Pride Movie Marathon: Top 5 LGBTQ+ Movies

Pride Month commences, and LGBTQ+ movies are beginning to trend on streaming services.

Of course there are Oscar winning LGBTQ+ movies such as “Brokeback Mountain,” “Moonlight” and “Call Me by Your Name,” which are popular favorites, but here is a quick dive into five LGBTQ+ movies you might not have heard of and must see this pride month.

“But I’m a Cheerleader’’ (1999) follows Megan (Natasha Lyonne), a cheerleader who seems to be happy with her life. When those around her notice she doesn’t really like her boyfriend, shows interest in being a vegetarian and only has pictures of women hanging in her locker, her parents send her to a gay conversion therapy camp called True Directions, in hopes to cure her presumed homosexuality. This satirical romanticcomedy has become one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ movies, for good reason, with an amazing cast that includes RuPaul, Melanie Lynskey and Clea DuVuall. It is currently available for free on YouTube and streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime.

“Dog Day Afternoon” (1975) is inspired by a true crime that took place at a bank in Brooklyn and things go wrong quickly. Al Pacino portrays Sonny, the bank robber who quickly turns this intense media storm, FBIinvolvement-robbery into a surprisingly heartwarming story when we learn he plans to use the stolen money for his lover’s gender confirmation surgery. This film was not originally shot as an LGBTQ+ film, but Pacino delivers an amazing performance. It is currently streaming on Max and Amazon Prime.

“Rent” (2005) is a film adaptation of a musical set in the early 1990s. The film follows a group of New Yorkers struggling with their careers, love lives and the effects of the AIDS epidemic on their community. Composer and lyricist, Jonathan Larson, won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical and the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. If you are a fan of musicals, this is a great movie to feel connected to the community with a stellar soundtrack and outstanding performances from every cast member. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Peacock and the Roku Channel.

“Heavenly Creatures’’ (1994) stars Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in a psychological drama based on the 1954 murder case of Honora Parker. Young girls Pauline (Lynskey) and Juliet (Winslet) escape their own realities through their imaginations, but their relationship turns intense and dangerous when they conspire to commit murder on someone who wants to keep them apart. This is one of the most notorious true crime stories of all time and an LGBTQ+ adolescent nightmare. It is available for streaming on Apple TV+ and Vudu. “Philadelphia’’ (1993) won Tom Hanks his first Oscar for his performance as Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is fired from his firm once the senior partners discover he has AIDS. Directed by Jonathan Demme, this legal drama was the first mainstream film to tackle the AIDS crisis, and it gave light to a pressing issue and voice to the community who has been ignored by an intolerant society. Events in this film are tragic, but Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington deliver one of the most impactful LGBTQ+ films of our time. It is currently streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com