#lena rambles aimlessly

[lena-oleanderson]

wanna do whumptober but i'm contractually obligated to do medtober

[ilovederenglish]

Queer Movie Review: Zomer (Summer, 2014) [SPOILERS]

This is one of my favourites that has come out in the last 7 years. 

There’s no story like a small-town gay coming-of-age story. 

Made in 2014, written by Marjolein Bierens and directed Colette Bothof, the film is set in middle of nowhere Netherlands, and all the kids are on bikes, all tall, blondish, and white as hell, smoking and laughing as the wind blows in their hair, introducing the rural landscape and the presence of the power station and, which is kind of like an overarching symbol of traditional values and how it is a source of income to all the villagers who don’t know life without it. 

Our protagonist is Anne (aka “Miss Silent”), who quickly gives a character profile on everyone in the crowd, honestly pointing out that they spent time together not because they liked each other, but because they accepted the way their worlds were linked, strange elements and all. Her father is an oblivious worker at the power plant, and her mother a thoroughly dissatisfied and negligent woman with an unhappy face. Her brother is the leader of his band of teen boys, who constantly steal the car and are up to no good. She has a disabled little brother who is actually so adorable (bless him), whose mother blames the power station for his ailments. 

Anne is quiet, but is constantly observing and feeding the viewer details about their supposedly calm and normal lives. On her mother’s birthday, her aunt  pays her a visit and narrates for us: 

You can expect this kind of observation from Anne throughout the movie. As you can see, her village is a village averse and hostile to outsiders, doing nothing to help the people inside it. It’s the subtle details that make this movie so wonderfully and sadly relatable. Her brother moves out for more privacy, but only to the garden shed since he has no where else to go (though there’s heavy tension with his mum, she still has to put her bike in the shed to keep it dry LOL). Her cousin is obsessed with religion as an escape from her family life. There’s a bunch of rowdy teenager angst as a reaction to the slow pace of their countryside lifestyle. They yell at innocent pedestrians, make out with each other, get drunk, don’t say what they feel. On one occasion, one of Anne’s brother’s friend tries to kiss her out of the blue, and she quickly runs away into the lake. I WONDER WHY. 

(TW: There is a rape scene in this movie. I will not go into detail, but i thought I should let you guys know in case there’s some sensitive viewers). 

Anne works at the local gas station, and her life is quickly enlivened by the appearance of a curly haired cutie on a motorcycle, who clearly is interested in our bashful protagonist. She’s immediately smitten and can barely speak when she asks her to fill up her tank (TEEHEE). 

Oh shit you gay hunna

Anne decides to do low-key stalk her by hiding in a grass of wheat (which she actually really blends into), and finds out that: 1) Her name is Lena. 2) She’s from the big city and was here to take care of her mother.  3) Anne has never seen her before.  Then Anne decides to put on make-up and get gussied up to go to the club in hopes of seeing Lena there. 

She decides to make up her little bro too and it’s the most precious thing. 

This is the real star of the movie. 

Anne heads to The Cellar aka Trashy Place Where You Hook Up For The First Time And Regret It Forever, with one of those longing looks that I can only describe as when your crush said they would be at an event on Facebook, and you show up, and they’re not there but they made no promises either so you just kinda have to float around. She gets wasted, and runs into Agnes, who brought her BABY TO THE BAR, and decides to take care of our poor drunk little baby-gay by taking her to her home, where she lives with her little Natasha. As Anne barely listens to her excruciatingly detailed account of giving labour, she walks back home pondering her frustration and suffocation of this place. She goes to church next morning, and everyone is dead in the eyes. 

One day, she sees some kids egging Lena’s house, and chases them off, helping Lena clean the mess and round the chickens back into the yard.  

Nothing says flirty like squeegee and yolk residue. 

Anne confesses that when she was little they used to throw rocks in that same house because strange man lived there. When Lena asks why, she replies “I don’t know.” Immaturity, ignorance, and boredom. That’s why.  Lena suggests they go for a ride on her sexy motorcycle, and Anne wants to go for a swim in the lake. Lena protests that it’s too polluted, and while Anne is rambling on since she’s so damn smitten: 

And then to shut her up, THIS HAPPENS. 

Then she runs away.   

I imagine this is her “oh fuck I’m really gay” moment

In shock, she randomly kisses a male human, and her brother’s friend is the closest thing available. 

“I feel nothing.”

She then swiftly ditches him. HAHAHA. Sorry. Lena comes back to the gas station and apologises for kissing Anne, but: 

SQUEEEE, and then there’s lots of eye sex and face caresses. 

yo this is too cute

Anne then gets fired for having too much eye-sex with this beautiful outsider lady, and jumps onto her lady’s motorcycle, happy as a queer girl in love for the first time. 

Anne takes Lena home to introduce to her family, and it doesn’t go well AT ALL. I don’t know what she was expecting...so she tells Lena to meet her at the chippy and The Cellar, and Lena deflatedly leaves. She then has a FIT, screaming at everyone and calling everyone out at their shit. It is glorious. 

She gets all gussied up again, furiously putting on make-up. She bikes to the Chippy, and waits, but sits there for ages. Lena, we can see, is making sure her mama is nice and comfy while she prepares to meet Anne. 

Anne angrily leaves, while the chippy asks if she’s waiting for her boyfriend. Just as she bikes away, Lena arrives at the chippy, and there are only grumpy patrons (Agnes+baby included), and no one wants to help her locate the Cellar, and so she aimlessly wanders around looking for it. 

Cut to Aunt Dora’s house- Carlijn cries over her mother’s body, who has evidently just killed herself. She takes all of her statues of Mary, glares at her dad, who has been drinking himself to death, and scooters away. She throws her religious figures into a field, enraged that religion didn’t do anything to help anyone. 

Anne is at the Cellar now, and it’s early as hell so no one is there (EXCEPT FOR AGNES AND NATASHA XD). She’s kinda pissed that Lena didn’t show up, so she starts dancing with random brother friend. As Lena shows up, she looks at her angrily while dancing closer to him, and Lena puts up with no bullshit, so she storms off. 

She is not pleased.

Anne promptly goes after her to apologise, while Lena explains taht she was looking for her all over town all evening. Then:

Sorry brother friend, “Fuck” is right :)  Then Lena and Anne ride off together in the moonlight, but her brother and their gang follow them into the fields. This next scene is amazing, and to make sure you guys watch it, I won’t screenshot it obsessively. But shit goes down...  What I CAN TELL YOU IS, that this movie ends on a happy note, and has some incredible commentary on conservative values in a rural place, and how things change for a reason- most of the time, for the better. Lena represents all things new and constantly changing, and Anne embraces it while the others continue on the way they always have and will. What was great was that there isn’t that much confusion about sexuality, since Anne readily accepts her love for Lena almost immediately, but then discovers that her environment is what will stop her from expressing it happily. While the whole city is tall white people who don’t address any problems, Lena is a motorcycle driving city dweller and person of colour, completely defying the stereotypical image of what a Dutch person is. The queerness of the movie isn’t really that big of a deal- it’s more of who the characters are. If Lena happened to be played by a male foreigner, I imagine there would be a similar reaction. Well, since these people don’t seem to have much soul, it would be for the most part. The movie discusses really hard topics such as domestic violence, suicide, rape, religion, alcoholism, etc. in such a matter of fact way, it reflects the day-to-day relevance that these themes have and treats it accordingly, even though words like these usually are rather dramatised in film. Though Anne is the main character, we see all the people in her life also have eventful existences that can force the viewers to empathise with similar figures in their own reality. It delivers a simple love story with so much depth, which I really appreciated as a fervent queer film watched that always has to deal with the trauma of a favourite character dying. 

I give it 4.5 stars, since Anne and Lena make an ADORABLE couple (I don’t know how lasting it could be though), and because this cutie:

This movie can be watched on demand on Vimeo. 

[vega-tenala]

Crushes on Kara

Requested by @kaszthespazz, University Senior Lena Luthor becomes smitten by Freshmen Kara Danvers.

Lena always prided herself on being an exceptionally focused student. When work was low she wasn’t afraid to maybe have the odd dalliance with a fellow student here and there. This however, this was something new completely. Thanks to her exemplary record, she was asked to help welcome in the new freshmen students, answer their questions and be generally more helpful than she was during the year. It was a challenge she was hesitant to take on, her last name being Luthor and all. But now she was here, alongside a slightly annoying wannabe cop who’d decided Lena was going to be her friend.

Lena despised the notion, of course. She was a Luthor, she didn’t have friends.

So, with reluctance she pointed out where students needed to go. At some point Maggie had been drawn away by the notion of her girlfriend arriving. Their lovesick heart eyes were enough to give Lena cavities, but it was entertaining on their bi-weekly visits to the campus gym where the pair were constantly in a state of one-upmanship. She would never admit to being jealous of the girl that was taking up some of Maggie’s time, because she wasn’t Maggie’s friend and therefore she had no reason to be jealous at all. She didn’t need anyone. No. She was perfectly fine being on her own. The fact they went to the gym together was mere coincidence. Their lunches were nothing more than convenience.

It didn’t matter to her.

She smiled falsely as she pointed a dark-skinned woman and her paler, dark haired partner to the Thorul Building. Truth be told she wondered if she would ever find something similar to the normal couples that walked around. The ones that held hands and didn’t came about social conventions. It would be nice to have a girl who like her for her, and not for her money. Oh well. She pointed another boy on his way before a girl walked near her, sunlight gleaming off her blonde hair as she pushed up her glasses. She was cute, perhaps the kind that Lena would pick up at a bar, no strings attached naturally. The poor dear looked so lost though, the map in her hands giving her no help whatsoever. She the brunette walked up.

“You look lost. Do you want some help?” Lena asked, making the girl jump a little. The blonde’s eyes widened slightly when their eyes met.

“I uhm…yeah uh…I’m looking for the Kent building? I have no clue and my sister was meant to help me but she disappeared as soon as we got here…and I’m just so terrible at directions and this map isn’t any help-…am I rambling? I’m rambling.” The girl winced. Lena laughed at the endearingly cute nature of the girl.

“It’s OK. I’m also in the Kent Building, I can show you if you want.” She smiled.

“I…really? Thank you.” The girls face lit up like the Sun at the offer, and Lena somehow just knew that this little thing was probably described by many as a little ray of sunshine. Her energy was just so unique. It was adorable and the smile on Lena’s face couldn’t help but grow. Such a sweet girl.

“It’s no problem. This way.” Lena turned to the side, confident that Kara would follow her. “So what are you planning to study here?”

“Journalism.” The girl smiled a she took in her surroundings, making sure to keep up with her brunette guide through the swarms of people all around them. “My cousin works for the Daily Planet, so when he showed me the ropes one day I loved it. What’s your major?”

The question took Lena by surprise, though she manged to stop herself from showing it. Not many people ever ask about what she does, all they hear is her name and that’s it. They’re done. But then, this little blonde puppy didn’t know her name just yet. So she just stated proudly. “Engineering and Business.”

“Oh that sounds awesome.” There wasn’t even a hint of fake excitement in the girl’s voice. “You must be really smart.”

“I…thank you.” Lena smiled, swallowing internally. “Not many people would say so.”

“Well they obviously haven’t met you. I mean, you’re clearly smart and pretty and seriously why would they not think you’re smart?” The girl bounced as she managed to finally draw level with Lena. “Oh right. I’m Kara….Danvers.”

The senior hesitated before deciding that honest was the best policy in this situation. “Lena Luthor.”

“Nice to meet you Lena!” Kara beamed. “Wow, I already have a friend!”

Wait, what?!

“I didn’t think I’d meet anyone but you seem really nice and I’ve never been the best at making friends, I mean there’s Winn but he’s at MIT and James is off with his girlfriend…I’m rambling again aren’t I?” Kara bit her lip and looked down a little.

“It’s fine Kara. You’re rambling is refreshing, and endearing. You seem nice.” Nice? Really? That’s the best you could come up with? “I don’t have all that many friends either, only two-well, three including you.”

The made it to the door of a large, five story building. The doors were wide open with students, both new and returning, were passing through freely.

“What floor?” Lena asked.

“Four.”

“Really?” Lena quirked a brow. “That’s my floor.”

“My sister pulled some strings so that I was on the same floor as her.” Kara shrugged.

“Wait…Danvers.” Lena stopped and looked at Kara, studying her. “Oh God…your sister is Alex Danvers.”

“Yes?” Kara’s smile disappeared and was replaced by an odd mixture of confusion and curiosity.

“I’m her girlfriend’s roommate. She’s the reason Maggie gets that God-awful beer!” Lena blanched at the thought of the drink. The pair had made her try it one time, she was stuck throwing up and retching into the toilet for a good few hours after that. It was not a fun time, not at all.

“Alex has a girlfriend?” Kara’s eyebrows rose significantly in surprise.

“She…yes…you didn’t know?” Lena asked curiously.

“No…she never said anything about liking girls either…”

“Maybe she felt you might-“

“No! Nonono…it’s that I mean…I’m an out bisexual myself. I just don’t know why she didn’t tell me, not that I’m mad or anything after all it’s her choice.” Kara frowned.

“You’re about to ramble again.”

“I’ll talk to her later about it.” Kara shrugged, the smile quickly coming back to her face and brightening up the surrounding area almost immediately. Lena’s stomach fluttered a little but she pushed it away, choosing to lead Kara to the elevator. The blonde didn’t once stop beaming from the entire ride, although Lena noticed a slight tension worm its way into the girl’s posture for the duration of the ride. It was none of her business though. Instead she just smiled reassuringly at Kara before the doors dinged open and the walked down the hall. For reasons unknown, Kara stopped right outside Lena’s door, although she looked at the door opposite.

“Four-two-four…this is me.” Kara grinned. “Thanks for all your help Lena. I probably would have still been wandering aimlessly if you hadn’t help me…a lot of people don’t really pay attention to me so…yeah right…uhm…thank you.”

Lena laughed. “It’s no problem Kara. I hope this isn’t the last time we talk?”

“I hope not either.”

They smiled at each other for a moment longer before Kara opened the door and entered her room, Lena sagged a little when the door closed, letting out a breath. She looked at the watch, she was done for the day anyway, how utterly convenient for her then. She turned around and walked into her own room, unsurprised to see Alex and Maggie on the latter’s bed in a make-out session. Maggie broke it off as she grinned at her roommate.

“Pretty girl Luthor?” Sawyer grinned, Alex raising an eyebrow.

“You could say that.” Lena flopped back onto her bed before she was unable to hold it in any longer, she had to let it out. There was no dismissing something like this again. “Well no…she was…very pretty. Peppy. Smile like the sun and…oh god her eyes. So blue and…”

“Somebodies smitten.” Maggie teased.

“What’s her name?” Alex asked, finally glad her friend liked somebody.

“Kara Danvers.”

Maggie was never going to let the look on her girlfriend’s face go.