Here Are 14 Excellent Queer Movies That You Should Definitely Be Watching Over Pride Month

These spark so much joy!

1. Happiest Season (2020)

TriStar Productions

This rom-com is about a lesbian couple, Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), who make plans to go home to the latter's family for Christmas. Chaos ensues when Abby discovers that Harper hasn't come out to her parents, yet. The film is quite balanced with moments of light-hearted hilarity and the realities that one must go through while coming out to their family.

2. Love, Simon (2018)

Fox 2000 Pictures

Simon hasn't yet come out as a gay teen to his family or even his friends. But when he falls for an anonymous classmate online, and that secret is threatened, he has to come to terms with his identity. Love, Simon is hilarious, just like every teen drama, but it sets itself apart with a few brilliant moments of emotional depth.

3. The Half of It (2020)

Likely Productions / Netflix

Ellie is a smart high school student in serious need of some cash for college. She also has a new friend who needs help trying to woo a girl. As things unfold, Ellie and her jock friend both end up liking this girl. The film portrays young love and the drama that comes with it, incredibly beautifully.

4. Call Me by Your Name (2018)

Frenesy Film Company

A delicate romance set in the1980s, Call Me by Your Name is about a boy (Timotheé Chalamet) who falls for his father's temp assistant (Armie Hammer) and discovers himself. It's the little intimate moments they share — locking eyes, for example, along with their light banter — that have you constantly rooting for this couple. 

The innocent "first love" and "will they? won't they?" tropes, make this movie a great watch. Oh and the visuals are simply outstanding.

5. Imagine Me & You (2005)

Ealing Studios

Rachel, a bride, finds herself attracted to Luce, her wedding florist, right as she's saying "I do" to her long-term boyfriend.

The film explores the budding romance between the two and, eventually, Rachel must choose between her stable marriage and her new-found relationship. I love this movie because it is a conventional rom-com, filled with lots of humour and clichés, but with its heart in the right place!

6. God's Own Country (2017)

British Film Institute

A lonely young farmer, tired of his routine, meets a Romanian migrant worker who changes his life when he forms an intense and beautiful relationship with him. While this movie has been called a modern Brokeback Mountain, the story in this one has the two men discovering and exploring their love, and not their sexuality. Although it is full of drama, God's Own Country is pure and brave and deals more with emotional acceptance than confrontation.

The cherry on top is that it is just really, aesthetically pleasing, good cinema!

7. Saving Face (2004)

Destination Films

The film follows a lesbian Chinese American surgeon and her extremely traditional mother, both full of surprises and reluctant to go public with their secrets that may jeopardise their standing in society. The fact that this movie represents Asians in America and their cultural differences is something that resonated with a lot of people.

Oh also, what I especially loved was the fact that it had not one, but two happy endings!

8. Latter Days (2003)

Funny Boy Films

Latter Days is a rom-com that follows the relationship between a closeted mormon missionary and his openly gay, party boy neighbour. 

The two opposite personalities and their contrasting backgrounds turn this movie into one that is full of twists, turns, love, frustration, and drama. While it has a downright adorable ending, the film also has a very edge-of-your-seat quality to it.

9. Jenny's Wedding (2015)

MM Productions

Jenny leads an openly gay life and everyone knows about her girlfriend, except for her conservative family. When Jenny decides to get married, her traditional family (especially her father) is not happy and has to find a way to be okay with it. 

This is a very simple and heartwarming movie and I love watching Jenny's family slowly grow out of their bubbles and come to terms with the love she has chosen.

10. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

River Road Entertainment

Two young, closeted cowboys develop an emotional and sexual relationship while working on a ranch together. This secret relationship continues to be the only good thing in their lives over the years. Even as they both get married to their respective girlfriends, the two men can't seem to let go of this love they've found in each other.

Through the intense ups and downs, the journey these two men take to get over their fears and come out better, towards the end, is what gets me every time.  

11. The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Gilbert Films

A lesbian couple and their kids lead a nearly perfect life, until the kids decide to find their biological father and add him to the mix, leaving the couple trying to figure out how to function with this new addition to their family. What starts out as a simple, feel-good film on the surface, ends up delving deep into the issues that accompany marriage, family, and love.

While the movie is certainly tumultuous in parts, I love watching things fall into place towards the end.

12. The Way He Looks (2014)

Lacuna Filmes

This is a Brazilian movie about a blind teenager (Leonardo), who has a new classmate (Gabriel). Things take a turn for Leo as Gabriel's arrival carries a lot of weight, including changing equations with his best friend and family.

This film is charming and takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions — emotions that you're grateful for, once the credits roll.

13. Booksmart (2019)

Annapurna Pictures

Booksmart is a coming of age movie that follows two girls as they realise that they studied too hard and forgot to have fun during high school. As a result, they try to squeeze four years of fun into one night. While at the outset, it feels like just another buddy movie, Booksmart blossoms into a thoughtful film in which teens are merely trying to navigate through all their emotions and come out a tad wiser and content.

This movie is truly heartfelt and has great visuals!

14. Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Jessica has been looking for the perfect man for most her life and suddenly finds the perfect woman, Helen. The film follows Jessica and Helen as they try to explore this newfound interest in each other. To watch Jessica accept herself throughout the movie and eventually see both the women find their versions of a "happy ending" is what makes Kissing Jessica Stein a must-watch for me.