|
|
posted by zavi
IMDB photo
Tipping the Velvet: This three part series follows the life of a young lesbian in 19th century England as she struggles to find a relationship and career. Based on the novel by Sarah Waters.
Country: UK, 2002
Original Language: English
Rating: 4/5
Zavi thinks: ‘Made for television’ movies are a totally different thing when done by the BBC rather than Hallmark or Lifetime. This film is a fascinating fantasy trip and is very well made. The first time I watched it was quite late at night, and I had decided I would just watch one segment – yeah right. Even though each part is an hour long, I just couldn’t stop watching. Each of the three sections have a totally different feel to them, ranging from light to dark to surreal, yet they fit together quite well.
Panda thinks: Weird at times and somewhat dark, this film contained a lot of elements that I wasn’t expecting, such as BDSM. I was very satisfied with the way the film was resolved in the …
Click to continue reading QMR: tipping the velvet
posted by zavi
IMBD photo
After Stonewall: A documentary about queer history from the Stonewall riots era through the new millennium. It features news footage and personal interviews and is a must-see for all queer youth.
Country: USA, 1999
Original Language: English
Rating: 4.5/5
Zavi thinks: Fun to watch, insightful, and available on Netflix instant watch – what more could I ask for in a documentary? This one is definitely not just for the classroom; it’s enjoyable enough to just watch at home for the fun of it.
Panda thinks: Just watched this for the first time tonight! For someone who considers themselves decently well versed in US queer rights history, I was blown away by the amount of new information presented to me by this documentary. Lots of really amazing professional and amateur news footage–really gripping stuff. It is essentially a very straightforward, condensed history of the modern US queer rights movement. This is the sort of film that should be shown in public school history …
Click to continue reading QMR: after stonewall
posted by zavi
IMDB photo
If These Walls Could Talk 2: This film explores different cultural and political eras of lesbian history by following the storylines of lesbian couples in three different decades.
Country: USA, 2000
Original Language: English
Rating: 4/5
Zavi thinks: This movie is neat for several reasons. One, it makes the challenges that queer women have faced over the decades personal to the modern-day viewer. Two, the fact that all three of the stories (from the ’60s, 70′s and ’00s) are set in the same house provides a neat central link. Three, none of the stories are cliches, which is quite refreshing. My favorite story is the first one, of the elderly couple in the ’60s (warning: is very sad though :P).
Panda thinks: It was weird to see Ellen in this movie, playing a real lesbian ha. I thought the storyline about the struggle between ‘liberated’ lesbians and butch/masculine/genderqueer lesbians was a good example of conflicts that arose during second wave feminism (and that some of these divides still exist today unfortunately, albeit …
Click to continue reading QMR: if these walls could talk 2
posted by zavi
IMDB photo
Fried Green Tomatoes: Through visiting an elderly lady at a nursing home and listening to her stories, a middle-aged Southern women learns to take pride in her femininity and take control of her own life.
Country: USA, 1991
Original Language: English
Rating: 4.5/5
Zavi thinks: So, the one-line description of this movie makes it sound like it was meant to be a Lifetime movie for middle-aged married women. It’s not – this movie is simply very hard to summarize (though its seemingly innocent appeal made it the first queer movie I ever watched – and with my conservative parents at that). The one-line description, though technically the plot of this movie, is not the reason to watch “Fried Green Tomatoes.” This film makes the top ten list because of the queer love story that is framed within it – a tale of powerful love that overcomes all cultural and social obstacles. Mary Louise Parker is super hot in this film. So is her love interest. You have to watch it.
Panda thinks: I …
Click to continue reading QMR: fried green tomatoes
posted by zavi
IMDB photo
Saving Face: In this romantic comedy, a young Chinese-American lesbian struggles between following her heart and fulfilling the expectations of her very traditional Chinese family.
Country: USA, 2004
Original Language: English and Mandarin Chinese
Rating: 5/5
Zavi thinks: This is possibly my favorite lesbian movie ever. A lot of queer romantic films fall flat in exploring the motives and desires behind the lead character’s love, but in “Saving Face,” the clashes between both generations and different cultures are explored in considerable depth. The “squee factor” for me is quite high in this movie. From the perspective of a student, I love that the characters speak clear, understandable Mandarin (meaning I can claim that watching this movie is “language practice”). Also, from the perspective of a person from a very “traditional” family, I really enjoy that this film explores the tension between parents truly wanting the best for their children and children truly not wanting the same thing as the parents’ expectation. This movie would be great for either a group …
Click to continue reading QMR: saving face
|
subscribe to gender-panic!
|
