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Movie Reviews

Best LGBTQ+ Movies Of All Time: Our Top 10 Favourites

Photograph of the blog post author, Music Gateway Team

Music Gateway Team

9.6.2021

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In this article, we will be reviewing 10 of the best LGBTQ+ movies of all time! You can find some of the good LGBTQ+ movies on Netflix and Amazon. There are also a few other movie streaming sites you can watch them on which we will mention. 

lgbtq+ movies

Are you looking to spend your pride watching some of the best LGBTQ+ movies ever made and equally not sure which one to watch or where to find it? Look no further! Stay with us to see our top 10 favourites and where you can watch it. 

Pride means a number of different things to different people. In fact, for us a Мusic Gateway we want to make all musicians, filmmakers, and anybody else in the creative industry feel empowered and equal! The same way the filmmakers and actors did with these movies.

Top 10 Best LGBTQ+ Movies 

lgbtq+ movies

Now, let’s jump into our top 10 favourite LGBTQ+ movies ever made!

We will let you know when the movie was made, when it was released, some of the famous actors/actresses that star in them and even some of the awards they have won! Let’s take a look!

10. Blue Is The Warmest Colour 

blue is the warmest colour film

Blue Is The Warmest Colour is one of the LGBTQ+ movies that you can find on Netflix. This movie is a 2013 romance film co-written, co-produced and additionally directed by Abellatif Kechiche.

The film is about a French teenager who discovers desire and freedom as a female painter. Then another young girl enters her life. It charts their relationship from Adele’s high school years to her early adult life as well as her career as a school teacher. The film is based on the 2010 graphic novel of the same title by Jul Maroh.

It received the Golden Globe Award for the Best Foreign Language Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in English Language. It was declared one of the best films of 2013. 

9. The Watermelon Woman 

watermelon woman film

The Watermelon Woman is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies on Amazon Prime. The film is a 1996 American romantic comedy drama film written, directed, and edited by Cheryl Dunye.

The film is about a young black lesbian. She works a day job in a video store while trying to make a film about a black actress from the 1930s. As this is happening, she becomes involved with another lady called Diana. This then puts a strain on Cheryl (main actress) and her best friend Tamara. It was the first feature film directed by a black lesbian and is considered a landmark in New Queer Cinema.

The Watermelon Woman won the Teddy Award for The Best Feature Film at the Berlin International Film Festival. It also won the Audience Award for Outstanding Narrative Feature at Los Angeles Outfest. 

8. Moonlight 

moonlight film lgbtq+ movies

Moonlight is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies Netflix has to offer. This is a 2016 American coming-of-age drama film written and furthermore directed by Barry Jenkins.

The film is based on the unpublished semi-autobiographical play ‘In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue’ written by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The film is about the three stages in the life of the main character.

His childhood, adolescence, and later, early adult life. It explores the difficulties he faces with his sexuality and identity and shows the physical and emotional abuse he endures growing up.

The film has been noted as one of the best films of the 21st century and as a result, has won numerous awards. It won the Academy Award for Best Picture as well as Best Supporting Actor for Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jenkins and McCraney. It became the first LGBTQ+ film with an all-black cast. 

7. The Miseducation Of Cameron Post 

the miseducation of cameron post film lgbtq+ movies

This is another of the top LGBTQ+ movies you can view on Amazon Prime. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a 2018 drama film directed by Desiree Akhavan.

It was based on the 2012 novel by Emily M. Danforth. It stars a young girl who is sent to a gay conversion therapy center. She is then caught in a secret same-sex relationship with her girlfriend.

The film won the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018. It also won the Silver Spike award at the Valladolid International Film Festival. You can also watch this film on YouTube and Google Play Movies & TV. 

6. Philadelphia 

philadelphia film lgbtq+ movies

Philadelphia is one of the LGBTQ+ movies that you can not only find on Amazon Prime, but YouTube and Google Play Movies.

This 1993 film stars two MASSIVE actors, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks. It is about a gay lawyer who is suffering from AIDS and keeping his sexuality hidden from his employers. He is then unfairly fired from his job and the homophobic man who takes up his case.

This film has won numerous awards. To list a few they would be, the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hanks), a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor (Tom Hanks), MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance (Tom Hanks), and GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film. 

5. Tangerine 

tangerine film lgbtq+ movies

Tangerine is most famous for being completely shot with three iPhone 5S smartphones! Crazy right? It is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by Sean Baker.

The storyline follows a transgender sex worker who discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her. The film was premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction, performances, and portrayal of transgender individuals.

The film received numerous awards including the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female (Mya Taylor), the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor (Mya Taylor), the Gotham Independent Film Audience Award and GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film. 

4. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire 

portrait of a lady on fire film lgbtq+ movies

This is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies on Hulu, however, you can still watch this film on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Google Play Movies.

The film is a 2019 French historical romantic drama film written and directed by Celine Sciamma. This is about a young painter who is asked to paint a portrait of a young lady who is a reluctant bride-to-be.

She observes her day by day, to paint her secretly. The film tells the story of an affair between the painter and aristocrat.

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire has won a massive amount of awards. Some include but are not limited to, Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay, European Film Award for Best Screenwriter, Cesar Award for Best Cinematography, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematographer, and many more. 

3. Brokeback Mountain 

Brokeback mountain poster

You can find this 2005 film on Netflix, Prime, YouTube and Google Play Movies. Brokeback Mountain is an American Neo-Western romantic drama directed by Ang Lee.

It was adapted from the 1997 short story of the same title by Annie Proulx. The screenplay was written by Ossana and Larry McMurtry. This is another film starring some very well-known actors and actresses including Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams. The movie is about two American Male cowboys and their complex and sexual relationship together.

To name all the awards this film has received, we will be here for the next decade! But it’s only right we name a few. It has received a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture in addition to a BAFTA Award for Best Film, BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Role (Jake Gyllenhaal), New York Film Critics Award for Best Actor (Heath Ledger), MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance (Jake Gyllenhaal) and so many more! We definitely feel like this is one to watch! 

2. Rocket Man 

rocketman movie

Rocket Man is a 2019 biographical musical fantasy drama based on the life and music of British Musician Elton John. You can watch this now on Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Google Play Movies.

The movie got its title from Elton’s 1972 song “Rocket Man”. The film is about John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music and through his musical partnership with Taupin.

It shows how he struggled with parental issues as well as dealing with physical and emotional abuse. He then became addicted to alcohol, drugs, and sex to escape the loneliness and pain he was feeling at the time. 

Taron Egerton, who was playing Elton John, won numerous awards for his role in this movie. For example, a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. 

1. Bohemian Rhapsody 

Bohemian Rhapsody poster

Finally, if you haven’t already get yourself onto Amazon Prime, Google Play Movies or YouTube to watch this unreal film! It’s definitely worth it.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 biographical musical drama film that is based on the story of the life of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British Rock musical band Queen.

It tells the story of how AIDS was viciously spreading around the world just as Freddie learned, he also suffered from the disease. He brushed off everybody who gave their sympathy towards him, including his band so that he could focus on performing and making music for as long as he had left! It also mentions his loving relationship with Hutton which he was in for the remainder of his life. 

This film won over a dozen awards. For example, an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rami Malek), Golden Globe for Best Actor (Rami Malek), Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rami Malek) and many more! 

Those Were 10 Of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Movies

Pride flag lgbtq+ movies

So, those were our 10 favourite LGBTQ+ movies of all time!

Some of these movies have helped to inspire the entire LGBTQ+ community worldwide and they don’t even know it. A lot of these movies are great, as well as helping others who are in similar situations to some of these movie characters, feel they are not alone. It shows the good and equally the bad and helps to empower every single person struggling with their identity. 

Finally, let us know if you have seen any of the films we’ve listed above, or even if there are some you might have added to the list! We would love to hear from you!

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