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Top 10 lesbian movies
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I've generally thought lesbian movies are better quality than gay films, at least
until I did this list. While the movies on top are outstanding, I would like to see
more films with higher ratings at the bottom. Maybe I need to seek out more
lesbian movies. Here are my top 10 picks for best lesbian films: |
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10. November Moon
What is it about the Nazis and gay people that makes for so such good films? Oh wait, it's the fact that they killed nearly 100,000 of us. Hard to beat that kind of drama. There are two lesbian films in this top 10 set during the Nazi Germany years, not to mention one in the gay men's top 10 and another in the documentary top 10. So I have at least four GLBT films based during the Nazis control of Germany in my top 10s. In this film, the lesbian in question is also Jewish, so you have drama all over the place. Where Aimée & Jaguar is more a love story, this film focuses more on the Nazi persecution.
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9. Lost & Delirious
I was hopelessly in love with this film, right up until the end. That's when the plot goes off in a strange direction that left me feeling a bit frustrated. It's the only reason it didn't rank higher. It's a very strong girls coming of age tale, and the lesbian action is right at the center of the plot. It's an honest film that showcases the trauma of that first forbidden love where you're quite certain everyone around you can guess your deepest secret. The acting is superb and until the end, it's one of the best lesbian films of all time.
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8. Fingersmith
Sarah Waters has done it again. If you enjoyed Tipping the Velvet -- and who couldn't? -- you'll enjoy this BBC miniseries as well. But one warning, it is not as good as Tipping the Velvet. But then again, damn few movies are. This adaptation of a Waters novel feels more like a lesbian Charles Dickens story, with some plot twists that will stop you in your tracks. A man and woman plot to steal the fortune from a girl who doesn't have a clue that she's entitled to the fortune. It's also set in Victorian England and is a lot of fun.
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7. Heavenly Creatures
Before Peter Jackson made the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he did this lesbian film based on a true story from New Zealand's history. He even manages to work in some of his famous Weta Shop special effects into the retelling of a 1950s true crime story, using it to highlight the fantasy world of these two young women. They are both misfits but have found love in the other. They are enjoying their special friendship until their families become concerned about how close they are becoming. When the parents decide to split the two girls up, bad things happen. Kate Winslet made her feature debut in this film and shows why she would become a star.
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6. Monster
Do you remember the first time you saw Charlize Theron? For me, I think it was in Cider House Rules. Even as a gay man I could recognize she was stunning. Compare her in that movie to the character she plays in Monster and you won't believe the difference. No wonder she won the Best Actress Oscar for this portrayal of lesbian serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Christina Ricci is also good as the sweet, innocent love interest, but Theron steals the show. I'm not sure the movie would make any top 10 list if it wasn't for her performance, but it's worth getting just to see how Theron tackles it.
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5. Bound
Before the Wachowski brothers made the Matrix trilogy, they made this surprisingly good lesbian suspense film. A lesbian has been hired to refurbish an expensive apartment. She bumps into another woman on the elevator and the chemistry is obvious to both. So begins their journey together that includes a side trip visit with an abusive boyfriend and the mob. Not to mention the mob's money. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon star as the lesbian lovers. It includes a steamy sex scene, but by the end of this film you completely forget that you're watching a lesbian film and only remember that you're watching a really good thriller.
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4. The Hours
Nicole Kidman tries to look plain by wearing a fake nose. I guessed it worked because she earned the Oscar for her performance as Virginia Wolfe. This tale of three women from different eras revolves around their same-sex attractions and became one of the handful of gay-themed movies to be nominated for Best Picture. There are terrific performances by Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep and Ed Harris. The cast helps this film rise above, because most movies that are divided into three different tales usually fail to captivate an audience enough for it to get serious consideration for the Academy Awards.
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3. Mulholland Drive
Trying to describe the experience of watching David Lynch's Mulholland Drive is an exercise in futility. Lynch plays with his audience, so please remember the tagline for this movie, that nothing is what it seems. This is a mystery story involving two women. One has amnesia. The other is a wannabe film star. Together they try to find clues and piece together Rita's forgotten past, but with each step toward the truth the mystery becomes darker and more disturbing. This film is not for the faint of heart and it will likely frustrate you the first time you see it. Consider it a challenge where you must unlock the mystery.
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2. Aimée & Jaguar
A look at the lesbian films at the top of my overall top 10 list ought to announce me as a history major. Both of them are historical films, but don't let my personal love of history keep you from seeing either one. This one is a love story between two women in Nazi Germany. One is pretty open (for the times) that she is a lesbian. The other is experiencing her first same-sex affair. One is a Jew. The other is married to a German officer. And what really sets this story above, is it is based on a true story. They interview one of the women the characters are based on in the Special Features section of the DVD, as well as showing old pictures of the women involved.
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1. Tipping the Velvet
And yet another historical lesbian movie in my overall top 10. This one focuses on Victoria England and a shy oyster girl from the country named Nan. She doesn't really enjoy kissing her boyfriend, but since he doesn't demand more, she is happy to play along. And then a show comes to town featuring a woman dressed as a man singing. It awakens passions Nan has never experienced before. It starts the oyster girl on an adventure that keeps on shocking the audience as she looks for love. This film was a three-hour BBC miniseries and it's producers where shocked the network allowed all those dildos to remain in the film. Good for them.
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Drama : Comedy : Romance : Suspense : Musical : Erotic
Gay Men's Films : Lesbian Films : Bisexual Films : Transgender Films
Overall GLBT Films Top 10 : Gay Men Films Top 10 : Lesbian Films Top 10
Bisexual Films Top 10 : Transgender Films Top 10 : HIV/AIDS Films Top 10
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