In the very beginning of the year Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name became the highlight of the Oscars and a much talked about movie adaptation of the eponymous novel by Andre Aciman. And with the rumors of a sequel floating in the air, we won’t expect anything less than the previous serving. Truth be told, we have come a long way with the evolution of LGBTQ movies. From the point where films and TV shows featuring LGBTQ characters or story of same sex romance were wrongfully banned and ridiculed and bringing out such movies were considered a daring act of the filmmakers to the pride movies practically headlining the major award shows like the Oscars, Golden Globes and Palme d’Or and winning big – the film industry and the audience have come a long way indeed.
So, after scouring the cinematic timeline of the past decade and weighing the most impactful and lesser knows gems of LGBTQ movies till date, here is a list of 10 outstanding LGBTQ movies of 21st Century.
BOYS DON’T CRY ( 1999 )
The 1993 assault and murder of Brandon Teena became the subject of the Academy Award winning film Boys Don’t Cry. Hillary Swank was catapulted to fame with her intricate portrayal of a transgender man who became a victim of homophobic violence and it earned Swank the first Oscar of her career. Though released before 2000, it’s safe to say that this film brought forth some major issues regarding the backlash and hate received by the gay and transgender youths in modern society.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN ( 2006 )
When talking about the best pride films released in the wake of 21st century, it will be crime not to mention Ang Lee’s masterpiece, Brokeback Mountain. The tear jerking story of Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist ( played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal respectively ) is still etched in our memories. Though the film got mixed reception from the critics and audience during the time of its release but in the coming years it went on to become one of the most celebrated movies of our time. Similar to a lot other films released during the initial half of 2000s, Brokeback Mountain did face backlash from other nations such as China and Islamic countries of western Asia. But difficulties apart, the storytelling, simplicity and the character driven plot of the film did find a permanent place in the hearts of movie buffs and critics alike.
MILK ( 2008 )
Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, politician and gay right activist in the biopic. This 2008’s Gus Van Sant film which gave Sean Penn ample room to shine as the titular character left a lasting impression on our hearts and minds. People familiar with the story of real life Harvey Milk could already anticipate the devastating end of the film but for others, it came as a huge shock. Not only that, it shone deserving in the 2009 Academy Awards with a whooping eight nominations and earning Sean Penn his Oscar for Best Actor In a Leading Role.
PRAYERS FOR BOBBY ( 2009 )
This one has to be the most underrated film in the list. Adapted to screen from a critically acclaimed book by Leroy F. Aarons, this docudrama accounts the true story of Bobby Griffith (portrayed by Ryan Kelley), a gay teenager who commits suicide in 1983. Bobby’s story meets a sad conclusion as the depressed teenager kills himself because of his mother’s strong rejection to her son’s sexuality and her wish to convert him into a ‘straight’ man. Praise and accolades were garnered by this low budget televised docudrama with Sigourney Weaver who played the deeply religious mother of Bobby gaining Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Nominations. It’s a must watch for all the movie buffs because this movie does deserve a lot of recognition for its actors and the script.
A SINGLE MAN ( 2009 )
Famed fashion designer Tom Ford made his directorial debut with this 2009 drama based on eponymous novel by Christopher Isherwood. Colin Firth plays George Falconer, a university professor who is battling depression post the death of his boyfriend. The story is set in the early 1960s and we see Firth delivering another furbished performance of his career. But the additional credit also goes to the ensemble cast consisting of Julliane Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult who appear in the different phases of George Falconer’s life and leave a lasting impact on it.
NORTH SEA TEXAS ( 2011 )
North Sea Texas or Noordzee Texas is a quaint and delicate coming of age drama which is not often talked about. This Belgian film chronicles the life of two teenagers Pim and Gino who grow up inseparable in the Belgian countryside. Both boys come from contrasting families as one struggles with his dysfunctional single mother and another one is grows up into a rebel of sorts due to the absence of his father. Unlike most of the film in this list which ends on a sad note, this one promises the audience to give them one of the most ambiguous ending they might have ever seen. The cinematography is surrealistic and captures the scenic seaside Belgian town and the budding relationship of two young boys. North Sea Texas is also a must watch for people looking forward to some underrated LGBTQ movies.
THE DANISH GIRL ( 2015 )
Eddie Redmayne surely deserved the Oscar nomination with this film. Lili Elbe, the first identifiable transgender woman to receive a sex reassignment surgery, was brought to life by Eddie Redmayne with the Oscar winning supporting cast of Alicia Vikander. What stood out in this movie was Redmayne’s acting chops and the way he was capable of expressing that suppressed desperation of being trapped in a body which he considered foreign and thus took steps to embrace his new identity as Lili. Interestingly, it is also based on a novel of the same name written by David Ebershoff and the script sticks closer to the fictionalized life of Lili Elbe.
MOONLIGHT ( 2016 )
It’s great to see a person of color as the protagonist of such a brilliant film. Though we can’t forget the Best Picture Drama swap with La La Land at the Oscars in 2017, we also can’t forget Chiron’s rocky journey though the three stages of his life. From struggling with his sexuality and identity as a young adult to dealing with a drug addict mother to becoming a drug dealer himself, the character of Chiron becomes a brutally realistic image of countless other ill fated youngsters who can resonate with similar struggles. And in the end we all know who took home the Best Picture Drama at the Academy Awards.
THE HANDMAIDEN ( 2016 )
Another fine movie coming from the celebrated director of Oldboy, Park Chan Wook gives us an erotic psychological thriller with a generous dosage of showing how sexuality can be used as a weapon in several occasions. Winning the Best Film In the Foreign Language category at the 71st British Academy film Awards to competing at the Palme d’Or, this movie has received critical acclaim as well as love from the audience. Set during the time of Japanese occupied Korea, a conman hires a pickpocket woman to serve as the handmaiden of a rich heiress whom he plans to marry and then steal from. But as expected, a simply laid out plan doesn’t work smoothly in this case. As the pickpocket Sook Hee and the heiress Hideko grow closer than they were supposed to be, things start to fall apart. It’s a nail biting fast paced thriller that must not be missed in my opinion.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME ( 2017 )
And to wrap up this list, it’s a must to put the romance of Elio ( Timothee Chalamet ) and Oliver ( Armie Hammer ) in here. As the duo fall in love over an idyllic Italian summer and the whole story just rolls out beautifully under the direction of Luca Guadagnino, it is bound to become a movie which will be talked about in future as one of the best ever coming of age drama of all time. Though a lot of people have reportedly complained about the slow pacing of the film but I personally believe it’s necessary in building the magic between a 17 year old Elio Perlman and 24 year old student from the States, Oliver. Accompanied by one of the best OST of the year by Sufjan Stevens, Call Me By Your Name shows the world how a simple love stories can become much more if executed in the right way. At the end of the day, the audience loved it and so did the critics.