vixens

the children's hour

While at times overly melodramatic, this intriguing story features two best friends whose lives are shattered by allegations of being lesbian lovers. (The word "lesbian" is never mentioned, however.) Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Heburn star as late 20s school teachers trying to make a business of a small boarding school for girls. A manipulative student overhears a conversation, blows it out of proportion, and suddenly the whole town is involved in the scandal. It’s interesting to watch two fine "A" actors in a film on what would have been a "B" movie topic at the time, and pull it off. Warning: typical unrequited lesbian love film ending. [us, 1961]

sandra bernhard: confessions of a pretty lady

An irreverent documentary on the contradictory life of one of America's most outrageous pop-culture divas. Here we get an entertaining view of Bernhard's wild life from her beginnings as an ugly Arizona duckling to her transformation into comedienne and gay icon. The doc comes complete with clips from her nightclub act and footage taken during her Playboy photo shoot. [us]

rambling rose

Laura Dern exudes sexuality as Rose, a young housekeeper/nanny taken in by a wealthy Southern family in 1935. The household is immediately disturbed by the presence of a young, exuberant woman, and both father and son reek with desire for her. As the straight-laced father, Robert Duval turns in an excellent performance, as does Dern's real-life mother Diane Ladd A sultry indie. [us]

cat on a hot tin roof

Essentially the story of family greed over the death of the wealthy patriarch Big Daddy, it's also a fascinating look at the destructive relationship of two beautiful people played by Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. Taylor is the sensual cat of the title and Newman is her alcoholic husband. Some of the films most charged scenes feature these two. Greed, sex, lust, money, death, and Taylor and Newman to boot. What else do you need? [us]

fire

The rich amber hues of this film slowly reveal the burgeoning relationship between two mistreated sister-in-laws in modern India. The young and rebellious Sita is trapped in an arranged marriage with a sometimes abusive husband who is having an affair. Her barren sister-in-law is punished by a husband converted to celibacy since "they can't have children anyway." The two women begin a covert affair, and fall in love. Surprisingly, despite indications to the contrary, the film has an uplifting ending. This film by Deepa Meeta is the first in a series based on the four elements, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. (Earth has also been made into a film.) [canada]

bagdad cafe

This haunting and beautifully shot, but quintessentially weird little film, tells the story of a German tourist abandoned at a truckstop in the Mohave desert. A cast of endearingly strange characters befriends her, and an unlikely community is formed. Why did we put it in the "vixens" category? This woman has some secrets that are slowly revealed (unveiled?). [us]

all about my mother

Pedro Almodovar's latest has already won the Golden Globe for best foreign film, and won the Academy Award for best foreign film. Regardless, it's an excellent film about the relationships between unrelated women (and former men) who make their own family. In true Almodovar style, the colors are bright and garish, the dialogue is tongue-in-cheek, yet the subjects are weighty. AIDs, prostitution, organ donation, and plastic surgery are all tackled without the usual melodrama. Highly recommended. In Spanish with subtitles. [spain, 1999]

women on the verge of a nervous breakdown

In this delicious screwball comedy, four women struggle with sex, unfaithful men, police, and terrorists. Pepa, a popular television star, is ending a relationship with a suave but philandering co-star--the catch is, she's pregnant. Add to this problem the fact that her best friend has mistakenly been harbouring Shiite terrorists, and confusion ensues. True to form in this Almodovar film, women who may start out as rivals (for example Pepa and her lover's insane wife) end up helping each other to a relatively happy ending. It's the ridiculous details--like the fully equipped cabbie--that make this film a treat. [spain]

erin brockovich

Finally, a Julia Roberts vehicle where Ms. Roberts doesn't need to be saved by prince charming. Julia (and her breasts) star as the title character, Erin Brockovich, an single mother of three who parlays a simple filing job at a law office into a career as the defender of small-town America against corporate corruption. Ms. Brockovich finds something fishy in a simple real estate deal, and digs further to find a billion dollar cover up involving polluted water, cancer, and the unknowing residents of a small California town. Definitely worth seeing. See it your friend who only likes Hollywood movies, or the guy who doesn't usually like chick flicks. There's something for everyone. Based on a true story (including the breasts). [us, 2000]

the women

This 1939 film based on the stage play by Clare Booth Luce features an all female cast--and we mean all female. There are no male actors in the 100+ cast. Joan Crawford is especially wicked as a social climbing seductress but she meets her match in Norma Shearer. Bitchy, bitter, and beautiful. [us, 1939]

the girl's room

It's an indie teen film with bite. During the last year of college, two polar opposite roommates struggle with identity, relationships, and friendship. Soleil Moon Frye vamps around in a definitely attempt to leave Punky Brewster behind. While this film sometimes drags, snappy lines like "Oh that was my macrobiotic summer" pick it back up again. Recommended for teens looking for something beyond "American Pie." Note: This film currently does not have a distributor, but visit its web site at http://www.girlsroom.net for more information. [us]

chocolat

Take the stunning Juliette Binoche and surround her with the finest Belgian chocolate, and you get this sweet confection of a film. In a familiar story, Binoche plays Vianne who breezes into a conservative and pious French town with her daughter Anouk. Vianne shocks the self-righteous mayor by opening a chocolatiere during Lent and by flaunting Anouk's lack of a father, but soon her chocolaty treats are raising the passions of the townspeople. A beautifully shot fairytale. Delicious! [?, 2000]

thoroughly modern millie

Pure camp, and if you see it any other way you'll hate it. But just imagine the chance to see those paragons of virtue and sweetness, Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore in a musical about white slavery. Yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds, but the film never takes itself seriously. Be warned, the bad guys in this movie are "evil Chinese opium dealers" however, it does redeem itself in the end with Pat Morita (from Happy Days) as a good guy. Silly bubblegum flick with a few famous show tunes. [us, 1967]

girl, interrupted

Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie star in this overly long film based Susanna Kaysen's memoirs of one year in a psychiatric hospital. After swallowing a bottle of aspirin and a bottle of vodka, Kaysen (played by Ryder) checks herself into a mental institution. Kaysen is diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, but many of the underlying themes revolve around perceptions of promiscuity and craziness. Touches of humour keep it from being too melodramatic, but Jolie's character seems to be a stereotype of the bad vixen. Whoopi Goldberg plays the ward nurse, and Vanessa Redgrave has a supporting part as an understanding psychiatrist. You might want to read the book first. [us, 1999]

blue sky

Jessica Lange plays a stunningly sexual woman married to a career military scientist. Their arrival on a backwoods military base in Alabama wakes up the neighbors, and the camp commander who takes an unhealthy interest in Lange's character. In this bittersweet film, Lange turns in a powerful performance as the irrepressible woman, while Tommy Lee Jones is quietly strong as her deeply in love husband. An interesting comment on women's sexuality and men's repression. [us, 1991]

holy smoke

In this Jane Campion film, a nouveau-hippie (Kate Winslet) is brought back from an Indian ashram by her family and sent to the outback with a cult deprogrammer (Harvey Keitel). Tables are turned as Winslet's character seduces Keitel, and leaves him stranded in the desert, a quivering mess in a red dress. The film is disturbing, and the romance/seduction is not entirely believable, but it raises some interesting ideas about sanity. [australia, 1999]

house of mirth

Gillian Anderson turns in a sublime performance in this period piece based on an Edith Warton novel. Anderson plays Lilly Barth, a turn-of-the-century socialite who knows that her lack of money means that she needs to secure a husband. Although she rejects her true love to hold out for a wealthier suitor, Lily can't seem to commit to her plan to marry rich. The film provides strong acting and presents an interesting view of society, truth, and honour, but is marred slightly by some uneven direction. Laura Linney is also excellent as a woman who uses Lily as a scapegoat to cheat on her husband. [us/uk, 2000]

lost and delirious

This well-acted teenage love story is loosely based on the novel "The Wives of Bath" by Susan Swan. Polly and Tori are best friends, roommates, and lovers in a small girls boarding school. The story is told by their new roommate Mouse, which provides some distance and perspective. As with most young love, and especially lesbian love depicted in the movies, things do not run smoothly-Tori starts dating a boy, and Polly faces her own obsession. Featuring Canadian favorites Grahame Greene as the sage gardener and Jackie Burroughs as the compassionate, but slightly ineffectual headmistress. Also notable for featuring our faves Ani DeFranco and Meshell Ndegéocelloon the soundtrack. [canada, 2001]

me without you

Holly and Marina are lifelong friends who cannot imagine existence without each other from girlish pacts to interest in boys through sharing lovers they are together for better or for worse. This film challenges how women define best friends, what they give and receive in the bargain, and how friendship is often as dark and dangerous as it is fulfilling and supportive. Strong performances by Dawson's Creek's Michelle Williams as Holly and by Trudy Styler as Marina's mother bring emotional depth to a familar coming of age story. Recommended, especially for viewing with childhood friends. [uk, 2002]

calendar girls

In this Full Monty meets Saving Grace, a group of aging Yorkshire roses pose in the nude to raise money for cancer. Led by the scandalous Chris who routinely shakes up her staid women's group with antics such as entering store bought cakes into country fairs and winning, the group shifts its yearly calendar theme from photos of local churches to nude 50-somethings. The artful calendar features the ladies tastefully hiding their naughty bits behind flower pots, buns and the like, and becomes a media sensation. Helen Mirren is downright sexy as Chris proving that attractiveness has more to do with joie de vivre than age. [uk 2003]

banger sisters

Extremes. Ungraceful clinging to an idealized and long-since-obsolete youth v.s. weary ladyhood fully burdened by house, husband, children and a vast, taupe wardrobe: they collide when old friends meet after many years. Midlife works its magic on both Suzette and Livinia when they revisit their band groupie days via a series of giddy adventures that culminate in their literal opening of the past in the form of the "Box of Rock Cocks", my favorite scene. Just a weensie bit contrived, but a true portrayal of midlife angst and adjustment. [us, 2002]

secretary

When this film was released in 2002 it caused a controversy among feminists who were divided on whether it was exploitative or empowering. The fabulous Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as a disturbed young woman with a penchant for cutting who finds stability and solace as a submissive secretary. We'll leave it for you to decide whether she's a victim of her domineering boss or if she's finally making her own choices. We found it uplifting in a dark and subversive sort of way. (And it was really the suburbs rather than the bondage that was subversive.) [us, 2002]

nights of cabiria

Okay, we're going out on a limb here given our stance on Pretty Woman, but trust us this Fellini film is not advocating becoming a plucky whore so you can be rescued by handsome and wealthy business man. Cabiria, the prostitute of the title, treats the business as a business, and takes care of her self. However, a hopeless romantic, she gets taken in by a number of unscrupulous men. Giulietta Masina plays Cabiria like Lucille Ball on the wrong side of the tracks: her energy is infectious and you can't help believing that the next man is going to see her for the gem that she is. [Italy, 1957]

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