Tag Archives: But I’m a Cheerleader

7 Romantic Lesbian Movies For Your Next Date Night

Is it just me, or do most romantic movies ignore the fact that lesbians are a real thing?

Lesbian movies definitely exist, but they tend to be particularly low-budget (come on Hollywood, why?!) and therefore not well marketed.

They do exist, though – and some of them are quite good.

Here are some of my personal favorites. Look for them the next time you go looking for a new film for you and your love.

1. Better than Chocolate (1999) – Available on Netflix

Better than Chocolate tells the story of Maggie and Kim, a pair of lesbians in Canada. Kim is an artistic stud who is very out, while Maggie is an adorable femme who still hasn’t come out to her family yet.

Mayhem ensues when Maggie’s mom finds herself in the middle of a divorce and must come live with Maggie in her “spacious apartment” (that actually doesn’t exist).

This movie explores a variety of different LGBT+ groups, including pansexuals and transgendered individuals, without sugar-coating the hardships they face. Definitely a must-watch.

2. But I’m a Cheerleader! (1999) – Available on Netflix

But I’m a Cheerleader! explores what goes on at a “gay recovery camp” called True Directions. Featuring stereotypical pink and blue colors and such highly-recognizable actors as Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, and even (arguably the biggest) gay icon, RuPaul, this movie is sure to make it into your favorites.

What’s even better is that there’s actually a beautiful coming-out story hidden amongst the campy (pun intended) agenda and the cheesy humor. You’ll find yourself falling in love with the characters and caring deeply about how their individual stories turn out. (Plus, Natasha Lyonne… How can you not love it?)

3. Imagine Me & You (2005) – Available on Netflix

Ok, this one might not exactly fall in the lesbian category, as it deals with a woman (played by Piper Perabo) who begins to question her sexuality at her wedding – to a man.

While this may be considered damaging as it hinges on the stereotype of bisexual women being unable to remain faithful in their relationships, it does explore the segment of the gay community who didn’t imagine that they even could be gay until that one person came along and changed their mind.

Piper Perabo and Lena Headey give a stellar performance, and their on-screen chemistry is phenomenal. (As a side note, the first time I watched this movie, I was on an 8-hour plane ride with my father… Before I came out. Pretty awkward.)

4. The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love (1995) – Available on Netflix

Those who watch(ed) The L Word may recognize one of the main characters in this movie as a much-younger Tina Canard – it’s our very own Laurel Holloman, who seems such a good fit to play this young woman.

After falling in love with someone who comes from an entirely different background, Randy (Holloman) finds herself rising above her circumstances in order to chase her true love.

It’s definitely a stereotypical lesbian love story, but that’s not a bad thing when you’re trying to cuddle with your lady, right?

5. Loving Annabelle (2006) – Available on Netflix

Loving Annabelle takes a different approach; this movie tells the scandalous story of a teacher who falls in love with a troublemaker student. Set in a Catholic girls school, there is definitely a huge possibility of things going wrong here – and they definitely do! This isn’t your typical love story, for sure.

This deals with not only the chaos that is present in most homosexual relationships, but also the particular mayhem that occurs when a teacher falls in love with one of their students. Give it a watch if you’re looking for a different type of drama in your life.

6. 5ive Girls (aka “Five Girls”; 2006) – Available on Netflix

Let me start by saying that this movie is nothing like what I expected it to be. (When you hear about five girls stuck together in a Catholic reform school, as a teenage lesbian, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you imagine there’s going to be a lot of sex. There’s not.) However, if you are a fan of horror movies, this one’s sure to catch your interest.

Basically, these five troublemakers discover – after being locked into the school – that they have the powers necessary to beat an evil demon that seeks to take their souls. Oh, and one of the girls is actually gay, so that’s a slight perk. Even though it’s not what it sounds like, if you’re a fan of survival/supernatural horror, this movie is definitely going to send you into the arms of your lady for some much-needed “baby-I’m-scared” cuddling.

7. Chasing Amy (1997) – Available on Netflix

“Chasing Amy” tells a different side of the story – what happens when a straight man falls in love with a lesbian, despite constantly being informed that she had no interest in men?

Well, a lot, apparently. Those who don’t feel that sexuality is fluid might be somewhat offended by this movie, as it operates in the principle that our sexuality is ultimately a conscious decision.

However, director Kevin Smith touches on these subjects gracefully, and actually explains quite well that there are certain criteria in place for these sexually-fluid points in our lives. If you approach it with an open mind, this movie is actually a bit romantic, although that’s definitely not its main intention.

Overall, these movies represent just a small portion of the movies out there that are made for lesbians (and technically the last two don’t even count as lesbian movies). However, they all warrant checking out, and all are available on Netflix (my search only turned up DVD rentals, but you may be able to find them online through other sources as well).

Is there a lesbian movie you think I’ve left out? Let me know in the comments and I will try to check it out!

3 Lesbian Films That Break the Mold

Most lesbian films follow a simple formula:

One straight girl + one mysterious queer woman + a shadowy male authority figure representing the patriarchy + cute scenes set to indie music = a top spot in Netflix’s LGBT movie section.

But some lesbian films are breaking the mold. They manage to still be cute enough to watch with your girlfriend on a date night, but unpredictable enough to keep you interested. Let’s look at the top 3.

Kiss Me (2011)

To be honest, this movie’s a little melodramatic, and it does stick to a tried-and-true format. A girl (Mia) is engaged to a man but falls in love with a carefree, dangerous woman (Frida). Antics ensue.

What makes it different: At the same party where Mia announces that she’s going to marry her boyfriend, her father announces that he’s getting married, too – to the woman who turns out to be Frida’s mother. Yes, the two women are about to become stepsisters. This movie is the definition of family drama.

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)

Everyone knows that cheerleaders always date popular male jocks. That’s just what they’re supposed to do. But something is wrong with head cheerleader Megan: Everyone seems to know that she’s gay except her. Her parents send her to conversion camp where she ends up, predictably, falling in love with the “bad boy” lesbian.

What makes it different: This movie is delightfully cheesy. It’s satire. This hilarious film pokes fun at all of the lesbian stereotypes of the 90s, many of which hold true today. Plus, see Natasha Lyonne before she made her Orange is the New Black debut as Nicky Nichols.

Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)

Heterosexual Jessica is tired of being heterosexual. She answers a newspaper ad for a bisexual woman looking for a girlfriend (Helen). The two women date, and Jessica spends months agonizing over whether she’s actually queer. The ending is happy. And then it’s not. No spoilers.

What makes it different: Bisexuality. It’s rarely addressed in lesbian films – both women are usually lesbians, even if one woman doesn’t know that at the start of the film. But Kissing Jessica Stein actually addresses the nuances of bisexuality.

If you’re not familiar with the nuances, here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUDab9piv_U

Clea DuVall On Being Out: “I’ve Always Sort Of Lived My Life And Never Made A Huge Statement About It”

A familiar face for al of us – thanks to memorable turns in 1999 cult lesbian comedy But I’m A Cheerleader, that same year’s Oscar-nominated Girl, Interrupted, Lifetime’s 2014 movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax and 2015 follow-up series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, and, in 2016, HBO’s Veep (as the secret-service agent girlfriend of First Daughter Catherine) – openly gay actress Clea DuVall has been talking with Out Magazine about, well, being out:

I’ve always sort of lived my life and never made a huge statement about it. It’s just, like, leading by example.”

On paparazzi photos of her kissing her girlfriend:

But I was also like, ‘Who cares?’ It’s not like I’m Reese Witherspoon. I’m just a character actor. As a kid I would have really appreciated seeing that. That would have meant a lot to me. So the people it matters to, it matters for a positive reason.”

The Los Angeles–based DuVall made her onscreen debut in 1996’s Little Witches. She went on to appear in genre films likeThe Astronaut’s Wife and Ghosts From Mars, intense dramas 21 Grams, Zodiac, The Laramie Project, and Argo, and TV series Heroes, American Horror Story: Asylum, and Better Call Saul. While DuVall has taken on many queer roles over her career, she only opened up about her own lesbian identity (and having a girlfriend) while doing press for The Intervention’s release.

DuVall has now stepped behind the camera as writer/director of Sundance crowd-pleaser The Intervention, a The Big Chill-inspired dramedy. In the film, DuVall and Cheerleader co-star Natasha Lyonne reunite as girlfriends who, along with a fellow group of paired-off friends, stage an intervention for a dysfunctional couple that goes deliciously awry.

‘But I’m A Cheerleader’ Director Jamie Babbit Discusses The Lack Of Feminine Lesbian Characters In Film

In the latest episode of Queerty’s Going Places director Jamie Babbit discusses the lack of feminine lesbian representation in film and how that issue inspired her to create the lesbian cult comedy But I’m A Cheerleader.

FYI, did you know it’s been 17 years since But, I’m A Cheerleader hit theatres.

Since its release, Babbit has focused mostly on television in recent years, directing episodes of shows like Girls, Looking, The L Word and Orange is the New Black.

However, she did reunite Natasha Lyonne for a new film, Addicted to Fresno.

Natasha Lyonne Stars in Dark Comedy Film ‘Addicted to Fresno’

Natasha Lyonne is one actor who has a huge LGBTQ fanbase. Lyonne is perhaps best known for playing gay inmate Nicky Nichols in Netflix’s hit show Orange is the New Black but in 1999 she also starred in iconic queer movie But I’m a Cheerleader.

In this, Lyonne played Megan, a teenager sent to camp after her friends and family suspect her of being a lesbian.

But I’m a Cheerleader is also the first time that Lyonne worked with out queer director Jamie Babbit. So, with that film having played such an important part in the scope of LGBTQ media (it’s right up there with Imagine Me and You and The L Word) plenty will be glad to hear that Babbit and Lyonne have teamed up again for the new dark comedy film, Addicted to Fresno.

In Addicted to Fresno, Lyonne once again plays a lesbian, this time as a housekeeper named Martha. Martha mostly has her life together, she has a job in a hotel and she has a love interest, Kelly (played by Aubrey Plaza), who is also her personal trainer.

Things completely get turned upside down then when her sex addict sister Shannon (played by Judy Greer) rolls into town needing help because she’s just been fired from her job after having slept with a whole bunch of people.

Things don’t quieten down after that as Martha graciously gets Shannon a job with her at the hotel but it’s not long before Shannon manages to kill someone.

Think it’s as easy as ditching the body and burning it in the woods, How To Get Away With Murder style? Sadly not as the sisters then need to come up with $25,000 in three days to make sure that pet cemetery owners Gerald (played by Fred Armisen) and Ruby (played by Allison Tolman) stay quiet about the murder.

Hilarious hijinks and plenty of racy humour ensue as they go on a robbery spree to find the money.

Addicted to Fresno‘s madcap comedy stylings have been praised plenty following its September 3rd premiere and although the romance between Martha and Kelly has been described as a little bit “awkward” by some outlets, that’s a highlight too.

Addicted to Fresno is available now from iTunes and Amazon and it will be in theatres from October 2nd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdwP1eF8sgU

Natasha Lyonne to Team up with Out Director Jamie Babbit in ‘Fresno’

Orange is the New Black Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne, and Judy Greer are set for sisterly shenanigans in ‘Fresno’, which is the latest feature from out director Jamie Babbit.

The movie is about a lonely lesbian called Martha (Lyonne), whose sister Shannon (Greer), is a sex addict with no impulse control and a long history of poor decisions. They both end up in Fresno cleaning hotel rooms, when they accidentally kill a guest, and are forced to confront their unpleasant co-dependent relationship.

The film reunites Lynonne with Babbit. Jamie Babbit, who is an out gay woman herself, has had an incredibly successful career as a film and television director. She directed lesbian films such as But I’m A Cheerleader, Itty Bitty Titty Committee and Breaking the Girls; and has worked on TV shows including The L Word, Pretty Little Liars, Married, Gilmore Girls, Rizzoli and Isles, and Drop Dead Diva.

Babbit has garnered SXSW and Sundance awards for her film work. She recently directed two episodes of FX’s new comedy series Married, which Greer stars on opposite Nat Faxon, Jenny Slate, and Brett Gelman.

‘Fresno’ was scripted by Community and Portlandia writer Karey Dornetto and is produced by Babbit’s longtime producer Andrea Sperling. Filming is set to begin next month.

Spotlight | Clea DuVall – too gay to be true

Since the late ’90s Clea DuVall has been one of Hollywood’s best known gay icons. This is mostly owing to her vast array of LGBTQ characters – so vast it’s hard to keep count. Let’s try.

All her queer acts

Here are the best known LGBTQ roles DuVall has played during her years in show business. She is indeed specialized in queer characters!

Science fiction horror film The Faculty (1998) had DuVall as Stokes, a straight girl pretending to be gay.
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) was one of the most iconic teen comedies in the ’90s. Here, DuVall did a memorable role as a lesbian college girl Graham who falls in love while at a conversion therapy camp.
In the HBO series Carnivàle (2003-2005) DuVall stepped into the shoes of a young tarot-card-reading girl Sofie with apparent queer tendencies.
In another TV series Saving Grace (2007-2010) she pops up in the episode Looks Like a Lesbian Attack to Me. She plays a lesbian cop Mara, who finds her brother murdered.
In American Horror Story: Asylum (2012-2013) DuVall had one of her most disturbing roles so far as she transformed into Wendy, a lesbian woman who snitches on her lover to save her own skin.

So, is Clea DuVall gay?

The list above begs the question: Is DuVall gay also in real life?

Long story short, we don’t know the answer, and it’s not our place to guess either. Some gossip magazines disagree with us, of course, and have tried to prove DuVall’s into girls. For example, Daily Mail’s creepy photographer apparently hid in the bushes to catch DuVall smooching with another girl in a sunny park – or as Daily Mail put it in the most childish manner conceivable: ”Clea DuVall shares lesbian kisses with female friend during day of passion.”

Urgh. Such a fine piece of journalism.

Whatever DuVall’s sexual preference is shouldn’t matter to us, as it is each celebrity’s personal choice how much they want to keep private and what they want to share. What does matter is that through her work DuVall has helped remove the stigma that homosexual roles still carried in the ’90s. Thank you Ms. DuVall!

Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo TV Series to Focus on the Golden Age of Hollywood

By now we’re no stranger to rumours of who does and doesn’t have one foot in the closet. However, few of us will be able to think back to the so-called ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’ between the 1920s and the 1960s, in which films were still in slightly foggy black and white; only just able to be shown with both picture and sound. Yet, out queer actors and movie professionals were basically unheard of.

It didn’t stop people from gossiping behind closed doors (very much in secret for fear that it would be classed as slander). Despite this, two ladies who set tongues wagging were Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo; two actresses who were incredibly popular and incredibly fond of embracing masculinity by regularly looking dapper in suits.

Their popularity has transcends the 20th Century, and so have the rumours about their sexuality. There have been years of gossip regarding the former stars of Hollywood and this just one reason why their lives have just been announced as the centre of a scripted TV drama.

Set to be developed by Annapurna Pictures, the film and finance company behind Hollywood hits such as Zero Dark Thirty and American Hustle, the Dietrich and Garbo based production is being headed up by Angela Robinson and Alex Kondracke. Robinson’s projects include True Blood, D.E.B.S and the iconic queer film But I’m a Cheerleader while Kondracke is known for her work as a writer and producer on The L Word, a show only rivalled in terms of queer content by Queer as Folk.

How this plays out on the screen (as in, if their involvement does actually result in the show including any queer characters) is yet to be seen as the show doesn’t yet have any names attached to the acting roles.

Feel free to sound off on actors you’d like to see cast and story lines you’d like to see covered in the comments below.
Via The Hollywood Reporter.

Image source

Bored of the Hollywood Spin, then here are 5 Lesbian Films to Consider

In honor of queer cinema (that is, cinema made by, starring, or directed by LGBT people) here are five lesbian films that capture the lesbian experience.

But I’m a Cheerleader!

One of my favourite actress, Natasha Lyonne, stars in this film is unabashedly camp romantic comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader is the directorial debut of well-known out-filmmaker and screenwriter Jamie Babbit. It tells the story of a pretty high school cheerleader who is sent off to an ex-gay camp by her family. The conversion therapies used are awkward, and the technicolor sets and pervasive use of neon pink add an utter flamboyancy to the whole romp.

Room in Rome

Room in Rome is unlike most LGBT films out there — for better or worse. It attempts to delve into the realm of art house cinema as it tells a melancholic story of two strangers meeting and falling in love in over the span of one night in a hotel room .

Mosquita y Mari

The award-winning debut film from openly queer director Aurora Guerreo, Mosquita y Mari is a story of first love and self-discovery. Coming to terms with and exploring your sexuality is a major experience for anyone, but it takes on a different significance when a relationship is same-sex, and cultural and political environments limit your freedom and safety.

Kyss Mig (translated as With Ever Heartbeat)

A Swedish movie that came out in 201; it stars Ruth Vega Fernandez and Liv Mjönes. Part family drama and part romance, Kyss Mig (translated as With Ever Heartbeat) tells the story of Mia and Frida, women on their way to becoming step-sisters after the engagement of their parents. Further complicating their story is the fact that Mia is also engaged to a man, a situation that forces the two women to make some very difficult and confrontational decisions.

I Can’t Think Straight

A solid, light-hearted rom-com, I Can’t Think Straight has everything you would want in a date-night movie: a little bit of drama, a lot of cheesy, heartfelt moments, and the happy ending you’d expect.