"I was surprised to learn lesbians accessorized. I didn't know that." We watched "Kissing Jessica Stein" with the insightful Samantha Mann, author of "Dyke Delusions: Essays & Observations." Sitting with Sam talking about this touchstone of queer/lesbian cinema really hammers home that the two of us are just a couple of dumb boys. This movie harkens back to a pre-9/11 New York as well as the cinema landscape. This was a time when, yes, representation did matter, but so did a quirky downtown apartment with exposed brick that you could afford to live in without multiple roommates. We all talk about the quality of "gay" movies in the 90's and early aughts, but the lesbian movies were practically nonexistent - so the representation we got in this movie was a total necessity - not to mention the entire "lipstick" element of it all. Jennifer Westfeldt (Jessica) and Heather Juergensen (Helen) co-wrote this screenplay based on their play "Lipschtick," and the labor put into it really pays off. The screenplay is tight, funny, and holds up (to mild scrutiny) 24 years later. We talk about Jessica's choices and the somewhat controversial place she ends up, of course. We're still L.A. girlies at heart, but this indie comedy does make us love that magical New York from the movies.

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