Film #3: High Art (1998, US)

I have been watching a lot of gay and lesbian movies, but that's what happens when I start clicking on suggested titles in Netflix's instant queue. Whether the reason is the excuse I just gave or a blossoming subconscious desire to be with the same sex, it doesn't change the fact that I can't stop thinking about High Art (also directed by a woman!).

I've had it in my queue for a while now, but every time I glanced its way the cover made me think of Gina Gershon in Bound. I was hesititant to watch it, not because I think Bound is a bad movie, but because I didn't care to see another version of the same thing, which happens so often in the US of A.



When I finally sat down to watch it, I was surprised to find Ally Sheedy in it, although it's fairly obvious now looking at the cover.



Not only do we get an amazing Ally Sheedy (who was so very amazing in this) playing Lucy Berliner, the talented photographer of the film who is addicted to heroin and is...that's right, you guessed it...a lesbian, but we also get the always-captivating Patricia Clarkson who plays Greta, Lucy's lesbian lover. Radha Mitchell, who I had never seen until this film, plays Syd, who, upon entering Lucy's world, is forever changed. From the acting to the lighting to the script and the cinematography, this film is a solid piece of art.

Said by Syd right before making love to Lucy, "This is really intense." I had to agree. Intense in its honesty. Intense in its allure. Intense in its simplicity. And although it's been a few weeks since I saw this, I'm still mesmerized by the quality of the film, the essence of the story, and the feelings I got from the breathtaking visual aesthetics.