Great Lesbian Date Movies: Heartbreakers

In the land of Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock, "tearjerkers" or "heartbreakers" are defined as films, usually of the romantic genre, which prompt one to cry their eyes out over the tragedy of love gone wrong -- before, of course, both parties reunite just in time for a happy ending. For the purposes of this hub, however, I'm going to be talking about REAL tearjerkers, the movies that make you cry because you're so depressed you can't do anything but weep. I'm not trying to be melancholy or morbid though. On the contrary, films of this nature teach extremely valuable lessons. They teach us to appreciate what we have in the exact moment we have it. The endings may be sad, but movies of this type make you realize just how quickly love can go, and remind you to never take anything for granted. Live the moment now, children, ‘cause you can't live it once you're dead.

Radha Mitchell plays "Syd", an editor at a haughty-taughty art magazine who meets Lucy (played by Ally Sheedy) who is---gasp!---a once renowned but now out of work photographer. What are the odds? Anyway, their relationship unfolds fairly effortlessly, except for the fact that Syd has a boyfriend who she's pretty serious with, and Lucy has a girlfriend and a heroin habit that's pretty serious with her. On Syd's encouragement, Lucy gets back into taking pictures and the two head upstate for a weekend retreat on "business" so Lucy can find some inspiration. A few days prior to this, Syd does a line of heroin with her, and you begin to think that will be the plot of the story (she gets sucked into the hell of addiction to be closer to Lucy). Instead, on their drive upstate, Lucy literally throws her addiction out the window for Syd when she tosses her stash after Syd says, "I don't want to be with you like that." It's hard to explain why this movie earns it's tearjerker status without giving away the ending, so let's just say it's heartbreaking because Lucy, at the urging of her now-ex-girlfriend, Greta, ends up taking one more hit of heroin when she returns from her and Syd's weekend of lovemaking.

• Lucy's mother: What did you do to yourself? C'mon, tell me! What kind of problem?
• Lucy: I don't know. It's not really a problem. It's more of an issue.
• Lucy's mother: You just said a problem. Is it a problem? Now it's an issue. Is it a problem or an issue?
• Lucy: Both. I have a love issue, and a drug problem. Or maybe I have a love problem, and a drug issue. I don't know.

If Angelina Jolie wasn't a sex symbol before this film debuted in 1998, she certainly became one after it's release. Based on the true story of a famous fashion model from the late 1970s, Angelina plays wild Gia Marie Carangi in this biography that follows her life from age 17 until her death from AIDS in 1986. I wish I could say that she spent her short time on earth living life to the fullest and inspiring millions. Unfortunately, her young life was peppered with heartache, and although she quickly became a very successful model, the spotlight introduced her to narcotics that would never release their grasp on her life. Earns it's Tearjerker Status Because: Gia dies of AIDS, which she contracted from sharing used hypodermic needles.

• Gia Carangi: Life and death, energy and peace. If I stop today it was still worth it. Even the terrible mistakes that I made and would have unmade if I could. The pains that have burned me and scarred my soul, it was worth it, for having been allowed to walk where I've walked, which was to hell on earth, heaven on earth, back again, into, under, far in between, through it, in it, and above.

Another true story, based on the life of Aileen Wuornos (played by Charlize Theron), a serial killer from Daytona Beach, Florida. Before succumbing to her fate as a murderess, she meets Selby (Christina Ricci), a lonely lesbian who has no friends, which works out perfectly for Wuornos, a lonely prostitute who has no friends. Wuornos promises Selby the world, but when she kills a john after getting raped she can't seem to stop murdering and then robbing her clients. Earned it's Tearjerker Status Because: Selby ends up selling her out and phone tapping her for the police, and Aileen ends up being executed.

• Selby: I just wanna live, Lee. I just want a normal happy life. I don't know why you did this.

• Aileen: Because I love you. Because I love you and I never wanted to lose you and that's all. I love you from my heart, my soul, my mind. And I never let you down. All right? Because it was me. It was only me. And I'll tell them that, ok. It's over for me now. And I'm never gonna see you again.

Rising young star Erin Kelly plays the role of the title character, "Annabelle", a senator's daughter and misunderstood, rebellious 17-year old who is sensitive yet strong. When it comes to seducing her English teacher, Simone (Diane Gaidry), Annabelle's self-confidence and stamina are unparalleled. But in their private Catholic boarding school setting, a lesbian love affair, especially between a teacher and a student, is strictly forbidden. This doesn't stop Annabelle from pursuing the object of her affection, however, and after a frustratingly long amount of time, Simone can no longer resist her attraction. Earned it's Tearjerker Status Because: Just when teacher and student consummate their long-awaited love affair, they are found out...and that's where the movie ends.

• Simone: (as they're about to kiss) I can't do this...
• Annabelle: We're not doing anything wrong.

This movie is twisted the way "Memento" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" are -- you'll probably have to watch it several times before you fully understand it, and even then you'll search online for different interpretations of the plot. "Mulholland Drive" is a sexy, sultry, surreal and slightly psychotic story about a woman named Rita (Laura Elena Herring) who suffers from amnesia after a car crash and ends up wandering into the home of Betty (Naomi Watts). The two women try to uncover Rita's true identity as they navigate their way through a web of mystery that involves a nightclub called "Silencio", a small blue box, and a cowboy. Earns it's Tearjerker Status Because: It's all just an illusion.

• Betty Elms: [after kissing Rita] Have you ever done this before?

• Rita: I don't know. Have you?

• Betty Elms: I want to with you.

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