Contents:
- THE GAYT MOVI THAT AREN’T ACTUALLY GAY, OM ‘BARBIE’ AND ‘BURLQUE’ TO ‘VENOM’ AND ‘ROAD HOE’
- 10 STREAMG LGBT MOVI THAT AREN’T ABOUT COMG OUTJUNE IS PRI MONTH, WHICH MEANS ’S A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A EPER DIVE TO STREAMG SERVIC SEARCH OF FILMS THAT SHOW A BREADTH OF LGBT EXPERIENCE.BY RICHARD LAWSONJUNE 9, 2020FROM THE EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBEE THE REALIZATN OF SELF, AND THE TAC OR DIRECT ASSERTN OF THAT SELF, IS A FOUNDATNAL PART OF LGBT PEOPLE’S INTY, THAT PROCS BEEN RTAGED AND REIMAGED MANY TIM LGBT CEMA. (EVEN REAL LIFE, MY EXPERIENCE, ’S HARD TO GET THROUGH A FIRST DATE WHOUT EVENTUALLY ARRIVG AT EACH OTHER’S G-OUT STORI.) AND WHILE SO MANY G-OUT FILMS ARE VAL—THE TENTATIVE REACHG OF MOONLIGHT, THE FULL-THROATED EMBRAC OF CAROL—THE SHEER AMOUNT OF THEM PIL UP TO MAKE AN IMBALANCED KD OF PORTRAURE. IT’S AWFULLY RARE THAT WE GET TO SEE, ON FILM, THE LIFE THAT LI PAST THOSE FIRST FORAYS.WHICH IS WHY, HONOR OF PRI MONTH BUT REALLY ANY FOR ANY TIME, I’VE PILED THIS LIST OF 10 LGBT MOVI, ALL AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON VAR SUBSCRIPTN SERVIC, THAT AREN’T ABOUT G OUT OR FIRST ENUNTERS. THE CHARACTERS (MOST OF—MORE ON THAT “MOST” LATER) THE FILMS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE EARLY CCIBL, AND ARE NOW NTENDG WH DIFFERENT CHALLENG, CURSI, AND PASSNS.BSIE (2015, HBO MAX)THIS HBO ORIGAL MOVIE FOLLOWS MUCH OF THE NVENTNAL MIC BPIC PATTERN—THE RISE, THE DISILLNMENT AND SELF-STCTN, THE TRAGIC FALL. BUT TELLG THE LIFE STORY OF LEGENDARY BLU SGER BSIE SMH, DIRECTOR DEE RE IS ABLE TO SUBVERT SOME CLICHé. THAT’S MOSTLY BEE SMH WAS, BY MOST ACUNTS, UNAPOLOGETILLY BISEXUAL, A EE SPIR WHO HAPPILY, UNABASHEDLY ROED WH WOMEN AND MEN ALIKE—WHICH SEEMS ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE ANACHRONISM OM OUR RATHER NARROW NTEMPORARY UNRSTANDG OF THE QUEER PAST. ANIMATG SMH’S VIVAC, SOMETIM BATIVE JOIE VIVRE IS QUEEN LATIFAH, TAKG A RARE LEAD ROLE AND HOLDG THE FILM TOGETHER WH FIRE AND QUIET GRACE. BSIE’S MIL NUMBERS ARE BIG AND BRASSY, SUNG POWERFULLY BY LATIFAH AND, AT LEAST ONCE SCENE, MO’NIQUE. WHEN BSIE ISN’T BRGG THE HOE DOWN ON STAGE, LATIFAH KEENLY ILLTRAT THE TENSN OF HER BEG, HER GUARDNS AND HER SENSIVY, HER EP PSYCHIC WOUNDS AND HER FORTHRIGHT METTLE. YOU LEAVE THE MOVIE WISHG LATIFAH WOULD STAR A LOT MORE MOVI, AND HOPG THAT THERE WILL BE MORE PLITED STUDI OF IMPORTANT CULTURAL FIGUR WHOSE LEGACI ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY WHE, STRAIGHT AMERIN RERD KEEPG.POWERED BYJTWATCHBPM (2017, HULU)SADLY, MANY QUEER MOVI THAT AREN’T ABOUT G OUT ARE ABOUT AIDS—ANOTHER FG EXPERIENCE FOR SEVERAL GENERATNS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. SOME OF THOSE MOVI ARE SHARP AND URGENT; OTHERS ARE MORE SOFTLY SENTIMENTAL. WHAT ROB CAMPILLO’S BRILLIANT DOCUDRAMA DO IS FTLY FE THE TWO TOGETHER, THE BROAR POLIL ANGER AND THE RAGGED PERSONAL ACUNTG. THE FILM FOLLOWS A GROUP OF YOUNG ACTIVISTS EARLY 1990S PARIS AS THEY GRIEVE AND PROTT, GETTG TO GRANULAR POLICY SPECIFICS WHOUT FETTG THE THUMPG HUMANY DRIVG S CRI R. BPM DAR TO BE AS SEXY AS IS VASTATG, AS LILTG AND FUNNY AS IS FUR. ARND VALOIS AND THE TENAC NAHUEL PéREZ BISYART ARE THE FLEDGLG UPLE AT THE CENTER OF THE FILM, A SWEET AND SENSIVELY REALIZED RELATNSHIP UGHT THE TUMULT OF AWFUL TIM. BUT THE FILM’S SURVEY ALSO CLUS LOTS OF OTHER CHARACTERS, BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN SPIRED BY PEOPLE CAMPILLO KNEW HIS OWN ACT UP DAYS. (ONE SUPPORTG CHARACTER IS PLAYED BY ADèLE HAENEL, ALSO A STAR OF THE EXQUISE PORTRA OF A LADY ON FIRE—WHICH DON’T QUE F THE PARAMETERS OF THIS LIST, BUT IS STUNNG AND ALSO STREAMG ON HULU.) THE SPIR OF AMERIN GAY ACTIVIST LARRY KRAMER, WHO RECENTLY DIED, PRIS OVER THE FILM, BUT BPM IS NOT MERELY A FRENCH VERSN OF KRAMER’S THE NORMAL HEART. (A MOVG FILM VERSN OF THAT PLAY, DIRECTED BY RYAN MURPHY, IS AVAILABLE ON HBO MAX.) CAMPILLO ADDS A PALPABLE TEXTURE THAT IS DISTCTLY HIS, REMEMBERG HIS DAYS AT WAR AS A FEVERED DANCE THROUGH THE DARK. IN ALL S LAMENT AND CELEBRATN, BPM IS ONE OF THE MOST HOLISTILLY NOURISHG FILMS ABOUT THE AIDS CRISIS THE GAY MUNY. IT’S A GUI TO RADIL CIVIC ACTN AND A TRAGIC LOVE STORY ALL BOUND TO ONE SUO, MMERIZG MOVIE.POWERED BYJTWATCHCAN YOU EVER FIVE ME? (2018, HULU)AS AIDS RAVAGED NEW YORK CY THE EARLY 1990S, THERE WAS ALSO THE WEARY STORY OF LEE ISRAEL—A CELEBRY BGRAPHER WH A GIMLET W WHO, HAVG FOUND HERSELF ON HARD TIM, BEGAN FG LETTERS OM FAMO WRERS AND SELLG THEM ON THE LLECTORS’ MARKET. AT FIRST GLANCE, THE FACT THAT ISRAEL AND HER NE’ER-DO-WELL ASSISTANT AND DRKG BUDDY JACK HOCK WERE BOTH GAY SEEMS CINTAL TO THE STORY. BUT DIRECTOR MARIELLE HELLER’S HANDS (THE SCREENPLAY IS BY JEFF WHTY AND NILE HOLOFCENER), CAN YOU EVER FIVE ME? FDS A GENTLE ALLEGORY BETWEEN ISRAEL’S STGGL AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HER. THE FILM IS A LOVELY AND MOURNFUL PICTN OF A TIME AND PLACE WHEN TWO GAY PEOPLE PAST THE PRIME OF THEIR LIV HAVE BEGUN TO SENSE THAT THEIR HEYDAY HAS SUDNLY, TERRIBLY END. THE FE TAILS OF THAT BTER REALIZATN ARE REFULLY SSED OUT BY A NEVER-BETTER MELISSA MCCARTHY AND A WOEFULLY DASHG RICHARD E. GRANT. BOTH WERE NOMATED FOR OSRS, AS WAS THE SCREENPLAY, BUT HELLER’S WORK AND THE FILM AS A WHOLE WENT UNREGNIZED BY THE AMY. PERHAPS THE FILM ULTIMATELY SEEMED TOO SMALL FOR THAT VOTG BODY; A SHAME, BEE THE STORY ’S TELLG IS, OM AT LEAST ONE ANGLE, ACTUALLY PRETTY BIG.POWERED BYJTWATCHCONCSN (2013, NETFLIX)GAY MEN ARE SERVED PLENTY OF TILLATN ON FILM, OM THE ROUGH GO THE MUD OF GOD’S OWN COUNTRY TO THE SLEAZY, EMBARRASSG EATG OUT MOVI (A SERI OF GAY AMERIN PIE–QUE MOVI THAT MOST GAY MEN THEIR 30S WON’T PUBLICLY ADM TO HAVG WATCHED). BUT LBIANS ARE NOT OFTEN GRANTED THAT KD OF LURID EXCEMENT ON FILM, WHICH IS PARTLY WHY STACIE PASSON’S FILM IS NOTABLE; DULG SLIGHTLY TRANSGRSIVE LBIAN SEXUAL FANTASY WH A PLETE LACK OF A MALE GAZE. IT’S ALSO A WORTHY WATCH BEE OF S STAR: THE GREAT ROB WEIGERT, SO OFTEN A SUPPORTG PLAYER (AND ALSO OFTEN ST AS DOWDY), HERE TAK THE LEAD AS A SOULFUL-HOT MARRIED WOMAN WHO, UNBEKNOWNST TO HER WIFE, TAK UP A SECRET REER AS A SEX WORKER AND DISVERS A EP WELL OF SEXUAL PROWS PREVLY UNTAPPED. WHETHER OR NOT THIS FILM’S POLICS ABOUT THE REALI OF SEX WORK ARE ENTIRELY THE RIGHT PLACE—THAT IS NOT AN DTRY THAT EXISTS MERELY TO FULFILL THE CURSI OF BORED UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS DILETTANT, FOR EXAMPLE—CONCSN STILL LIVERS AN ARRTG CHARGE. IT’S CLEVER AND NUANCED A WAY THAT ELEVAT ABOVE THE TAWDRY OR EXPLOATIVE. PASSON’S FILMMAKG IS THOUGHTFUL AND RTRAED, AND WORKS RICH HARMONY WH WEIGERT’S BEGUILGLY LAYERED PERFORMANCE. Y, THERE IS A GOOD AL OF SEX THE MOVIE, SO DON’T BE ASHAMED IF YOU JT WANT TO WATCH FOR THAT. BUT YOU’LL ALSO GET A LOT MORE THAN WHAT YOU ME FOR.POWERED BYJTWATCHEND OF THE CENTURY (2019, AMAZON PRIME WH DEKKOO SUBSCRIPTN)ELLIPTIL AND MYSTER PERHAPS TO THE POT OF TRATN, ARGENTIAN DIRECTOR LUC CASTRO’S ENIGMATIC FILM IS REHG FOR HOW TAK THE NARRATIVE NOODLG OF SO MANY STRAIGHT ROMANCE FILMS—SPECULATIVE STORI LIKE SLIDG DOORS—AND FILTERS THROUGH A GAY LENS. JUAN BARBERI AND RAMON PUJOL PLAY TWO MEN WHO MEET ON THE APPS BARCELONA AND THEN, AS THE FILM UNFOLDS, REALIZE THEY MAY SHARE A EPER NNECTN. I DON’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY MUCH MORE OF WHAT END OF THE CENTURY IS ABOUT, BEE THE STRENGTH OF THE FILM IS S SURPRISE, HOW S REALY GENTLY, FLUIDLY SHIFTS. THAT’S ALSO WHERE SOME OF THE NSTERNATN SETS —“WA, WHAT HAPPENED?” I TEXTED A IEND AFTER FIRST SEEG THE MOVIE—BUT THE FILM’S OBFTN DO NOT DIMISH S POWER. AND, HEY, THE CYSP ARE NICE TO LOOK AT, AS, Y, ARE THE ACTORS. THERE’S A NOTE OF DISQUIET AND MELANCHOLY END OF THE CENTURY THAT I’D HAVE TO IMAGE IS NVERSATN WH THE FILM’S TLE. WHAT EXACTLY THAT NVERSATN IS SAYG IS UP TO YOU TO CIPHER. IF NOTHG ELSE, THE FILM WILL LEAVE YOU THKG—ABOUT CHANCE ENUNTERS, ABOUT THE PROMIS OF LONG-TERM ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT, AND ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE, PRE-COVID, TO TRAVEL AND GET LOST AND, MAYBE, BE FOUND.POWERED BYJTWATCHHAPPY TOGETHER (1997, CRERN CHANNEL)SPEAKG OF TRAVELG AND GETTG LOST: THIS ODD JEWEL OM THE SENSUALIST DREAMWEAVER WONG KAR-WAI IS AS MUCH A WISTFUL TRAVELOGUE AS IS ABOUT THE DISSOLUTN OF A GHT GAY RELATNSHIP. THE FILM FOLLOWS TWO LOVERS, PLAYED BY TONY CHIU-WAI LNG AND THE LATE LLIE CHNG, AS THEY LEAVE THEIR NATIVE HONG KONG TO STRIKE OUT A NEW LIFE BUENOS AIR. WHAT GREETS THEM IS NOTHG GREAT, AS THE TWO BICKER (AND WORSE) AND FACE THE TW BURNS OF FANCIAL HARDSHIP AND GNAWG LONELS—THE EXISTENTIAL DISPLACEMENT, REALLY—OF BEG FAR OM HOME. WONG’S VISUALS ARE PREDICTABLY STUNNG, GRIMY BUT GLOWG MOST SCEN, CHILLY BUT SHIMMERG BLACK-AND-WHE SOME OTHERS. (THE VALUABLE MASTER CHRISTOPHER DOYLE DID THE CEMATOGRAPHY.) BUT ’S THE EMOTNAL TENOR NJURED BY WONG AND HIS ACTORS THAT REALLY LGERS. THE STORY OF YIU-FAI AND PO-WG IS TOLD JUMPY AGMENTS, WH A FEW MAJOR PLOT TAILS HAPPENG OFFSCREEN. IT’S DISORIENTG AT FIRST—BUT ONCE YOU’VE SUCCUMBED TO WONG’S SPELL, HAPPY TOGETHER’S SORROWFUL DIMENSNS GRACEFULLY REVEAL THEMSELV. THE FILM IS A EFUL MEDATN ON WHAT IS TO HAVE A HUNGER FOR THE WORLD AND ALL MIGHT CLARIFY ABOUT YOURSELF, WHILE HOME AND S FAIAR FORTS EVER NAG YOUR MEMORY. THAT THE FILM WAS MA JT AS HONG KONG’S OWN PLACE THE WORLD WAS SHIFTG—MOVG OM BRISH LE BACK TO THE FOLD OF CHA—IS NOT AN ACCINT, I DON’T THK.POWERED BYJTWATCHTANGERE (2015, HULU)AS THE FILM DTRY BOTH AMERI AND ABROAD FLAILS, MOR FS AND STARTS, TO CLU THE LIV OF TRANS PEOPLE TO S PURVIEW, A LOT OF SCREEN TIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON TRANSN—OFTEN TO THE DISMAY OF TRANS DIENC. THK OF THE CLUNKY PANRG OF THE DANISH GIRL, OR THE RECENT NTROVERSY OF THE BELGIAN FILM GIRL. (AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX, THOUGH I DON’T REMEND .) AND WHILE SEAN BAKER’S TANGERE HAS RECEIVED S FAIR SHARE OF CRICISM FOR S PICTN OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN SCRAMBLG AROUND LOS ANGEL ON ONE WILD DAY, IS AT LEAST NOT FETISHISTILLY FIXATED ON PARTICULARS OF ANATOMY OR PHYSIL TRANSFORMATN. IT STEAD AFFORDS S TWO PROTAGONISTS, S-DEE AND ALEXANDRA, THE FULLNS OF THEMSELV AS THEY ARE FOR THEIR TIME ONSCREEN.THE MOVIE IS ABOUT A IENDSHIP, REALLY, ONE THAT PROVIS NECSARY HAVEN FOR TWO WOMEN FORCED TO THE MARGS BY BIGOTRY AND PREDATN. IN NTRAST TO THAT DARKNS, TANGERE ALLOWS SOME JOYO LIGHT; IS OFTEN A R, FUN MOVIE, WHILE STILL MATAG A CLOSE UNRSTANDG OF THE DANGER SURROUNDG THE TWO HTLG PALS. FIRST-TIME FILM ACTORS KANA KIKI RODRIGUEZ AND MYA TAYLOR EMBODY ALL THIS PLEXY WH A TIRELS VERVE, ENLIVENG THE FILM WH HUMOR AND, PECIALLY THE GEO FAL SCENE, AN ENRICHG POIGNANCY. TANGERE IS BY NO MEANS THE END-ALL, BE-ALL OF WHAT CEMA ABOUT TRANS LIV SHOULD BE. (IT WAS MA BY A CIS WHE MAN, FOR ONE.) BUT PTURG S-DEE AND ALEXANDRA ON SOMETHG APPROACHG THEIR OWN TERMS, AVOIDS MUCH OF THE P DIDACTICISM OF OTHER RECENT ISSUE MOVI ABOUT A WOEFULLY UNRSERVED AND UNR-SUPPORTED GROUP OF PEOPLE. CEMA, AND THE WORLD AT LARGE, NEED TO DO A LOT BETTER BY TRANS AND NONBARY PEOPLE, PRIMARILY BY LETTG THEM TELL THEIR OWN STORI. TANGERE DO NOT DO THAT, BUT HOPEFULLY HAS AT LEAST ENURAGED MOVEMENT TOWARD A BRIGHTER, MORE CLIVE FUTURE.POWERED BYJTWATCHVICTIM (1961, CRERN CHANNEL) AND A VERY NATURAL THG (1974, AMAZON PRIME)BASIL DEARN’S FILM VICTIM WAS THE FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE FILM TO E THE WORD “HOMOSEXUAL.” CHRISTOPHER LARK’S FILM A VERY NATURAL THG WAS, BY SOME ACUNTS, THE FIRST FILM ABOUT GAY PEOPLE DIRECTED BY A GAY PERSON TO RECEIVE A MERCIAL RELEASE THE UNED STAT. SO BOTH MOVI ARE NOTABLE FOR MARKG THOSE TON. AS PURE FILMMAKG, THOUGH, I’D SAY ONLY VICTIM HAS SURVIVED THE S OF UPHEAVAL AND PROGRS SCE S RELEASE. THE FILM WAS MA RPONSE TO BRISH LAWS CRIMALIZG SEXUAL ACTS BETWEEN MEN, AND LOT S DRAMA THE TENSE, NERVO MECHANICS OF CLANSTE ACTIVY. IT’S ABOUT A BLACKMAIL SCHEME TARGETG MEN AND ONE SEMI-CLOSETED LAWYER, PLAYED BY AN EXCELLENT DIRK BOGAR, AS HE WORKS TO ROOT OUT THE CULPRS. BEE THE MEN VOLVED ARE LIVG LIV SECRET, MAYBE VICTIM DO NOT EXACTLY F THE BRIC OF THIS LIST. BUT THE SECRET IS, AT LEAST, KEPT OM THE OUTSI WORLD RATHER THAN AMONG THEMSELV. VICTIM IS STRIKGLY PASSNATE NSIRG S ERA; STILL AM GAYNS AS SOMETHG ILLIC, BUT DO NOT NMN WH MORAL CERTU. IT’S A PELLG DOCUMENT OM NEARLY 60 YEARS AGO, BOTH A REMR OF HOW FAR THGS HAVE E AND, OF URSE, HOW FAR THEY HAVE NOT.I PUT A VERY NATURAL THG ON THIS LIST AS MORE OF A CUR. ITS STAT AS ONE OF THE FIRST GAY FILMS TO PRENT A POSIVE, NON-DAMNG PORTRA OF SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS IS MORE THAN WORTHY—BUT BEYOND THE DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE OF QUEER ACTIVISTS 1973 NEW YORK CY THAT SERVE AS A GROUNDG MOTIF THROUGHOUT THE FILM, THE BOURGEOIS NCERNS OF S LEAD, FORMER MONK TURNED SCHOOL TEACHER DAVID, AND HIS IENDS FEEL CREAKILY FAIAR, NSIRG ALL THE OTHER STUFF ABOUT RICH WHE GAY MEN THAT’S BEEN MA SCE. THERE ARE RELATNSHIP SQUABBL, AN EXPERIMENTATN GROUP SEX, A TRIP TO FIRE ISLAND, A TTY DNER PARTY; ALL SEEMS PRETTY HOARY NOW, AND EVEN AT THE TIME WAS CRICIZED FOR THE LIMED SPE OF S POLICS. STILL, 46 YEARS AFTER S RELEASE, A VERY NATURAL THG DO HAVE AN IMPACT: TO SEE THE QUOTIDIAN PROBLEMS OF OUT GAY PEOPLE RENRED SO PLALY ONSCREEN, AND TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THE PEOPLE VOLVED DIED OM AIDS PLITNS LONG AGO. IT’S HNTG, THAT WAY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDG A HEARTENG REMR THAT, AT THE VERY LEAST, QUEER CEMA HAS GROWN SLIGHTLY MORE PLITED, GOTTEN A B MORE EXPANSIVE, THAN THIS EARLY FORAY TO THE FORM.WHERE TO WATCH VICTIM:POWERED BYJTWATCHWHERE TO WATCH A VERY NATURAL THG:POWERED BYJTWATCHTHE WATERMELON WOMAN (1996, CRERN CHANNEL)THERE’S SOMETHG BOTH CHEERG AND DISMAYG ABOUT WATCHG CHERYL DUNYE’S ROMANTIC EDY. THAT AMBIVALENCE REALIZG THAT S LIVELY NVERSATN ABOUT THE TERSECTN OF RACE AND SEXUALY IS ONE WE’RE STILL VERY MUCH HAVG TODAY, A QUARTER-CENTURY LATER. ON THE ONE HAND, ’S A PLEASURE TO SPEND TIME DUNYE’S WTY WORLD, WHICH A FICTNALIZED VERSN OF HERSELF LOOKS TO THE LIFE OF A MA-UP FILM ACTRS OM THE 1930S. THE FILM’S EXPLORATN OF FICTNAL FAE RICHARDS’S LIFE—PICTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND FILM REELS GENLY CREATED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER ZOE LEONARD—ALLOWS DUNYE TO MULL OVER ISSU OF REPRENTATN, WHILE A ROMANTIC SI PLOT HAS CHERYL NONTG THE TRICKY SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF BEG A BLACK LBIAN 1990S URBAN SOPHISTITE CULTURE. ON THE OTHER HAND, HOW TRATG IS THAT SO LTLE ADVANCEMENT HAS BEEN MA THOSE UNRSTANDGS SCE DUNYE’S FILM—WHICH WON LOTS OF PROMENT FTIVAL AWARDS AND WHOSE NEA FUNDG WAS THE SUBJECT OF NTROVERSY—FIRST SPLASHED ONTO THE SCENE. SURE, THE ISSU ARE TALKED ABOUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, HOPEFULLY MORE ENLIGHTENED WAYS NOW, BUT THE CHERYL OF 1996 IS VEXED BY PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SAME RE PROBLEMS ENUNTERED BY QUEER BLACK ARTISTS AMERI TODAY. WHATEVER YOUR READ OF THE FILM’S PRENT-TENSE RONANCE, ’S A NECSARY WATCH, YOUTHFUL AND DISCURSIVE AND WONRFULLY EAGER TO TALK OF TOO OFTEN UNSPOKEN THGS.POWERED BYJTWATCHALL PRODUCTS FEATURED ON VANY FAIR ARE PENNTLY SELECTED BY OUR EDORS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHG THROUGH OUR RETAIL LKS, WE MAY EARN AN AFFILIATE MISSN.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— “CAN WE LIVE?” THE DGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE QUTN THAT’S HNTED HER FOR DES— CATHERE O’HARA, QUEEN OF SCHT’S CREEK, TALKS GILDA RADNER FRIENDSHIP & MORE— EXCLIVE: STEPHEN KG’S THE STAND COM TO LIFE AGA— JEFEY EPSTE: SEVEN REMAG MYSTERI—AND DISTURBG REVELATNS— OLD HOLLYWOOD’S MOST SNDALO SECRETS, AS TOLD BY DAVID NIVEN— TREVOR NOAH AND THE DAILY SHOW AREN’T JT SURVIVG—THEY’RE THRIVG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: SIDNEY POIER’S POTED MSAGE TO WHE AMERI AS RACE RTS SWEPT THE NATN THE SUMMER OF 1967LOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHRICHARD LAWSON
- TURNS OUT, BARBIELAND ISN'T AS GAY AS S QUEER FANS HAD HOPED
THE GAYT MOVI THAT AREN’T ACTUALLY GAY, OM ‘BARBIE’ AND ‘BURLQUE’ TO ‘VENOM’ AND ‘ROAD HOE’
If “Barbie” tells anythg, ’s that a movie don’t have to be gay to be, well, gay.
So what mak a movie gay if isn’t explicly?
10 STREAMG LGBT MOVI THAT AREN’T ABOUT COMG OUTJUNE IS PRI MONTH, WHICH MEANS ’S A GOOD TIME TO TAKE A EPER DIVE TO STREAMG SERVIC SEARCH OF FILMS THAT SHOW A BREADTH OF LGBT EXPERIENCE.BY RICHARD LAWSONJUNE 9, 2020FROM THE EVERETT COLLECTN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBEE THE REALIZATN OF SELF, AND THE TAC OR DIRECT ASSERTN OF THAT SELF, IS A FOUNDATNAL PART OF LGBT PEOPLE’S INTY, THAT PROCS BEEN RTAGED AND REIMAGED MANY TIM LGBT CEMA. (EVEN REAL LIFE, MY EXPERIENCE, ’S HARD TO GET THROUGH A FIRST DATE WHOUT EVENTUALLY ARRIVG AT EACH OTHER’S G-OUT STORI.) AND WHILE SO MANY G-OUT FILMS ARE VAL—THE TENTATIVE REACHG OF MOONLIGHT, THE FULL-THROATED EMBRAC OF CAROL—THE SHEER AMOUNT OF THEM PIL UP TO MAKE AN IMBALANCED KD OF PORTRAURE. IT’S AWFULLY RARE THAT WE GET TO SEE, ON FILM, THE LIFE THAT LI PAST THOSE FIRST FORAYS.WHICH IS WHY, HONOR OF PRI MONTH BUT REALLY ANY FOR ANY TIME, I’VE PILED THIS LIST OF 10 LGBT MOVI, ALL AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON VAR SUBSCRIPTN SERVIC, THAT AREN’T ABOUT G OUT OR FIRST ENUNTERS. THE CHARACTERS (MOST OF—MORE ON THAT “MOST” LATER) THE FILMS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE EARLY CCIBL, AND ARE NOW NTENDG WH DIFFERENT CHALLENG, CURSI, AND PASSNS.BSIE (2015, HBO MAX)THIS HBO ORIGAL MOVIE FOLLOWS MUCH OF THE NVENTNAL MIC BPIC PATTERN—THE RISE, THE DISILLNMENT AND SELF-STCTN, THE TRAGIC FALL. BUT TELLG THE LIFE STORY OF LEGENDARY BLU SGER BSIE SMH, DIRECTOR DEE RE IS ABLE TO SUBVERT SOME CLICHé. THAT’S MOSTLY BEE SMH WAS, BY MOST ACUNTS, UNAPOLOGETILLY BISEXUAL, A EE SPIR WHO HAPPILY, UNABASHEDLY ROED WH WOMEN AND MEN ALIKE—WHICH SEEMS ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE ANACHRONISM OM OUR RATHER NARROW NTEMPORARY UNRSTANDG OF THE QUEER PAST. ANIMATG SMH’S VIVAC, SOMETIM BATIVE JOIE VIVRE IS QUEEN LATIFAH, TAKG A RARE LEAD ROLE AND HOLDG THE FILM TOGETHER WH FIRE AND QUIET GRACE. BSIE’S MIL NUMBERS ARE BIG AND BRASSY, SUNG POWERFULLY BY LATIFAH AND, AT LEAST ONCE SCENE, MO’NIQUE. WHEN BSIE ISN’T BRGG THE HOE DOWN ON STAGE, LATIFAH KEENLY ILLTRAT THE TENSN OF HER BEG, HER GUARDNS AND HER SENSIVY, HER EP PSYCHIC WOUNDS AND HER FORTHRIGHT METTLE. YOU LEAVE THE MOVIE WISHG LATIFAH WOULD STAR A LOT MORE MOVI, AND HOPG THAT THERE WILL BE MORE PLITED STUDI OF IMPORTANT CULTURAL FIGUR WHOSE LEGACI ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY WHE, STRAIGHT AMERIN RERD KEEPG.POWERED BYJTWATCHBPM (2017, HULU)SADLY, MANY QUEER MOVI THAT AREN’T ABOUT G OUT ARE ABOUT AIDS—ANOTHER FG EXPERIENCE FOR SEVERAL GENERATNS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. SOME OF THOSE MOVI ARE SHARP AND URGENT; OTHERS ARE MORE SOFTLY SENTIMENTAL. WHAT ROB CAMPILLO’S BRILLIANT DOCUDRAMA DO IS FTLY FE THE TWO TOGETHER, THE BROAR POLIL ANGER AND THE RAGGED PERSONAL ACUNTG. THE FILM FOLLOWS A GROUP OF YOUNG ACTIVISTS EARLY 1990S PARIS AS THEY GRIEVE AND PROTT, GETTG TO GRANULAR POLICY SPECIFICS WHOUT FETTG THE THUMPG HUMANY DRIVG S CRI R. BPM DAR TO BE AS SEXY AS IS VASTATG, AS LILTG AND FUNNY AS IS FUR. ARND VALOIS AND THE TENAC NAHUEL PéREZ BISYART ARE THE FLEDGLG UPLE AT THE CENTER OF THE FILM, A SWEET AND SENSIVELY REALIZED RELATNSHIP UGHT THE TUMULT OF AWFUL TIM. BUT THE FILM’S SURVEY ALSO CLUS LOTS OF OTHER CHARACTERS, BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN SPIRED BY PEOPLE CAMPILLO KNEW HIS OWN ACT UP DAYS. (ONE SUPPORTG CHARACTER IS PLAYED BY ADèLE HAENEL, ALSO A STAR OF THE EXQUISE PORTRA OF A LADY ON FIRE—WHICH DON’T QUE F THE PARAMETERS OF THIS LIST, BUT IS STUNNG AND ALSO STREAMG ON HULU.) THE SPIR OF AMERIN GAY ACTIVIST LARRY KRAMER, WHO RECENTLY DIED, PRIS OVER THE FILM, BUT BPM IS NOT MERELY A FRENCH VERSN OF KRAMER’S THE NORMAL HEART. (A MOVG FILM VERSN OF THAT PLAY, DIRECTED BY RYAN MURPHY, IS AVAILABLE ON HBO MAX.) CAMPILLO ADDS A PALPABLE TEXTURE THAT IS DISTCTLY HIS, REMEMBERG HIS DAYS AT WAR AS A FEVERED DANCE THROUGH THE DARK. IN ALL S LAMENT AND CELEBRATN, BPM IS ONE OF THE MOST HOLISTILLY NOURISHG FILMS ABOUT THE AIDS CRISIS THE GAY MUNY. IT’S A GUI TO RADIL CIVIC ACTN AND A TRAGIC LOVE STORY ALL BOUND TO ONE SUO, MMERIZG MOVIE.POWERED BYJTWATCHCAN YOU EVER FIVE ME? (2018, HULU)AS AIDS RAVAGED NEW YORK CY THE EARLY 1990S, THERE WAS ALSO THE WEARY STORY OF LEE ISRAEL—A CELEBRY BGRAPHER WH A GIMLET W WHO, HAVG FOUND HERSELF ON HARD TIM, BEGAN FG LETTERS OM FAMO WRERS AND SELLG THEM ON THE LLECTORS’ MARKET. AT FIRST GLANCE, THE FACT THAT ISRAEL AND HER NE’ER-DO-WELL ASSISTANT AND DRKG BUDDY JACK HOCK WERE BOTH GAY SEEMS CINTAL TO THE STORY. BUT DIRECTOR MARIELLE HELLER’S HANDS (THE SCREENPLAY IS BY JEFF WHTY AND NILE HOLOFCENER), CAN YOU EVER FIVE ME? FDS A GENTLE ALLEGORY BETWEEN ISRAEL’S STGGL AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HER. THE FILM IS A LOVELY AND MOURNFUL PICTN OF A TIME AND PLACE WHEN TWO GAY PEOPLE PAST THE PRIME OF THEIR LIV HAVE BEGUN TO SENSE THAT THEIR HEYDAY HAS SUDNLY, TERRIBLY END. THE FE TAILS OF THAT BTER REALIZATN ARE REFULLY SSED OUT BY A NEVER-BETTER MELISSA MCCARTHY AND A WOEFULLY DASHG RICHARD E. GRANT. BOTH WERE NOMATED FOR OSRS, AS WAS THE SCREENPLAY, BUT HELLER’S WORK AND THE FILM AS A WHOLE WENT UNREGNIZED BY THE AMY. PERHAPS THE FILM ULTIMATELY SEEMED TOO SMALL FOR THAT VOTG BODY; A SHAME, BEE THE STORY ’S TELLG IS, OM AT LEAST ONE ANGLE, ACTUALLY PRETTY BIG.POWERED BYJTWATCHCONCSN (2013, NETFLIX)GAY MEN ARE SERVED PLENTY OF TILLATN ON FILM, OM THE ROUGH GO THE MUD OF GOD’S OWN COUNTRY TO THE SLEAZY, EMBARRASSG EATG OUT MOVI (A SERI OF GAY AMERIN PIE–QUE MOVI THAT MOST GAY MEN THEIR 30S WON’T PUBLICLY ADM TO HAVG WATCHED). BUT LBIANS ARE NOT OFTEN GRANTED THAT KD OF LURID EXCEMENT ON FILM, WHICH IS PARTLY WHY STACIE PASSON’S FILM IS NOTABLE; DULG SLIGHTLY TRANSGRSIVE LBIAN SEXUAL FANTASY WH A PLETE LACK OF A MALE GAZE. IT’S ALSO A WORTHY WATCH BEE OF S STAR: THE GREAT ROB WEIGERT, SO OFTEN A SUPPORTG PLAYER (AND ALSO OFTEN ST AS DOWDY), HERE TAK THE LEAD AS A SOULFUL-HOT MARRIED WOMAN WHO, UNBEKNOWNST TO HER WIFE, TAK UP A SECRET REER AS A SEX WORKER AND DISVERS A EP WELL OF SEXUAL PROWS PREVLY UNTAPPED. WHETHER OR NOT THIS FILM’S POLICS ABOUT THE REALI OF SEX WORK ARE ENTIRELY THE RIGHT PLACE—THAT IS NOT AN DTRY THAT EXISTS MERELY TO FULFILL THE CURSI OF BORED UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS DILETTANT, FOR EXAMPLE—CONCSN STILL LIVERS AN ARRTG CHARGE. IT’S CLEVER AND NUANCED A WAY THAT ELEVAT ABOVE THE TAWDRY OR EXPLOATIVE. PASSON’S FILMMAKG IS THOUGHTFUL AND RTRAED, AND WORKS RICH HARMONY WH WEIGERT’S BEGUILGLY LAYERED PERFORMANCE. Y, THERE IS A GOOD AL OF SEX THE MOVIE, SO DON’T BE ASHAMED IF YOU JT WANT TO WATCH FOR THAT. BUT YOU’LL ALSO GET A LOT MORE THAN WHAT YOU ME FOR.POWERED BYJTWATCHEND OF THE CENTURY (2019, AMAZON PRIME WH DEKKOO SUBSCRIPTN)ELLIPTIL AND MYSTER PERHAPS TO THE POT OF TRATN, ARGENTIAN DIRECTOR LUC CASTRO’S ENIGMATIC FILM IS REHG FOR HOW TAK THE NARRATIVE NOODLG OF SO MANY STRAIGHT ROMANCE FILMS—SPECULATIVE STORI LIKE SLIDG DOORS—AND FILTERS THROUGH A GAY LENS. JUAN BARBERI AND RAMON PUJOL PLAY TWO MEN WHO MEET ON THE APPS BARCELONA AND THEN, AS THE FILM UNFOLDS, REALIZE THEY MAY SHARE A EPER NNECTN. I DON’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY MUCH MORE OF WHAT END OF THE CENTURY IS ABOUT, BEE THE STRENGTH OF THE FILM IS S SURPRISE, HOW S REALY GENTLY, FLUIDLY SHIFTS. THAT’S ALSO WHERE SOME OF THE NSTERNATN SETS —“WA, WHAT HAPPENED?” I TEXTED A IEND AFTER FIRST SEEG THE MOVIE—BUT THE FILM’S OBFTN DO NOT DIMISH S POWER. AND, HEY, THE CYSP ARE NICE TO LOOK AT, AS, Y, ARE THE ACTORS. THERE’S A NOTE OF DISQUIET AND MELANCHOLY END OF THE CENTURY THAT I’D HAVE TO IMAGE IS NVERSATN WH THE FILM’S TLE. WHAT EXACTLY THAT NVERSATN IS SAYG IS UP TO YOU TO CIPHER. IF NOTHG ELSE, THE FILM WILL LEAVE YOU THKG—ABOUT CHANCE ENUNTERS, ABOUT THE PROMIS OF LONG-TERM ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT, AND ABOUT WHAT WAS LIKE, PRE-COVID, TO TRAVEL AND GET LOST AND, MAYBE, BE FOUND.POWERED BYJTWATCHHAPPY TOGETHER (1997, CRERN CHANNEL)SPEAKG OF TRAVELG AND GETTG LOST: THIS ODD JEWEL OM THE SENSUALIST DREAMWEAVER WONG KAR-WAI IS AS MUCH A WISTFUL TRAVELOGUE AS IS ABOUT THE DISSOLUTN OF A GHT GAY RELATNSHIP. THE FILM FOLLOWS TWO LOVERS, PLAYED BY TONY CHIU-WAI LNG AND THE LATE LLIE CHNG, AS THEY LEAVE THEIR NATIVE HONG KONG TO STRIKE OUT A NEW LIFE BUENOS AIR. WHAT GREETS THEM IS NOTHG GREAT, AS THE TWO BICKER (AND WORSE) AND FACE THE TW BURNS OF FANCIAL HARDSHIP AND GNAWG LONELS—THE EXISTENTIAL DISPLACEMENT, REALLY—OF BEG FAR OM HOME. WONG’S VISUALS ARE PREDICTABLY STUNNG, GRIMY BUT GLOWG MOST SCEN, CHILLY BUT SHIMMERG BLACK-AND-WHE SOME OTHERS. (THE VALUABLE MASTER CHRISTOPHER DOYLE DID THE CEMATOGRAPHY.) BUT ’S THE EMOTNAL TENOR NJURED BY WONG AND HIS ACTORS THAT REALLY LGERS. THE STORY OF YIU-FAI AND PO-WG IS TOLD JUMPY AGMENTS, WH A FEW MAJOR PLOT TAILS HAPPENG OFFSCREEN. IT’S DISORIENTG AT FIRST—BUT ONCE YOU’VE SUCCUMBED TO WONG’S SPELL, HAPPY TOGETHER’S SORROWFUL DIMENSNS GRACEFULLY REVEAL THEMSELV. THE FILM IS A EFUL MEDATN ON WHAT IS TO HAVE A HUNGER FOR THE WORLD AND ALL MIGHT CLARIFY ABOUT YOURSELF, WHILE HOME AND S FAIAR FORTS EVER NAG YOUR MEMORY. THAT THE FILM WAS MA JT AS HONG KONG’S OWN PLACE THE WORLD WAS SHIFTG—MOVG OM BRISH LE BACK TO THE FOLD OF CHA—IS NOT AN ACCINT, I DON’T THK.POWERED BYJTWATCHTANGERE (2015, HULU)AS THE FILM DTRY BOTH AMERI AND ABROAD FLAILS, MOR FS AND STARTS, TO CLU THE LIV OF TRANS PEOPLE TO S PURVIEW, A LOT OF SCREEN TIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON TRANSN—OFTEN TO THE DISMAY OF TRANS DIENC. THK OF THE CLUNKY PANRG OF THE DANISH GIRL, OR THE RECENT NTROVERSY OF THE BELGIAN FILM GIRL. (AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX, THOUGH I DON’T REMEND .) AND WHILE SEAN BAKER’S TANGERE HAS RECEIVED S FAIR SHARE OF CRICISM FOR S PICTN OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN SCRAMBLG AROUND LOS ANGEL ON ONE WILD DAY, IS AT LEAST NOT FETISHISTILLY FIXATED ON PARTICULARS OF ANATOMY OR PHYSIL TRANSFORMATN. IT STEAD AFFORDS S TWO PROTAGONISTS, S-DEE AND ALEXANDRA, THE FULLNS OF THEMSELV AS THEY ARE FOR THEIR TIME ONSCREEN.THE MOVIE IS ABOUT A IENDSHIP, REALLY, ONE THAT PROVIS NECSARY HAVEN FOR TWO WOMEN FORCED TO THE MARGS BY BIGOTRY AND PREDATN. IN NTRAST TO THAT DARKNS, TANGERE ALLOWS SOME JOYO LIGHT; IS OFTEN A R, FUN MOVIE, WHILE STILL MATAG A CLOSE UNRSTANDG OF THE DANGER SURROUNDG THE TWO HTLG PALS. FIRST-TIME FILM ACTORS KANA KIKI RODRIGUEZ AND MYA TAYLOR EMBODY ALL THIS PLEXY WH A TIRELS VERVE, ENLIVENG THE FILM WH HUMOR AND, PECIALLY THE GEO FAL SCENE, AN ENRICHG POIGNANCY. TANGERE IS BY NO MEANS THE END-ALL, BE-ALL OF WHAT CEMA ABOUT TRANS LIV SHOULD BE. (IT WAS MA BY A CIS WHE MAN, FOR ONE.) BUT PTURG S-DEE AND ALEXANDRA ON SOMETHG APPROACHG THEIR OWN TERMS, AVOIDS MUCH OF THE P DIDACTICISM OF OTHER RECENT ISSUE MOVI ABOUT A WOEFULLY UNRSERVED AND UNR-SUPPORTED GROUP OF PEOPLE. CEMA, AND THE WORLD AT LARGE, NEED TO DO A LOT BETTER BY TRANS AND NONBARY PEOPLE, PRIMARILY BY LETTG THEM TELL THEIR OWN STORI. TANGERE DO NOT DO THAT, BUT HOPEFULLY HAS AT LEAST ENURAGED MOVEMENT TOWARD A BRIGHTER, MORE CLIVE FUTURE.POWERED BYJTWATCHVICTIM (1961, CRERN CHANNEL) AND A VERY NATURAL THG (1974, AMAZON PRIME)BASIL DEARN’S FILM VICTIM WAS THE FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE FILM TO E THE WORD “HOMOSEXUAL.” CHRISTOPHER LARK’S FILM A VERY NATURAL THG WAS, BY SOME ACUNTS, THE FIRST FILM ABOUT GAY PEOPLE DIRECTED BY A GAY PERSON TO RECEIVE A MERCIAL RELEASE THE UNED STAT. SO BOTH MOVI ARE NOTABLE FOR MARKG THOSE TON. AS PURE FILMMAKG, THOUGH, I’D SAY ONLY VICTIM HAS SURVIVED THE S OF UPHEAVAL AND PROGRS SCE S RELEASE. THE FILM WAS MA RPONSE TO BRISH LAWS CRIMALIZG SEXUAL ACTS BETWEEN MEN, AND LOT S DRAMA THE TENSE, NERVO MECHANICS OF CLANSTE ACTIVY. IT’S ABOUT A BLACKMAIL SCHEME TARGETG MEN AND ONE SEMI-CLOSETED LAWYER, PLAYED BY AN EXCELLENT DIRK BOGAR, AS HE WORKS TO ROOT OUT THE CULPRS. BEE THE MEN VOLVED ARE LIVG LIV SECRET, MAYBE VICTIM DO NOT EXACTLY F THE BRIC OF THIS LIST. BUT THE SECRET IS, AT LEAST, KEPT OM THE OUTSI WORLD RATHER THAN AMONG THEMSELV. VICTIM IS STRIKGLY PASSNATE NSIRG S ERA; STILL AM GAYNS AS SOMETHG ILLIC, BUT DO NOT NMN WH MORAL CERTU. IT’S A PELLG DOCUMENT OM NEARLY 60 YEARS AGO, BOTH A REMR OF HOW FAR THGS HAVE E AND, OF URSE, HOW FAR THEY HAVE NOT.I PUT A VERY NATURAL THG ON THIS LIST AS MORE OF A CUR. ITS STAT AS ONE OF THE FIRST GAY FILMS TO PRENT A POSIVE, NON-DAMNG PORTRA OF SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS IS MORE THAN WORTHY—BUT BEYOND THE DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE OF QUEER ACTIVISTS 1973 NEW YORK CY THAT SERVE AS A GROUNDG MOTIF THROUGHOUT THE FILM, THE BOURGEOIS NCERNS OF S LEAD, FORMER MONK TURNED SCHOOL TEACHER DAVID, AND HIS IENDS FEEL CREAKILY FAIAR, NSIRG ALL THE OTHER STUFF ABOUT RICH WHE GAY MEN THAT’S BEEN MA SCE. THERE ARE RELATNSHIP SQUABBL, AN EXPERIMENTATN GROUP SEX, A TRIP TO FIRE ISLAND, A TTY DNER PARTY; ALL SEEMS PRETTY HOARY NOW, AND EVEN AT THE TIME WAS CRICIZED FOR THE LIMED SPE OF S POLICS. STILL, 46 YEARS AFTER S RELEASE, A VERY NATURAL THG DO HAVE AN IMPACT: TO SEE THE QUOTIDIAN PROBLEMS OF OUT GAY PEOPLE RENRED SO PLALY ONSCREEN, AND TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THE PEOPLE VOLVED DIED OM AIDS PLITNS LONG AGO. IT’S HNTG, THAT WAY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDG A HEARTENG REMR THAT, AT THE VERY LEAST, QUEER CEMA HAS GROWN SLIGHTLY MORE PLITED, GOTTEN A B MORE EXPANSIVE, THAN THIS EARLY FORAY TO THE FORM.WHERE TO WATCH VICTIM:POWERED BYJTWATCHWHERE TO WATCH A VERY NATURAL THG:POWERED BYJTWATCHTHE WATERMELON WOMAN (1996, CRERN CHANNEL)THERE’S SOMETHG BOTH CHEERG AND DISMAYG ABOUT WATCHG CHERYL DUNYE’S ROMANTIC EDY. THAT AMBIVALENCE REALIZG THAT S LIVELY NVERSATN ABOUT THE TERSECTN OF RACE AND SEXUALY IS ONE WE’RE STILL VERY MUCH HAVG TODAY, A QUARTER-CENTURY LATER. ON THE ONE HAND, ’S A PLEASURE TO SPEND TIME DUNYE’S WTY WORLD, WHICH A FICTNALIZED VERSN OF HERSELF LOOKS TO THE LIFE OF A MA-UP FILM ACTRS OM THE 1930S. THE FILM’S EXPLORATN OF FICTNAL FAE RICHARDS’S LIFE—PICTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND FILM REELS GENLY CREATED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER ZOE LEONARD—ALLOWS DUNYE TO MULL OVER ISSU OF REPRENTATN, WHILE A ROMANTIC SI PLOT HAS CHERYL NONTG THE TRICKY SOCIAL DYNAMICS OF BEG A BLACK LBIAN 1990S URBAN SOPHISTITE CULTURE. ON THE OTHER HAND, HOW TRATG IS THAT SO LTLE ADVANCEMENT HAS BEEN MA THOSE UNRSTANDGS SCE DUNYE’S FILM—WHICH WON LOTS OF PROMENT FTIVAL AWARDS AND WHOSE NEA FUNDG WAS THE SUBJECT OF NTROVERSY—FIRST SPLASHED ONTO THE SCENE. SURE, THE ISSU ARE TALKED ABOUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, HOPEFULLY MORE ENLIGHTENED WAYS NOW, BUT THE CHERYL OF 1996 IS VEXED BY PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SAME RE PROBLEMS ENUNTERED BY QUEER BLACK ARTISTS AMERI TODAY. WHATEVER YOUR READ OF THE FILM’S PRENT-TENSE RONANCE, ’S A NECSARY WATCH, YOUTHFUL AND DISCURSIVE AND WONRFULLY EAGER TO TALK OF TOO OFTEN UNSPOKEN THGS.POWERED BYJTWATCHALL PRODUCTS FEATURED ON VANY FAIR ARE PENNTLY SELECTED BY OUR EDORS. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHG THROUGH OUR RETAIL LKS, WE MAY EARN AN AFFILIATE MISSN.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— “CAN WE LIVE?” THE DGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE QUTN THAT’S HNTED HER FOR DES— CATHERE O’HARA, QUEEN OF SCHT’S CREEK, TALKS GILDA RADNER FRIENDSHIP & MORE— EXCLIVE: STEPHEN KG’S THE STAND COM TO LIFE AGA— JEFEY EPSTE: SEVEN REMAG MYSTERI—AND DISTURBG REVELATNS— OLD HOLLYWOOD’S MOST SNDALO SECRETS, AS TOLD BY DAVID NIVEN— TREVOR NOAH AND THE DAILY SHOW AREN’T JT SURVIVG—THEY’RE THRIVG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: SIDNEY POIER’S POTED MSAGE TO WHE AMERI AS RACE RTS SWEPT THE NATN THE SUMMER OF 1967LOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYFLORENCE PUGH SAYS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN “APOLOGIZED” FOR HER SMALL OPPENHEIMER ROLEBY SAVANNAH WALSHRICHARD LAWSON
Cast a few top-shelf gay ins there — your Bette Middlers, your Joan Crawfords, your Faye Dunaways playg Joan Crawford — and pecially have them reparteeg bchy l tearg each other to piec, and have an athetic that’s outre and unironilly mp, and you’ve got the wng-formula starter-pack for somethg licly fabulo and queer, even if not by tentnal sign. But settg a precent for movi now nonized by gay culture that don’t technilly have any (non-d, anyway) gay characters were some of Hollywood’s most all-time legendary actrs: Bette Davis “All About Eve” ma “’s gog to be a bumpy ri” an idmatic quip, while Elizabeth Taylor then ma Bette Davis’ “what a dump” even more inic aga the openg le of “Who’s Aaid of Virgia Woolf, ” livered while gnawg down on a chicken wg.
Ed Bianchi’s 1981 “The Fan, ” meanwhile, livered perhaps the greatt gift to gay film fans of a certa era stg Lren Ball as an agg actrs stgglg to hold onto her legacy while beg stalked by, what else but, a psychotic gay fan.
TURNS OUT, BARBIELAND ISN'T AS GAY AS S QUEER FANS HAD HOPED
Films like “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias” keep ptivatg bee their sts are all top-to-toe, inic-among-the-gays women who n duce tears and lghs and shout unfettably quotable l the same scene.
There’s also, of urse, the trend many of the movi of men beg huiated and based — somethg the gay mal the dience love to partake — leavg our inic women wh all the chips the end and whom we n leave the theater rootg for. Below, IndieWire rounds up some of the bt cidly non-gay films that are actually gay after all — and gayer than many ntemporary movi proclaimg themselv as such actually are.
Why ’s gay: Bette Davis, we (the queer muny) love you.