Best LGBT Movies?
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 12:15PM
NATHANIEL R in All About My Mother, Boys in the Band, Brokeback Mountain, Carol, LGBT, List-Mania, My Beautiful Laundrette, Paris is Burning, Parting Glances, Pink Narcissus, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

by Nathaniel R

For Pride month you may have heard that Rotten Tomatoes has expanded and updated their list of the greatest LGBT films ever to a full 200 movies wide.

Given that they've just done this, we thought it might be a good idea to share multiple "best lgbt films list" to give you lots of rental ideas for Gay Pride month. We've also listed the pros and cons of a few of the key lists out there. Do you feel like you've seen your share of queer classics perusing these or do you have endless hours of screenings ahead to catch up?

The Rotten Tomatoes list and 4 additional lists are after the jump. Which lists is friendliest to your tastes?

Rotten Tomatoes Top 200 List 

Pro: Internationally minded. Con: Wacko rankings and obvious preferencing of anything brand new. If a gay movie was made between 2013-2019, it's on this list, period! 

  1. Moonlight (2016)
  2. Can You Ever Forgive Me (2018)
  3. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
  4. The Favourite (2018)

     
  5. Carol (2015)
  6. Booksmart (2019)
  7. McQueen (2018)
  8. BPM (2017)
  9. Victim (1961)
  10. The Handmaiden (2016)
  11. Milk (2008)
  12. A Fantastic Woman (2018)
  13. Dallas Buyers Club (2013) It is homophobic to have this above hundred of legit LGBT classics. wtf?!?
  14. All About My Mother (1999)
  15. Funeral Parade of Roses (1970)
  16. Paris is Burning (1991) -if you're going to mix documentaries with features this should be in the top 5 with no questions asked.
  17. God's Own Country (2017)
  18. Tangerine (2015)

     
  19. La Cage Aux Folles (1979)
  20. Mädchen in Uniform (1931)
  21. The Imitation Game (2014)
  22. Desert Hearts (1986)
  23. Love is Strange (2014)
  24. Law of Desire (1987)
  25. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
  26. Love, Simon (2018)
  27. The Heiresses (2019)
  28. The Kids are All Right (2010)
  29. My Beautiful Laundrette (1986)
  30. Cabaret (1972)
  31. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
  32. The Crying Game (1992)
  33. Battle of the Sexes (2017)
  34. Tomboy (2011)
  35. Victor/Victoria (1982)
  36. Gods and Monsters (1998)
  37. Pariah (2011)
  38. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
  39. Appropriate Behaivor (2015)
  40. Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

  41. Grandma (2015)
  42. The Duke of Burgundy (2015)
  43. Weekend (2011)
  44. The Celluloid Closet (1996)
  45. The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson (2017)
  46. Pride (2014)
  47. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
  48. In the Family (2012)
  49. 1985 (2018)
  50. Stranger by the Lake (2014)
  51. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
  52. Being 17 (2016)
  53. The Boys in the Band (1970)

  54. Rafiki (2019)
  55. Farewell My Queen (2012)
  56. Brokeback Mountain (2005) - obviously whoever composed this list had something against this masterpiece!
  57. Heavenly Creatures (1994) - and this one!
  58. Princess Cyd (2017)
  59. Longtime Companion (1990)
  60. Chris & Don (2007)
  61. The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) - it's almost like someone just made a gay list and tossed all the titles in the air and whichever way they landed that's the order!
  62. The Hanging Garden (1998)
  63. Giant Little Ones (2019)  
  64. Rocketman (2019)
  65. We the Animals (2018)
  66. Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
  67. Professor Marston & The Wonder Women (2017)
  68. Saturday Church (2018)
  69. The Way He Looks (2014)
  70. Wild Nights with Emily (2019)
  71. Summertime (2017)
  72. To Be Takei (2014)
  73. My Summer of Love (2004)
  74. Disobedience (2018)

  75. Bad Education (2004)
  76. My Life in Pink (1997)
  77. Beautiful Thing (1996)
  78. Teorema (1968)
  79. Boy Erased (2018)
  80. The Wound (2017)
  81. Show Me Love (1999)
  82. Maurice (1987)
  83. Scotty & The Secret History of Hollywood (2018)
  84. Aimee & Jaguar (2000)
  85. Boys Don't Cry (1999)
  86. A Single Man (2009)
  87. Keep the Lights On (2012)
  88. Undertow (2010)
  89. Bound (1996)
  90. Diamantino (2019)
  91. 52 Tuesdays (2015)
  92. Beginners (2011)
  93. First Girl I Loved (2016)
  94. Mulholland Drive (2001)
  95. Fire (1996)
  96. Beach Rats (2017)
  97. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
  98. Saving Face (2005)

  99. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972) 
  100. Orlando (1993) - how is this so low? This list be crazy
  101. Mysterious Skin (2005)
  102. I've Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987)
  103. Circumstance (2011)
  104. I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (2007)
  105. Other People (2016)
  106. Chuck & Buck (2000)
  107. The Color Purple (1985)
  108. Yossi & Jagger (2003)
  109. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
  110. Old Joy (2006) - i didn't know this was gay. Hmmm.
  111. Monster (2003)
  112. All Over Me (1997)
  113. Knife + Heart (2019)
  114. Girl (2018)
  115. Laurence Anyways (2013)
  116. The Hours (2002)
  117. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
  118. XXY (2007)
  119. Lilting (2014)
  120. Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  121. Beautiful Boxer (2005)
  122. Alex Strangelove (2018)  not even sure this would make my top 1000 gay movies. So generic!

  123. Handsome Devil (2017) 
  124. Philadelphia (1993)
  125. Signature Move (2017)
  126. Go Fish (1995)
  127. Lovesong (2017)
  128. Sorry Angel (2019)
  129. Strawberry & Chocolate (1994) - pretty low for an actual Oscar nominee
  130. Beau Travail (2000) - pretty low for a legit masterpiece
  131. The Birdcage (1996)
  132. Transamerica (2006) - wut
  133. Kiki (2017)
  134. North Sea Texas (2012)
  135. From Afar (2016)
  136. GBF (2014)
  137. Get Real (1999)
  138. Happy Together (1997)
  139. Holding the Man (2015)
  140. Born in Flames (1983)
  141. Closet Monster (2016)
  142. The Intervention (2016)
  143. Water Lilies (2008)
  144. Tropical Malady (2005)
  145. Wild Reeds (1995) - pretty low for a film with a 100% rotten tomatoes score on a rotten tomatoes list. wtf
  146. Trick (1999)
  147. The Gospel of Eureka (2019)
  148. Brother to Brother (2004)

  149. Burnt Money (2001) - way too low for something this ridiculously erotic
  150. Wigsstock the Movie (1995)
  151. Margarita with a Straw (2016)
  152. The Happy Prince (2018)
  153. Before Night Falls (2001)
  154. The Danish Girls (2015) -ridiculously high for a film with a 67% rotten tomatoes score on a rotten tomatoes list. wtf
  155. Concussion (2013)
  156. Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998)
  157. I Love You Phillip Morris (2010)
  158. Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1975)
  159. High Art (1998)
  160. In & Out (1997)
  161. Sebastiane (1976)
  162. Personal Best (1982)
  163. The Runaways (2010)
  164. Bent (1997)
  165. The Misandrists (2018) - how is this the only Bruce LaBruce movie on the list?
  166. Heartbeats (2011)
  167. Wilde (1998)
  168. The Watermelon Woman (1997)
  169. Torch Song Trilogy (1988)
  170. The Killing of Sister George (1968)
  171. I Killed My Mother (2013)
  172. Were the World Mine (2008)
  173. Priest (1995)
  174. Shortbus (2006) - wayyyyy too low
  175. Antonia's Line (1995)
  176. Boy Culture (2007)
  177. Jeffrey (1995)
  178. Suddenly (2003)
  179. Love and Human Remains (1993)
  180. Love! Valour! Compassion (1997)
  181. In a Year with 13 Moons (1978)
  182. The Sum of Us (1995)
  183. Camp (2003)
  184. Life Partners (2014)

  185. Parting Glances (1986) - pretty low for such a seminal indie
  186. Big Eden (2001)
  187. Set It Off (1996)
  188. Reaching for the Moon (2013)
  189. Entre Nous (1983) - another really low Oscar nominee
  190. Howl (2010) - wait. but no one likes this one!
  191. The Broken Hearts Club (2000)
  192. AWOL (2017)
  193. Naz & Maalik (2016)
  194. Black White + Gray (2007)
  195. Head On (1999)
  196. Gun Hill Road (2011)
  197. Love Songs (2008)
  198. Taboo (2000)
  199. Set Me Free (1999)
  200. Edge of Seventeen (1999) - much much too low for such a memorable sweet no-budget indies

 

Esquire 50 Best

Con: Not very international. Pro: Seems to have taken cultural impact and influence into the ranking and doesnt confuse things by mixing documentaries in. (If it's not on the Rotten Tomatoes list at all we've highlighted it.)

  1. The Boys in the Band (1970)
  2. Philadelphia (1993)
  3. Moonlight (2016)
  4. Carol (2015)
  5. BPM (2017)
  6. The Birdcage (1996)
  7. Boys Don't Cry (1999)
  8. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
  9. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  10. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
  11. Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994)

  12. Tangerine (2015)
  13. Parting Glances (1986)
  14. The Color Purple (1985)
  15. A Fantastic Woman (2017)
  16. Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
  17. Longtime Companion (1990)
  18. Pride (2014)
  19. All About My Mother (1999)
  20. High Art (1998)
  21. Jeffrey (1995)
  22. A Single Man (2009)
  23. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
  24. Before Night Falls (2000)
  25. My Beautiful Laundrette (1986)
  26. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
  27. Pariah (2011)
  28. But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
  29. Mysterious Skin (2005)
  30. Bound (1996)
  31. Beginners (2011)
  32. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
  33. Making Love (1982)
  34. Go Fish (1994)
  35. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
  36. Maurice (1987)
  37. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
  38. Beach Rats (2017)
  39. Personal Best (1982)

  40. The Children's Hour (1961)
  41. The Kids are All Right (2010)
  42. The Watermelon Woman (1996)
  43. Happy Together (1997)
  44. Keep the Lights On (2012)
  45. Weekend (2011)
  46. GBF (2013)
  47. Desert Hearts (1985)
  48. Viva (2015)
  49. Cruising (1980)
  50. Princess Cyd (2017)

 

BFI TOP 33

Pro: High-minded and cinephile friendly - quality of films is very high. Con: No concern for popularity so some of the most seminal films that made a cultural impact are missing (if it was not on the previous two lists, it's highlighted here)

  1. Carol (2015)
  2. Weekend (2011)
  3. Happy Together (1997)
  4. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  5. Paris is Burning (1990)
  6. Tropical Malady (2004)
  7. My Beautiful Laundrette (1986)
  8. All About My Mother (1999)
  9. Un Chant D'Amour (1950)
  10. My own Private Idaho (1991)
  11. Tangerine (2015)
  12. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)
  13. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
  14. Mädchen in Uniform (1931)
  15. Show Me Love (1999)
  16. Orlando (1992)
  17. Victim (1961)
  18. Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974)

  19. Looking for Langston (1989)
  20. Beau Travail (2000)
  21. Beautiful Things (1996)
  22. Stranger by the Lake (2013)
  23. Teorema (1968)
  24. The Watermelon Woman (1996)
  25. Pariah (2011)
  26. Mulholland Drive (2001)
  27. Portrait of Jason (1967)
  28. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
  29. Death in Venice (1971)
  30. Pink Narcissus (1971)
  31. Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
  32. Tomboy (2011)
  33. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)

 

TIME OUT TOP 50

Pro: Cinephile friendly. Allows short films and gay iconic films even if they aren't gay (like Wizard of Oz) which mixes it up a bit. Con: Very esoteric. Just as many highlights missing as included. Seems to preference 1990s more than other decades. (If it's not on the previous lists, it's highlighted here)

 

  1. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  2. Boys Don't Cry (1999)
  3. Happy Together (1997)
  4. My Own Private Idaho (1991)

  5. All About My Mother (1999)
  6. The Killing of Sister George (1968)
  7. Ma Vie En Rose (1997)
  8. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
  9. Beautiful Thing (1996)
  10. Orlando (1992)
  11. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
  12. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
  13. Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994)
  14. Weekend (2011)
  15. Un Chant D'Amour (1950)
  16. Fox and His Friends (1975)
  17. The Hours (2002)
  18. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
  19. The Boys in the Band (1970)

  20. Pride (2014)
  21. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
  22. Maurice (1987)
  23. Scorpio Rising (1964)
  24. Transamerica (2005) - ugh.
  25. But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
  26. Bound (1996)
  27. Death in Venice (1971)
  28. God's Own Country (2017)
  29. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)
  30. The Terence Davies Trilogy (1983)
  31. Pink Flamingos (1972)
  32. Edward II (1991)
  33. Fellini Satyricon (1969)
  34. Moonlight (2016)
  35. Pink Narcissus (1971)
  36. BPM (2017)
  37. Longtime Companion (1990)
  38. By Hook or By Crook (2001)
  39. Parting Glances (1986)
  40. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  41. A Fantastic Woman (2017)
  42. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

  43. Paris is Burning (1990)
  44. Stranger Inside (2001)
  45. Teorema (1968)
  46. Pariah (2011)
  47. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
  48. Show Me Love (1999)
  49. Bad Education (2004)
  50. The Children's Hour (1961)

 

LOGO TOP 100

Pro: More Todd Haynes who inexplicably is not favored by the other lists. This list allows TV movies and streaming so it mixes things up a bit. Con: Allows TV movies and streaming and so what people watch a lot and on TV is all over the list - lots of "straight to video" type of B movies or recent cable movies. Of all the lists this is the one that's friendlist to legitimately terrible movies. Plus it's far more G than LGBT overall (If it wasn't on the previous lists above, it's highlighted here.) 

  1. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  2. Shelter (2007)
  3. Beautiful Thing (1996)
  4. Milk (2008)
  5. Weekend (2011)
  6. Latter Days (2003)
  7. Maurice (1987)
  8. The Normal Heart (2014)
  9. Pride (2014)
  10. A Single Man (2009)
  11. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  12. Big Eden (2000)
  13. Trick (1999)
  14. Were the World Mine (2008)

  15. Cabaret (1972)
  16. Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994)
  17. Angels in America (2003)
  18. Bad Education (2004)
  19. The Birdcage (1996)
  20. Wild Reeds (1994)
  21. Get Real (1998)
  22. Longtime Companion (1990)
  23. Prayers for Bobby (2009)

     
  24. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
  25. Mysterious Skin (2004)
  26. The Way He Looks (2014)
  27. Torch Song Trilogy (1988)
  28. Plan B (2009)
  29. Boy Culture (2006)
  30. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
  31. GBF (2014)
  32. Patrick Age 1.5 (2008)
  33. The Bubble (2006)
  34. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
  35. Victor/Victoria (1982)
  36. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
  37. Private Romeo (2011)
  38. The War Boys (2009)
  39. Undertow (2009)
  40. Kill Your Darlings (2013)
  41. La Cage Aux Folles (1978)
  42. All Over the Guy (2001)
  43. Love is Strange (2014)
  44. Jeffrey (1995)
  45. Make the Yuletide Gay (2009)
  46. Mambo Italiano (2003)
  47. Parting Glances (1986)
  48. The Skeleton Twins (2014)
  49. Philadelphia (1993)
  50. Geography Club (2014)
  51. Christopher and His Kind (2011)
  52. Lilies (1996)
  53. Guys & Balls (2004)
  54. In & Out (1997)
  55. Rent (2005)
  56. Keep the Lights On (2012)
  57. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
  58. Eating Out (2004)
  59. Hawaii (2013)
  60. Shortbus (2006)

  61. Stranger by the Lake (2013)
  62. Summer Storm (2004)
  63. Out in the Dark (2012)
  64. The Trip (2002)
  65. Another Gay Movie (2006)
  66. Edge of Seventeen (1998)
  67. Gayby (2012)
  68. Harvest (2011)
  69. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
  70. Just a Question of Love (2000)
  71. North Sea Texas (2011)
  72. The Broken Hearts Club (2000)
  73. Gods and Monsters (1998)
  74. Making Love (1982)
  75. The Opposite of Sex (1998)
  76. Lilting (2014)
  77. The Imitation Game (2014)
  78. Velvet Goldmine (1998)
  79. Yossi & Jagger (2002)
  80. Bent (1997)
  81. The Boys in the Band (1970)
  82. Burnt Money (2000)
  83. I Killed My Mother (2009)
  84. Far From Heaven (2002)
  85. The History Boys (2006)

  86. Priest (1994)
  87. A Home at the End of the World (2004)
  88. The Sum of Us (1994)
  89. Transamerica (2005)
  90. Noah's Arc Jumping the Broom (2008)
  91. Philomena (2013)
  92. Beginners (2011)
  93. Ciao (2008)
  94. Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (2014)
  95. Death in Venice (1971)
  96. Boys (2014)
  97. I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
  98. Bear City (2010)
  99. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
  100. To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar (1995)

 

 

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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