I have watched so many bad lesbian movies that a good one leaves me shooketh

[ratbones]

Three things!

1. It seems Someone is going around handing out paid accounts, and in connection with that, or of course possibly not, I've been upgraded. Thank you, mysterious and generous benefactor!

2. I love spring, but it does bring with it a devil's bargain: I can breathe the pollen with no ill effect in exchange for enduring the sensation of inhaling water up my nose once a day. Steroid nasal spray is magic. (derogatory)

3. A couple of weeks ago I watched Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which sort of cracked me open and poured something into me. I have a bunch of thoughts about it that I haven't been able to coalesce into the review/essay I want to write; the film is so brilliant I'm finding it ineffable. (For those who haven't heard of it: in the late 18th century, a female painter is hired to come to an isolated house in Brittany to secretly paint the engagement portrait of a young lady who does not want to get married. They fall in love.) The depiction of artistic and intellectual exchange between women lovers, and the special space created for messy human freedom when no men are present, and the long, beautiful, quiet shots of women stealing glances at each other on windy beaches, and probably most importantly, the way the two central characters cannot really be owned, I just. I'm.

It's this: the power structures around you can limit your choices and freedoms, can try to define you as some man's daughter or wife or sister, can try to erase your story, but they never get your soul. And that's always been true, and lesbians have always been here, but you really don't see that in stories, and it's hard to imagine things we don't have stories for. It's hard for me, and it's also hard for the characters, who are having to invent themselves out of a blank page, given their time and place.

Anyway, what I'm saying is, great movie. I've barely talked about the romance or the plot or the characters, or the imagery and symbolism and sound, but I can't do that stuff justice. I haven't even done justice to the way it connected me with the Greater Lesbian Story, which is what I was trying to get through to. Just go watch it if you haven't, if that's the sort of thing you're interested in.

A while after watching that, I was craving more lesbian-themed films, so I watched Carol, which I honestly found pretty dull. I know a lot of people liked it but it just missed me. The main character spends so much time gazing sadly and silently out of windows, like a puppy in an ASPCA commercial. The love interest is so mysterious I couldn't figure out why she even likes the main character. And the men talk so fucking much. This isn't a fair assessment, because I've enjoyed much stupider lesbian movies and this one just has the misfortune of going after Portrait, but still, big meh.

Anyway I can make polls now (eee!) so here you go.

Poll #26822 Lesbian movies

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

View Respondents

The last lesbian-themed or f/f-centric movie you watched was...

View Answers

Unnecessarily tragic or grim.
0 (0.0%)

A cheesy romcom.
2 (22.2%)

Breathlessly horny. Like in a gross way.
0 (0.0%)

Just generally not very good.
1 (11.1%)

Pretty great, actually!
2 (22.2%)

I don't remember the last lesbian-themed movie I watched.
4 (44.4%)

Optional: tell me what movie it was!

Comments

[nnozomi]

and it's hard to imagine things we don't have stories for. It's hard for me, and it's also hard for the characters, who are having to invent themselves out of a blank page
This is a gorgeous description, and thought-provoking with regard to writing as well.

(I'm such a non-movie-watcher in general that I don't have much to offer (I've watched more stuff on screens in the last two years than probably in the last twenty, pretty much on account of Zhu Yilong). I think the best I can offer is reading some Zen Cho f/f short stories which would be pretty neat as movies as well...

[clevermanka]

it's hard to imagine things we don't have stories for
This so hard. SO HARD.

The last F/F movie I watched was The Handmaiden and I loved it. I would have clicked the breathlessly horny option bc it was, but I found it breathlessly horny in a GREAT way 😄

[trobadora]

Haha, I can't even remember what was the last movie I watched, of any kind ...

But I'll put Portrait of a Lady on Fire on my list now, for whenever I actually find the time to watch things again. Your description sounds so beautiful.

[cyberbrain]

I was gonna say that I don't remember what (if any) lesbian movie I watched last but clevermanka's comment reminded me that I, too, saw The Handmaid a few years ago. It was a good movie, I liked it overall, though it was darker than I would have preferred (the darkness fit the story!).

I'll get to Portrait someday, it sounds so good 🤩

[china_shop]

I saw that Christmas movie with Kristen Stewart, which was okay, but unfortunately totally sold me on the wrong side of the love triangle. ;-p

[velithya]

I clicked "I don't remember" but I think it was actually "But I'm a Cheerleader" which is... very old ^^;;

I guess I watched Captain Marvel more recently but that's only subtextual :P

[tinny]

That sounds like a great movie, it goes on my list!