The Kids Are All Right (2010, U.S.)

I have some lesbian friends who told me this was a great movie, the first "mainstream" film they've seen that portrays same-sex parent families as families like any other, and I do agree with that analysis to some extent. To begin with, Nic and Jules and their kids Joni and Laser seem like any other family, eating dinner, playing Scrabble and ping pong, having fights, and getting ready to send the oldest child to college. In some ways, it seemed healthier than the average family—with two moms, there was much more communication, a very positive part of the family.

Of course, the main arm of the plot is a problem that would be much less common in a straight family—the kids search out and meet their sperm donor, who becomes a part of their lives and even starts an affair with one of their moms. (This part really threw me. She cheated on her wife with a man?! Horrible.) This created quite a soap opera feel without getting too trashy.

I loved a lot of this movie. There were some funny parts and some parts that made me tear up. I didn't care 100% for the way they treated Paul (the donor), acting like he purposefully broke up their family when meeting them wasn't even his decision (though he did act poorly quite often and was generally a self-centered big-head). Still, I thought it was a touching story about what makes a family and how we struggle though the tough parts because we love each other. Jules' monologue on marriage—"If only I read more Russian novels, I might..."—was especially priceless.

I liked the cast too. Julianne Moore is great. Mia Wasikowska (who I only know as Alice in Wonderland) was perfect as the older kid. And I don't know if I've ever seen an Annette Bening film, but perhaps I should make an effort. She was fabulous in this movie, and I loved her especially in this good ensemble.

Open-minded people will enjoy this family's story. I doubt closed-minded people would even watch it, and if they did they'd find something wrong with it, but I thought it was lovely.

Rating: 3.5

The Runaways (2010, U.S.)

Color me surprised. I didn't know anything about The Runaways and I've never really liked late '70s/'80s music, but I was curious to see Kristen Stewart in this one. I already thought she was an underrated and quite brilliant actress, but this one really convinced me. I love how she is so unafraid to look ridiculous, wearing silly clothes, rocking the ugliest hairdo, and singing like a fool. And wow, she was Joan Jett. The even bigger surprise was that Dakota Fanning, who I've absolutely loathed in the past, was almost as good as Cherie Currie. Between the two of them and the rest of the cast, there was a great dynamic that lent an excellent sense of realism to the film.

Costumes and makeup were stellar. I was investigating The Runaways' website and some of the costumes matched their tour pictures to a tee. Sets, script, everything made the period come alive.

This was a fascinating biopic that made me enjoy music that I'd never liked and taught me something that I never knew and entertained me all at once. That is a successful film if I ever heard of one. I'd love to see it again. A real cherry bomb!

Rating: 4.0

Gray Matters (2006, U.S.)

I previewed this one to decide whether to add it to the library collection. It's a romantic comedy about Gray and Sam, a brother and sister who are best friends, so in sync that people think they're dating. They decided she'll find a girl for him and he'll find a guy for her. Then they meet Charlie, a girl who's perfect—for both of them. When Sam and Charlie get engaged, Gray eventually realizes that she might be in love with Charlie too.

At one point, Gray is feeling lonely, as she says, "Because I'm never going to be able to walk down the street, holding hands with my partner without the rest of the world giving us a look. And me never have the wedding that I once dreamed of and I may never have children. And one day when I die people will never give as much respect to my grieving lover as if she were my husband." Profound and beautiful words from the lips of Heather Graham in a film billed as a romantic comedy? Incredible.

This was a sweet, touching film; not quite as good as Imagine Me & You, but not bad... What is it about adding the element of homosexuality that makes a romance more realistic? Perhaps it's because it isn't just a case of man and woman doing stupid things before finding each other, but instead women dealing with issues of identity as well. (Side note: why do gay men get the serious movies and gay women get the romantic comedies? Realism versus chick lit?)

I really like this one. It would have been better if they'd gone a bit farther, giving Gray and Charlie the opportunity to have the big conversation so Gray could move on with her life and accept her identity a bit more. But I guess it wouldn't be a romantic comedy then.

Rating: 4.0

Gia (1998, U.S.)

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. Angelina Jolie is brilliant. Here she played Gia Marie Carangi, a top fashion model from the late 1970s and early 1980s. I am not the kind of person who cares at all about fashion; I'm not the kind of person who condones drug use, wild behavior, or promiscuity; but I found myself really caring about Gia, her life, and her career. I don't know if it was Jolie or Gia or what, but her personality was larger than life. She didn't just come off the screen, she exploded off the screen.

The writing must have been very strong, because the pacing was very good for a biographical film. Gia wanted to live life to the fullest, but she didn't really get the love and support she needed, and she turned to drugs instead. The most powerful part of this film was the ending, when Carangi was in the hospital dying. (She died in 1986 at 26 of AIDS.) It was so vivid and heartbreaking, seeing this great celebrity languishing all alone.

This was an incredible film. The tone was dark. It had a gritty, realistic feel. And a 23-year-old Angelina Jolie was already in control of her incredible acting talent and absolutely breathtaking. Costumes were perfect. And from what I've read, it was pretty historically accurate too. All in all, a winner.

Rating: 4.0

Aimée & Jaguar (1999, Germany)

As I mentioned in my last post, Blockbuster loves recommending films to me. For some reason, it really thinks that I like "gay interest" films, as they're labeled. But hey, I'm open-minded, so I watch them.

This film is about a Jewess and the wife of Nazi soldier (also called a "conformist") who fall in love during the later years of World War II. They create a little domestic world for themselves with the conformist's children and a tight group of lesbian friends.

And that's enough to fill two hours of film. Imagine all of the obstacles faced by these two—the Nazi party, the one's Jewishness, their lesbianism, the conformist's husband, the Jewess's jealous ex-girlfriend... Quite fascinating.

The film is based on a true story, taken from the memoirs of the conformist. and yet the film is narrated by the Jewess's ex-girlfriend as an old woman (who meets the conformist in a nursing home in Berlin). This combination gives an already unique film an interesting twist.

I would recommend this film for those who like history, thwarted romance, films told in flashbacks, or gay interest pieces.

Rating: 3.5

Kissing Jessica Stein (2001, U.S.)

I watched this movie because Blockbuster recommended it based on other movies I've rented. (Something tells me this was based primarily on Imagine Me & You, which is quite a good movie.)

I thought this movie was pretty good, but it could have been a lot stronger. It's about a woman who wants to change her life and try something new. She's also sick of men. So when she reads a singles ad for a person that she feels a connection to, she calls the poster up -- even though it's another woman.

They embark on an awkward romance/friendship, learning a lot about themselves and each other in the process. I thought it was just as much about self-discovery as it was about love. For instance, Jessica is inspired to begin painting again, and she also inspires a friend from college to continue his writing. All of the characters grow as people, and they wouldn't have been able to do so without each other.

I guess I especially liked this because it reminded me of a situation in my own life (although I was not romantically involved with the woman in question). Other people shape us (or help us discover our original shape) more than we like to admit, I think. And that's what this movie was all about. I just wish it had a little more "oompf."

Bravo for the odd (and somewhat awkward) ending. I don't know if it fit the movie or not, but it was definitely unexpected and left me with a terrible feeling of no resolution. Which can be good sometimes, though I'm not sure if it was in this case or not.

Rating: 3.5