REFLECTIONS ON FILM CULTURE

5 Movies to Survive Gemini Season

What do Kanye West, Donald Trump, Angelina Jolie, Shia LaBeouf, Johnny Depp, and Marilyn Monroe all have in common, besides notoriety? No, they’re not all pictured in bed together in Kanye’s new music video, at least, not so far as I know! Some (cough) might call their shared intensity “dragon energy,” but I think it’s just called “being a Gemini.” One thing’s for certain: It’s not boring. If Taurus season’s imperative was “settle in,” this season’s is “hang on to your butts.” Between this and Uranus entering Taurus, I’m bracing for the psychic equivalent of a month-long Wilhelm Scream.

Look, I won’t mince words: Geminis are often polarizing. Mutable air signs that shift with the wind, are hard to predict and even harder to pin down. Some people frame this sign’s supremely mercurial nature as duplicitous or two-faced, but imagine, if you will, having so many thoughts, whims, words, and ideas screaming around inside you that you needed more than one body to contain them all. That’s this season’s mascot! It’s enough to give someone a serious case of personality whiplash…and an itchy Twitter finger.

At their best, Geminis are quick-witted, talkative, curious, and avant-garde. They adore themselves the way they would their own twin, which, when you think about it, is kind of an admirable and enviable trait. They have zero chills and zero compunction about switching directions mid-stream. All we can do is try to keep up. In honor of the cosmic twins in all of their manic magpie glory, here are five movies that ooze with Gemini magic to help you maximize this month’s Astro-vibes until emotive, empathetic Cancer season comes around:

Biggie and Tupac dir. Nick Broomfield, 2002

Gemini is, officially, the sign most likely to be a rapper, and it’s rather poetic that these two tremendously talented lyricists were born under the same constellation, so to speak. Both also command enduring respect as masters of their craft, and both died under tragic, untimely, and suspicious circumstances. It’s these circumstances that director Nick Broomfield, boom mic in hand, sets out to investigate, in a stunningly brash and probing documentary that both explores the rappers’ former friendship and increasingly tense rivalry, while illuminating the corruption and cover-ups at the heart of both crimes. It also gives viewers a jolt of nostalgic pleasure with some amazing, intimate footage that highlights Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.’s shared gift of gab.

The Holy Mountain dir. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1973

Also one of the signs most likely to bring the weird stuff to movie night, Geminis love to push boundaries, and so does director Alejandro Jodorowsky. The Holy Mountain, which explores such touchy and tantalizing topics as religion, tarot, alchemy, philosophy, psychedelics, and yes, even astrology, is over-the-top, controversial, aggressively irreverent, bursting at the seams with symbolism, and sometimes hard to follow. Sound familiar? For the full Gemini experience, watch with friends and insist on a lively, no-holds-barred debate on its content and merit afterward. Bask in the chaos that ensues. Rewind and repeat.

Orlando dir. Sally Potter, 1992

Based on the book by literary genius Virginia Woolf, and starring the striking and mysterious Tilda Swinton, Orlando chronicles the life of a supernatural and charismatic human as they live for centuries—first as a man, and then, suddenly and magically, as a woman. Blessed by Queen Elizabeth I with riches and a beautiful estate, and commanded to remain young forever, Orlando whiles away the years as a poet, novelist, and party host. If a Gemini were granted wishes, this is just the type of thing they’d go for, and the sly wit with which Swinton and director Sally Potter infuse this adaptation is also exceedingly seasonally appropriate.

Brick dir. Rian Johnson, 2005

A Dashiell Hammett-inspired neo-noir mash-up, featuring hard-boiled, fast-talking gumshoes and glamorous, duplicitous dames but set in the halls of a suburban high school: You either stan this movie (is that how the kids are saying it?), or you can’t stand it. Geminis likewise don’t really do the whole “middle-ground” thing, or inspire it in others (they leave that to the Libras), and when they like something, they really like it— Gemini fanboys and fangirls abound. Speaking of fandoms, Brick director Rian Johnson went on to direct one of the most important pop-cultural touchstones of recent memory: A little picture called Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Geminis, who are ruled by the planet of communication, epitomize the term “dialogue-driven.”

American Psycho dir. Mary Harron, 2000

Fun fact: An unusually high percentage of serial killers are mutable signs (Pisces, Virgo, and yes, Gemini). The mass murderer of Wall Street and yuppie scumbag extraordinaire, Patrick Bateman lives a double life, has a sharp tongue (and an even sharper ax), and simply cannot shut up about his particular taste in pop music. In other words, he’s too Gemini, too furious. The dark side of Gemini is volatile, sensitive, and self-absorbed, which can spell disaster in the wrong context. This particular recommendation may seem like a salty read, but if the shoe fits…well, in Bateman’s case, it better be Brooks Brothers.

Did you enjoy exploring the cinematic zodiac with us? Don’t miss our viewing guides for Taurus season, Aries season, Pisces season, and Aquarius season!
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