Welcome to the second episode of Retro Reviewing, the world’s premiere (and probably only) vlog dedicated to reviewing lesbian classic and not-so-classic films. This week, the crew was down to Danielle, Katie and Rina, but that didn’t stop them from rolling out a new review scale: 1-5 swishes of gay magic. It’s kind of like the 5-star system found in your average movie review, but with a queer flair.

Episode two is focused on But I’m a Cheerleader!, a film near and dear to the hearts of our reviewers. It’s a favorite in many circles, notably for its humorous take on a very ugly subject (“conversion therapy”), its adorable love story, and its tongue in cheek commentary on the nature of gender roles. The movie stirred some controversy when it was released in 1999, when famously almost got slapped with an NC-17 rating.

It also happens to have some of the best housework-related scenes ever put to film (a point that they were only too happy to demonstrate).

Next week, the retro reviewers plan to tackle Personal Best, so if you’re in the mood to follow along, or make any comments/requests, feel free!

I've had a crush on Clea DuVall since ... well, at least since But I'm a Cheerleader. It feels like it's been going on a lot longer than that, probably because it was one of those crush-at-first-sight things. There's something so very dashing about her.

But it's not just her looks; I also think she's a very good actress. She was unforgettable on Buffy. She was irresistible in But I'm a Cheerleader.

She stole my heart in Sleeping Beauties, and then made it ache in Girl, Interrupted.

She was haunting in Carnivàle and in the 2004 TV version of Helter Skelter. In everything from The Faculty to Identity to 21 Grams, she has a presence that is somehow both steady and unsettling. … continue reading

I was on vacation in New York a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed a film due to screen that evening on the Sundance Channel. Titled French Beauty, it was a documentary on Gallic actresses that took as its premise that "As essential to France's mystique as its wines, haute couture and cuisine is its place as the defining home of female beauty."

Well, no disagreement here. I've often wondered what it is that they are putting in the water to make French actresses so consistently, yet uniquely, ravishing. While the documentary didn't succeed in answering this question, it did get me thinking over some of my favorite French actresses and also reflecting on how many of them seem to have featured in films with either an overtly lesbian or a homoerotic theme.

First there was Catherine Deneuve in 1983's The Hunger.

Deneuve would also go on to star in the 2002 musical mystery 8 Women/8 Femmes, where she has a sexually charged relationship not only with her sister-in-law, played by Fanny Ardant, but also her maid, played by Emmanuelle Béart. … continue reading