To a queer woman going to the movies, it may seem as if there has been something in the ether for the past year. First, in August, there was “Bottoms.” Then “Drive-Away Dolls” arrived in February. “Love Lies Bleeding” joined the fray in March.
This cluster of relatively mainstream films about queer women, deliciously frothy and fun to watch, feels unprecedented. It isn’t, of course — film always has a precedent.
But the latest titles are different. These movies lean into camp: heightened realities, suspended disbelief, larger-than-life plots.
What’s more, queer women had a significant hand in crafting each release, and none of the movies involve coming-out stories.