A decent gay movie list
in no particular order. kind of getting into the gay movie scene this summer
some are lbt too
all of these are pretty good and worthwhile. tried doing a little summary/disclaimer on everything-not everything here is upbeat or ends well but for the most part all treat the gay characters with dignity instead of as expandable characters
if theres something that youve seen that you think belongs here, hit me up in the comments. i probably have seen it but theres a reason why i decided to omit it from this list
NONE of these movies end in suicide
some are lbt too
all of these are pretty good and worthwhile. tried doing a little summary/disclaimer on everything-not everything here is upbeat or ends well but for the most part all treat the gay characters with dignity instead of as expandable characters
if theres something that youve seen that you think belongs here, hit me up in the comments. i probably have seen it but theres a reason why i decided to omit it from this list
NONE of these movies end in suicide
List activity
6.6K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
48 titles
- DirectorMischa KampStarsGijs BlomKo ZandvlietJonas SmuldersA sexually awakening gay teen athlete finds himself in a budding relationship with his mutually attracted relay race teammate.some teenage sports players fall in love
very sweet, cute movie
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorJohn KrokidasStarsDaniel RadcliffeDane DeHaanMichael C. HallA murder in 1944 draws together the great poets of the beat generation: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs.set in the 1940s. poetry, homosexuality, and murder. pretty dece
kind of a dark watch
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorCéline SciammaStarsZoé HéranMalonn LévanaJeanne DissonA family moves into a new neighborhood, and a 10-year-old named Laure deliberately presents as a boy named Mikhael to the neighborhood children.young transgender boy discovers his identity by presenting as male after moving to a new neighbourhood
ending is really bad and f ucked up but overall its a good movie
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorJamie BabbitStarsNatasha LyonneClea DuVallMichelle WilliamsA naive teenager is sent to rehab camp when her straitlaced parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian."Straight girl" is sent to a gay to straight conversion camp, discovers her sexuality
Main pair is a lesbian couple
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorXavier DolanStarsAnne DorvalXavier DolanFrançois ArnaudA semi-autobiographical story about Hubert as a young homosexual at odds with his mother.Gay teenager and his abusive/complicated relationship with his mother
Mostly about him rather than the gay aspect of his life
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorJohn Cameron MitchellStarsJohn Cameron MitchellMiriam ShorStephen TraskA gender-queer punk-rock singer from East Berlin tours the U.S. with her band as she tells her life story and follows the former lover/band-mate who stole her songs.about a cool transgender woman who is a rock and roll musician, presented in a sort of a musical format
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorXavier DolanStarsMelvil PoupaudEmmanuel SchwartzSuzanne ClémentA drama that charts ten years in a transgender woman's relationship with her lover.a transgender woman and her coming out (set in the 80s), her wife, and her family
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorGregg ArakiStarsBrady CorbetJoseph Gordon-LevittElisabeth ShueTwo pre-adolescent boys both experienced a strange event and later it affects their lives in different ways. One becomes a reckless, sexually adventurous prostitute, while the other retreats into a reclusive fantasy of alien abduction.[Not a romantic film] about the victims of a pedophile and his impact on their lives
Main character is a gay hustler
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorAndrew HaighStarsTom CullenChris NewJonathan RaceAfter a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what's expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.Two guys hook up, have a connection, & talk about what it means to be gay in this world
Nice lighthearted watch
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorTodd HaynesStarsEwan McGregorJonathan Rhys MeyersChristian BaleIn 1984, British journalist Arthur Stuart investigates the career of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by hard-living and rebellious American singer Curt Wild.A mockumentry about a glam rockstar in the 70s and a writer trying to write an article about his disappearance, learning about his life along the way
my rating: 10/10 - DirectorBavo DefurneStarsBen Van den HeuvelEva van der GuchtThomas CoumansA teenage boy's search for love finds him fixated on a boy who lives nearby.coming of age story. the progression of a relationship between a young boy and his cool neighbor, and his relationship with the family
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorDonna DeitchStarsHelen ShaverPatricia CharbonneauAudra LindleyWhile waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed professor of literature is unexpectedly seduced by a carefree, spirited young lesbian.a divorced english teacher moves into the country and meets a girl. the two become close until she finds out her new friend is a lesbian- and she's in love with her
kind of a western cowboy feeling to the whole thing
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorDaniel RibeiroStarsGhilherme LoboFabio AudiTess AmorimLeonardo is a blind teenager searching for independence. His everyday life, the relationship with his best friend Giovana, and the way he sees the world change completely with the arrival of Gabriel.a teenage blind boy develops a close relationship with a new transfer student. the two develop feelings for each other
cute stuff
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorXavier DolanStarsXavier DolanMonia ChokriNiels SchneiderThe story of three close friends who are involved in a love-triangle.Not a romance movie - story of two friends infatuated with the same man and his impact on their friendship
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorSabine BernardiStarsRick OkonMax BefortLiv Lisa FriesA drama centered on the relationship between a two young men, as one of them navigates the difficulties of life as a transgender man.a stealth transgender man becomes attracted to a local gay guy
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorStian KristiansenStarsRolf Kristian LarsenArthur BerningIda Elise BrochA teenage boy loses his footing when he finds himself drawn to the new boy in class.a teenager wannabe rock musician becomes infatuated with a boy in his gym class
there is attempted suicide in this
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorGuy ShalemStarsAdam BerryLuke HumphreyA young man comes to terms with his sexuality and his hidden love for his best frienda series of vlog type videos cataloging the relationship between two men on a car trip
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorGus Van SantStarsRiver PhoenixKeanu ReevesJames RussoTwo best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way.not a romance film- two hustlers set off to find the mother of one of them
a real keeper film, ive watched this movie several times because it is a work of art
my rating: 10/10 - DirectorLisa CholodenkoStarsAnnette BeningJulianne MooreMark RuffaloTwo children conceived by artificial insemination bring their biological father into their non-traditional family life.a lesbian married couple lets their two children develop a relationship with their sperm donor (played by mark ruffalo), who becomes gradually more and more connected to their family
a really funny movie
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorJoseph GrahamStarsBenjamin BonenfantNick FrangioneArtem MishinA handsome young prostitute learns about life and love during a sex-filled odyssey in an apartment building filled with strange inhabitants.A hustler discovering his sexuality through the residents of an odd apartment
one of the better movies of the "smutty film" genre. although there are sex scenes there is in fact a plot and it isnt all just nonsense.
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorHettie MacdonaldStarsGlen BerryLinda HenryScott NealJamie is a shy teenager, often bullied at school. His neighbour Ste has a rough time at home, being beaten by his father and brother. This issues bring them together and they find that what they feel for each other is more than friendship.two neighbors become close after sharing a bed
really a funny and good natured movie. deals with serious issues like abuse, drug addiction, etc. but still manages to be a great movie with great characters
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorGregg ArakiStarsMike DytriCraig GilmoreMark FinchLuke is a gay hustler. Jon is a movie critic. Both are HIV positive. They go on a hedonistic, dangerous journey, their motto "Fuck the world".Set during the AIDS epidemic; two hiv positive men meet and begin a dangerous relationship. Although I don't like most movies about AIDS (there are more movies about Gay men dying than not) this one is pretty good.
my rating: 8/10 - StarsDan StevensTim McInnernyHayley AtwellA young man becomes attached to a family that's not his own, and casts himself into the life of plentiful riches and gay love affairs for which he seems destined.a gay man moves into a politicians manor and gets entangled and involved in all of the drama of the world of the upper class. kind of a period piece - set during the thatcher era
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorHilton LacerdaStarsMaria de Jesus BaccarelliJesuíta BarbosaAriclenes BarrosoThe romance between a 18-year-old soldier and the cultural ringleader of an anarchist cabaret.the relationship between a soldier and a performance artist
very artsy and political, interesting watch
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorAndré TéchinéStarsÉlodie BouchezGaël MorelStéphane RideauThe fates of two partners are divided.not really a "gay movie" but more so a story about 4 teenagers and their struggles. has a gay lead who becomes involved with one of the (possibly bisexual) leads
some conversations about feminism and marxism, sexuality etc etc etc
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorMehdi Ben AttiaStarsClaudia CardinaleAntonin Stahly ViswanadhanSalim KechioucheMalik has a lot on his plate when he returns home to Tunisia after living in France. He's processing his father's death, he can't come out to his mother, and his childhood anxieties have resurfaced. But all of Malik's problems seem to fade away when he falls for Bilal, the dreamy houseboy at his mother's bourgeois estate.deals with culture and homosexuality. mostly surrounds the relationship between an arab guy and his mother, and the passing of his father. his mother walks into him with a guy, and things become very tense between the two.
has possibly one of the 'happiest endings' ive seen in a gay movie
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorNils BökampStarsGeorge TaylorEric KlotzschMichal GrabowskiThree immature guys drive around a remote region of Germany, fooling around and taking photographs.a photographer, his friend, and a hitch hiker get into a sort of a triangle when on a road trip
ends well
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorAndrew NackmanStarsParker YoungEvan ToddChord OverstreetA car mechanic in a small, working class town comes out of the closet to his unsuspecting, blue-collar best friends.a rare genuinely funny watch about a dude who comes out to his buddies. kind of cliche, and not that great, but fairly good for a gay comedy (il take what i can get)
totally upbeat
my rating: 6/10 - DirectorÁdám CsásziStarsAndrás SütöÁdám VargaSebastian UrzendowskySzabolcs quits football against his father's will and returns to his country in Hungary to take charge of an inheritance from his grandfather. There, he meets Aron and they both explore their identities.a former soccer player moves into a rural town and hires a guy to fix his shanty house up. things get pretty complicated and heated between the two after a drunk handjob.
one of the better gay movies ive seen. however serious, serious warning for murder and major character death. theres also a lot of homophobia, so yeah keep in mind this isnt a happy watch
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorPaul OremlandStarsSteve BellDani BehrIan RoseA tough young boxer struggles to come out in England. Having travelled to London, from his smaller town, he meets and falls for a twenty-something music producer. But love doesn't come easy.a boxer gets involved with an edm artist who is heavily into the club scene
ends well
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorWilliam SullivanStarsSarah WhartonMark BergerNicole PursellThat's Not Us is an intimate portrait of three twenty-something couples as they travel to a beach house to enjoy the last days of summer. But what should be a fun and carefree weekend becomes an exploration of what it takes to sustain a healthy relationship and make love last in what is now being called the "gayest generation." Through each of the three couples - one gay, one lesbian, and one straight - That's Not Us explores sex and relationships with a fresh perspective, finding that while sexuality and gender may vary, the struggles to keep love alive do not.couples working out their issues. that's all it is. a very good movie just based off that, it is so rare for couples in movies to actually confront their issues and deal with them like adults
there is a lesbian couple, a straight couple, and a gay couple
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorStephen FrearsStarsSaeed JaffreyRoshan SethDaniel Day-LewisAn ambitious Pakistani Briton and his white boyfriend strive for success and hope when they open a glamorous laundromat.one of the BEST gay movies ive seen
an east asian guy gets involved with his uncle's business. as he becomes more successful, he eventually finds out what he wants to do with his life- open a really classy launderette. he hires a former friend of his to help him with this. of course things get very tender between the two
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorCory KrueckebergStarsTanner CohenMatthew CampRamon O. TorresA shy but smitten college boy pursues a NY go-go boy through the pretext of making a documentary film about him, with the guys knowing each other only as "Doc" and "Go."pretty okay. some really interesting techniques being used - successfully makes a series of vlogs into a movie without it managing to be dumb
guy who likes masturbating to a particular guy's photo on the internet drunkenly gets the idea of contacting him under the pretense of making a documentary on go go dancers. the guy actually does respond, and as the 'documentary' goes on they actually develop a connection
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorEric SchaefferStarsMichael WelchMichelle HendleyAlexandra TurshenBoy Meets Girl is a funny, tender, sex positive romantic comedy that explores what it means to be a real man or woman, and how important it is to live a courageous life not letting fear stand in the way of going after your dreams.a transgender girl becomes romantically involved with the engaged daughter of a politician, to the bewilderment of her longtime best friend
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsJavier CámaraPepa CharroCecilia RothWhen it appears as though the end is in sight, the pilots, flight crew, and passengers of a plane heading to Mexico City look to forget the anguish of the moment and face the greatest danger, which we carry within ourselves.i would not label this as a lgbt movie but it is excellent for lgbt audiences (a massive amount of gay characters)
a woman who says she has physic abilities comes into the cockpit of a plane and starts freaking out because she can sense something bad is going to happen. then as it turns out theres an issue with the landing gear. so they have to run this plane in circles until they find a place to emergency land it. the flight attendants booze and drug everyone up to keep them from overreacting and weird stuff begins to happen
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorKerstin KarlhuberStarsMichael GrantTom WopatGregory HarrisonA young man returns to his family farm, after a long stay in ex-gay conversion therapy, and is torn between the expectations of his emotionally distant father, and the memories of a past, loving relationship he has tried to bury.explores the effect of gay conversion therapy on a guy
one of the few movies that deal with this subject that doesnt have a tragic/cruel ending for the gay man. dull at times, but it just is nice to have a Christianity themed gay movie that doesnt end up in disaster
my rating: 5/10 - DirectorSean BakerStarsKitana Kiki RodriguezMya TaylorKarren KaragulianA hooker tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.follows two characters: a transgender woman who is informed by her best friend that her fiance has been cheating on her with fish, and a (married with children, Armenian) taxi driver who solicits local transgender women for (paid) sex
the subject material is serious but it is for the most part a funny movie with a lot of action
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsMatthew McConaugheyJennifer GarnerJared LetoIn 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.the real story of the "Dallas Buying Club". a hetrosexual and bigoted electrician finds out he has aids. he is given AZT - an experimental drug that doctors at the time were convinced was helping patients. after visiting an mexican doctor, he finds out that these drugs were doing more harm to him than help. he imports a combination of FDA-unapproved medicine into the US and begins selling it to other AIDS affected individuals.
i know that the movie is a relatively controversial one because they cast jered leto (a man) as rayon (a transgender woman). i dont necessarily agree with this casting either. the reason i recommend this movie is because i personally learned a lot about the AIDS situation in dallas, especially about AZT.
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorIra SachsStarsJohn LithgowAlfred MolinaMarisa TomeiAfter Ben and George get married, George is fired from his teaching post, forcing them to stay with friends separately while they sell their place and look for cheaper housing -- a situation that weighs heavily on all involved.after two older men get married, one of them loses his job of 12 years due to it being in a christian workplace. this causes them to be temporarily homeless as they look for a new more affordable place to live. one moves in with a local friend and the other with his nephew and his wife and kid
a generally upbeat movie. very few movies exist about older couples like this
my rating: 6/10 - DirectorTom TykwerStarsSophie RoisSebastian SchipperDevid StriesowA Berlin-set drama centered on a 40-something couple who, separately, fall in love with the same man.NOT a overly sexualized threesome movie. actually a very complex and fascinating story, funny at times too. a married couple ends up unknowingly cheating on each other with the same man, who they meet in different circumstances. it also deals with some complex issues like cancer and family death. all the characters are extremely human
don't jump to conclusions about this movie.. it is really good
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorGus Van SantStarsTim StreeterDoug CooeyateRay MongeA story of amour fou. Walt is madly in love/lust with a young illegal Mexican immigrant. However, the object of his unrequited affection doesn't even speak any English and finds Walt really strange and undesirable.focuses on a gay shop clerk who becomes totally obsessed with a local straight boy. the boy in question is an illegal mexican immigrant, who lives in portland along with his best friend, roberto.
deals with themes of racism, racial tensions and police brutality. has kind of a cool low budget arthouse black and white film vibe to the whole thing. is one of gus van sant (one of my favorite directors/producers) first films ever.
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorNicolo DonatoStarsThure LindhardtDavid DencikNicolas BroFormer Danish servicemen Lars and Jimmy are thrown together while training in a neo-Nazi group. Moving from hostility through to friendship and finally passion, events take a darker turn when it's discovered.if you are looking for something slightly gritty and also gay, but also slightly brutal, this movie does exist, and yeah, it is pretty good for what it is (a movie about gay neo nazi skinheads). let me also preface this with the fact that i am jewish and i still enjoyed this movie (just so you know. it is not pro nazi - it shows the destruction of nazism on two mens lives)
the story of lars, a former army sergeant who ends up joining a neo nazi group/cult to rebel against his highly political mother, after being recruited. after being kicked out of his mothers home, he ends up living with jimmy, a skinhead and member of the nazi brotherhood. eventually the two begin a heated sexual, then romantic, relationship. this leads to difficulties later on, given the fact that they are part of a neonazi cult
i feel like this doesnt even need to be said but as expected in a movie about nazis there is a great deal of homophobia, racism, and violence in it. the ending is ambiguous but it could also be interpreted as a character death.
my rating: 7/10 - DirectorMatthew WarchusStarsBill NighyImelda StauntonDominic WestU.K. gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.the real life story of how lgsm (lesbians and gays support the miners) came into fruition. set during the thatcher area, during the UK miners strike of 1984-85. a really empowering story of solidarity between minorities
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorAng LeeStarsJake GyllenhaalHeath LedgerMichelle WilliamsEnnis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.i mean its brokeback mountain. one of the most well known gay movies ever. if you havent seen it, give it a chance. it took me a long time to watch brokeback because i thought it was a "gay movie for straight people" or something equally ridiculous. its actually a genuinely touching and heart breaking of two guys developing a connection in the homophobic and conservative south.
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorStephen DunnStarsAaron AbramsJack FultonJoanne KellyA creative and driven teenager is desperate to escape his hometown and the haunting memories of his turbulent childhood.story of oscar, a 18 year old highschooler living in newfoundland. his parents are divorced, and his relationship with them, especially his father, is complicated and difficult. he begins struggling with his sexuality after developing an attraction to his (hot) french canadian coworker.
theres a talking hamster too which is pretty cool
this movie is not a upbeat one, and deals with subjects like childhood trauma, homophobia, depression, abuse, and has a raw, emotional, artsy way of portraying them. cried several times during the movie; it resonated deeply with me. hit too hard to home.
my rating: 9/10 - StarsBrian Jordan AlvarezStephanie KoenigJon EbelingA wondrous story of the complexities of relationships, friendly and romantic that blurs the lines of expected tropes through random comedy and realistic, interconnected interactions.pretty funny webseries about actors in L.A and their weird relationships with each other. good watch. on youtube!
my rating: 8/10 - DirectorBarry JenkinsStarsMahershala AliNaomie HarrisTrevante RhodesA young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.the progression of the life of a kid & how his race, his drug abusing mother, his relationships with others, and his sexuality affects his life and influences his growth. incredible movie.
my rating: 9/10 - DirectorBeeban KidronStarsWesley SnipesPatrick SwayzeJohn LeguizamoThree drag queens travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town.