the term "token gay bashing" because after watching all these movies, the bashing depicted in this film seemed totally unnecessary! There for token purposes. Anyways, I liked it, it was funny and had a happy ending (with some sadness), and Patrick Stewart was just awesome.
*Breakfast with Scot starring that guy from the show Ed (Tom Cavanagh). 2007. PG-13.
I loved this movie! Eric is an ex-hockey player, now a sportscaster for TV. He lives with his boyfriend Sam but is not out at work. Eric and Sam take custody of Scot, a boy who likes wearing makeup, pink t-shirts, etc. The kid in this movie is really great! Both men are uncomfortable suddenly being parents, and Eric is especially uncomfortable with Scot's unabashed gender non-conformity. But, it's a funny and upbeat movie, everything works out fine as you expect it to, etc.
Dorian's Blues
Ugh, Dorian's ManPain and Daddy Issues. Skip this one. I did like Dorian's brother, a good-natured jock who treats Dorian well, and the prostitute who wanted to be a singer. Everyone else was horrible.
Small Town Gay Bar Documentary.
I got part way into this one and had to stop. It's about a gay bar in Mississippi and was fine at first, but then it started talking about extreme acts of violence toward queer people, and gave Fred Phelps screen time. I turned it off.
The Bubble
I liked this one a lot up until the last 10 or 20 minutes. The film takes place in Tel Aviv and is about Noam and his roommates. Noam falls in love with a Palestinian man named Ashraf. It is beautifully shot and acted, has interesting characters, and I liked seeing the love affairs, jobs, political groups, and daily lives of these people. And then the last 20 minutes are like HOPE IS GONE let's all go eat worms. English subtitles.
La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt.
This is mostly about the dad of a gay kid, Hispanic culture, masculinity, and the Mission district in San Fransisco. The actors are great. There are very few white people in it, I think only one white character with a name. There is domestic and other kinds of violence in this film, and angst, but I liked it; it was beautifully shot and well acted. Bechdel fail, but I loved the one woman in the film with a major part, Erika Alexander.
The Naked Civil Servant starring John Hurt. TV movie.
A biopic about an effeminate British socialite in the 1930s and 40s. This movie was made in the 70s and was way ahead of its time and clearly Quentin Crisp was way ahead of his time. Witty. Bechdel fail, full of white people. Great performance.
*Latter Days
About a gay guy in LA who tries to seduce a Mormon missionary who moves in next door. Mostly this movie was heartwarming and made me go AWWWWW. There were some sad and even tense moments but I loved it. There were people of color and HIV positive characters in this movie, and interesting women (but no lesbians), bonus points for Amber Benson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
*Itty Bitty Titty Committee
Cute story about a young lesbian who falls in with some radical feminists and has adventures with spray paint, has love affairs, etc. I liked it. Bechdel mega pass obviously. Also has a trans character, a bisexual character, several characters of color.
*Different for Girls
A love story about a trans woman, Kim, and Prentice, her old friend from school who she meets again by chance. This romance was surprisingly affecting. Cute movie. Bechdel pass.
Other queer movie recs:
*But I'm a Cheerleader-- So much love for this film. What strikes me now is Megan's concept of herself as a normal, good person, and how it's difficult for her to mesh that concept with being gay. In many ways she's conformist, obedient, wants to please others; coming out means she really can't do so anymore. News flash: gay is normal; but it means you are going to be an outcast. I wish I'd seen this film sooner.
*The Crying Game-- it's sad that this movie became a punch line to hundreds of jokes, because it's a beautiful film. I should watch it again; my memory of it is fuzzy but I remember having an understanding of what the characters were going through.
-----
*Saving Face 2004, Rated R. (Not streaming on Netflix.)
I watched this on a rec from
nny and I loved it! There is everything to like about this movie. It is about a young Chinese-American woman, Wil, who is part of a tightly-knit community, is a successful surgeon, and is a lesbian, but not out to her family. She begins a relationship with another Chinese-American woman in her community, Vivian. Meanwhile Wil's mother gets kicked out of family house for being pregnant and unmarried, and moves in with Wil. So, there is family drama and comedy as Wil's mom tries to find a man to please her own parents, Wil tries to come out to her mom to please her girlfriend, etc. There are almost no white people in this movie. Parts of the movie are in Chinese with English subtitles-- it is particularly cool with Wil and her mom have a conversation that is half in English, half in Chinese. This is an upbeat, romantic movie. Outing Riley 2004. Bonus point for Nathan Fillion as one of the brothers.
Mostly I liked this movie, it's a funny story about an Irish Catholic man in Chicago who is trying to come out to his brothers. The actors were good, and similar to Saving Face, it was light-hearted and had themes of being closeted vs. out in terms of family and a romantic relationship (where one partner in the relationship is more out than the other). This movie was white and male, though, and I would have liked it better if one extended scene had been cut or rewritten: a scene where two brothers, as a prank, go spy on a neighbor woman (who is naked) through her skylight. This was played for laughs, as harmless/boyish fun, but it skeeved me out completely. The rest of the movie was very funny, and had some realistic moments, so that scene was just a huge disappointment; maybe if you watch this film you can fast forward through that part.
Show Me Love 1998. Swedish with English subtitles.
A story about lesbians in high school. Agnes is unpopular, Elin is popluar; the spin in orbit around each other through the movie. It's sweet and romantic. There is high school drama, parties, fights, etc. Warning for a brief scene of self-harm. Not a great film but I enjoyed it for what it was.
--
ETA July 2016
Rebel Without a Cause
A classic film, but upsetting due to death and police violence. Mostly what I gained from this was understanding of references in "Back to the Future Part 2".
*Boys (Jongens) 2014. English subtitles.
A very sweet coming-of-age film about two boys on a track team together. The pace is deliberate and there are some beautiful shots. Stars actual teenagers. No sex. This movie does a great job showing rather than telling, and has very little dialog; I got the sense that people were trying to say things but were unable to say them, at times-- a very relatable experience. No content notes.
The Way He Looks. English subtitles.
Enjoyable, if somewhat slow, film about a blind gay teenager and his first relationship. I liked the intersection of identities here. There was one somewhat bothersome bullying scene, but otherwise it is a nice film.
*Margarita with Straw.
I enjoyed this movie about a young disabled Indian woman who is exploring her sexuality. She is a wheelchair user and has CP. She falls in love with a boy who does not return her affections; later in New York, she falls in love with a young woman who is also a disabled woman of color. So unusual and great to see a self-identified bisexual, women of color, disabled characters, and political awareness in a film!
content notes: cancer (character's mom); brief scene of police violence at a protest (tear gas).
*Game Face
A documentary about two athletes who are coming out. It focuses on Fallon Fox, a lesbian trans woman who fights MMA, and Terrence Clemens, a basketball player at a 2-year college. Both are black. This was very sweet and nice. There was some anti-trans language (clips from the media talking about Fallon) but it really focused on the athletes and stayed upbeat. Recommended.
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