Gimme five
Ok. So there's one and a zillion challenges going on now that people are glued to their computers and are sheltering in place. Music, movies, food, drinks, you name it, there's a challenge for it. And I, being the gayling that I am, decided to go with gay movies. Because I'm a sucker for gay movies. And an unrepentant romantic. Also, representation matters, people!
Ok, so here's my top five. Because I'm very extra and if I don't narrow it down, I'd be here all fucking day.
Five:
Keep the Lights On. God, this one was heavy. A conflicted, complicated, complex relationship and great acting. It hit hard because I’ve been there. It may require repeated viewings. Preferably with wine.
Four:
Stranger by the Lake. It works as a thriller and also as very different kind of love story. I have watched it three times and still get things out of it. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon. Make sure you watch it with someone so you can speculate about the ending. I wish more films like this were made in America.
Three:
Making Love. The themes and the actual movie may seem tame by today's standards, when we can find porn on Twitter, but this movie was super controversial when it came out. I think it basically killed their careers, it was so taboo to talk about gay men and sex! But the leads are so fucking dreamy! Harry Hamlin makes me pant. I feel you, Lisa Rinna!
Two:
Brokeback Mountain. I can remember when I went to see this movie with ten of my friends. Ten of us drove to Cleveland to see this movie at the Cedar Lake theater. The Cedar Lee is a small, niche, art movie theater in Cleveland and it was the only theater in Ohio showing it. The line went on for three blocks, but we made it. I cried watching this movie. In a public theater. Sobbing. I have watched this movie many times. I think it's one of the few DVDs I own. And I don't have a DVD player anymore. So yeah.
One:
Weekend. This movie shook me to the core. So this is what it is they talk about huh? That feeling of love at the first sight? This is the urgency. This is the need. This is that incredible pull you feel. I'm convinced they need to make Weekend II. And tell us what happened. Because I NEED TO KNOW.
And you, what are your top gay (or LGBTQ) movies?
I really wanna know. Who knows? Maybe we can have a watch party? Google Hangouts can come handy.
XOXO
P.S.
Honorable mentions:
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One of my favorites is Latter Days. Yes a Mormon boy finds a new way. One of the first non-porn gay films I bought. I also loved Brokeback and the “shock” (for the time period) of Making Love.
ReplyDeleteXOXO 👨❤️💋👨
I love Latter Days! I think Steve Sandvoss should have made more movies!
DeleteXOXO
"making love" - the first gay themed movie I ever watched. at the time, I didn't have any gay friends, but the story resonated with me. and the message I took away is "love is love".
ReplyDelete"wigstock" and "philadelphia" and "the wedding banquet" are also on my list.
Making Love was a trailblazer. Really.
DeleteAnd Wigstock is absolutely fab. Required viewing. It's a great view to Drag before it went mainstream-ish.
Didn't Philadelphia give Tom Hanks an Oscar?
XOXO
I think i's cool people are challenging themselves and others. It's interesting. But, shouldn't go too far. I did re-watch Brokeback Mountain half a year ago or so, it's so good!
ReplyDeleteOh. Brokeback Mountain is a yearly pilgrimage for me, too!
DeleteIt still gets me chocked up. Especially that last scene...
XOXO
I hadn't heard of Keep the Lights On, so I'm going to check that one out.
ReplyDeleteMichael Ontkean did it for me in Making Love; he is so damned sexy.
Brokeback still breaks my heart., as did Moonlight and Far From Heaven. Milk.
Paris Is Burning . My Beautiful Laundrette, where I first saw Daniel Day-Lewis.
So many ....
I LOVED "Milk".
DeleteMichael Ontkean was quite the dish!!
DeleteOMG My Beautiful Laundrette! It's such an awesome movie. So many layers.
Milk got me verklempt. Still does.
XOXO
I found a single man very dark and upsetting. The actors were fantastic but I will never watch it again. I can pick any, I like them all for different reasons. I just watched BBM a few weeks ago, it had been ten years since I last saw it. I remember watching Making Love on tv as a kid, I remember the hate. Beautiful Thing was one of the first movies I saw that focused on the romance between the guys and it really affected me in a positive way. One of my favorite scenes was them being playful in the park while "you are sixteen" from The Sound of Music was playing .
ReplyDeleteI liked A Single Man. Gosh it hit hard. Beautiful Thing is such a tender movie! Their romance is so pure.
DeleteXOXO
Fantastic list! "Brokeback Mountain" - an Oscar winner after (yes) "Making Love" destroyed the careers of the actors. "Philadelphia," "Latter Day," "Moonlight" - another Oscar winner, "Call Me By Your Name," and I love comedy, too, so... "Connie and Carla." I think I could keep building that list :-D xoxo
ReplyDeleteI LOVED "Philadelphia".
DeleteCall Me By Your Name was good, but I had read the book and it kind of created a glitch for me. I like it, though. It was like a love letter to the 80's.
DeleteMoonlight is such a nuanced movie! I really enjoyed it.
XOXO
In 1972, there was a made for TV movie called "That Certain Summer". starring Hal Holbrook and a very young ,and VERY gorgeous Martin Sheen. That movie was an eye opener for me and the US. But, for movie house movies...
ReplyDelete1. Call Me By Your Name
2. Patrik 1.5 (fabulous, funny and warm)
3. What Happens Next
5. La Cage Aux Folles
I thought Brokeback was slow, and the sex scene unbelievable. But it was a breakthrough into major markets as was Love, Simon.
Italy has made some great LGBT themed movies despite the Pope, but I can't remember their names.
La Cage Aux Folles is fantastic. Really. Political commentary and all.
DeleteI need to find Patrik 1.5. What Happens Next is soooo cute! That French Bulldog was ahead of its time.
XOXO
Oh, damn - I forgot about La Cage. Fantastic film. The original (in French), the musical, and The Birdcage all pretty much rocked it!
DeleteI have seen all the ones on your list, which impressed me!!!!!!! On the main list anyhow. Soon, I have a post coming on a movie I liked. I still to this day don't know what I thought of Keep The Lights On. I was bummed about the end I know, and didn't like the feeling I had. A Single Man, and Pricilla are still my top two favorite gay movies. Just the other day I watched Brian Jordan Alevez's film he wrote and acted, called Everything is New. Pretty good and a nice watch. I also saw a light gay comedy called Kiss the Bride, that had Tori Spelling, can't remember the two very cute actors, but a cute , fun, light movie, with some nice ass shots.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend...I miss you over the weekends! You spoil me so.
Keep The Lights On has a lot to chew on. Priscilla Queen of the Desert was fantastic. They had to remake it here it was so good. Oh, and ass shots? What gay movie could go without them? Googling that right now.
DeleteAww and I miss your posts too!
XOXO
I love "Brokeback Mountain" -- it's a true classic that will stand the test of time.
ReplyDeleteI know, right? And all that from a short story. It really stroke a chord, that one.
DeleteXOXO
I really liked "Latter Days," so much so I bought it. But, my all time favorite is "Love Songs." Here's a 5 minute teaser, and though the movie is a musical, the song is not part of it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNCK09LO1NQ
Love Songs looks super cute! The leads are adorable.
DeleteIt starts quite somber , though. A musical, huh?
XOXO
I have only seen a few from your list. I enjoyed "Brokeback Mountain" but by the time I saw it in the theaters the hype was too much for my expectations. I also liked "Moonlight" but I think my favorite would be "Dog Day Afternoon." Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteDog Day Afternoon is quite the love story. Al Pacino gave us EVERYTHING. It's one of those movies that is nuanced but hits hard. It dealt with the struggle of being trans while playing like an action movie.
DeleteXOXO
love gay stories
ReplyDeleteSame! I think that the people who say they don't are just shy...
DeleteXOXO