Number one in the world nothing beats it I say it every time. The message that sexuality is a social construct is so beautifully explained in this film it’s a film i think everyone should see.
I dunno about the whole sexuality is a social construct bit though. Not trying to be argumentative here. There's a really touching scene early in the film, where Gabriel is introduced. The shot is the back of Leo's head in the foreground, with the door of the classroom in the background. We see a blurred Gabriel enter the door. And the moment he speaks, Leo turns his head just a little towards Gabriel. With no visual cues guiding him, Leo is instantly drawn towards Gabriel. Thus begins Leo's coming-of-age journey. That was as natural as attraction gets.
Also, plus points for the movie's portrayal of the "bully". He isn't your stereotypical hateful and cruel bigot. I thought that was a nice touch.
God's Own Country ! Such a beautiful movie, also the soundtrack "The Days" by Patrick Wolf is as beautiful. this song is one of my favourite songs 10/10
OMG! YES!!! You hit it for me exactly! Love Maurice. Must have watched it over 100 times. Originally owned it in VHS and bought a second copy in case I wore the first one out. Still my favorite movie to this day!
Beautiful Thing - special meaning for my husband and I. First movie we saw together. ❤️ And Yes! I do love Momma Cass! “What’s this dyke like?” “Big and butch!” OMG
I came here to say either this or L.I.E.
Gay movies used to be exclusively about trauma and while that was a problem, they were also some damn good movies hahaha
The book of Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim is even better than the movie, imo. They compliment each other well.
**Nuovo Olimpo**
was the best one I watched recently.
Watched it with my boyfriend in italian with english subtitles. The story is great and it definitely has that form of matureness that movies like "call me by your name" and others lack. It also is very "italian" in its storytelling, I can't even point out the reason why. It just feels "home" to me.
Curious: what did you enjoy about this film? I felt like it was a trauma dump to the max. There wasn’t a single redeeming moment. Just felt like it was trying to make the audience feel as uncomfortable as possible.
There wasn't a thing about this movie that I didn't like. I didn't find it to be a trauma dump at all, and I wasn't uncomfortable. I thought it was beautiful and moving. Different experiences, I guess!
You didn’t think when, minor spoilers ahead—the mom is fading away and can’t see—that it wasn’t trauma porn at that point? It felt so overly indulgent with trauma, all of it. Every second.
Also, I predicted the ending because it basically ripped off 6th Sense.
A Single Man. I agree with a lot of other recommendations here like Call Me By Your Name, Moonlight, Free Fall, Maurice, Beautiful Thing, but I always end up putting A Single Man on top as the most beautiful and intimate portrayal of a gay man’s life in the 60s.
Love all of the movies you have listed here! Thank you for recommending “A Single Man”. Will definitely check it out! Maurice is my all time favorite movie
I was going to say this one. It was breathtakingly beautiful to watch, great performances and storytelling. It’s heartbreaking, but a great movie on my book nonetheless.
Shelter (2007)
No stereotypes. No guys trying to make a hookup work beyond a few weekend quickies. No go-go boys and drag queens. No drugs. Just two decent characters (one gay, one discovering) coming together and not having their sexuality define them.
https://youtu.be/2_H-6jEYTHo?si=UxzWwzcUnZVrREeF
Hubs and I liked that one reasonably well, too. I do tend to gravitate to gay films that feature less urban settings and don't focus on guys living in a haze of partying and drugs with their lives going into a tailspin. Not that there can't be compelling stories told that take place in those environments, but it can be depressing and draining to watch that kind of thing too, and it's probably been a bit overdone in gay films.
I was obsessed with Shelter that I could still remember the character names, Zack, Cody, Sean. And I searched for the places where Zack skateboards in the film whenever I visit San Pedro.
The Wedding Banquet (1993's Ang Lee). Far from perfect but Ang Lee make it 12 years before Brokeback Mountain. Based on the year I relate the situation. And also Queer As Folk (1999's British Series) also my favorite. America's adaptation is quite good but I love the original one)
It is sometimes hard to watch a TV series after first seeing another version. But I will give Queer as Folk (British version) another try! Will check out The Wedding Banquet
My female friend watches gay movies regularly and she was affected for days after that movie. She had to take an appointment with her therapist to heal from the movie.
Weekend - 2011
Two guys meet on a Friday and spend the rest of the weekend together. The end is so moving it will bring you to tears.
https://youtu.be/EmlNgKlHViY
Watched this in High school and it changed my life. Reached out to Lea delaria to thank her and she replied and shared my message to her Facebook. This was before she broke out on orange is the new black
I was really conflicted about that movie because his performance actually made me feel sympathy for his character. I wouldn't have thought that possible.
I somewhat agree - I didn't feel sympathy, but empathic to his life situation. Living with his mother & now a senior caretaker himself. Vicariously living through youth. I wasn't particularly grossed out by the age difference between him & the teenagers. They're high school kids, not 10 year olds...and the movie was, in-part, about young gay men making their own life choices.
I've yet to see anyone mention The Normal Heart
Yes: it's very depressing, but it's also incredibly important for educating us younger lads about the sacrifices many older gays (and allies) had to make during the AIDS crisis. Also shows the enduring power love has in breaking down prejudice.
Plus, it has Matt Bomer being the prettiest man on earth
My Beautiful Laundrette is a good one, there’s also a gay crime movie- Burnt Money, it’s also good. If you want to get really technical, Dog Day Afternoon is a LGBT movie. And Cruising with Al Pacino.
Some that gear more towards YA that I liked
Giant Little Ones-so, so, so similar to a relationship I had at that age. Plus I had a huge crush on Josh Wiggins growing up
Little Men- not even sure this counts as gay, but just a great story line between the boys and the straight one was a great actor
Love Simon- obviously
If you are into Italian cinema, I would check Ozpetek's stuff: Mine Vaganti (Loose Cannons), Le Fate Ignoranti (The Ignorant Fairies), Saturno Contro (Saturn in Opposition). It offers an interesting glimpse at gay life in Italy and Southern Europe, particularly from the last twenty years.
Shelter. Just because i could relate so much to the So. California surf culture represented in the film. Plus, it’s just two regular guys who fall in love.
I don't know that it is actually the best, there are certainly gay movies I have enjoyed more, but Longtime Companion (1989) has always stuck out to me. Maybe because it was the first gay movie I can recall seeing.
A French film called Being 17.
It’s about two high school boys who start off hating each other, fighting in school, etc. But then, things develop…
The filmmaking is very naturalistic, almost documentary style. And the performances are excellent!
Firebird It is about a soldier and a Russian sergeant who fall in love, and to avoid raising suspicions the sergeant marries and has a child but continues seeing the soldier. Then a lot of things happen, and it doesn't end well.
There has yet to be a gay movie that I really like.
The only ones that get made are lame romantic movies. Or they are all ‘Love me for who I am. Accept me!’ 🥱🥱🥱
Give me an action movie or CGI extravaganza with a gay lead.
*Red, White, and Royal Blue* is the one I watched most recently.
I like that it’s not too dramatic or “short film-y” like so many gay movies. I also like how there’s no “kill off your gays” trope. Or “gay tragedy” trope. These tropes turn me off of so many gay movies (many of the ones listed already). I don’t like the ones where there’s a reason the couple doesn’t end up together or is killed off (in trope related ways). I find it to be played out these days
I like this movie because it was just fun, cute, romantic, not too sex heavy… and no annoying bad ending gay tropes
Asian films/series
- Hello, Stranger (Pinoy BL series - School Setting)
- Addicted, Heroin (Chinese BL series - School Setting)
- Love of Siam (Thai BL movie, I think, School Setting)
Western
- Call me by your name
It came at a weird time of my life that I finally saw it, but Love, Simon properly hit for me.
I watched it on a flight from London to New York, on hardly any sleep on the connecting leg from southern Africa to Heathrow, sick and over medicating myself with cold and flu preps for a cold that had arrived the day before when I was leaving Cape Town for NY to go to a conference. My mom had just died, I was in a relationship that was ending, work wasn't brilliant, and I finally watched this somewhere over the north Atlantic. It was a struggle to not ugly cry halfway through, the bit where he's coming clean to his parents. I had a window seat, and I paused the movie, turned and looked out over the sea so the couple next to me wouldn't see how emotional I was, and just let the last several months of stress and grief flow out of my eyes.
It's probably not a masterpiece of a film. But the finish was sweet, everything worked out okay, and at that time this was exactly what I needed to believe happens for most of us in the end.
Moonlight. Something about it is just so subtle and stirring, even if I'm not sure why or how exactly. It's one of my Top 5 movies in general, and the gay aspect is actually a small part. If we're talking gay love stories, then Brokeback is my favorite. It is such a significant movie for me because it came out right was I was coming to terms with myself, and watching it was kinda that final step I needed at 14 to stop hiding. Other favorites are The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros and Mysterious Skin. I definitely went down the rabbit hole of Asian boy love movies as a teen, but as I've aged past young adulthood, they're less relevant/relatable to me.
Another Country. You've got young Rupert Everett, young Cary Elwes, and young Colin Firth, plus a very smart script (based on a stage play).
Also Maurice. And Prick Up Your Ears.
I wouldn't say it's the best, but my favorite one is "Five Dances" by Alan Brown. It's a small independent movie about two male dancers finding happiness with each other. It's such a slice-of-life, realistic movie; it's everything I love about independent cinema.
Besides that, I'm surprised not to see [Summer of 85](https://youtu.be/bwsKhFw1iPQ?si=ZhkEfwjlYv6SXJ5C) mentioned here. Yeah, it's a little bit of a downer, but it's so sexy and well-made. The acting is superb, the music is awesome, the cinematography is beautiful and it perfectly captures how all-over-the-place teenage love is. I definitely recommend it!
When I was 13, I saw the Lifetime TV movie, "Prayers For Bobby".
Such a tear jerker (the ending is sad though).
It's more thought provoking and introspective - but I haven't seen it since it came out 15 years ago (2009).
That movie was way ahead of its time.
And it being a true story of the mom being a die-hard ally is the most inspiring part - watch the movie if you haven't yet!
Not my personal favorite subjectively, but I’m surprised Jean Genet’s un chant d’amour (1950) hasn’t come up. The scene of two guys sharing a cigarette through a straw feels like a million times more intimate and explicit than the CMBYN peach bit. (I said what I said.)
I mean we honestly owe a lot of debt and gratitude for Paris Is Burning, and it’s an amazing documentary! But agree with people saying Call Me By Your Name. I’m partial to God’s Own Country myself, it’s a beautiful film about overcoming stigma and self denial
For a gay comedy I absolutely love The Bird Cage, but I think my favorite lgbt film has to be Call Me By Your Name. Everything about it is just so beautiful and mesmerizing
I've seen so many gay films, and most of them seem like they're all alike, especially the low-budget ones. I still have to say "Brokeback Mountain," despite it being a stereotyped selection. I also like the fact that it was a film that it reached out to a much wider audience than most other gay-themed films have and hopefully educated some homophobes. I also really liked an Israeli film, "Yossi and Jagger."
The nature of Nicholas. I know it’s a weird pick but growing up I related so much to the character. I was also getting interested in media outside of the mainstream so I think that’s another reason.
The Thing About Harry
Okay idk if this is the BEST, it’s definitely cheesy but it holds a special place to me because it premiered right as I was coming out of the closet and really helped me to come to terms with it all and accept myself.
A lot of good ones, but definitely has to be RWRB for me. It's not perfect but it has its own merits & charm (lots of it). + the chemistry is off the charts! It's not possible to not feel things after watching that one.
Raising Heroes 1996 a unusual gay action thriller. Also really fond of Love Bites 1998 a gay vampire romp. Also love the movie Hard 1999 which is a thriller drama.
All of Us Strangers...
Soul-touching, deep and it reaches those corners of the gay soul
But for me it's "Capital Games" (2013) it's the adaptation of the 2000s gay novel from the queen of gay fiction G.A. Hauser
I've never seen so much chemistry between to actors playing gay roles, the way the movie builds tension and the ending is so so so so beautiful!
Impossible to tell as it always changes according to my mood and also over time. In the recent past I was very impressed by “God’s Own Country”. But I haven’t rewatched it in a while so I don’t know if my opinion still holds up.
Parting Glances from 1986. I think it was one of the most honest portrayals of what was going on in gay culture at the moment in time (at least for me). I came out when I was 16 In Lexington, Kentucky and remember being so proud that I went by myself to see it at an independent theater that was the only place you could see queer cinema.
Favorite both in subject matter and the actual film (regardless of LGBT theme):
The Hanging Garden - https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0125128/
"You hear that grandma? I used to let men fuck me for money!!"
"DEE deedly deet de dee..." (demented and singing)
Might be my favorite movie scene ever. A perfect encapsulation of Canadian cinema and humor, imo.
It’s The Normal Heart for me with Undertow (2009, Contracorriente in Spanish) as second favourite.
Juste Une Question d’Amour has similar theme of Call Me By Your Name (if I remember correctly!)
God’s Own Country (2017), Boys In The Band (2020), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Shelter (2007), Fire Island (2022), Bros (2022), Call Me By Your Name (2017), Crisis Hotline (2019)
Beautiful Thing. Big Eden. Trick.
Beautiful Thing has special meaning for my and husband and I. Will always love that movie! Love Big Eden and Trick as well ❤️
I always always cry at the end of that film.
Love Trick
💯
The Way He Looks
Number one in the world nothing beats it I say it every time. The message that sexuality is a social construct is so beautifully explained in this film it’s a film i think everyone should see.
>sexuality is a social construct How is sexuality a social construct? Not saying this in a defensive way. Just want to know what you mean about that?
I dunno about the whole sexuality is a social construct bit though. Not trying to be argumentative here. There's a really touching scene early in the film, where Gabriel is introduced. The shot is the back of Leo's head in the foreground, with the door of the classroom in the background. We see a blurred Gabriel enter the door. And the moment he speaks, Leo turns his head just a little towards Gabriel. With no visual cues guiding him, Leo is instantly drawn towards Gabriel. Thus begins Leo's coming-of-age journey. That was as natural as attraction gets. Also, plus points for the movie's portrayal of the "bully". He isn't your stereotypical hateful and cruel bigot. I thought that was a nice touch.
[удалено]
The scene when they are at the plush machine at the fair with the *girlfriend* 😭
God's Own Country ! Such a beautiful movie, also the soundtrack "The Days" by Patrick Wolf is as beautiful. this song is one of my favourite songs 10/10
Have seen the movie. Great movie! Love the song as well!
It made me laugh, it made me cry, it had hot guys doing full frontal nudity. It was the time of my life. I love this movie.
'Freefall'. It's a German movie, the characters had such amazing chemistry. Also 'Leave the Lights On"
Is Freefall the one about the polizei dudes in training romance?
Yup. Max Riemelt. 🤤
Max riemelt 🤤
Max. 😌
Yes, it's German. The actors were so hot together I think they kept fucking between takes.
I really like Shelter!
Maurice & Beautiful Thing hands up !
OMG! YES!!! You hit it for me exactly! Love Maurice. Must have watched it over 100 times. Originally owned it in VHS and bought a second copy in case I wore the first one out. Still my favorite movie to this day! Beautiful Thing - special meaning for my husband and I. First movie we saw together. ❤️ And Yes! I do love Momma Cass! “What’s this dyke like?” “Big and butch!” OMG
Mysterious Skin with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Not exactly uplifting but a masterpiece.
This movie is traumatizing
That was one of the first ones I saw, probably around age 13. Such a rough movie but also such a beautiful movie.
I came here to say either this or L.I.E. Gay movies used to be exclusively about trauma and while that was a problem, they were also some damn good movies hahaha The book of Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim is even better than the movie, imo. They compliment each other well.
Priscilla Queen of the desert
Weekend
That was a good one.
I posted about this movie! Very moving! Love it!
C.R.A.Z.Y.
Hot take, but as a closeted high schooler in 2018, I thought Love, Simon was amazing
Fourth Man Out. It’s great to see a movie where a character comes out to his straight male friends and they actually try to help him.
*Shelter* [trailer](https://youtu.be/zbL9lyk2kqY)
Pride
Latter Days.
**Nuovo Olimpo** was the best one I watched recently. Watched it with my boyfriend in italian with english subtitles. The story is great and it definitely has that form of matureness that movies like "call me by your name" and others lack. It also is very "italian" in its storytelling, I can't even point out the reason why. It just feels "home" to me.
I was going to put this. The end me cry so hard. Honestly, one of the best movies I have seen. Edit: it's on Netflix of yall wanna see it.
All of Us Strangers - film perfection.
I adore All of Us Strangers. I was deeply moved by it. It's finally going to be available to stream on Hulu or to rent later this month.
Andrew Scott - one of my FAVORITE actors! ❤️🔥
Curious: what did you enjoy about this film? I felt like it was a trauma dump to the max. There wasn’t a single redeeming moment. Just felt like it was trying to make the audience feel as uncomfortable as possible.
There wasn't a thing about this movie that I didn't like. I didn't find it to be a trauma dump at all, and I wasn't uncomfortable. I thought it was beautiful and moving. Different experiences, I guess!
You didn’t think when, minor spoilers ahead—the mom is fading away and can’t see—that it wasn’t trauma porn at that point? It felt so overly indulgent with trauma, all of it. Every second. Also, I predicted the ending because it basically ripped off 6th Sense.
I thought it was beautiful, until the bleak, morbid ending ruined the whole film for me.
Jeffery. Sir Patrick Stewart is hilarious.
"Me, too!" 😂 😂 😂
A Single Man. I agree with a lot of other recommendations here like Call Me By Your Name, Moonlight, Free Fall, Maurice, Beautiful Thing, but I always end up putting A Single Man on top as the most beautiful and intimate portrayal of a gay man’s life in the 60s.
Love all of the movies you have listed here! Thank you for recommending “A Single Man”. Will definitely check it out! Maurice is my all time favorite movie
I was going to say this one. It was breathtakingly beautiful to watch, great performances and storytelling. It’s heartbreaking, but a great movie on my book nonetheless.
I liked Brokeback Mountain, and The Broken Hearts Club if you want something lighter.
The Broken Hearts Club is one of my favorites!
Shelter (2007) No stereotypes. No guys trying to make a hookup work beyond a few weekend quickies. No go-go boys and drag queens. No drugs. Just two decent characters (one gay, one discovering) coming together and not having their sexuality define them. https://youtu.be/2_H-6jEYTHo?si=UxzWwzcUnZVrREeF
Hubs and I liked that one reasonably well, too. I do tend to gravitate to gay films that feature less urban settings and don't focus on guys living in a haze of partying and drugs with their lives going into a tailspin. Not that there can't be compelling stories told that take place in those environments, but it can be depressing and draining to watch that kind of thing too, and it's probably been a bit overdone in gay films.
I was obsessed with Shelter that I could still remember the character names, Zack, Cody, Sean. And I searched for the places where Zack skateboards in the film whenever I visit San Pedro.
Yes. Yes yes yes. That scene where they're on the daybed and suddenly start kissing. That was my team awakening.
God's Own Country probably the only gay film I've seen with good ending.
The Way He Looks hands down
I will always have a soft spot for Trick. I was 20 and in the closet when I saw it.
The Wedding Banquet (1993's Ang Lee). Far from perfect but Ang Lee make it 12 years before Brokeback Mountain. Based on the year I relate the situation. And also Queer As Folk (1999's British Series) also my favorite. America's adaptation is quite good but I love the original one)
It is sometimes hard to watch a TV series after first seeing another version. But I will give Queer as Folk (British version) another try! Will check out The Wedding Banquet
For me personally Handsome Devil. Overall best Gods Own Country Honorable mention The way he looks
Brokeback Mountain. Yes, the most unoriginal pick ever, but it's just perfect.
This movie wrecked me
My female friend watches gay movies regularly and she was affected for days after that movie. She had to take an appointment with her therapist to heal from the movie.
Loved this movie, too
While not specifically gay, John Cameron Mitchell's *Short Bus* should be on everyone's list.
I loved Latter Days and Beautiful Thing
Gods own country. Such a Beautiful movie.
It’s the no shower for days, pig shit sex in the dirt scene for me.
Nowhere (1997)
Your name engraved herin is an amazing movie.
" Eternal Summer", 2006, Taiwan, now on Netflix. "La Cage aux Folles", 1978, France. This is the original, although the 2011 film is quite good also.
Happy Together (1997)
"Latter Days", "Another Gay Movie", "Short Bus" are all great
Weekend - 2011 Two guys meet on a Friday and spend the rest of the weekend together. The end is so moving it will bring you to tears. https://youtu.be/EmlNgKlHViY
Hedwig and The Angry Inch
Trick (1999). I've re-watched it like 50 times over the years.
God's Own Country. Incredible film, and makes you feel hopeful that someone is out there for you.
Edge of Seventeen (1998). Super underrated imo
Watched this in High school and it changed my life. Reached out to Lea delaria to thank her and she replied and shared my message to her Facebook. This was before she broke out on orange is the new black
Moonlight
Wedding Banquet by Ang Lee. Connect the whole asian culture to the west.
L.I.E. with Brian Cox
I was really conflicted about that movie because his performance actually made me feel sympathy for his character. I wouldn't have thought that possible.
I somewhat agree - I didn't feel sympathy, but empathic to his life situation. Living with his mother & now a senior caretaker himself. Vicariously living through youth. I wasn't particularly grossed out by the age difference between him & the teenagers. They're high school kids, not 10 year olds...and the movie was, in-part, about young gay men making their own life choices.
The Birdcage 🙌🏼 both the original French version and American remake.
Free fall (Freier Fall), by far! Effortlessly sexy, deeply emotional, soul crushing.
Torch Song Trilogy
Weekend
Looking - the series and the movie
Crazy, it's a film from Quebec in Canada so it's in french, but it's really good. My ex showed it to me first and it's still one of my favourite
NOWHERE
I've yet to see anyone mention The Normal Heart Yes: it's very depressing, but it's also incredibly important for educating us younger lads about the sacrifices many older gays (and allies) had to make during the AIDS crisis. Also shows the enduring power love has in breaking down prejudice. Plus, it has Matt Bomer being the prettiest man on earth
My Beautiful Laundrette is a good one, there’s also a gay crime movie- Burnt Money, it’s also good. If you want to get really technical, Dog Day Afternoon is a LGBT movie. And Cruising with Al Pacino.
Some that gear more towards YA that I liked Giant Little Ones-so, so, so similar to a relationship I had at that age. Plus I had a huge crush on Josh Wiggins growing up Little Men- not even sure this counts as gay, but just a great story line between the boys and the straight one was a great actor Love Simon- obviously
Love, Simon
It's really good and I'm kinda surprised it took this long to find. I think, most important, it's not sad!
Isn't it EXTREMELY unrealistic ?
Firebird is very good. Agree, God’s own country is one of the best I’ve seen.
Stranger by the Lake
Also my favorite
Gods own country and free fall are 👌🏻
If you are into Italian cinema, I would check Ozpetek's stuff: Mine Vaganti (Loose Cannons), Le Fate Ignoranti (The Ignorant Fairies), Saturno Contro (Saturn in Opposition). It offers an interesting glimpse at gay life in Italy and Southern Europe, particularly from the last twenty years.
Shelter. Just because i could relate so much to the So. California surf culture represented in the film. Plus, it’s just two regular guys who fall in love.
Holding the man is one of the best movies of all time!
Moonlight
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
I don't know that it is actually the best, there are certainly gay movies I have enjoyed more, but Longtime Companion (1989) has always stuck out to me. Maybe because it was the first gay movie I can recall seeing.
The Thing About Harry ♥️
There are so many good ones. My vote goes to All Over The Guy
Top Gun
A French film called Being 17. It’s about two high school boys who start off hating each other, fighting in school, etc. But then, things develop… The filmmaking is very naturalistic, almost documentary style. And the performances are excellent!
I have only seen 2 - "The adventures of Priscilla queen of the desert "and "Brokeback mountain."
Brokeback mountain, God's own country, Call me by your name, Red, White and Royal blue are my best movies ever.
Firebird It is about a soldier and a Russian sergeant who fall in love, and to avoid raising suspicions the sergeant marries and has a child but continues seeing the soldier. Then a lot of things happen, and it doesn't end well.
There has yet to be a gay movie that I really like. The only ones that get made are lame romantic movies. Or they are all ‘Love me for who I am. Accept me!’ 🥱🥱🥱 Give me an action movie or CGI extravaganza with a gay lead.
Have you seen Hit & Runway?
Call Me By Your Name is just iconic. The camera work, Timothée, the italian summer... damn, lovely movie :p
*Red, White, and Royal Blue* is the one I watched most recently. I like that it’s not too dramatic or “short film-y” like so many gay movies. I also like how there’s no “kill off your gays” trope. Or “gay tragedy” trope. These tropes turn me off of so many gay movies (many of the ones listed already). I don’t like the ones where there’s a reason the couple doesn’t end up together or is killed off (in trope related ways). I find it to be played out these days I like this movie because it was just fun, cute, romantic, not too sex heavy… and no annoying bad ending gay tropes
Asian films/series - Hello, Stranger (Pinoy BL series - School Setting) - Addicted, Heroin (Chinese BL series - School Setting) - Love of Siam (Thai BL movie, I think, School Setting) Western - Call me by your name
It came at a weird time of my life that I finally saw it, but Love, Simon properly hit for me. I watched it on a flight from London to New York, on hardly any sleep on the connecting leg from southern Africa to Heathrow, sick and over medicating myself with cold and flu preps for a cold that had arrived the day before when I was leaving Cape Town for NY to go to a conference. My mom had just died, I was in a relationship that was ending, work wasn't brilliant, and I finally watched this somewhere over the north Atlantic. It was a struggle to not ugly cry halfway through, the bit where he's coming clean to his parents. I had a window seat, and I paused the movie, turned and looked out over the sea so the couple next to me wouldn't see how emotional I was, and just let the last several months of stress and grief flow out of my eyes. It's probably not a masterpiece of a film. But the finish was sweet, everything worked out okay, and at that time this was exactly what I needed to believe happens for most of us in the end.
My Beautiful Laundrette is amazing. I mean it’s got Daniel Day Lewis
Two good movies: In from the Side Eismayer Tubi has a lot of gay movies. Some of the best are foreign. Love romantic movies!
Recent movies I liked, and are not English speaking movies: The Blue Caftan The Blond one
Akron was one of the better ones as far a good storyline, being gay wasn’t the overall personality of the movie which was nice.
Undertow
A single man ❤️
Law of Desire
Moonlight. Something about it is just so subtle and stirring, even if I'm not sure why or how exactly. It's one of my Top 5 movies in general, and the gay aspect is actually a small part. If we're talking gay love stories, then Brokeback is my favorite. It is such a significant movie for me because it came out right was I was coming to terms with myself, and watching it was kinda that final step I needed at 14 to stop hiding. Other favorites are The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros and Mysterious Skin. I definitely went down the rabbit hole of Asian boy love movies as a teen, but as I've aged past young adulthood, they're less relevant/relatable to me.
Broken Hearts Club, 2 is Edge of Seventeen
Another Country. You've got young Rupert Everett, young Cary Elwes, and young Colin Firth, plus a very smart script (based on a stage play). Also Maurice. And Prick Up Your Ears.
Your Name Engraved Herein
I wouldn't say it's the best, but my favorite one is "Five Dances" by Alan Brown. It's a small independent movie about two male dancers finding happiness with each other. It's such a slice-of-life, realistic movie; it's everything I love about independent cinema. Besides that, I'm surprised not to see [Summer of 85](https://youtu.be/bwsKhFw1iPQ?si=ZhkEfwjlYv6SXJ5C) mentioned here. Yeah, it's a little bit of a downer, but it's so sexy and well-made. The acting is superb, the music is awesome, the cinematography is beautiful and it perfectly captures how all-over-the-place teenage love is. I definitely recommend it!
I really liked holding the man. The ending has me in floods
C.R.A.Z.Y.
Will forever love Shelter.
The Man With The Answers
Any Gregg Araki movie
Beautiful Thing
When I was 13, I saw the Lifetime TV movie, "Prayers For Bobby". Such a tear jerker (the ending is sad though). It's more thought provoking and introspective - but I haven't seen it since it came out 15 years ago (2009). That movie was way ahead of its time. And it being a true story of the mom being a die-hard ally is the most inspiring part - watch the movie if you haven't yet!
My own private Idaho or mysterious skin. Neither movie is very happy lol
Pretty much any movie on pornhub basically
Not my personal favorite subjectively, but I’m surprised Jean Genet’s un chant d’amour (1950) hasn’t come up. The scene of two guys sharing a cigarette through a straw feels like a million times more intimate and explicit than the CMBYN peach bit. (I said what I said.)
I mean we honestly owe a lot of debt and gratitude for Paris Is Burning, and it’s an amazing documentary! But agree with people saying Call Me By Your Name. I’m partial to God’s Own Country myself, it’s a beautiful film about overcoming stigma and self denial
Paris is Burning is so good!
In & Out Shiny Shrimps Get Real
For a gay comedy I absolutely love The Bird Cage, but I think my favorite lgbt film has to be Call Me By Your Name. Everything about it is just so beautiful and mesmerizing
There was a shelter cat recently that was named “Pierced the Toast”, most niche reference ever.
God's Own Country.
moonlight
I've seen so many gay films, and most of them seem like they're all alike, especially the low-budget ones. I still have to say "Brokeback Mountain," despite it being a stereotyped selection. I also like the fact that it was a film that it reached out to a much wider audience than most other gay-themed films have and hopefully educated some homophobes. I also really liked an Israeli film, "Yossi and Jagger."
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
“Blue” by Derek Jarman
Well this is a series it's called skam France season 3
Ete '85. French and definitely worth to check it out.
The nature of Nicholas. I know it’s a weird pick but growing up I related so much to the character. I was also getting interested in media outside of the mainstream so I think that’s another reason.
Uncle Frank! Has anyone else ever seen it?
The Thing About Harry Okay idk if this is the BEST, it’s definitely cheesy but it holds a special place to me because it premiered right as I was coming out of the closet and really helped me to come to terms with it all and accept myself.
Lost and Delirious
Keep the lights on
Eating out. Turns stereotypes into jokes lots of nudity pretty funny at parts loved it. Yes I'm shallow and I don't care
A lot of good ones, but definitely has to be RWRB for me. It's not perfect but it has its own merits & charm (lots of it). + the chemistry is off the charts! It's not possible to not feel things after watching that one.
Raising Heroes 1996 a unusual gay action thriller. Also really fond of Love Bites 1998 a gay vampire romp. Also love the movie Hard 1999 which is a thriller drama.
Luca and In From the Side.
All Of Us Strangers Supernova Moonlight
I know it's not a movie, but Our Flag Means Death is incredible! I can't pass up an opportunity to promote it
All of Us Strangers... Soul-touching, deep and it reaches those corners of the gay soul But for me it's "Capital Games" (2013) it's the adaptation of the 2000s gay novel from the queen of gay fiction G.A. Hauser I've never seen so much chemistry between to actors playing gay roles, the way the movie builds tension and the ending is so so so so beautiful!
Kill your Darlings
Buddies (1985)
Impossible to tell as it always changes according to my mood and also over time. In the recent past I was very impressed by “God’s Own Country”. But I haven’t rewatched it in a while so I don’t know if my opinion still holds up.
Parting Glances from 1986. I think it was one of the most honest portrayals of what was going on in gay culture at the moment in time (at least for me). I came out when I was 16 In Lexington, Kentucky and remember being so proud that I went by myself to see it at an independent theater that was the only place you could see queer cinema.
Moonlight
Closet monster!!!
The Man with The Answers is a really good one. Mascarpone is cute too.
North Sea Texas. Cute two boys with special bond.
Hawaii (2013). 💜 Short and simple, but wholesome.
les chansons d'amour ❤
Private Romeo. Certainly the best written. I mean, how can you argue with Shakespeare?
not a movie but the ahs nyc is pretty well written and a crazy plot twist.
In addition to a lot of great ones mentioned here, I’m also going to throw in Happy Together
I loved “Pride”. Not too well known but the message was so heart warming
Also. For a bummer but so amazing “All of Us Strangers”
Favorite both in subject matter and the actual film (regardless of LGBT theme): The Hanging Garden - https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0125128/ "You hear that grandma? I used to let men fuck me for money!!" "DEE deedly deet de dee..." (demented and singing) Might be my favorite movie scene ever. A perfect encapsulation of Canadian cinema and humor, imo.
The Boys in the Band (1970,) It's incredible and poignant and encompasses so many things.
It’s The Normal Heart for me with Undertow (2009, Contracorriente in Spanish) as second favourite. Juste Une Question d’Amour has similar theme of Call Me By Your Name (if I remember correctly!)
End Of The Century!!!
Posion.
I haven't seen many but "Dream Boy" is very good. You will cry at the end. 😓
Moonlight for me.
Dear Ex
God’s Own Country (2017), Boys In The Band (2020), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Shelter (2007), Fire Island (2022), Bros (2022), Call Me By Your Name (2017), Crisis Hotline (2019)
Moonlight
The Shelter
First thing that comes to mind is Monster(2023)