These are all available to stream right now.
LGBTQ+ movies were once a rarity in the entertainment industry. Over time, they’ve become more accessible than ever – you can even find a whole section dedicated to them on Netflix.
We’ve rounded up 25 of the best LGBTQ+ films that you can watch right now on UK Netflix, from the coming-of-age drama of Alex Strangelove, to the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, and the biographical drama I Am Michael.
We’ll be updating this list over time, so if you have any suggestions that you think are worthy of a spot, let us know!
Alex Strangelove (2018)
Cast: Daniel Doheny, Antonio Marziale, Madeline Weinstein, Daniel Zolghadri, Nik Dodani
This coming-of-age comedy-drama follows Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny), a high school senior who plans to lose his virginity to his girlfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein). His life is thrown upside down when he falls for a handsome gay teenager (Antonio Marziale) from the other side of town and discovers his ‘true authentic self’, as they say. It’s no Love, Simon, but it’s still a decent watch.
Beach Rats (2017)
Cast: Harris Dickinson, Madeleine Weinstein, Kate Hodge, Neal Huff, Nicole Flyus
British actor Harris Dickinson plays aimless youth Frankie, who struggles to escape his bleak home life as he navigates sexuality and balances friendships, a potential new girlfriend, and the older men he meets online. Eliza Hittman, who helmed the movie, won the award for Best Director in the US Dramatic Features category at Sundance.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar
In just a couple of years, Call Me By Your Name has become one of the most beloved gay films of all time. For all the criticism it’s faced – whether it’s the age gap, or the fact that it’s set in the 1980s and doesn’t address the AIDS crisis – the themes of first love, heartbreak, and the intense emotions queer young adults feel when becoming who they’re meant to be are relatable for everyone. And that final scene, as the credits roll, will leave you a wreck. It also kick-started Timotheé Chalamet’s already-illustrious career, and helped reprogram Armie Hammer from Hollywood leading man to indie film star, earning him multiple award nominations including Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Circus of Books (2020)
Cast: Karen Mason, Barry Mason, Rachel Mason, Jeff Stryker, Alaska Thunderfuck, Larry Flynt
Directed by Rachel Mason, Circus of Books tells the story of her conservative Jewish parents, Barry and Karen, who operated one of the most prolific gay porn empires in the United States for more than 30 years. The Masons specialised in X-rated videos, sex toys and literature. Due to the taboo surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and gay sex at the time, the Masons kept their professional lives a secret from their family and friends. The film also shows how the Masons dealt with their son coming out as gay and how their store provided the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles a space to socialise and celebrate themselves without judgement.
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)
Cast: Marsha P. Johnson, Victoria Cruz, Kurt Wolfe, Sue Yacka
This critically-acclaimed documentary follows American LGBTQ+ rights activist and retired domestic violence counselor, Victoria Cruz, as she investigates the death of Marsha P. Johnson, one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. A founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, Marsha devoted her life as an outspoken advocate for trans people of colour, and established STAR (Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries) alongside fellow activist Sylvia Rivera to help homeless transgender youth in New York City. In 1992, at the age of 46, Marsha was found dead in the Hudson river, which police ruled as a suicide. However, Marsha’s friends, including Sylvia, believe that she was murdered.
Duck Butter (2018)
Cast: Alia Shawkat, Laia Costa, Mae Whitman, Hong Chau, Kate Berlant, Lindsay Burdge, Kumail Nanjiani, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Jenny O’Hara
Arrested Development alum Alia Shawkat stars as Naima, an aspiring indie-film actress who forms a connection with aspiring musician called Sergio (Laia Costa) after meeting in a club. The two make a pact to spend 24 uninterrupted hours together, having sex on the hour, to try and create a new form of intimacy.
The Half Of It (2020)
The Half Of It – Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer – Photo Credit: Netflix / KC Bailey
Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexis Lemire, Collin Chou, Enrique Marciano, Catherine Curtin
Nancy Drew’s Leah Lewis stars as Ellie Chu, a shy and introverted Asian-American student who agrees to help the school jock (Daniel Diemer) woo his crush. Plot twist alert: Ellie likes her too. Netflix’s official synopsis states: “In the process, each teaches the other about the nature of love as they find connection in the most unlikely of places.” The Half Of It received widespread praise upon release and won the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.
Handsome Devil (2016)
Cast: Fionn O’Shea, Nicholas Galitzine, Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford, Michael McElhatton, Ruairi O’Connor
Handsome Devil tells the story of Ned (Fionn O’Shea), an ostracised teenager at an Irish, rugby-obsessed boarding school. He forms a close bond with new student and star rugby player, Conor (Nicholas Galitzine). Upon release, the film received universal acclaim, winning the award for Best Irish Feature of 2017 from the Dublin Film Critics’ Circle and four nominations at the 2018 Irish Film and Television Academy Awards.
The Happy Prince (2018)
Cast: Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, Anna Chancellor, Edwin Thomas
Rupert Everett stars in the stunningly bleak look at the oft-ignored final years of famed gay playwright Oscar Wilde. The film sees Oscar on a downward spiral following his conviction for “gross indecency” and his impoverished exile in Italy and France. The Happy Prince also explores Oscar’s doomed relationships with Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas (Colin Morgan) and Robbie Ross (Edwin Thomas), as well as his ex-wife Constance Lloyd (Emily Watson).
Holding the Man (2015)
Cast: Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Sarah Snook, Guy Pearce, Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Fox, Camilla Ah Kin
This tear-jerking drama brings Timothy Conigrave’s acclaimed 1995 memoir to the screen. It follows Timothy (Ryan Corr) and John (Craig Stott) who fall in love in 1970s Australia, and chronicles their beautiful – but heartbreaking – 15 year relationship. Like we said, it’s a tear-jerker, so make sure you’re stacked up on tissues.
I Am Michael (2015)
Cast: James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts, Charlie Carver, Avan Jogia, Devon Graye, Daryl Hannah
I Am Michael is a biographical drama of gay activist Michael Glatze (James Franco), who created a national controversy when he renounced his homosexuality and became an anti-gay Christian pastor, leaving his boyfriend (Zachary Quinto) and family behind in the process. Franco and Quinto deliver career-best performances in this 2015 biopic.
Ideal Home (2018)
Ideal Home
Cast: Paul Rudd, Steve Coogan, Jack Gore, Allison Pill, Jake McDorman, Jesse Luken, Eric Womack
Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan star as Paul Morgan and Erasmus Brumble, a gay couple whose life is turned inside out when Bill (Jack Gore), a 10-year-old boy, shows up at their house claiming to be Erasmums’ grandson. With nowhere else to go, the couple reluctantly take him and as you can guess, they come to love him. It’s sweet, give it a try.
Last Ferry (2019)
Cast: Ramon O. Torres, Myles Clohessy, Sheldon Best, Gabriel Slyer, R. Ward Duffy
Inspired by The Wailing and Stranger By The Lake, this mystery thriller follows Joseph (Roman O. Torres), a lawyer from Manhattan who embarks on a trip to Fire Island to let off some steam. There, he meets a stranger who subsequently drugs and robs him, before witnessing a murder that will change the events of his life as he knows it. Last Ferry was positively reviewed by critics and received a Jury Award for Best US Feature at the 2019 NCGLFF.
Let It Snow (2019)
Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush, Mitchell Hope, Kiernan Shipka, Joan Cusack, Liv Hewson, Anna Akana, Jacob Batalon, Matthew Noszka, D’Arcy Carden
Based on the best-selling book by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, Let It Snow follows a group of high school seniors whose friendships and love lives collide after a snowstorm hits their small town on Christmas Eve. The movie features a same-sex romance between two characters played by Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet) and YouTube star Anna Akana. Even better, both actors are queer in real life – Liv is non-binary and gay, while Anna is bisexual.
LOEV (2015)
Cast: Dhruv Ganesh, Shiv Pandit, Siddharth Menon, Rishabh J. Chaddha
Wall Street deal maker Jai (Shiv Pandit) and Mumbai-based music producer Sahil (Dhruv Ganesh) are two friends with a complicated past who set off to the Western Ghats for the weekend. The film chronicles their sexual – but complex – relationship. It received unanimous praise from critics for its depiction of same-sex relationships in India.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, John Gallagher Jr., Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, Marin Ireland
Based on Emily Danforth’s acclaimed novel of the same name, The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows a teenage girl (played by Chloë Grace Moretz) who is sent to a gay conversion camp by her aunt after she is caught kissing another girl. Last year, it won the Sundance Film Festival’s grand jury prize, beating out critically-lauded dramas such as Blindspotting and Monster.
My Days of Mercy (2017)
Cast: Ellen Page, Kate Mara, Amy Seimetz, Charlie Shotwell, Brian Geraghty, Elias Koteas, Beau Knapp, Tonya Pinkins,
Academy Award nominee Ellen Page stars as Lucy Moro, an anti-death penalty protestor who is fighting for the acquittal of her father Simon (Elias Koteas), who was convicted eight years prior for killing her mother. One day outside a demonstration, Lucy meets a lawyer called Mercy Bromage (Kate Mara), and despite their political disagreements, strike up a romance.
Other People (2016)
Cast: Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow, John Early, Zach Woods, Madisen Beaty, Josie Totah, June Squibb
A semi-autobiographical look at director Chris Kelly’s family, Other People focuses on David Mulcahey (Jesse Plemons), a 29-year-old gay man who moves back home to Sacramento to take care of his mother, Joanne, who is in the advanced stages of leiomyosarcoma (Molly Shannon). There, he faces the homophobia of his religious and ultra-conservative family while dealing with the inevitable death of his mother.
Papi Chulo (2018)
Cast: Matt Bomer, Alejandro Patino, Elena Campbell-Martinez, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Michael Shepperd, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Ryan Guzman, Shaughn Buchholz
Television weatherman Sean (Matt Bomer) drives past Ernesto, a Hispanic migrant worker, after finding him outside a hardware store looking for a work. Although the two have nothing in common, they develop an unexpected but profound friendship in this comedy-drama, that reflects on class and ethnicity in modern day Los Angeles.
Paris Is Burning (1990)
Starring: Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Venus Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Willi Ninja, Angie Xtravaganza, Sol Pendavis, Freddie Pendavis, Junior Labeija, Paris Dupree
This legendary 1990 documentary chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved. If you thought the queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race knew how to sashay down a runway, then you’re in for a treat…
The Perfection (2019)
Cast: Allison Williams, Logan Browning, Steven Weber, Alaina Huffman
Get Out star Allison Williams returns to the horror genre as the talent but troubled cellist, Charlotte, who travels to Shanghai to reconnect with her former mentor Anton (Steven Weber), who’s running a cello competition alongside his wife Paloma (Alaina Huffman). There, she meets another of Anton’s students Lizzie (Logan Browning), and the two quickly become friends. Shortly after their relationships turns sexual, Charlotte agrees to accompany Lizzie across rural China. Sounds lovely right? Nah, what follows is pure terror. If you’re squeamish, don’t watch. If you’re not, enjoy!
The Queen (1986)
Cast: Mother Flawless Sabrina, Rachel Harlow, Crystal Labeija
Frank Simon’s documentary explored the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest and its legendary mistress of ceremonies, Mother Flawless Sabrina (Jack Doroshow). The film follows the American LGBTQ+ activist and performer and her protege, Rachel Harlow, as she competes for the crown against Crystal Labeija, one of the most influential drag queens in history.
A Secret Love (2020)
Cast: Terry Donahue, Pat Henschel, Diana Bolan
A Secret Love is an emotional documentary that follows the 65-year-long secret relationship between baseball star Terry Donahue and her partner Pat Henschel, as well as the challenges they face coming out later in life. It recalls when Terry and Pat back met for the first time, through their professional lives in Chicago, coming out to their conservative families and deciding with whether or not to get married. “Facing the hardships of ageing and illness, their love proves resilient as they enter the home stretch.”
Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019)
Cast: Trixie Mattel, Katya, Bob the Drag Queen, Kennedy Davenport, BenDeLaCreme, Peppermint, RuPaul
Directed by Nick Zeig-Owens, Moving Parts chronicles Trixie Mattel’s sudden rise to fame and critically-acclaimed country music career after competing on the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. The documentary also provides an intimate look at Trixie’s friendship and working relationship with fellow Drag Race star Katya, and the struggles of performing and touring the world.
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, John Malkovich
Velvet Buzzsaw stars Academy Award nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal as a queer snobby art critic who starts to experience supernatural events in relation to a dead artist’s paintings. The film is directed by Dan Gilroy, who previously collaborated with Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo on the critically-acclaimed thriller film, Nightcrawler.
What Keeps You Alive (2018)
Cast: Hannah Emily Anderson, Brittany Allen, Martha MacIsaac, Joey Klein
Canadian film What Keeps You Alive follows married couple Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) and Jules (Brittany Allen) who visit a remote cabin in the woods to celebrate their one-year anniversary. There, Jackie discovers that her wife is harbouring a dark and murderous past, and her intentions of a cute queer weekend getaway were not entirely… pure.
The post 33 of the best LGBTQ+ films you can watch right now on Netflix appeared first on GAY TIMES.
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