T he last few years have ushered in a new era for LGBT+ movies. From bawdy comedies like Bottoms to complex, sensitive dramas like the Oscar-winning Moonlight , the queer narrative is – finally – becoming more diverse. So whether you’re in desperate need of escaping the humdrum confines of your virtuous existence with a dark and twisted thriller ( The Handmaiden ) or simply looking for a good, emotionally charged drama to remind yourself you’re alive ( Passages ), we’ve got you covered.
Here we take a look back through the last two-and-a-bit decades to provide you with 21 of the best LGBT+ movies to watch this Pride. But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) An outrageous comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader deconstructs gender norms and brilliantly satirizes the absurdity of conversion therapy. This cult classic, from queer filmmaker Jamie Babbit, is about a cheerleader named Megan ( played by a young Natasha Lyonne ), who appears to be the typical American teen.
But when her parents decide she’s gay, they send her off to a boot camp meant to alter her sexuality. There, she meets a defiant and unabashed teen lesbian, Graham (portrayed by queer icon Clea DuVall ), with whom she ironically falls in love. RuPaul, Michelle Williams and Melanie Lynskey round out this star-studded cast.
Inga Parkel Saving Face (2004) Alice Wu’s directorial debut, Saving Face , is a heartwarming romcom about Chinese-American surgeon Wil (Michelle Krusiec), who keeps her relationship with her boss’s.