#Romantic Dramedy

[moviesiveseenandwanttoremember]

Disney’s “WALL-E” June 27, 2008.

[jacquelinemerritt]

Queer Media Review: Her Story (2016)

Originally posted September 1st, 2016

Honest, earnest, and representative, even to a fault.

This review is the first in a weekly series of pieces on queer and trans media. See them all here!

The importance of Her Story as a piece of queer representative media cannot be understated. In a time where the majority of films about trans women are cast and crewed by cisgender men and women, that Her Story was co-written and co-produced by Jen Richards and Laura Zak, a trans woman and cis queer woman, respectively, makes it unique, and lends the entire production a sense of honesty and earnestness that defines the series. Unfortunately, that earnestness is what leads to the biggest flaws of the series, near the end, though they are far from great enough to bring down the overall quality of this Emmy Nominated series.

Her Story begins by setting up its primary framing device: Allie (Laura Zak) is a journalist writing for a queer magazine called “Gay LA,” and she decides that she wants to write a story on the dating lives of trans women with Violet (Jen Richards) as her primary interview subject. They interview over coffee, and Violet establishes the “rules” (in the screenwriting sense) about trans women that will hold throughout the series (and reflect their existence in the actual world). It’s all done very playfully, however, and the scene serves to set up a burgeoning relationship between these two women, with Allie coyly flirting with Violet the entire time.

These two women clearly have romantic chemistry with one another, but it’s established around the same time that Violet is already in a committed relationship with Mark (Josh Wingate), with the primary conflict being both that Mark doesn’t want Violet seeing this woman and Violet being unsure of her own sexuality, having exclusively dated men since transitioning to life as woman.

While this relationship is the main focus of the series, a number of subplots are set up in the background as well. Paige (Angelica Ross), a civil rights attorney and Violet’s friend, is attempting to navigate a new relationship with James (Christian Ochoa) a (presumed) cis man who is unaware that Paige is trans, while Lisa (Caroline Whitney Smith) is attempting to discourage her friend Allie from dating Violet, arguing that it is impossible to be a lesbian and date someone who is a “former man,” misgendering Violet and using transphobic language against her. These two subplots coalesce wonderfully in a way I won’t spoil. Both of these subplots are given satisfactory endings which leave both Allie and Lisa with the opportunity for significant character growth if this series continues.

While the side stories are resolved well, the main story of Violet and Allie’s relationship is concluded rather clumsily, with Violet giving a speech on her character’s entire history in the fifth episode which feels like an attempt to make Violet representative of as many trans women as possible, rather than to build complexity into her character.

What’s more, Allie being present with Violet to receive the revelation is spurred on by a poorly designed coincidence that would seem to serve to alienate Violet further from one of her few friends, the lesbian punk rock artist Bad Penny (Elizabeth Frances). This is glossed over in favor of giving Allie an opportunity to learn Violet’s darkest secrets early on. It’s a weak bit of storytelling that both lessens the impact of Violet’s eventual coupling with Allie and sidelines the reality of Violet’s experiences in favor of pushing her into the story’s resolution (the latter of which I find particularly frustrating).

Nevertheless, these flaws aren’t enough to lessen the value of Her Story. Even with a weak resolution to the main story, the development of Allie and Violet’s relationship is honest, and watching Paige attempt to navigate the complex issue of whether or not to disclose that she’s trans to her love interest is incredibly compelling. That issue in particular is one that has been absent in almost all trans media created so far, despite being a very regular part of the trans experience dating. Seeing that conflict depicted on screen is both affirming and empowering, as is the complexity of Violet’s confusion over her own sexuality.

I would highly recommend Her Story as an honest depiction of navigating romance as a trans woman. It’s well-constructed, well-shot, and well-acted, and its flaws come nowhere near outweighing its strengths.

Rating: 4/5

Her Story can be viewed on the series’ official site, HerStoryShow.com.

Critical Eye Criticism is the work of Jacqueline Merritt, a trans woman, filmmaker, and critic. You can support her continued film criticism addiction on Patreon.

[whatcha-reading-today]

Magnolia Parks Jessa Hastings

First, I got this book from the library and the wait time is UNREAL. Second, the original cover art is so good. I'm so jealous!

Anyway, this was good, if you want a increasingly twisted (and British!) version of Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl this is a fun time. There's some really wild behaviors and stuff in here but fun overall. I found Hastings' writing pretty solid.

Format: Physical copy

Read in: March 2024

[gregor-samsung]

Les Deux Amis [Two Friends] (Louis Garrel, 2015)

[texaschainsawmascara]

Wristcutters: A Love Story

[twenty-words-or-less]

Anora

Summary: Anora "Ani" Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) meets and marries Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch. Said oligarch finds out and decides to do something about it.

Funnier than expected with performances from Madison and Eydelshteyn that hopefully leads to more work for them. Igor deserved better.

Rating: 4/5

Photo credit: Luxus Magazine

[theboost]

Modern Day Bull Durham remake where Susan Sarandon makes Tim Robbins suck the strap. To learn baseball

[honey-bri-books]

"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me."

"That's not a problem."

"I just can't afford for you to fall in love with me."

"Oh, ho-ho!"

[a-dotrivenitupontop]

sillycon valley :3

[nerdby]

I love this😂

[grinchwrapsupreme]

*argues with you on a pier surrounded by lilac water*

[moviesiveseenandwanttoremember]

Aki Kaurismäki’s “Varjoja paratiisissa” (Shadows in Paradise) October 17, 1986.

[countessravengrey]

Explicit | Romantic Dramedy Alternate Universe - No Powers; Omegaverse

“Which brings me to point number two: Hip style. I hate jackhammers.” Steve, in the middle of taking a drink, nearly spit it out. “Excuse me?” “You know the kind,” Bucky said, waving his hand impatiently. “Thinks their god’s gift, pounding away like a maniac.” Understanding dawned. “Jackhammers. Got it. So hip style is...” “How you ‘get down’, yeah.” Bucky laughed at his own definition. Steve laughed, too. He was starting to like the frankness of this discussion, even if he was totally unused to it.

[gregor-samsung]

Verdens verste menneske [The Worst Person in the World] (Joachim Trier - 2021)

[twenty-words-or-less]

Reality Bites

Summary: A group of college graduates try to navigate adult life and its tribulations.

Gen X: The Movie; walks line between selfishness and naivete. Ryder electric as budding documentarian, Hawke effortless as raging asshole.

Rating: 3.5/5

Photo credit: IMDb

[do-you-have-a-flag]

thank you for this important information, how could i forget the x files promo!

promotional poster of bisexuality