Crimes and Passions
Reel Affirmations 2004
Review by Kristina Campbell
Rating: 
(3 out of 5)
Thursday, 10/21/2004, 7:00 PM
Shorts presentation, $9 at Cecile Goldman Theater at the DCJCC
A COLLECTION OF films about the darker side of lesbianism — the crime and mystery cinematic genre — requires a strong stomach at some points and a dose of patience at others, but the program is varied and at times rich and clever.
In Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother () , washed-up soap actress Blanche is frustrated when she realizes her young stepdaughter Valerie is moving into her shoes as the hot new star. “She’s somebody I wish would disappear,” Blanche confides — to the wrong sort of person. The plot thickens, then unravels, then thickens again.
Jam () is an excerpt from a feature film of the same name that presents five different experiences of the same traffic jam. In this segment, a lesbian woman is desperately looking for a place for her extremely pregnant partner to lie down and approaches a stolen RV occupied by three carjackers. In the exploration of the men’s homophobia and fervent belief that the women’s baby needs a father, everybody learns a little bit about themselves and about human nature.
In Intent () , a female detective tries to stop a serial killer who’s targeting lesbian couples, ultimately using her sexual wiles — albeit untraditionally — to lure the killer to her own home. The Practice‘s Holland Taylor (who made a brief appearance in the first season of “The L Word”) gives a strong cameo.
When one of two women deviates from The Rules () in their sexual phone relationship, she crosses one line too many. When the tables turn, she finds herself uncomfortable and ultimately desperate to get the upper hand again.
Taking the wrong Passageway () leads to danger for one member of a lesbian liaison, while A Woman Reported () gives a stark look at a hate crime.
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