LGBTQ+ movies are here! Queer communities around the world celebrate Pride month in June. It commemorates the memory of the Stonewall uprising in this very month almost seven decades back. Every year, participants come out on the streets and participate in events like dances, memorials, performances, and many such fun activities. As lovers of affecting cinema, we can do our part by bringing you this list of some great LGBTQ+ movies about the community that you can watch. These LGBTQ+ movies celebrate the idea that love knows no bounds and can be found in the place you least expect if you are open to it.
Binge-Worthy LGBTQ+ Movies that Should be on Your Radar
We have carefully selected LGBTQ+ movies from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. Over the last twenty-odd years, these movies span when the expression of queerness has found a bolder form and kinder takers. So enjoy the list and share it with your friends!
Carol (2015)
Carol is a heartbreaking story about a cursed lesbian romance set in a time when such relationships were prohibited and scandalous. Todd Haynes uses an uncomfortable and affecting quietness to portray the longing of two lonely souls while allowing shimmering scenery, exchanges of thoughtful stares, subconscious cigarette smoking, and a brief moment of togetherness to seduce you into falling in love with such sad and emotionally unhappy creatures. Theresa is a silent spectator, perceptive with the camera, and has been given the more passive role in their chemistry and is longing for a change in her life. However, she is generally agreeable to everything. It is then that Carol appears in her life.
The film is terrific if you can get over the heartbreak and emotional fatigue by the end. With careful direction, Todd Haynes has masterfully constructed this drama. He masterfully employs close-ups to move beyond physicality to an emotional climax. Haynes goes to great lengths to make the 1950s feel authentic, and he synchronizes the technical crew like a magician. The beautiful score by Carter Burwell also has a lasting impact.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
‘Call Me By Your Name (2017),’ based on the book of the same name, is a fascinating film that chronicles the life of a teenage kid named ‘Elio.’ His sexuality, love, and what lies beyond his present circumstance are all explored in the film. Parented by well-read and liberal parents, he is a voracious reader, clever, and performs excellent music. Still, his tremendous self-doubts, mixed with the fear of denial, afflict him and prevent him from expressing what he feels within. He can imagine a thousand ways about something but lacks the confidence to do or voice it aloud.
He finds himself drawn to Oliver, an international student from the US who is slightly older than him. Hence begins a severe affair, starting from coyish courtship, a passionate longing for each other, and the inevitable heartbreak. Every frame in Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name” is filled with comfort, elegance, and a wonderful sense of loss. Which just makes us want to spend even more time with this sensually idealized group of males. It allows a fairytale kind of romance – a place where everything seems possible – and it is a love tale that has the one thing that every love story should include: self-growth. This is a true accomplishment.
Moonlight (2016)
The narrative revolving around Chiron, a delicate, confused black kid, flourishes in Barry Jenkins’ emotional drama. In a thrilling three-part trip, he finds his sexual identity. Jenkins aims to transform opposing notions of manhood in cultural discourse rather than merely crafting a film about self-discovery. Jenkins portrays Chiron’s life path as foreshadowing the hardships and struggles of the African American community in the times, which is not entirely exclusive to black males and conveys a much larger feeling. Economic, social, and individual perspectives come alive in ‘Moonlight‘. He continues to freely allow viewers to contribute to the characters and their struggles through different experiences.
Thematically, ‘Moonlight‘ is a gamut of different things that are not too unrelated. As a result, Chiron experiences various problems as he progresses through his life. Jenkins’ scope is broad, and he presents a summary of life in his shoes back then. The topics span from early adolescent conformity through his resistance to being a product of his surroundings to the probing needle of masculinity in maturity. Little’s transformation into Black is shown as a process devoid of sympathy and humanity. Jenkins’ protagonist gradually loses all avenues of love in his life, being scolded in every attempt. It is a relatable film for young boys confused with their sexual identity.
Happy Together (1997)
Wong Kar-Wai is a revered filmmaker. His aesthetic heritage continues into the 21st century as one of the most precious in the business. His films are often plotless and focus on a fantastical colliding of his protagonists’ worlds. ‘Happy Together’ is an essential milestone in his career. It marked a win at the Cannes Festival and also gained a wider acceptance for its symbolic portrayal of the political tensions of the time between England and Hong Kong. His shooting technique in this film is especially peculiar because it gives you no breathing space. When you see the movie, it is up in your face, trying to intrude on your emotional state.
The two men’s romantic entanglement is not presented as a product of their culture but as a product of their feelings and instinct. This ensures that the exploration of their relationship is at par with that of a “normal” man-woman relationship and not through a lens of distinguishment. It is a fantastic film to watch this month to celebrate queerness.
God’s Own Country (2017)
For suitors of ‘Brokeback,’ ‘God’s Own Country’ presents a similar story against an equally picturesque backdrop. The minor changes include ethnicity and nationality, whereas the major include the bluntness of the storytelling. It is an emboldening film that gives you a more courageous uplift than ‘Brokeback,’ which leaves us with a disappointed heart. There are no doubts about how impressive the acting in the film is. The two leads are almost inseparable when it comes to quality and impact. It is a more enjoyable movie than the other picks on the list because of how positive the outcome is for the leads.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
An unresolved love story infused with melancholy and philosophizing by Ang Lee makes for one of the most beautiful cinematic experiences of this century. For actors reluctant to portray homosexual characters on screen, this film broke stereotypes when it was first released. Gyllenhaal, who plays Jack Twist in the film, remarked in an interview about his character. “Back then, no one wanted to play a gay character on screen. Now, everyone wants to do it”. As the plot unfolds, two cowboys hired to herd sheep in the summer-fall in love. Still, they cannot pursue a relationship because of narrow-minded social mores around their sexuality and gender identity. On several occasions, he tries contacting Ennis but his attempts are rebuffed.
Neither of these characters is closed-minded nor at peace with themselves. People with passion are fearless when faced with challenges and full of passion for the things they love to do. By contrast, Ennis is the exact opposite. Although he reciprocates Twist’s feelings, he cannot break free of his hardened beliefs. The performance of Heath Ledger as the tacit Ennis, squarely caught between his traditional upbringing and his fear-mongering upbringing, is remarkable.
When faced with the harsh realities of their lives, they hesitate and resort to violence. The mask of suppressed identities with a tough exterior is complete, with these individuals acting out and isolating themselves.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
This French drama is one of the truly great films of our times. It is bound to be remembered as a classic that defined queer filmmaking several years later. Celine Sciamma takes us back to the 18th century when painting commissions were still a thing. There are excesses of aristocracy and a reclusive island setting in ‘Bettany.’ Heloise is engulfed in the trappings of her extravagant lifestyle. The pressure of marriage and extending her family name obscures her homosexual desires. But when Marianne, a painter, walks into her life, she acts on her instincts for the first time.
The experience of watching Sciammas harrowing narration is hard to shrug off. The film is intense, passionate, and seldom falls into the trap of traditions. It is refreshing to see such daring innovations in filming when the new-age directors are too afraid to experiment. Sciamma allows her two protagonists to explore and discover their characters with her liberal approach. As a member of the LGBTQ community, you will find ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ irresistible.
More LGBTQ+ Movies to Watch This June
This wraps up our list of the LGBTQ+ movies we want you to watch this month. There are plenty more offerings on the subject but we feel for strong reasons, these picks are the ones to go with now. If you liked our article, we urge you to have a look at some of our other recommendations that take care of your watch list. Here they are below: