Best LGBTQ movies to watch
Are you always wondering what to watch right now? Well, we've put together this list of LGBTQ+ movies that should be on your queue. These are some of the best LGBTQ+ movies streaming on Netflix right now and for good reason. They range from LGBTQ thrillers to love stories to LGBTQ+ documentaries.
Heart Shot
Heart Shot movie short
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Sam’s family is out for two days, and even though they forbid her to invite anyone over, Sam still invites her girlfriend Nikki. Sam and Nikki spend their time imagining a future together, but Nikki’s dark past will soon get in their way. This movie short is heartfelt and a little bit of a thriller. Directed by Marielle Woods.
Duration: 19 minutes
Year: 2022
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The Invisible Thread
The Invisible Thread
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Leone creates a school project about LGBTQ+ rights, deciding he will bring his own personal example: his two fathers. This particular quality about his family sets him apart from the other schoolmates, but while he struggles with love affairs of his own, he finds out the perfect family he was hoping to portray doesn’t really exist. This movie explores the concept of family, especially in a country where a same-sex couple is not allowed to have children. Directed by: Marco Simon Puccioni.
Duration: 103 minutes
Year: 2022
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The Boys in the Band
The Boys in the Band
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Michael is hosting a birthday party for his friend Harold together with their gay friends, when an old roommate of Michael, Alan, calls in distress wanting to meet him. Michael doesn’t want Alan to meet the group, as Alan doesn’t know he is homosexual, but eventually, Alan crashes the party. As the evening proceeds, all of the guests confront their past and present through a telephone game; it is worth watching even just for Hank and Larry’s phone calls. Ryan Murphy Production presents this openly gay casted movie based on the 1968 play by Mart Crowley and directed by Joe Mantello; their theater production in 2018 with the same cast won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
Duration: 122 minutes
Year: 2020
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Ride or Die
Ride or Die
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Rai’s love of her life calls after ten years since they’ve last seen each other. Nanae cannot bear the thought of living another day under her husband's domestic abuse: either he dies, or she dies. So Rai has to decide whether to give up her life and her girlfriend to run away with Nanae, in a great Thelma-and-Louise-style. This movie is at times delicate, sensual, and a bit of a live-action; it’s worth watching even just for Rai’s sister-in-law. It is based on Ching Nakamura's manga series Gunjō, and is directed by Ryuichi Hiroki.
Duration: 142 minutes
Year: 2021
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The Half of It
The Half of It
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Ellie doesn’t have many friends and mainly sustains her family by selling homework to other students. She is approached by Paul, a football player, asking her to write love letters to his crush Aster. Ellie takes the job, finding she has a lot in common with the girl she secretly loves as well. This movie is a coming-of-age drama, heartfelt and heartwarming, written and directed by lesbian Taiwanese-American director Alice Wu.
Duration: 104 minutes
Year: 2020
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The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Marsha P. Johnson was an activist, drag queen, and veteran of Stonewall, and was found dead in 1992. As violence against the transgender community rises, trans activist, Victoria Cruz investigates the death of Marsha through interviews with friends and family. This documentary is directed by David France, and it is powerful, current, and in its own way, heartwarming.
Duration: 105 minutes
Year: 2017
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Handsome Devil
Handsome Devil
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Ned is the only gay boy out in his boarding school, and he is bullied – hard – by the rugby team that carries the pride of the institution. When Connor, a boy who was transferred for fighting everyone at his old school, becomes his roommate, Ned builds a wall of furniture to divide their space. When a new teacher gives them material to discuss, Ned finds out he might not be alone after all. This movie is about coming out, owning one’s identity, and gay friendship. It is directed by John Butler and it has won Best Actor, Best Narrative Feature and Best Cinematography at the FilmOut San Diego LGBT Film Festival in 2017.
Duration: 95 minutes
Year: 2016
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Your Name Engraved Herein
Your Name Engraved Herein
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Birdy meets A-han when he transfers to a Catholic all-male school in 1987 and the Taiwanese martial law fell. They become best friends, and their bond is strong, so much so that in different incidents they dream of becoming more than that. This movie is about homophobia, the violence that comes with it, but also the deepest, real love that bonds people for a lifetime. It was the highest-grossing LGBT film in Taiwan's history, as well as the most popular Taiwanese film of 2020, and it was directed by Patrick Kuang-Hui Liu.
Duration: 114 minutes
Year: 2020
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I Care a Lot
I Care a Lot
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Marla is a con artist that tricks the legal system into giving her guardianship of elderly people, which she then places in assisted living facilities where they lose contact with the outside world. She lives happily with her girlfriend and business partner Fran until they target the mother of a dangerous gangster. This movie is a satirical black comedy, with a bit of thriller tropes. It is directed by J Blackeson.
Duration: 118 minutes
Year: 2020
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So My Grandma’s a Lesbian!
So My Grandma’s a Lesbian!
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Eva is getting married to her Scottish fiancé, whose big flaw is his conservative family. Eva’s grandmother, Sofía, is also planning on getting married soon – to Celia, a woman everyone in the family has always believed to be a close friend. This love story between women in their seventies is campy, heartwarming, and goofy at times. It is directed by Angeles Reiné.
Duration: 94 minutes
Year: 2020
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Single All the Way
Single All the Way
Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Peter is planning on taking his boyfriend home for Christmas to meet his family – until he finds out the boyfriend has a wife. Then Peter decides to take Nick, his roommate and best friend, home instead to pretend he’s the one Peter is dating. But before they can make the announcement, Peter’s mother has already set him on a date… This is a campy, Christmassy movie that is cute to watch even in the summer. It is directed by Michael Mayer.
Duration: 101 minutes
Year: 2021