We know Teen Van loves movies, but now that we’ve met Adult Van in season two of Yellowjackets, we know for certain she’s a verifiable Film Gay. She owns a video rental store called While You Were Streaming that rents out retro VHSs, and she’s out here giving the gays great movie recs like The Watermelon Woman and Party Girl. So, I had to investigayte: What movies did Van miss out on while she was busy surviving in the wilderness? What should be on her watchlist for when she gets out?

First, a timeline: We don’t know exactly when the plane crashed, but it’s reasonable to assume it’s late spring or early summer. The soccer season hadn’t ended yet, and the wilderness wasn’t frozen over yet. Let’s go with May? In addition, we don’t know exactly when they get out of the woods beyond it being 1998, though I’m guessing it’s early 1998 since someone makes reference to them being out there for 1.5 years. To keep matters simple, I’m going to constrain this list between the beginning of 1996 and the end of 1998. Even though the plane didn’t go down until spring, let’s assume Van was too busy between school, soccer, and her secret relationship with Tai to get to the movies as much as she would have liked to. And even though Van likely got out earlier that year, let’s give our cinephile a little breather to recover from the horrors of the wilderness before she settles into some good gay programming.

The first section of the list includes movies in which the queerness is overtly textual and we get to see girls kissing girls. The second section includes all the queer-adjacent films Van would probably enjoy. The list is not meant to be exhaustive (for example, Chasing Amy is not to be found).

Van’s Post-Wilderness Watchlist Part 1: Explicitly Queer Movies from 1996-1998

These are the movies Van should prioritize immediately after getting out of the wilderness (okay, so maybe after some therapy sessions, sure):

The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Ranked #5 in Autostraddle’s 50 Best Lesbian Movies of All Time list and a personal favorite of mine, Cheryl Dunye’s groundbreaking film that blends queer film history, personal narrative, and lesbian romance is beloved by most lesbian cinephiles — and deservedly so. We already know Van digs this movie, as she’s quick to rec it to a cutie who comes into her rental store. But did that love form before the crash or after? It’s probably safe to assume after, as I doubt this suburban Jersey town would have been on the gay & lesbian film festival circuit. The movie aired on the Sundance Channel in 1998, so here’s to hoping someone gifted Van a premium cable package as a post-wilderness gift!

Hide and Seek (1996)

Notably the only “documentary” on our top 50 list, Hide and Seek actually doesn’t fit the constraints of nromative genres and instead creates its own form to explore lesbian childhoods, and I think Van would appreciate the experimental nature of this film!

Foxfire (1996)

I feel like Van had an unhealthy obsession with Angelina Jolie — OR AM I PROJECTING? I bet Taissa has read the Joyce Carol Oates novel this movie is based on and would point out any and all discrepancies/changes if watching it alongside Van.

Fire (1996)

Van does strike me as the kind of cinephile who is quick to remind people that a survey of queer film is incomplete if it does not consider international releases. Perhaps that coupled with a burgeoning interest in Canada after being stranded there would lead her to this Indian Canadian Hindi-language movie from Deepa Mehta about sisters-in-law who fall in love.

I Shot Andy Warhol (1996)

Van has loved Lili Taylor ever since seeing Mystic Pizza, I just know it.

Bound (1996)

Okay, obviously. Van probably develops a tradition of watching Bound AT LEAST annually, if not quarterly. I can’t say I’ve ever desired to watch a movie with a fictional character — until now. I wish more than anything I could watch Bound with Van.

Crash (1996)

I do like to think Van would also love my personal favorite Cronenberg movie. Perhaps the title would be triggering for a survivor of a plane crash, but I would be quick to assure Van like “nooooo babe it’s about CAR crashes and specifically people being sexually aroused by car crashes, don’t worry bout it!”

Set it Off (1996)

This is the movie that will place Van on the right side of history (believing all heist movies should feature AT LEAST one lesbian).

MURDER and murder (1996)

Autostraddle’s 18th best lesbian movie of all time, MURDER and murder is an effervescent experimental film on longterm partnership that Van would find lots to love about.

All Over Me (1997)

I meeeeean this movie, which comes in at #13 on our top 50 list, is dykey as hell, and I feel like Van would have listened to any and all of Leisha Hailey’s various music projects back in the day.

It’s in the Water (1997)

The 90s energy of this movie is, frankly, unparalleled. I feel like Van and Tai would develop a drinking game to play with it.

Gia (1998)

Again, I’m getting Angelina Jolie Ruined My Life vibes from Van. And who can blame her? She was a gay teen in the 90s. I’m also getting My Comfort Movies Are Sad As Fuck vibes from Van, and as someone whose comfort movie is The Hours, I can relate!!!!!

Wild Things (1998)

I bet Van had the same reaction to this kiss the way I did when I saw it while closeted!!!!!!! If only I could go back in time and tell Van all about the fact that Denise Richards eventually becomes embroiled in bisexual drama on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!!!!!!! I’d first have to explain to her that Bravo isn’t really for pop culture countdowns anymore and has evolved into a reality television empire ruled by the whims of Andy Cohen, but it would be worth it.

Fucking Amal / Show Me Love (1998)

Beloved here at Autostraddle as one of the best coming-of-age lesbian movies of all time, this 90s classic holds the fuck up! I’m positive Van has it available to rent on VHS at her shop.

High Art (1998)

Who doesn’t love a movie about an age gap relationship with questionable work/personal boundaries! Surely Van is not immune to the appeal of messy queer characters — she and Taissa both fit the bill!

Van’s Post-Wilderness Watchlist Part 2: Queer-Adjacent Movies from 1996-1998

Once Van has inevitably made her way through all those movies with a quickness, it’s time for the time honored queer cinephile rite of passage: obsessing over movies that aren’t technically gay but feel gay. Here’s what she missed when she was busy doing bear heart blood sacrifice ceremonies with Lottie and taking care of her sleepwalking possessed girlfriend in the wilderness.

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

It is one of the great cultural traditions of 90s dykes to become ferally obsessed with this movie.

The Birdcage (1996)

Can you not picture Teen Van rocking this entire Armand getup?

Harriet the Spy (1996)

Van is such a Harriet!

The Craft (1996)

Maybe the gothic ritualism of The Craft would hit a little too close to home for poor Van — or maybe it would be healing and transformative.

The First Wives Club (1996)

Not only does Van love this movie, but her karaoke song is “You Don’t Own Me.”

Scream (1996)

Can I in good conscience recommend a slasher to someone who survived a cannibal cult? Probably not! And yet! I can easily see Van becoming a horror girlie — like she has lived through that shit. And she’d be a total sucker for the meta comedy at play in this gamechanging movie!!!!

Practical Magic (1997)

I feel like Van would be very drawn to the aesthetics of this movie. Perhaps it even inspired her small-town life.

Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion (1997)

Oh you KNOW Van is constantly quoting this movie in everyday conversation!

The Faculty (1998)

I just think Van would take a…uh…special interest in Famke Janssen as a schoolteacher possessed by a horny alien in this movie.

Strike! (1998)

Despite being a lover of Kiki Dunst AND all-girls school-set movies, I have not seen this film! But queer movie nerds Drew Burnett Gregory and Riese Bernard both suggested it for this list, and I trust them!

Okay, that’s more than enough to get Van started on her movie catchup after the wilderness! What else do you think she should watch?

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