Life
How many movies can you name off the top of your head that feature gay romances? If you aren't familiar with many, you're probably missing out. There are so many movies with same sex couples that have gotten rave reviews, if not quite as much attention as they deserve, that are well worth a watch. With Pride Month now underway, it's a perfect time to fire one up in celebration of the LGBTQ community.
There's a little bit of everything on this list — rom coms, drama, crime trillers, even supernatural and horror movies. There are blockbusters that racked up awards, indie films, and foreign films that you'll have to turn on your captions to understand. But they all spotlight gay relationships, which don't get nearly enough representation in movies. The number of gay characters in film has seesawed a bit in recent years, according to the most recent statistics from GLAAD, an advocacy and watchdog group that promotes LGBTQ acceptance. The group examined 109 major studio releases in 2017, and found that just 14 featured LGBTQ characters, the majority of which were gay men. That was a drop from 70 characters in 2016, and 47 in 2015.
These 14 movies buck that trend, so whether you're checking them out for the first time or rewatching a favorite, you'll want to hit play tonight.
1
The Birdcage
It doesn't get much funnier than The Birdcage. The flick stars the late great Robin Williams and the hilarious Nathan Lane as two gay dads meeting their future daughter-in-law's conservative parents for the first time.
2
Brokeback Mountain
Keep your tissues handy for this acclaimed drama starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two cowboys who fall in love while herding sheep in '60s Wyoming.
3
Blue Is The Warmest Color
Blue is the Warmest Color follows a teen girl exploring her sexuality with an intriguing new friend. You'll need to watch with subtitles on, unless you happen to speak French.
4
Imagine Me & You
This sweet rom-com explores what happens when a new bride falls in love with another woman at her wedding. Imagine Me & You stars Lena Headey (AKA Cersei Lannister) and Piper Perabo.
5
Love, Simon
Love, Simon was a hit book before it became a hit movie. It tells the tale of a closeted high-schooler who's trying to find love while dealing with someone threatening to expose his secret.
6
Moonlight
Moonlight is a coming of age story about a young black boy growing up gay in Miami. The acclaimed movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2017, as noted by the L.A. Times, and as you may remember, there was a slight hiccup at the ceremony.
7
Bound
Two women plot to rob gangster in Bound. IMDB noted that the film was directed and written by the Wachowskis, the transgender siblings who also wrote and directed The Matrix.
8
Kissing Jessica Stein
A woman searching for love in Manhattan tests out a same sex relationship in Kissing Jessica Stein. Jennifer Westfeldt wrote and stars in the movie.
9
Jack And Diane
Out magazine playfully describes Jack and Diane as "lesbian Twilight." Juno Temple and Riley Keough star as the title couple.
10
But I'm A Cheerleader
The dark comedy But I'm A Cheerleader centers on a high-schooler who's sent to a gay conversion camp after her parents begin to suspect she's a lesbian. Natasha Lyonne stars.
11
The Kids Are All Right
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as lesbian moms who are thrown for a loop when their children begin searching for their sperm donor dad in The Kids Are All Right. The film was nominated for Best Picture at 2011 Academy Awards, according to IMDB.
12
Thelma
A repressed teen unleashes supernatural powers when she falls in love with a girl. Thelma is in Norwegian with English subtitles.
13
Carol
Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett star in this drama about a young photographer who falls in love with a much older woman in '50s New York. Carol is based on a novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith.
14
Bessie
Queen Latifah stars as famed jazz singer Bessie Smith in this biopic. Bessie details the same-sex relationships the songstress had throughout her legendary career, plus her marriage to a man.
15
Call Me By Your Name
A passionate affair unfolds between a gay teen and an older man in '80s Italy in Call Me By Your Name. Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet star.
