Best romantic gay movies
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As pointed out by Guy Lodge for The Guardian, Maurice is a film that is "undervalued in 1987 and underseen today," and deserves a much deeper appraisal than what is given.
10 The Way He Looks
This film by Daniel Ribeiro is based on his 2010 shortI Don’t Want to Go Back Alone which he had hoped would help fund a feature version.
Free Fall shows what it is like to live in a world where you are forced to make hard decisions because of the prejudice of others.
8 My Own Private Idaho
Loosely based on Shakespeare's plays, Gus Van Sant’s 1991 counterculture classic drama My Own Private Idaho is not just a poetic and bittersweet story of two gay street hustlers, Mike (River Phoenix) and Scott (Keanu Reeves), journeying from Portland, Oregon, to Idaho, and then to Rome in search of Mike's mother.
Long before Obergefell v. Whether you’re in search of a lesbian yearnfest, a meditative bi coming-of-age story, or a raunchy and surprisingly bloody comedy, we’ve got you covered, below.
Photo: Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
This is a real drama in the most classic, earnest sense — but excellent performances from Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Will Poulter help it to feel fresh.
Stream on Netflix.
Photo: Utopia/Courtesy Everett Collection
This tension-packed comedy was an immediate cult favorite.
Set in rural Northern Italy in 1983, it follows the beautiful love story of Elio Perlman, played by Timothée Chalamet, and Oliver. And personally, if I’m going to watch a bad movie, I’d prefer it to be at least a little bit gay.
WATCH ON AMAZON
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Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
While it does have an explicit rating because of some steamy sex scenes, this is mostly a romance about young love, embracing your identity, heartbreak and the power of art.
Amin’s odyssey to find a home is a complex heartbreaker that blends a pressing global issue with touching personal reflection. This one's adorable, whether or not you're a sports person.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
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Elisa & Marcela (2019)
In 1901, Elisa Sánchez Loriga dressed as a man so she could marry her lover, Marcela Gracia Ibeas.
But at home, Laure is treated as a tomboyish girl by her parents. Happy Together follows the story of a gay couple who attempt to navigate life in a foreign place, encountering the difficulties of feeling alienated in a community that does not resemble home (something many gay men, especially in Asia, may relate to).
This Hong Kong romantic drama directed by the great Wong Kar-wai, who also received the Best Director award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, is a definite winner as it takes a novel approach in terms of gay films, utilizing the director's signature romantic, woozy style.
4 Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is a film based on Annie Proulx's short story of the same name, and fundamentally changed the Hollywood landscape in regard to gay love stories.
Here are some of the most romantic gay films about men that deserve more acclamation.
12 Love, Simon
A modern love story that revolves around the teenager who is struggling to accept his own identity.Love, Simon is a film that simply makes the viewer feel good.
The moment their eyes meet one December day in a department store, they can’t keep away from each other. Amid the strife, there are moments of goofy levity, and the story is told with unwaveringly gorgeous cinematography.
Stream on Apple TV+.
Photo: Sony Pictures/ Courtesy Everett/©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett
This rom-com by Alice Wu deals with cultural clashes among multiple generations of a Chinese American family.
But that’s not why we’ve gathered here. It’s a fun time!
Stream on Hulu.
Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection
This British film traces the unlikely whirlwind romance between a drag queen and a corporate executive in London.
WATCH ON AMAZON
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A Secret Love (2020)
Older queer couples may especially love this love story between an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player and her lover that spans decades.
It’s silly as hell with flawless pacing and excellent comedic performances. Our hearts are already racing. Wilhelmina “Wil” Pang (Michelle Krusiec) is a young, talented surgeon on track to become chief of surgery at her hospital. But as a star vehicle, as a character study, it absolutely excels. Cay (Patricia Charbonneau) is a local woman who has a reputation about town.