My Weekend (Holi-Gays) Crush

I did not intend for this week’s post to be all about the Christmas Industrial Complex. Still one of the better byproducts of our relentless focus on Dec. 25 is the small (but growing) raft of LGBTQ+ inclusive holiday movies. Last year’s “The Happiest Season” was of course the highest-profile entry into the Holi-Gays Rom-Com pantheon. I can’t believe that movie has been out for a year, and that Abby really picked Harper over Riley. (Hope spring eternal we get the Riley/Aubrey Plaza lesbian holiday rom-com we all deserve.)

One of the more pleasant entries so far this year comes from lesbian-owned Tello Films, which for its third consecutive year has been released a new holiday-themed rom-com for queer women to enjoy. They’ve found a great niche with these movies and are clearly filling an even greater need. I’m also happy to report that this year’s entry, “Christmas at the Ranch” is their best lesbian Christmas movie yet.

Make no mistake, “Christmas at the Rach” is straight off the pages of lesbian romance novels. A busy city gal with a high-powered job. A family back home who needs her to help save the ranch. A tall, handsome ranch hand who basically always wears her cowboy hat and bandana. At first they fight, but then… There’s even a scene where the handsome ranch gal catches the busy city gal as she slips off a hay-ride wagon. I mean, COME ON, how ripped from your favorite romance novel pages perfect is that?

Now, full disclosure, I don’t read lesbian romances reguarly (this is not a judgment call, just a hours in the day call). But my wife LOVES them. And she basically clapped and squealed the whole way through this movie. So if you’ve ever wanted one of your romance novels to sprint to life, this is the movie for you.

It is cheesy in the ways you want your holiday rom-coms to be cheesy. But the characters, setting and story are likable enough for the cheese to be delicious. Plus, following the holiday movie rule of casting at least one veteran actor with name recognition, this movie has the Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner herself. Lesbians, cowboy hats, hay rides and the Bionic Woman? Please, who can resist? It’s streaming now on Tello. Happy weekend and watching, all.