LGBTQ content has only recently come into the mainstream with films like Love, Simon and Call Me By Your Name, but in the past there have been some great queer movies that are unfairly underrated. From foreign gems to a pulpy, sci-fi satire, these LGBTQ films are authentic, raw, daring and engaging, making the following movies some of the best works of cinema to push boundaries.
Kaboom
Gregg Araki is one of the godfathers of the 90s New Queer Cinema film movement, and he continues to create fantastic queer oriented content that is anything but typical. Araki's overlooked 2010 gonzo, sci-fi romp continues the director's trend of sexual fluidity, and it uses the end of the world as a metaphor for exploring one's sexuality. Kaboom follows Smith (Thomas Dekker), a college student with an undefined sexuality, as he navigates sex, drugs and romance while inadvertently getting embroiled in a devious cult who are planning an apocalypse.
After more then two decades of making films, Araki keeps things fresh by subverting queer cinema tropes. For instance, even though Smith has a crush on his roommate Thor (Chris Zylka), he still meets several other potential love interests. This film doesn't get caught up in a Hollywood-esque gay romance, but instead it is realistic in its portrayal of young queer people figuring out who they are and who they like. Smith has hook-ups at nude beaches, threesomes with any gender and helps his best friend Stella (Haley Bennett) break off an affair with a witch named Lorelei (Roxane Mesquida). In other words, this winner of the first ever Queer Palm at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival doesn't contain the kind of content one would see in Love, Simon.
Stranger by the Lake
This french thriller from 2014 is deeply unsettling and delivers a narrative rarely seen in queer cinema. Stranger by the Lake follows Franck and Michel, two men who develop feelings for each other after meeting at a gay, nude beach. The story takes a dark turn when Franck starts to wonder if the man of his dreams isn't who he thought he was after he suspects he witnessed Michel drown a man in the lake one night.
Erotic thrillers usually feature straight leading characters, especially in Hollywood fare. This film is well written, cleverly crafted and focuses in on its story instead of trying to be titillating or exploitative of the queer themes. The film presents queer characters involved in an intense plot involving love and murder, and the fact that they are gay men isn't used as a plot device.
Butterfly Kiss
Butterfly Kiss, another thriller featuring an intense same-sex relationship at its core, stars Amanda Plummer as Eunice, a serial killer who murders the men who pick her up while hitchhiking. Things change for Eunice when she falls for Miriam, a lonely and naive runaway. The two women embark on a murderous road trip that is as horrifying as it is endearing.
This frightening foray into the mind of a maniac is unlike any other film of its kind, mainly due to its blend of genres. The movie feels like a tender romance at times, until Eunice commits brutal murder, and it teeters on being borderline horror, before turning into a meandering road movie with engaging characters. The film almost makes one feel bad for caring about the deeply disturbed Eunice.
Concrete Blondes
The lesser-known comedy crime caper Concrete Blondes follows a down on their luck lesbian couple who stumble upon over $3 million left over from a gangland massacre. When their annoying roommate and her sleazy boyfriend get involved, things quickly go awry. This film's memorable characters and witty screenplay should earn it hidden gem status.
This is a rare crime movie that deals with a same-sex relationship at its core. The film is pulpy and could easily go down the road of exploitation, but instead of depicting the female characters as tough, sex symbols, they are complex and multidimensional women in love, who also have to do what it takes to survive. The two leads love for each other bleeds off the screen, and their chemistry is another factor to why this movie works so well.
Boys
This beautiful Dutch coming-of-age romance was originally a made-for-tv movie that premiered on a Dutch channel for children and young teens. The film gained some international notoriety on Netflix, but not nearly the amount it deserves. The film follows a fifteen year old athlete named Sieger who becomes overwhelmed when he realizes he is attracted to his new friend, Marc.
American films rarely depict gay teens in the raw and visceral light that is seen here. Sieger's exploration of himself is fully seen in Boys, not glossed over or pushed under the rug. The romance between the two teens always feels extremely natural and never forced. It also includes the beautiful themes of self-acceptance and true love, making this film a must-see for anyone questioning their sexuality or for anybody in need of a touching romance.
Boy Meets Girl
Not enough films feature trans characters as the lead, and even fewer have an actual trans actor in the role. Boy Meets Girl follows Ricky, a 21 year old transgender woman who begins a relationship with the fiance of her high school bully. Throw in a side plot featuring a budding attraction between Ricky and her best friend from childhood, and viewers have an LGBTQ flick that seems like it's directed by John Hughes.
Ricky is a very authentic transgender character, partially because she is played by trans actress Michelle Hendley. Hendley is a natural in her first film role, gives life to Ricky and presents her as just a typical young woman with wants and dreams. The film is very human and depicts the transgender woman's experience in a realistic way.
Pariah
Directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees, Pariah is a semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age drama about Alike, a teen with homophobic parents, and she is coming to terms with her own sexuality. Alike's journey is heartbreaking yet triumphant, and Rees expertly examines a young woman's identity using gorgeous neon visuals and nuanced performances.
Adepero Oduye gives a riveting lead performance as Alike, and she is nothing short of astonishing. It's criminal that Oduye has not appeared in more leading roles, because she is so brilliant as the shy yet courageous Alike. Oduye captures Alike's loneliness and naivety in such a touching way, and her co-stars, especially Kim Wayans as Alike's unsupportive mother, help add to this original and moving drama.