Defining movies as ‘LGBT’ or ‘gay-themed’ is in fact a bit stupid, as it has nothing to do with a genre at all. But since everyone’s doing it… these are the most interesting, gripping, funny movies that are in some way ‘gay-themed’.
When French gay thriller L’inconnu du Lac was released in Dutch cinemas it made me come up with a list of the best LGBT films I’ve seen this decade. L’inconnu du Lac received much critical acclaim ( also by other The Filmtransition staff members), which surprised me, to say the least: it’s likely one the most overrated (rest of and dull films I have seen in a while. What surprised me even more was that it didn’t stir up any controversy when it was first shown at the Cannes festival last year. It lurked in the shadow of La Vie d’Adele, which shook the earth by showing a tumultuous lesbian love affair in all its aspects. Two French queer films, albeit totally different from one another, which gained quite some attention and praise. The former an instant classic, the latter a drag. Well, here’s a short overview of personal favorites within gay cinema of the 2010’s, followed by some anticipated LGBT-themed films in 2016.
- New lgbt / gay movies in 2018
- Best lgbt / gay movies of 2017
- 2010-2018: Must-watch lgbt / gay movies on Netflix or DVD
New lgbt / gay movies in 2018
Top movies up for release in 2018Love, Simon
DIRECTOR: Greg Berlanti CAST: Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Jennifer Garner
Based on the best-selling young adult novel, 'Love, Simon' is a fresh and often hilarious account of a 17 year old high school student whose sexuality is about to be revealed. Read more
RATING: 82/100
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Netflix 
Amazon Best lgbt / gay movies of 2017
Top rated 2017 lgbt / gay moviesBeach Rats
DIRECTOR: Eliza Hittman CAST: Harris Dickinson Madeline Weinstein Kate Hodge
After her promising debut film 'It Felt Like Love', Eliza Hittman returns with another dreamy and sad coming of age film about a troubled Brooklyn teenager. In 'Beach Rats', we follow Frankie, a troubled teen who's family situation is depressing. Online, he contacts older men. Out of curiosity at first, but later on, Frankie starts meeting them too. A sensual and touching stunner. Read more
RATING: 82/100
RELEASE DATE: April 24th, 2018
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Tom of Finland
DIRECTOR: Dome Karukoski CAST: Jakob Oftebro Werner Daehn Jimmy Shaw
One of the absolute must-see biopics of this year, 'Tom of Finland' tells the story of a former WW2 army officer who, more or less accidentally, becomes one of the most iconic figures in gay art and played a huge role in the emancipation of homosexual men all over the world. Read more
RATING: 82/100
RELEASE DATE: February 24th, 2017
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates God’s Own Country
DIRECTOR: Francis Lee CAST: Josh O'Connor Alec Secareanu Gemma Jones
Spring. Yorkshire. Young farmer Johnny Saxby numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker for lambing season ignites an intense relationship that sets Johnny on a new path. 'God's Own Country' has been hailed as 'Brokeback Mountain in Yorkshire' and it isn't a far cry indeed. A beautiful and tender movie. Read more
RATING: 77/100
RELEASE DATE: January 23rd, 2017
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Thelma
DIRECTOR: Joachim Trier CAST: Eili Harboe Okay Kaya Ellen Dorrit Petersen
A young woman falls in love with a female co-student, discovering telekinetic powers in the process. Read more
RATING: 90/100
RELEASE DATE: January 23rd, 2017
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Women)
DIRECTOR: Sebastián Lelio CAST: Francisco Reyes Luis Gnecco Aline Küppenheim
Marina, a waitress who moonlights as a nightclub singer, is bowled over by the death of her older boyfriend. Read more
RATING: 88/100
RELEASE DATE: January 23rd, 2017
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Best lgbt / gay movies on Netflix or DVD in 2018
2010's best rated lgbt / gay movies out on DVD, Bluray or streaming on VOD (Netflix, Amazon).The Normal Heart
DIRECTOR: Ryan Murphy CAST: Mark Ruffalo Jonathan Groff Frank De Julio
The story is based in 1980's, the era when the Sprawling rate of H.I.V was at its peak and a gay activist decided to spread education and awareness regarding AIDS. Read more
RATING: 79/100
RELEASE DATE: May 25th, 2014
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates La Vie D’Adele
DIRECTOR: Abdellatif Kechiche CAST: Léa Seydoux Adèle Exarchopoulos Salim Kechiouche
An awful lot has been said about this one already, so what’s there to add to the endless list of euphoric praises? At the same time, it would be bizarre to not put La Vie d’Adéle on a list of best LGBT films of the last few years. An ambitious (in its scale and length) yet utterly real take on the rise and fall of a romantic relationship. While the film focuses on a teenage lesbian love affair, it’s not a film about homosexuality necessarily. Kechiche doesn’t seem to be interested in the girls’ struggle with their sexuality. Many films have been made about that. It’s a story about falling in and out love, captured on screen so real you’ve never seen before. Read more
RATING: 78/100
RELEASE DATE: October 19th, 2013
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Moonlight
DIRECTOR: Barry Jenkins CAST: Mahershala Ali Shariff Earp Duan Sanderson
Moonlight chronicles the life of a young gay man from Miami from youth until adulthood in three separate 'chapters'. We see him struggling with his sexuality and his identity in an environment that is particularly harsh on him. Beautifully shot and soulfully acted, this is truly one of the revelations of the year! Read more
RATING: 77/100
RELEASE DATE: October 21st, 2016
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Quand on a 17 ans
DIRECTOR: André Téchiné CAST: Sandrine Kiberlain Kacey Mottet Klein Corentin Fila
The story depicts the friendship of two boys who began with bearing hateful feelings for each other but circumstances made them foster brothers and in their regular... Read more
RATING: 72/100
RELEASE DATE: March 30th, 2016
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Tom a la Ferme
DIRECTOR: Xavier Dolan CAST: Xavier Dolan Pierre-Yves Cardinal Lise Roy
A man who is in deep grief, bearing the loss of love meets his lovers family, who are not aware of the fact that their son had a gay sexual orientation. Read more
RATING: 70/100
RELEASE DATE: August 14th, 2014
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates L’inconnu du Lac
DIRECTOR: Alain Guiraudie CAST: Pierre Deladonchamps Christophe Paou Patrick d'Assumçao
Franc meets Michel on the banks of a lake that is deemed as a secret spot for gay men, far from the bustling town; even though Michel is a dangerous man yet Frank has... Read more
RATING: 69/100
RELEASE DATE: June 12th, 2013
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Other People
DIRECTOR: Chris Kelly CAST: Jesse Plemons Molly Shannon Bradley Whitford
David is a stand-up comedian struggling with the aftermath of a painful break-up. Then he decides to take care of his terminally ill mother. However, his conservative family never really accepted his sexuality. A beautiful little film that is both touching and hilarious. Read more
RATING: 67/100
RELEASE DATE: September 9th, 2016
Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates Love is Strange
DIRECTOR: Ira Sachs CAST: John Lithgow Alfred Molina Marisa Tomei
Love is Strange tells the touching and tragic story of the elderly New York City gay couple (astonishing roles by both John Litghow and Alfred Role) Ben and George facing troubles after they get married. Ben, who has been working as a teacher at a catholic school for years, gets fired and George isn’t making much money as a retired painter either, which forces them to leave their apartment and to stay at friends seperately until they find something they can afford. Director Ira Sachs did a brilliant job directing this small and sensitive film about two lovers who are forced by circumstances to live apart from one another. Read more
RATING: 67/100
RELEASE DATE: November 12th, 2014
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