Movie Review – Cloudburst

I love hearing the stories of old LGBT couples because they tell us how far we’ve come and give us the inspiration to keep going.  That’s why I jumped at the chance to watch Cloudburston Netflix.  It turned out not only to be a great comedy but also one of my new favorite lesbian films.

Writer and director Thom Fitzgerald, an out and proud bisexual man, knew what he was doing when he wrote the part of Stella for actress Olympia Dukakis, a straight ally and LGBT activist.  Her lover of 31 years, Dot, was played by Brenda Fricker, the first Irish woman to win an Oscar.  The story begins when they decide to elope in Canada in order to avoid being split up by family.  On the way they pick up Prentice, played by Ryan Doucette, who quickly becomes their new best friend and biggest advocate.  Together they cause all sorts of madness and mayhem that will have you laughing to split your sides.

Filmed in Nova Scotia, where much of the movie is said to take place, the backdrops are absolutely breathtaking and the lighting and settings capture the mood of every scene perfectly.  The music is generally of an older, jazzy generation that helps to frame the upbringing and experiences of the two older women.  Also, I have to commend the costume designer and makeup artist for turning Olympia Dukakis, Cher’s mother in Moonstruck who went on to play inSteel Magnolias, into a foul mouthed bull dyke.

I guarantee that these wild, wacky characters will have you on the edge of your seat waiting for their next adventure.  They did for me, and that’s why I rate this movie a solid 4 stars.  Since it’s available on Netflix, you can make this your instant choice for this weekend’s movie night.  Make sure you let me know what you think in the comments below.

Movie Review - Blue is the Warmest Color

Since my first introduction to this film was actually a negative response video on YouTube, I was understandably apprehensive about watching “Blue is the Warmest Color.”  However, my morbid curiousity got the better of me and I’m glad it did because I love this movie.

Interestingly enough the original writer, Julie Maroh, felt much the same as the YouTubers and hated the film.  She wrote it as a black and white graphic novel with only highlights of blue and thought that Abdellatif Kechiche, who adapted it to a screenplay and directed the film, misconstrued the concept.  She accused him of making it into a cheap, sexual fantasy rather than focusing on the raw emotion.

I have to disagree!  I think that the emotion between Adele, played by Adele Exarchopoulos, and Emma, played by Lea Seydoux, is subtle yet electrifying!  It’s painful yet beautiful to watch Adele grow into herself, first with the help of Emma and then startlingly alone.  Rather than spell out everything she is going through, the entire film is characterized by deep conversations and subdued foreshadowing to guide your understanding of the phases of Adele.  The beauty of this quiet approach is that it allows the viewer to draw on their own experiences to relate to the characters and form their own conclusions.

To complement this very stylistic approach the movie does use the color blue in much the same way as the graphic novel to highlight the passions, or lack thereof, of Adele.  The music is also very quiet and subtle, almost imperceptible, to subliminally enhance your emotions without distracting from the raw, gritty realism picked up by the camera.

Overall, I think this movie is incredible and I give it 4.5 stars making it a must see.  I recommend it on a night when you wish to be swept away by nostalgia to remember the whirlwind of your first romance.

Movie Review - But I'm a Cheerleader

I first saw "But I'm a Cheerleader" while sitting tensely in an older girl's room at the age of eighteen.  Despite my awkwardness, the hilarity of the movie soon drew me in and carried me away.  Since then I have watched it twice more and each time I laugh, I cry, and find something new about it to love.
Perhaps it's because the writer, Brian Wayne Peterson, is gay or because the director, Jamie Babbit, is a lesbian that this movie unlike so many others highlights gay rights issues while still being relatable.  They manage to show the disturbing nature of gay conversion therapy in an over the top yet light way that allows you to laugh.  The five step program of the "True Directions" camp where Megan, played by actual lesbian Natasha Lyonne, is sent by her friends and family is comically stereotypical.  It's blatantly obvious that the camp was designed by Mary J. Brown, played by Cathy Moriarty, to perpetuate her lifelong mission to "fix" her gay son Rock, played by Eddie Cibrian.
Not only is the plot well developed but the acting is superb as well.  In a movie like this, when the actors are supposed to overact, it's easy to have some actors give too much and others too little.  But this is a cast of born stars, and with half of them being gay themselves, they know how to deliver the material.  It's great to watch Graham, played by lesbian Clea DuVall, take clueless Megan under her wing and show her how to love herself... and other women.  We even get a few chemistry lessons from some of the other actors as well.  Don't worry kids, this is one class that won't bore you.
I wouldn't want to forget the set, cinematography and soundtrack either.  Together, they create a modern day town stuck in the past.  The cringe worthy gender stereotypes that the teens have to endure at the camp are magnified by the segregation of pink and blue in dress and set.  Even camp leader Mike, played by none other than RuPaul, is overtly gay but wears an all blue track suit that reads "Straight is Great."  When paired with poppy sixties style music it helps us to appreciate the surreal nature of the "safe haven" Mary has created, not for the kids but for herself.
Overall, I was blown away with this movie and to this day my only gripe with it is that I wish someone had told Graham to wash her hair.  Even still, it is my number one favorite LGBT movie thus far.  Obviously, it gets five stars from me, but I would like to know what you think.  Watch it today and leave a comment below.