Building Bridges

A true crime thriller with Lily Gladstone, Riley Keough and Archie Panjabi? Yeah, I’m gonna be watching that. Based on a real 1997 disappearance and death of a Canadian high school student, the trailer is taut and leans into the “Mean Girls: The Murderers” premise. Reminds me a little of “Thirteen,” but again with more murder.

You make me feel like I am home again

As a person who has watched more than her fair share of bad lesbian movies (just like every other gay lady), I can say it takes a lot for me to get my hopes up. I enter into most films with something between sinking dread and resigned skepticism. But after watching the “Lovesong” trailer I feel, well, hope. Real, genuine hope. Sure, I’ve been here before (cough, Freeheld, cough). Still I can’t help but dream that impossible dream with “Lovesong.” Perhaps it’s the cast – the very talented Jena Malone and Riley Keough. Perhaps it’s the familiar territory for all lesbian, bisexual and queer woman – the lyrical swirl of emotions that comes with falling in love with your best friend. Sure, the critic raves include the words “heartbreaker” and “haunting,” which tend to not imply “…And they lived happily ever after.” But there’s also that “magic of two people connecting,” which, if you think about it, is really all we can really ask for in a movie. So, until proven otherwise, I think I’ll hang on to the rare joy of hope that comes with anticipating a lesbian film that maybe, possible, just might not suck. Which, after all, is my nascent theme for 2017 in the first place. Find your joy, even if bittersweet, where you can.

Teen Lesbian Wolf

You know when you hear a potential storyline and think, yeah, that’ll never get made? Well, color me wrong. That teenage lesbian werewolf movie (say that six times fast) actually got made. Yes, actually. It actually has a trailer and actually will be coming to VOD and theaters this fall. Yes, actually. That little teenage lesbian werewolf ditty about “Jack & Diane” is coming to the screen.

Sure, it didn’t end up starring Ellen Page and Olivia Thirlby as originally planned. But Juno Temple and Riley Keogh stepped in with an assist from Kylie Minogue to challenge take a bite out of the coveted werewolf market. (I’m kidding, that’s not really a thing. Just don’t tell Team Jacob fans, ok?) The result looks like a cross between “All Over Me,” “An American Werewolf in London” and every microscopic forensic scene from “CSI.” Think I’m kidding, see for yourself.

Will it be any good? I really don’t know. But haven’t we all already won because a teenage lesbian werewolf movie exists in the first place. Now that’s almost reason enough to howl at the moon. Almost.