55 Best LGBTQ Movies to Watch
LGBTQ+ movies are still a rarity — and accurately-portrayed queer characters in film even more so. LGBTQ people have long been buried under tropes and unsubtle stereotypes in film and television.
In some countries, LGBTQ movies have faced censorship and bans, including films like Disney’s Onward and Lightyear for referencing LGBTQ relationships. This isn’t anything new: from 1934-1968, the Hays Code in the U.S. prohibited homosexuality in films, overtly or otherwise.
For marginalized groups, truthful representation in film is imperative, even life-saving. In today’s stormy political climate there’s an urgency for people to see LGBTQ characters portrayed accurately and unapologetically — and ideally, made by people who actually know what queer and trans life is like because they live it.
While we’re a long way from total inclusivity and gay movies sans stereotypes, the film industry has made recent strides in centering LGBTQ+ characters. With more queer-identifying filmmakers, actors, producers, and directors than ever before given the opportunity to share their stories, we can only expect more fantastic LGBTQ+ films in the future. For now, we rounded up 55 of our favorite LGBTQ movies, from a sapphic historical romance to a cheesy early-aughts coming out rom-com and everything in between.
Courtesy Hulu1/55Happiest Season (2020)
A lot of people applauded this movie as the first queer holiday movie, but we’re not writing that in stone. Abby (Kristen Stewart) is planning to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) when she brings her to meet the family over Christmas. She quickly learns that Harper’s family is not aware of their romantic relationship, throwing a wrench into, well, everything. Watch it on Hulu.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection2/55Rent (2005)
This classic film started out as a musical — both follow the lives of a group of young New Yorkers in the 1990s. As the AIDS epidemic leaves its mark on the community, these friends watch each other fight for their lives, fall in love, and scramble to pay rent. This movie has some big names like Taye Diggs, Adam Pascal, and Wilson Jermaine Heredia. Watch it on Apple TV.
©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection3/55Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
If you’ve ever asked a friend for a lesbian film recommendation, the answer was probably Blue Is the Warmest Color. The French film follows Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos), a teenager who falls in love with an older art-school student named Emma (Léa Seydoux). Just like most woman-loving-woman relationships, the film is quite the saga of ups, downs, heartbreak, and tortured passion. Watch it on Apple TV.
Photo Credit: Ben Rothstein4/55Love, Simon (2018)
Many grew up watching and loving classic '80s high school rom-coms such as Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and Say Anything. If you have the same keenness for John Hughes films, then you won’t be disappointed by Love, Simon. Based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the movie shows what it’s like to come out in high school during a post-Glee world. Sure, you may be a part of a liberal community in a family you realize will accept you, but that doesn’t necessarily make coming out any easier. Featuring a queer actor as one of the main love interests, and a gay director, Love, Simon is a movie that will likely have you crying and clapping through scenes as you watch. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Hulu/Courtesy Everett Collection5/55Crush (2022)
When Paige Evans (Rowan Blanchard) joins the track team to get closer to her crush, she never expects to fall in love with her teammate, AJ Campos (Auli’i Cravalho). The catch? AJ is her crush’s twin sister, and when Paige realizes she might have feelings for her, she must decide which sister to actually pursue. Watch it on Hulu.
©Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection6/55Desert Hearts (1985)
Desert Hearts is widely considered the first film with a lesbian storyline where the women end up together. The critically acclaimed film is notable in woman-loving-woman history for its positive portrayal of a lesbian relationship. Directed by out filmmaker Donna Deitch, the story follows Vivian (Helen Shaver), a mid-30s professor who stays at a ranch in Reno, Nevada, that houses women waiting for their divorces to finalize. There she falls for Cay (Patricia Charbonneau), a young artist who works at one of the casinos, and a turbulent affair ensues. Watch it on Max and Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection7/55Tangerine (2015)
Tangerine was released to much critical praise for its portrayal of transgender characters. Set in West Hollywood, the movie follows the friendship between a pair of sex workers played by Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez. Tangerine is explosive, dark, dirty, and sharp. Finding a movie about transgender men or women is rare; finding one that’s good is even harder to come by — but finding one that’s authentic and has trans actors playing trans characters is, well, you’re catching on. Transgender people are vastly underrepresented in Hollywood, but thanks to films like Tangerine, that’s finally changing. And get this: Tangerine was shot entirely on an iPhone 5s. Watch it on Max and Apple TV.
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection8/55Milk (2008)
Gus Van Sant directed Milk, a film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk. The first openly gay man to get elected to public office in California, in 1977, Milk was, and is, a gay icon. The film follows his life, romantic relationships, political ascendancy, and eventual assassination. Milk won two Academy Awards: one for Best Leading Actor (Sean Penn) and the other for Best Original Screenplay (written by Dustin Lance Black). It’s nothing short of an iconic American film. Watch it on Max and Apple TV.
©Focus Films/Courtesy Everett Collection9/55Brokeback Mountain (2005)
As far as critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning movies go, Brokeback Mountain is a solid place to start. Although it falls short on LGBTQ cast and crew, the movie pushed conservative boundaries and broke barriers, thus crowning it an influential moment in LGBTQ filmmaking. The story follows Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger), two cowboys who meet in the early 1960s and fall madly in love — and who would have been crucified by society if they’d made their love known. The shame these two characters feel for the love they share will put your heart through a shredder, empty it out, put it in a blender, dump it out, and then force you to pour it over your head.... But the film is beautifully written, performed, made, and scored. Watch it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection10/55Other People (2016)
Other People is an extremely dark comedy that follows David (Jesse Plemons), a struggling comedy writer who moves home to live with his terminally ill mother (Molly Shannon). Written and directed by Saturday Night Live’s Chris Kelly, this movie will make you ugly-cry and then laugh at yourself for doing so. Among the infinite reasons to love Other People is that it features a gay protagonist even though the movie isn’t about his sexuality. It’s always refreshing to see gay characters going about their daily lives as people who do things other than just date each other! Plus, 15-year-old Josie is the breakout star of this movie. She plays a hilarious preteen who steals the show. Basically she’s you — no, she’s us. Watch it on Netflix.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection11/55M3GAN (2023)
Sometimes the best gay movies aren’t obviously queer. Instead of spotlighting any gay characters, the LGBTQ+ community has adopted M3GAN — a robotic doll — as a queer icon of sorts. The story follows a young girl whose scientist aunt gifts her the doll (which is full of cutting one-liners and attitude) shortly after her parents die in a car crash. Despite creating the tech for the toy, Gemma (Allison Williams) will never be able to guess the loyalty the doll has for her caretaker. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection12/55The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening portray a lesbian couple, Jules and Nic, whose family is turned upside down when their children (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) seek to make a connection with their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo). Things get even more twisted when Jules, who at the time identifies as a lesbian, enjoys some late-in-life sexual exploration at the expense of her family. Intricately written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko (one of the best lesbian filmmakers out there), the hilarious and heartwarming The Kids Are All Right features real-life struggles that so many modern couples endure. Warning: You might fall in love with Moore (if you haven’t already). Also, it’s worth a watch to see baby Hutcherson with a bowl cut. Rent it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection13/55As You Are (2016)
Set in the early 1990s, As You Are follows three best friends in a complicated adolescent triangle. Charlie Heaton, aka Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things, plays Mark, one-third of the group. The dynamic among the Kurt Cobain–loving, class-cutting, weed-smoking trio is compromised when Mark and Jack (Owen Campbell) kiss: What’s meant as a jest awakens a previously vacant desire. Amandla Stenberg plays the grounded and smart Sarah, the third and final ingredient in this honest coming-of-age tale. Rent it on Apple TV.
©20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection14/55Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)
Starring and co-written by Jennifer Westfeldt, Kissing Jessica Stein examines the life of Jessica, a woman in her late 20s who is fed up with a monotonous desk job and dating life. On a whim she decides to answer a woman-seeking-woman personal ad in a newspaper. Kissing Jessica Stein offers an incredible portrayal of sexual fluidity, emotional self-discovery, and sexual exploration, but problems arise toward film’s end, when Jessica’s girl-loving side is threatened with becoming completely erased. While it seems that Jessica is probably bisexual, her partner tells her she’s not “gay enough” to be with a woman. Hopefully a remake will be able to get the nuances of sexual fluidity right. Rent it on Apple TV.
The Way He Looks (in Portuguese: Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) is a Brazilian romance drama that portrays what it’s like to come into your sexuality while living with a disability. Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo) is a blind high school student who becomes smitten with a new student in his class, Gabriel (Fabio Audi). The film is warm, tender, and will challenge many notions you might have about what it means to be gay and be living with a disability. If you don’t speak or understand Portuguese please do not be deterred from watching a film with subtitles, because this is a coming-of-age gay film that you do not want to miss. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Strand Releasing/Courtesy Everett Collection15/55The Way He Looks (2014)
The Way He Looks (in Portuguese: Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) is a Brazilian romance drama that portrays what it’s like to come into your sexuality while living with a disability. Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo) is a blind high school student who becomes smitten with a new student in his class, Gabriel (Fabio Audi). The film is warm, tender, and will challenge many notions you might have about what it means to be gay and be living with a disability. If you don’t speak or understand Portuguese please do not be deterred from watching a film with subtitles, because this is a coming-of-age gay film that you do not want to miss. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection16/55Imagine Me & You (2005)
Imagine Me & You is arguably one of the best LGBTQ rom-coms out there. Piper Perabo plays Rachel, a bride who has a meet-cute with the woman of her dreams while walking down the aisle to marry her husband. If you’re a fan of happy-go-lucky romantic comedies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, then this one’s for you. It’s cheesy and adorable, and the early-2000s vibes are strong: the music, the acting, the cast, the way it’s filmed (all the way down to the lens flares). Imagine Me & You is a period piece, really. And, oh yeah, the girl actually gets the girl. I repeat: The girl actually gets the girl! Rent it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection17/55Moonlight (2016)
Based on the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight debuted to high critical praise for cinematography, storytelling, and its portrayal of black gay male identity. The film, directed by Barry Jenkins, follows the youth, adolescence, and adulthood of Chiron in three definitive acts. Set in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, the story weaves through Chiron’s heartbreaking relationships with parental figures and his navigation of complicated friendships. It won a number of awards during the 2017 red-carpet season, including Best Picture at the Oscars and Best Picture, Drama, at the Golden Globes. Watch it on Apple TV.
©GramercyPictures/Courtesy Everett Collection18/55Bound (1996)
Bound is an exceptional film for so many reasons. Not only is it an LGBTQ fan favorite, but it was also written and directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, sisters who are both transgender. Jennifer Tilly stars as the high-femme Violet, who seduces Corky (Gina Gershon), an androgynous female plumber who works next door. Something bigger is at stake, however: Corky has to break Violet out of the mob. Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
©Off White Productions/Courtesy Everett Collection19/55Paris Is Burning (1991)
Do you use the word “shade” in your everyday language? Did you know Madonna didn’t, in fact, invent voguing? Both of these things plus many more phrases and cultural phenomenon can be traced back to the ball culture that was, and still is, popular with queer and trans communities of color. Paris Is Burning is a documentary that is extremely eye opening if you aren’t familiar with drag balls, and is essential viewing for anyone who uses “shade” or “reading” in their vocabulary. Watch it on Max.
©Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection20/55D.E.B.S. (2004)
D.E.B.S. is what would happen if you gave Charlie’s Angels an LGBTQ story line. It’s a spoof on romantic comedies and espionage thrillers, but it might also be the most underrated spy movie in history. Starring a young Sara Foster and Jordana Brewster, D.E.B.S. traces the budding romance between one of the USA’s top intelligence operatives and the FBI’s most-wanted woman. Foster plays Amy, the teen queen of the D.E.B.S, a top-secret U.S. paramilitary academy. She’s about to graduate at the top of her class with a takedown of historic proportions when she comes face-to-face with the infamous criminal mastermind Lucy Diamond. Lucy immediately falls for Ms. Goody Two-Shoes and has her henchmen basically kidnap her…for a date! Watch it on Hulu.
Participant Media/Courtesy Everett Collection21/55Circumstance (2011)
Set in Tehran, this 2011 film follows Atafeh (Nikohl Boosheri) and her orphaned best friend, Shireen (Sarah Kazemy), as they fall in love. But Atafeh's brother becomes increasingly religious and obsessed with Shireen, causing tension between him and his sister. The movie explores same-sex relationship in Iran, along with familial obligations and religion. Rent it on Amazon Prime Video.
©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection22/55But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Natasha Lyonne plays Megan, a bubbly, oblivious cheerleader whose family and friends decide that her interest in veganism and Melissa Etheridge is just too on-the-nose: She’s a lesbian who needs to be stopped! They hold an intervention with plans to send Megan to a conversion-therapy camp. Shocked by the allegations, Megan agrees to go to True Directions, a camp that promises to “cure” homosexuality. This movie obviously has disturbing undertones, but the ensemble of characters, from queer men and women to those questioning their gender identities, makes for one of the best LGBTQ parody movies of all time. But I’m a Cheerleader will leave you brimming with pride. Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
©Fine Line Features/Courtesy Everett Collection23/55Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
John Cameron Mitchell directs and stars in this cult classic film based on John’s stage musical of the same name. It follows the titular Hedwig (played by John Cameron Mitchell), a transgender rock star from East Germany who survives a botched gender confirmation surgery and moves to Kansas with her husband Luther to pursue her musical dreams. Hedwig then falls in love with another man named Tommy, who eventually leaves and steals her music. The glam rock aesthetic of the film has led it to have a Rocky Horror-like following as it pulls at the heartstrings and eardrums of queer rockers looking to break free. Rent it on Apple TV.
©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection24/55Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, Call Me by Your Name is a movie that portrays an understated honesty that comes with discovering your sexuality at a young age. The film catapulted Timotheé Chalamet into stardom playing 17-year-old Elio who falls in love with Oliver, a graduate student staying with his family at their Italian villa for the summer. Call Me by Your Name is a heart-wrenching film that reckons with how summer romances can come and go so quickly, but can also be filled with life-long lessons about love and realizing how precious time with a loved one is. The film received an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and received nominations for Timotheé for Best Actor, Best Picture, as well as Best Original Song for singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. Watch it on Netflix.
©Samuel Goldwyn Films/Courtesy Everett Collection25/55The Intervention (2016)
Written by, directed by, and starring filmmaker Clea DuVall, this LGBTQ movie is a dark comedy about a group of friends who conspire to break up a married couple in their circle. The pair’s fighting and misery have become too much to bear, so everyone joins in on a weekend getaway that is used as a ruse to hold an intervention for Matt (Jason Ritter) and Ruby (Cobie Smulders). If you liked Megan (Natasha Lyonne) and Graham (Clea DuVall) in But I’m a Cheerleader, then you’ll be intrigued with The Intervention — it stars Lyonne and DuVall as a couple once again, breathing new life into the meaning of OTP. Rent it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection26/55Boy Meets Girl (2014)
Films starring transgender actors are hard to come by, and films starring a transgender woman who gets a happy ending are even harder. Boy Meets Girl stars Michelle Hendley as Ricky Jones, a trans woman living in a small town in Kentucky who works as a barista and wants to move to New York City to study fashion design. Her plans change unexpectedly when a local woman, Francesca (Alexandra Turshen), comes into her life after meeting at the coffee shop she works at. Boy Meets Girl is funny, tender, and delicately explores the notions of how gender and sexuality are at play with each other. Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
Dale Robinette27/55Battle of the Sexes (2017)
Battle of the Sexes is about the real-life tennis match that happened between Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carrell) to prove that women can be just as good as (if not better than) men at sports. In the film, you also get a look into the affair that Billie Jean has with her secretary Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough), her first same-sex relationship. The film might not center on their romance, but it shows the exceptional woman that Billie Jean was, and still is today, in her fight for gender and sexuality equality within the tennis profession. Rent it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection28/55Carol (2015)
Carol is a film that has amassed an intense fan base and once you watch the film you’ll understand why. The movie is based on a novel, The Price of Salt, which tells the story of an affair during the early 1950s between Therese (Rooney Mara), an aspiring photographer, and Carol (Cate Blanchett), an older woman going through a difficult divorce. Lesbian stories from major Hollywood studios are rare to come by, but Carol does the genre justice with a beautifully shot, written, and acted film that'll have you obsessed. Rent it on Apple TV.
Everett Collection / Everett Collection29/55BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017)
Many of the films about the AIDS-crisis are set in New York City where a significant population was affected and began to protest. BPM is instead set in France during the 1990s and follows a group of AIDS activists in Paris's chapter of Act Up. BPM swept the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, winning four total awards, including Grand Prix and Queer Palm. It’s important to remember that the AIDS epidemic was a global one, and this film explores that in a stunning and heartbreaking way. Watch it on Pluto TV.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection30/55Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Netflix spine-tingling Fear Street trilogy gives us the sapphic love story we want and deserve. Based on the R. L. Stine series of the same name, these queer films follow Deena (Kiana Madeira) and her friends after a series of brutal killings take place in their town of Shadyside. Over three films, which span an almost 40-year timeline, Deena attempts to save her girlfriend Samantha Fraser (Olivia Scott Welch) and put an end to these ritual murders once and for all. Watch it on Netflix.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection31/55The Prom (2020)
Based on the award-winning 2018 Broadway play of the same name, Netflix’s The Prom was directed by queer Hollywood icon Ryan Murphy himself. A small Indiana high school cancels prom after a student, Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman), wanted to bring a girl, Alyssa Grenne (Ariana DeBose) to the dance. When a group of Broadway has-beens hears of the prom cancellation, they travel across the country to petition the PTA and gain some much-needed publicity — all while helping Emma live her most authentic life. Watch it on Netflix.
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Courtesy Everett Collection32/55Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a sapphic French historical romance that brings the perfect amount of drama and yearning. Set in the 18th century, this film delves into the illicit affair between an aristocrat, Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), and the painter commissioned to paint her portrait, Marianne (Noémie Merlant). The film won a number of awards, including Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. Watch it on Hulu.
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Courtesy Everett Collection33/55Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Harry Shum Jr., and more, this sci-fi adventure film delves into the life of Evelyn Quan, a Chinese immigrant who is struggling with her taxes, her marriage, and the acceptance of her daughter, Joy (Hsu), coming out as a lesbian. The action-packed film is a beautiful nod to family and standing up to homophobic family members. Rent it on Apple TV.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection34/55The Fallout (2022)
In the wake of a devastating school shooting, teenager Vada Cavell (Jenna Ortega) struggles with PTSD after surviving the tragedy. The trauma of the shooting leads Vada to deal with the stress of the experience in some unhealthy ways — especially as she starts to discover her own sexuality, torn between a crush on her classmate Mia Reed (Maddie Ziegler) and Quinton Hasland (Niles Fitch). Watch it on Max.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection35/55The Half of It (2020)
A poignant coming-of-age tale, Netflix’s The Half of It follows the story of booksmart Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) who helps her father pay the bills by doing homework for her fellow students. When high school jock Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) asks Chu to help him write love letters to his crush, Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire) in return, she reluctantly agrees. The last thing Chu expected when she agreed to help Munsky land a date with his crush was to fall in love with Flores herself. Watch it on Netflix.
Francois Duhamel36/55Booksmart (2019)
When best friends Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) realize they’ve wasted their time in high school, they set out to have as much fun as possible before graduation. After being invited to a party, Molly encourages Amy to pursue her crush on a girl named Ryan (Victoria Ruesga), while she flirts with her own crush. Nothing goes the way it’s planned and through tears, laughter, and many regrets, Amy and Molly discover the true meaning of a friendship. Watch it on Apple TV.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection37/55Jennifer’s Body (2009)
The queer undertones—and *that* kiss—have made Jennifer’s Body a must-watch film for bisexuals and Megan Fox stans everywhere. When Jennifer (Fox) accidentally becomes possessed by a demon and begins murdering boys in her high school. Her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) discovers the truth and tries to put a stop to the murders, but not before investigating her own repressed feelings for her BFF. Although the film has been criticized by some as queerbaiting, it has become a favorite for tons of queer women—even if it wasn’t explicitly marketed as a LGBTQ+ film. Watch it on Max.
Walter Thomson38/55Alex Strangelove (2018)
Young love is never easy, especially when you’re still figuring out your sexuality. In Netflix’s Alex Strangelove, teenager Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) plans on losing his virginity to his girlfriend, Claire (Madeline Weinstein). After meeting Elliot (Antonio Marziale), who is openly-gay, Alex struggles with his own romantic feelings towards him and what it means for his future with Claire. Watch it on Netflix.
Jeong Park/Hulu39/55Fire Island (2022)
Safe spaces are an important part of queer communities — Fire Island is one of those places for many East Coasters (and beyond). This cute LGBTQ movie follows a group of close friends (names like Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, Zane Phillips, Matt Rogers, and Margaret Cho dot the cast list) as they make their annual pilgrimage to the island for a weekend of fun and debauchery. Watch it on Hulu.
Blumhouse40/55They/Them (2022)
It’s a tale as old as time: A group of kids, together at summer camp, with a masked killer on the loose. This film takes it a bit further and places the action in an LGBTQ+ conversion camp. Starring Theo Germaine, Kevin Bacon, and Anna Chlumsky, pop this one on the next time you’re looking for a true slasher film. Watch it on Peacock.
©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection41/55I Wanna Dance With Somebody (2022)
Following the life and work of Whitney Houston, I Wanna Dance With Somebody not only covers the basics of her rise to fame, but it also shines a light on her bisexuality for the first time. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection42/55Bros (2022)
Bobby (Billy Eichner) doesn’t believe it when he gets together with Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), a similarly distracted dater, and they hit it off. The film follows their relationship as they slowly start top open up to each other—but not after a ton of bumps in the road, of course. Watch it on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection43/55Tár (2022)
A famed musician (played by Cate Blanchett) struggles to keep it together as the public rallies against her reputation. This is an intimate look at someone’s example of rock bottom, and the reality of what happens when you force yourself to push your past bad behavior down and avoid reality. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection44/55Of An Age (2023)
We’ve all met someone we can’t get out of our heads. This film, which is set in 1996, dives deep into that scenario, following a 17-year-old ballroom dancer as he falls head over heels into a 24-hour romance with a friend’s older brother. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection45/55Knock at the Cabin (2023)
A young girl and her dads are vacationing in a remote cabin when four strangers arrive and deliver an impossible ultimatum regarding an impending apocalypse. What follows is a series of classic horror movie twists and turns, so buckle up. Watch it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection46/55The Birdcage (1996)
This movie is actually a remake of a French film called La Cage aux Folles, but the plot is relatively the same. An engaged couple — Val Goldman (Dan Futterman) and Barbara Keeley (Calista Flockhart) bring their in-laws together. For the occasion, Val’s father Armand (Robin Williams) attempts to pass as a straight person despite his life as a gay Miami drag club owner and relationship with the club’s star attractions (Nathan Lane). Hilarity ensues. Watch it on Apple TV.
Courtesy Everett Collection47/55God’s Own Country (2017)
Johnny Saxby (Josh O'Connor) is attempting to keep the family’s sheep and cattle farm alive after his father suffers a stroke. Under the intense stress, he drinks far too much and engages in meaningless hook-ups — until he brings on Gheorge Ionescu (Alec Secareanu), a migrant farm worker from Romania, to help with the lambing season. The two enter into a passionate relationship that teaches Johnny a few life lessons. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection48/55Beautiful Thing (1996)
While most examples of young queer love are given a simple rom-com treatment, Beautiful Thing introduces a more complex look at the relationship between neighbors Jamie Gangel (Glen Berry) and Ste Pearce (Scott Neal). The two connect over being bullied, which results in a friendship that soon becomes more. Watch it on Apple TV.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection49/55Disclosure (2020)
©Strand Releasing/Courtesy Everett Collection50/55Straight Up (2018)
Straight Up identifies one of the many complications of intimate relationships through the eyes of Todd, a twenty-something man with OCD living in L.A. An aversion to bodily fluids holds him back from dating men and pushes him to try dating women. It’s a back-and-forth battle of identity and overcoming internalized homophobia. Watch on Apple TV.
©Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection51/55Anything’s Possible (2022)
Queer icon Billy Porter’s directorial debut, this coming-of-age film follows the story of Kelsa (Eva Reign), a young trans girl who is entering her senior year of high school. The film won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film - Streaming or TV, and it earned two Queerty nominations. Watch it on Amazon Prime.
Courtesy Everett Collection52/55Problemista (2024)
Directing and starring queer comedian Julio Torres, this heartfelt debut delves into the world of American immigration. With an emphasis on the difficulties immigrants must go through in order to stay in the U.S., Torres’s character must find work within 30 days or risk being deported. What lengths will he go to in order to make his American Dream come true? Watch it on Max.
Anna Kooris / © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection53/55Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
A romantic thriller starring Kristen Stewart and Katy M. O’Brian, this nostalgic film brings the gritty underworld of 1989 queerness to life. A gym manager and bodybuilder fall in love, but they’re pulled into a world of blackmail and organized crime that will keep you on your toes until the very last second. Watch it on Max.
©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection54/55Bottoms (2023)
Starring Rachel Sennott, Emma Seligman, Ayo Edebiri, Nicholas Galitzine, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, and more, this film is as quirky and unusual as it is hilariously funny. When PK (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri) start a secret fight club to meet girls, things go awry when others start to join in the name of self-defense. Watch it on MGM+.
©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection55/55Joy Ride (2023)
It isn’t often that we see nonbinary people accurately represented in film, which makes Joy Ride a breath of fresh air. This comedy, which stars Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu, and more Asian American icons, features a nonbinary character that slowly grows more confident scene by scene. It’s as refreshing as it is wholesome. Watch it on Hulu.
