It's been a long time since I watched a movie between two women in a relationship, the first gay movie I watched was Imagine Me and You way back in 2010 in high school, and after watching the movie gave me butterflies in my stomach since I was still curious of my gender that time, which gave me the answer that I am in fact gay.

Recently, I was scrolling through my TikTok fyp and saw a video of imagine me and you moments which I posted on IG and @cthings replied to my story saying Blue is the Warmest Color was her first gay movie. We talked about it until she asked if I had watched portrait of a lady on fire because that's one of her favorites and I told her not yet, as she explained that her cover photo on Twitter was related to it.

I thought her cover photo was just one of her favorite paintings, I didn't know it has a deeper meaning to it. (I'll reveal the cover photo at the last)

Image source

I wondered, "Why did I miss a good movie like this?" I looked at the release date and it was 2019, then I recalled that I stopped hunting and downloading gay movies back in 2017 because I was focused on my studies and with my ex-partner at that time, and after the breakup in the year 2021, I was bitter to the point I didn't wanna watch any love related movies or gay movies despite having so many films of it now, but this year I'm all better and could watch any love movies thrown at me and won't feel any bitterness😂 joke! maybe a little! but it will not hurt the same as before! anyways,

It's gonna be my first time posting in this community and doing a movie review, reduce your expectations as I will just do a reaction to every heart-pounding scene or just anything that comes to mind.

_{Marianne studying heloise face}

A painter named Marianne was commissioned to do a portrait of a noble lady named Heloise to be sent to her soon-to-be husband but Heloise refused to get painted which means she was against the marriage.

_{drawing studies of heloise face}

Marianne was informed by Heloise's mother to pretend as a walking companion for her daughter, so she can secretly study her face and paint her if she gets the time. The way they spend time together is the start of their forbidden relationship.

THE GAYS GAZE 😏

The thing I noticed a lot in the movie was their gaze, It is so intense it's hard not to notice. Well... when I finished the movie, most of the scenes are about the female gaze.

It also had me thinking like if someone stares at me like that I'd definitely look away 👀 if you ever watched the movie you'd probably feel the same...

This was the first time Marianne saw Heloise. Other than studying her, In my mind, I'm like "I know that look! She's crushing on her, love at first sight maybe?" 😏

_{the gazes though ~ just kiss already! joke later we'll see 🤣}

Heloise wanted to attend a mass to hear music, Marianne asked if she hadn't been in an orchestra before and Heloise replied no. Marianne shared her experience with it as she played the storm by Vivaldi for Heloise to hear.

my thoughts seeing this scene was like "I remember showing off my music skills to impress my crush too!" 😆

_{they were reading Orpheus and Eurydice's love story before this scene}

The moment she was asking in this part made me think it's like let me know how you think of love and if you are gay or not 😂

you know, it's hard to detect if a woman is gay, unless they are so open about it, if I'm interested in a person, I also try to catch the love interests of the person first before diving in on asking her out.

betch! LOVE HER AND FIND OUT! HAHAHAHA okay, I was excited at this part,

Marianne didn't answer but the staring game begins, I don't know if Marianne was sensing that Heloise is having a crush on her, I bet she felt it. with that confused look, like "you crushing on me or what" hahaha!

she's hinting at her, Marianne having GAY PANIC in this scene! *internal screaming

Goodness gracious my gay heart was squealing at this scene like for someone, who just got back from watching movies like this, it was too much to take, it made my heart so excited like ugh yes yes yes 😏

PAINTING-LIKE SCENES

_{aerial perspective}

I noticed the movie is like a painting, As an artist, I've learned that understanding art compositions are essential in making an artwork.

Back in art college, we were always taught to analyze different kinds of art movements, color, and art theories on famous artists' paintings, sometimes in movies, and make a reaction paper of it which I got to appreciate anything related to art, but I'm not an expert though, I only have little knowledge hahaha Anyway ~

I feel like the rule of thirds applies to this setting, but I could be wrong HAHAHA Sophie looks like one of those figures found in baroque paintings

Impressionism movement which reminds me of Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich

This setting reminds me of Vermeer's painting since he is known to paint women doing chores, I also noticed that their clothes are primary colors blue, red, and yellow which are also the common color palette of vermeers paintings

Seeing Sophie in this scene reminds me of Caravaggio's technique in painting, see here I know Caravaggio's style since he is known to use tenebrism having darkness dominating the background and the subjects are illuminated, He is one of my favorite baroque artists I even watched his 1986 film and he happens to be gay there as well. notice how gay movies have involvements in arts? I'm starting to think all artists are gay and I'm one of them! if ever you're an artist and straight.. think again! HAHAHA, joke!

_{I remember kissing someone I love too! 😣 I'm jelly ~}

Green and red as complementary colors in the color wheel ~ If you noticed heloise is wearing a blue dress first and in my interpretation blue represents sadness, as Heloise was unhappy about her fate, and the selection of the color green represents having a life ever since meeting Marianne the love (red symbol) of her life 😏, I mean I can't blame Heloise for falling to a hot (red) woman 🤣 anyways while I was typing this I have the song Sure thing by Miguel in mind which the lyrics go like,

"If you be the cash I'll be the rubber band You be the match I will be a fuse, boom Painter, baby, you could be the muse"

like Heloise was literally on fire in this movie 😂 either it represents her energy to go against her fate or she's also fired up with her romantic feelings towards Marianne since both were staring at each other and metaphorically Marianne is her fuse to be free for a short while 😂 and the painter and muse thing is literally them too ~ HAHAHA my quirky mind wants to add this.

anyways, there are a lot of scenes in the movie where I can tell some more of my interpretation with art compositions and movements but I don't wanna get technical on everything. I want to enjoy being free with what I have in mind about this hahaha I'm not saying I'm right with all these theories, maybe I'm wrong 🤣

_{heloise mixing green}

I can relate to this scene back when my ex-girlfriend was helping me paint this artwork of mine we were also lovey dovey while doing the process and out of all the paintings that I made, this one was the only piece that didn't get sold~ maybe it got cursed ~ joke! 😆 kidding aside, I was happy painting that artwork with her just like how Marianne and Heloise are in here.

okay, so Heloise and marriane had their first argument because their relationship is close to end, betch! I was crying at this scene because I too, remember how that "at one point, we stop" feels. Like, you don't want it to stop but have to because you don't have a choice! their relationship was like in the 18th century when love between woman is forbidden! and In my case, I had a relationship with a Muslim woman before who has a chance of having a fix marriage too ~ so I can relate to this ~ sobs*

They, of course, made love after their argument ~ and Marianne was sketching Heloise's face to not forget her once they part ways Heloise wanted the same, she suggested to draw her face on the Orpheus and Eurydice's book page 28 ~

You know ~ they say "if you draw someone you love, you guys won't end up together" 😂 It's a curse! I guess that explains why my ex and I broke up because I drew her, so take note people! Don't draw your PARTNER! JOKE ~ 😂

Orpheus and Eurydice story

I didn't know about Orpheus and Eurydice's story but I could tell they'll have the same story with it.

I searched for it to understand the movie better and I found that there was a lot of versions of it but I liked this one better (click here.)

At first, I was scared seeing this scene, I'm like, is this horror? but then it happened again and I realize Heloise was wearing a white gown, which what Marianne fears, thinking of Heloise getting married and at their last time being together they had an Orpheus and Eurydice moment ~

_{"Don't regret, remember" 😩}

well... the movie was indeed the greek myth ~ Marianne traveling to a faraway place where Heloise was located just to do a portrait of her, like how Orpheus traveled to the underworld to get his wife back but didn't succeed because he turned back which closed off the deal with hades and in the movie, they also have the same situation at the end.

_{marianne wearing a blue dress which means she's sad}

There's a painting of ophyrus and Eurydice painted at this scene, one man commented about the painting that it's as if they are saying goodbye, it was literally what happened to them in the last scene, and look at Marianne's cloth, clearly it shows Orpheus was her.

Marianne saw information about Heloise in the catalog that made her go to the number of the painting, she scanned it to see Heloise having a daughter,

_{this was @cthings cover photo on twitter}

Then saw the page 28 ~ I felt like crying seeing this scene, the message goes like "I still love you, I still think of you, and I miss you" 😫

now we know why c love this scene ~ 😊

_{this line was heartbreaking}

As a viewer I found myself gazing at Heloise expecting she will look at Marianne, but then as it keeps zooming in on her, I could see all her mixed emotions while listening to the music Marianne used to play for her, a reminder of their happy moments together, which turned to pain and sadness after.

anyways, if you watch Emily in Paris, Luc said this is the french ending! TRAGIC!

you know this movie hits different when you are gay and a painter as well 😂

This movie was outstanding and highly recommended! It is one of my favorite gay movies now 😍 thank you c for sharing this to me.

Thank you for reading this far!