IMHO there are two types of films: lesbian movies and movies with lesbians. A great lesbian movie would be cliche-free and have multi-dimensional lesbian characters. The writing and acting should also be on par with straight movies.

But more than that I'd like to see more movies with lesbians, e.g. take one of my favourite "straight" movies and have one of the characters be a lesbian. The movie wouldn't make an issue out of it but it would be inclusive, treated as normal, and make me feel represented. Sort of like how the gay character in Billy Elliot was written, but better - yes he was a bit stereotyped but he was treated like any other character and the plot wasn't about him being gay and how that affected everyone. He was just a supporting character and a friend of Billy's.

True happiness, we are told, consists in getting out of one's self, but the point is not only to get out, you must stay out; and to stay out you must have some absorbing errand. -Henry James

I agree koma. So many of the lesbian films I have seen are self consciously 'lesbian'.

The starting point for any decent film is the script. You can have shitty acting and a great script will help cover it. Also, so many lesbian films have appalling sound quality. Sound recording and design are those areas that separate the women from the girls. The same thing can be seen in the difference between short films and 'Hollywood' films. Too many shorts look and sound amateurish.

A decent script and decent production values make or break it for me. I'll still support lesbian film-making, but I hope that in the future there isn't quite as much wincing or eye-rolling as there has been in the past.

For me. If anything, the chemistry between the actors of the movie has to work. Even if it is a fantastic script and people get in the best of the best... if there's little to no connection between the actors then it just doesn't do anything for me...

I'll admit, I'll watch it because you know. Lesbian Movie.

Sure, it would be fantastic if there were actual lesbians playing a lesbian, but it doesn't really matter if none of the characters click. You see it in many films were people go "oh well the leads were not that great but this and that extra was fantastic".

I just like to see chemistry if nothing else. I'll sit through the worst film if it means there's chemistry between characters/actors

To a certain extent, the chemistry is everything, you could have the most wonderful script, but what makes the banter is chemistry, think about life flirtation. I also believe, however, that all the other elements have to be strong, good photography, interesting storylines, likeable characters - if not why...you know, the usual stuff.

I've been known to sit through a dreadful film for a good looking woman...

C'mon, fess up people...

lol

Peace and Love...xxxx

i like movies with lesbians that end HAPPY! I hate that there is tradgedy..for the most part i think a great lesbian movie was Imagine Me and You that was cliche free and it ends good for everyone!

*Success is actually failing but starting again with enthusiasm*

-winston churchill

mm...great chemistry, hot hot lead actress, good quality production (audio/visual), a fun movie with a bit of humor/drama, and a great ending..

Imagine me and you was great in this respect...as was Saving Face...

cheap productions are quite the turn off.

You need a good story, good acting and good chemistry between the love interests.

Ok so easier said that done ;)

Oh, and nudity doesn't hurt either :p

Do u think a lesbian movie would be more worth watching if i was made more like real life?

I think that's why I liked "Saving Face" so much. It was just a "normal" movie whose main characters just happened to be lesbians. At least that's the way it felt to me. I also loved Bound. It was a great movie.

I'm thinking of some of my favorite movies and picturing the leads as lesbians. Who wouldn't love a lesbian Grease?! :D Oh man, could you imagine the musical score for that movie? haha....anyway, I digress.

What about movies like Notting Hill and Love Actually? How great it would be to see someone make a nice, funny, romantic comedy like those movies, but the leads were lesbians. Why, oh why, does this seem so difficult?

I'd also suggest making some movies out of Laurie R King's Kate Martinelli series of books. I love "who dunnits" and thrillers. She writes a good story whose main character just happens to be a lesbian. Hollywood should pay attention.

"I'm not sorry for what I did. I'm sorry for what I didn't do."

For me, the chemistry between the leads is very important.  Also, the overall "feel" of the movie.  Also, some movies focus on lesbianism, whereas in others, it's a side-issue; both are just fine with me.  There's always been talk that lesbians are portayed badly or deviously in films (i.e. "Basic Instinct" and "Monster").  I think in "Monster," the main character just HAPPENED to be a lesbian--she didn't kill BECAUSE she was a lesbian--there's a big difference.

I don't particularly care for films that treat sexuality gratuitously.  Many LOVED "Kissing Jessica Stein," but although I loved nearly everything about it (the cast, the locations, the acting, the way the film looked, etc), I felt empty at the end.  That's not to say at all that some women don't "try" being with women to see if it's "right" for them--of course it happens.  But, for me personally, I needed more from that particular film.

I have no problem with straight women playing lesbians.  I think the L Word and many, many films have shown us that straight women can generate the same kind of G.O.G. heat that lesbians can. 

I´ve been on a mad lesbo flick binge for the last month. And after watching many features/mini-series/shorts , I´ve come to the conclusion that the main issue in lesbian themed movies, making a whole lot of them NOT WORTH WATCHING is a severe lack of quality in one, or in the worst cases a couple of, parts of the filmmaking process. While there are exceptions, I get the feeling that when it comes to independent low budget lesbian films it seems to be understood that quality and politics don´t mix. IOW, it seems directors and producers feel that in order to inspire-motivate-expose-share-revindicate, the complexity of lesbianism you have to choose one thing over another. The result being dialogues that much more resemble catholic church confessions/student body election speeches/motivational conferences/general protests, and bad acting, bad lighting, bad art direction, and many times BAD taste in general(but that might just be a cause and symptom on it´s own).  I watch a whole lot of low budget films, and I have seen people make beautiful things with very little money. Films that please in discourse AND aesthetics. The lack of quality just makes everything seem so much cornier. I do not protest against the repetetive subject matter, if a director-writer feels that still has to be dealt with then there must be an audience willing to watch, but please, I beg that  it is done at least in a dignified manner. Sounds terrible, I know, but the art of filmmaking should not be lost in the process, we have the technology in our time to assure this. On the other hand, hollywood(or any other "woods") romantic comedies(my guilty pleasure)are generally spotless and to the same effect propose absolutely nothing, neither for film,lesbianism or life itself for that matter. But who cares.

 Anyway , having gone on and on in the snobby manner of the artsy-fartsy bitch I am, the exceptions to the rule that I´ve seen are solid gold. Just as an example I´ll mention GYPO, which defies plenty of rules and makes for a good and watchable lesbian  AND dogma film. Ok, 4 am time to go to bed, btw, please pardon my english.

P.S. Just to make my rambling on the quality issue a bit more concrete, I´d say LOVE & SUICIDE is an excellent example of this problem. The fact that it is video and not film is not an excuse. If u make a movie, then MAKE A MOVIE.

When I rent a movie, I just want to be entertained. Great acting, chemistry between the actresses, good quality film making and editing all count.  Movies are a great way to escape and while many elements need to be convincing, at the end of the day - I just want to laugh.

Saving Face, Imagine Me & You are great examples of what I would want more of. I think all day. I just want to turn off the brain sometimes.

I would love to see adaptations of some classic novels...with a lesbian spin.

I just watched three bad-mediocre lesbian movies in a row, so I am feeling pretty frustrated at the state of lesbian cinema right now. I just want to see a really good story with some characters who happen to be lesbians. Stories specific to lesbians are good, too, but something like Bound is what I have in mind--an established genre + lesbians. Even if Corky had been a guy in that movie, it still would have been good, but the lesbian element made a good story even better.

I actually have what I think is a very good idea for a movie with lesbians. I am working on the screenplay now. Currently, it's a secret, but if I find that I am incapable of writing a good screenplay, I will try to pass the idea off to others because it's something I would really like to see get made.

Another idea, which I definitely can't write but would like to see get made, is a 21st-century Prime Suspect. Okay, that's actually a tv show, but I can imagine it in tv or movie form. For those who don't know, PS (my favorite show of all time except for Xena) is a British mystery/crime drama starring Helen Mirren. Mirren plays detective Jane Tennison, who is based on a real-life lesbian police detective. In the show, she is straight (it started in the early 90s), which is fine. The sexual politics actually work a little better that way because the sexism she faces at work is reflected in her relatioships with men at home. It's a GREAT show. But now it's time for a lesbian version. Same premise, except this time instead of some guy playing her lover, it's--let's say Emma Thompson. Someone out there who can write mysteries, please watch all 7 Prime Suspect series at least 5 times each and then get to work on this! Pretty please.

Someone previously mentioned Bound and I must agree with them. It was perfect considering most of the movie occured in two apartments. The storyline and acting were great all around with the supporting cast as well. The guy who played Caesar was phenomenal. The only issue I had was with physical contact. They had chemistry for days but they were obviously uncomfortable with kissing each other. It looked painful and awkward.

This is something I've noticed alot with tv characters as well. One or both actors aren't comfortable kissing girls and it shows. I just think if actors are going to portray a couple they should be comfortable kissing each other.

I love movies that make me think and feel on a different than what I'm used to, to explore human psyche and emotions to their full range. I do have a few romantic comedy weaknesses, I admit (Imagine Me and You, for example), but I prefer drama. I love "thinking" movies, especially (in the thread of Lost in Translation, Memento, Little Miss Sunshine, Mullholland Drive, Fight Club, etc.) And you know, I still watch My Summer of Love quite a bit for the same reason, lovely chance for analyzing interesting characters (plus, Emily Blunt's not so bad to look at teehee).

I have to slightly agree with alexparks about happy endings. They're nice, yes, but they don't always happen. Tragedy can sometimes be beautiful as well, such as Aimee and Jaguar (which is my favorite "lesbian" film). I guess, at heart, I love drama in movies. Fire, Bound, Aimee and Jaguar, The Hours. I don't really mind if it's a "Lesbian Movie" or "A Movie That Happens To Have Lesbians In It", as long as the acting is real and believable and the directing is decent. I do firmly believe that more of the latter need to be made in order to promote visibility of our community, but to my viewing eyes it makes no difference.

One final note: PASSION. The actresses should have a real passion about their characters being in love and let it show in their craft. I want a believable kiss, the kind that makes you fan yourself in excitement. It goes along with the "real" element. I don't feel awkward when I kiss a woman I like, so don't portray it that way!

Movies I'm not sure about but I've noticed on high quality television there is almost always a lesbian or gay. While most of the time a scene or two is made about them being that way I'd still consider it counting because they're multi-dimensional people and are shown realisticly.

The greatest happiness for the thinking man is to have fathomed the fathomable, and to quietly revere the unfathomable. - Faust