On June 28, 1969 members of the NYPD attacked the LGBTQ patrons at the Stonewall Inn. Raids were common but that night the patrons fought back. The battle led to a riot that galvanized the struggling queer rights movement. 1995’s … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Stonewall (1995)

Three drag queens take a cross-country road trip. When their car breaks down in a small town, they befriend the local women. I disliked To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar when it premiered. I didn’t understand why the … Continue reading LGBT Movies: To Wong Foo (1995)

Megan follows the rules. She goes to church. She gets good grades. She’s a cheerleader. But her peers realize something she doesn’t. Megan is a lesbian. Her parents quickly ship her off to a conversion camp. There she’ll meet her … Continue reading LGBT Movies: But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)

Lee (Will Poulter) introduces his girlfriend Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to his brother Julius (Jacob Elordi). Julius recognizes a fellow queer person and tries to give advice. She panics and hastily accepts Lee’s proposal of marriage. It’s the 1950’s and Lee … Continue reading LGBT Movies: On Swift Horses (2024)

In Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet (1993) a surly gay New Yorker is pushed into a sham marriage by his Taiwanese parents. The first hour is a comedy about hypocrisy. Things take a dark turn in the third act. Roger … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Wedding Banquet (2025)

A Hollywood actress is outed as trans after her death. Her friends and lovers flash back to their time with her. Amateur actors and copious nudity branded Dinah East an exploitation picture. But it’s also a sympathetic look at closeted … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Dinah East (1970)

Owen and Maddy are depressed teens trapped in the suburbs. They bond over a TV show called The Pink Opaque. The series follows psychic girls battling horrifying monsters. Soon Maddy proposes an adventure of their own. Owen refuses. Without Maddy, … Continue reading LGBT Movies: I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

In 1993 Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his performance in Philadelphia. He thanked his gay drama teacher in his speech. A false rumor spread that he had outed him. Paul Rudnick used this as the premise for a comedy. … Continue reading LGBT Movies: In & Out (1997)

Anthony Mackie joined the Avengers in 2014. Ten years prior he starred in Brother to Brother. He plays a struggling artist who bonds with the poet Bruce Nugent (A gentle performance from Roger Robinson). Writer and director Rodney Evans has … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Brother to Brother (2004)

Oh dear. This one’s rough. A timid gay man survives a homophobic attack. He signs up for a brutal self-defense course. Comedian Judy Tenuta plays the foul-mouthed camp instructor. She beats and belittles her students to provoke their anger. Butch … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Butch Camp (1996)

People in the Summer Night (aka Ihmiset suviyössä) follows the members of a farming community. A mix of rich and poor, young lovers and old cynics. The storylines address class and sexuality with a frankness that would make the Hollywood … Continue reading LGBT Movies: People in the Summer Night (1948)

William Lee (Daniel Craig) is an American ex-pat living in Mexico City. He spends his time indulging in alcohol, heroin and hustlers. One day he spots Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a slim young lad, and becomes obsessed. Where Lee is … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Queer (2024)

Hallmark continues their commitment to queer representation with The Groomsmen: Second Chances. Jonathan Bennett plays Danny, a flaky baseball coach. He leaves his finances to Zack, his stuffy business manager (a charming Alexander Lincoln). When Zack gets engaged, Danny’s friends … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Groomsmen: Second Chances (2024)

Judas Kiss tells a queer sci fi tale. A failed film maker travels back in time to mentor (and bang) his younger self. Only he’s vaguely still in the present day. Sadly, J.T. Tepnapa’s movie wastes the premise with endless … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Judas Kiss (2011)

In 1992 Dirk Shafer was voted Playgirl magazine’s Man of the Year. He struggled to promote the company while hiding his homosexuality. Afterwards he produced a mockumentary about the experience, combining archival footage with comic re-enactments. We get insight into … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Man of the Year (1995)

I’ve often cited 1995’s Jeffrey as the first gay romcom. Queer men have long been comic figures on film, but Jeffrey fit the classic “boy meets boy” template. This weekend Letterboxd steered me towards Summer Kiss; an obscure short film … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Summer Kiss (1987)

Fathers get a bad rap in queer cinema. Fictional dads tend to antagonize, reject or straight up abuse their queer sons. Good dads are rare enough that a moment of compassion can bring an audience to tears. David Stevens’ 1990 … Continue reading LGBT Movies: The Sum of Us (1994)

A glamorous con woman (Ayako Wakao) manipulates a wealthy housewife (Kyôko Kishida). The affair is intense and surprisingly frank for the era. Then the con artist turns her attention to men and the film grows less interesting. Manji was adapted … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Manji (1964)