A Very Gay Oscars (for lack of better terms)

For the LGBT community, the Oscars last night were a very moving, positive experience, as they watched the crowning moments of Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn, who received wards for their work in Milk. Dustin Lance Black's acceptance speech for Best Original Screenplay was a poignant and powerful one: "I want to thank my mom who has always loved me for who I am, even when there was pressure not to," he said, nearly in tears," But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight, who have been told that they are less than by their churches or government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours." Sean Penn, too, delivered a meaningful speech, alluding to the Proposition 8 ballot and the Westboro Baptist Church who had picketed outside the awards, "For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame, and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone." It was a victorious moment for the community to hear them spoken about in such favor by these influential people, in such a far-reaching mainstream fashion. The emotional responses of Dustin Lance Black's and Sean Penn's colleagues by way of applause and close-ups on their impassioned faces were a great sight to behold as well, to see that so many prominent figures in our culture were so supportive. In that same audience was gay rights activists Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg, who were portrayed in the film Milk. The two of them donned White Knots on their outfits, the symbol of Marriage Equality. Most of the cast of Milk wore them and even ANne Hathaway's father had one on his tuxedo. At the Spirits Awards, there were even more celebrities who sported these ribbons on them. Hollywood is one of the driving forces behind the movement for marriage equality, for reasons like Milk, the White Knots, and earlier moments like Brad Pitt (who inevitably attended the Oscars) who donated $100,000 in September of 2008 against the passing of the ban.

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My Conclusions:

• Anne Hathaway was in the movie Brokeback Mountain, the acclaimed gay film that Heath Ledger starred in. Last night, Heath won the Oscar posthumously for his Joker.
• I want a White Knot.
• This is the first time that I actually watched the Oscars all the way through.
• Also, Penelope Cruz won an Oscar for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, in which she plays a bisexual painter.

Le Rempart des Beguines

In essence, the savage story of Le Rempart des Beguines is a coming-of-age, albeit rather bizarre and cruel, especially to watch a bereft adolescent girl Helene as she loses herself to the undeniable allure to the succubus Tamara, whom she deems "love", when she should call her "tormentor". It is a harrowing tale of the psychological torture that lovelorn Helene weathers through as Tamara's pet, that transforms and desensitizes her to what Helene should realize is sinister. Even as she bears the pain of Tamara's fleeting emotions, the embarrassment of feeling secondary in Tamara's heart to Helene's own uptight father, and the degrading sex and violence, Helene still finds herself deeply enamored with the power-hungry temptress, though the way she is dehumanized. Helene's innocence and intrigue with Tamara is reminiscent of any young person, so blind and so smitten, which too often is a dangerous combination.

Although the novel was originally written in French, the English translation The Illusionist has the same erotic and eloquent language. Although it did not glorify lesbian relationships or end happily between the supposed lovers, the cold and wicked nature of the book attracted me and the author's almost lyrical word choice moved me. However, watching the film, I could not so much take note of what they said because it wasn't in English, but even in the gap of miscommunication, it was a great film; violent, sensual, and shocking.

Released in 1972 in France, the film debuted more than two decades after the novel's first publication. In terms of ratings, I cannot say that I know much of how it was received at the time but I extrapolate that it was not very well, because it was not entirely groundbreaking, perhaps because France had already seen a sexual revolution. However, the film still deeply shocked me in its sapphic representations I assumed would be more subtle or simply alluded to, supposing that such content would be taboo. However, I am not sure about the film's rating either because there is little information on it to be found, so my judgment is highly impaired. What I can make statements about is how the content of the book was depicted in the movie. On that note, I can say that the plot was accurate, but Tamara (played by Nicole Courcel), a bisexual Russian beauty, was imagined to be a tall, slender woman of with dark skin and dark hair, however was played by a redheaded woman with light complexion and a curvaceous anatomy, which directly contradicted with the moment in the novel when Helene (played by Anicee Alvina) said that Tamara had a hard body. Helene's portrayal was not completely off, looking like quite the convincing teenager, but her hair was not as red as I had pictured it to be, but I have little to complain about.

The main attraction was the brutality that the film was able to concoct with clever lighting and camera techniques was wonderful, since I could feel so deeply for poor Helene, especially in the scene when she returned to Tamara, after indignantly claiming that she would never see her again. Wild with the agony and betrayal from being struck by Tamara, she spouts these words that sound shameful to Tamara, who gives her the cold shoulder, until Helene returns. Tamara, who has already proven herself to be quite the sadist, demands Helene to drop to her knees, and she, towering ominously above her, to demand an apology for such a wrong. Originally evasive, Helene cries, "Mais je t'aime (but I love you)!", and at the sound, Tamara holds Helene's head under the freezing water from her sink, watching her cough and spit with fighting spirit, but still with little strength to protest. Throwing her back onto the floor, Helene is slumped onto the ground underneath Tamara, knowing till her demand for a "sorry" is met, there was no love for her. Helene complies, aching for Tamara's affection even after this episode, and the pattern for abuse continues, though it is not strictly physical since Tamara also has a craft for mind games. There was also the crucial moment when Tamara struck her with her own hand and even a leather belt.

Although I thought the film was generally well done and that Tamara and Helene's relationship was represented well, the novel was much more intense and villainous. It left more of an impression on me than the movie. However, I am not saying that I do not recommend it, but it is not as chilling as the novel.

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My Conclusions:

• I should do more movie reviews.
• I'm watching Wife Swap and it's horrible to watch. Definitely a train wreck. This episode I just watched, the one mom tried to make her new set of kids more manly because they're sissy boys. I hated that... gender roles are not set in stone. I'm liking this episode that's on now, though. Some materialistic lady who has an obsession with dogs that's bordering on the psychotic switches with a hippie woman living in an "eco-community" or something, where they waste nothing.
  
• I couldn't do any of the accent marks for the names.
• Sorry about the two pictures that are low quality... there aren't many pictures for the movie or book.