It’s the summertime and it shines always bright for LGBT Pride month. All the cities get loud and proud regardless of all the hatred from their archrivals, Christian fundamentalists, and today, they are being threatened at all levels. Pride parades are very important to have in the face of discrimination. A lot of movies and TV shows also feature a lot of gay-positive stories and characters today, far from the lack of storylines in the past. A number of them from the past are also very underrated and don’t get recognized as much as other classics. Here are a few that also deserve its recognition as a great LGBT film.
Bound (1996)
In the first film by The Wachowskis, they went with an erotic noir following a female ex-con (Gina Gershon) who seduces a mobster’s girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly) and they plan together to heist millions from them. Also starring Joe Pantoliano, John Ryan, and Christopher Meloni pre-Law & Order: SVU days; the Wachowskis were able to make this on a tight budget with its strong lesbian themes and not be the drive force to the story. It was only their second credited work after Assassins, and from there, they would make The Matrix – an allegory to their identity as transgender women many years later.
In & Out (1997)
Tom Hanks’ acceptance speech at the Oscars for his performance in Philadelphia inspired Frank Oz’s comedy about a teacher (Kevin Kline) who is engaged, only to see a former student (Matt Dillon) win an Oscar and inadvertently outs him. Joan Cusack received an Oscar nomination as the suddenly-jilted fiancee; Tom Selleck plays a reporter who seeks the backstory and gives his support while the teacher tries to prove that he is straight, but it proves to be difficult to do. It was one of the first mainstream Hollywood gay comedies and handles the subject without the sex and low blow jokes.
Kinky Boots (2005)
Most will know about the Tony Award-winning musical of this title, but that comes from the original film, which itself is based on a true story. Facing bankruptcy, a shoe factory owner finds a new product to make for an unexpected clientele: boots for drag queens. Joel Edgerton plays the young factory manager who comes up with the dramatic idea to save his business. Chiwetel Ejiofor is the leading drag queen who has to deal with racism and homophobia from the workers who are uncomfortable with his presence. It’s a really charming film and not the only British, true story-based movie on the list.
Pride (2014)
Of course, a film called Pride was going to be there. It is this historical dramedy about a group of activists who form an unlikely partnership to support a major strike by coal miners. The path to their acceptance is tense though, as the miners want nothing to do with them during the opening years of the AIDS pandemic in Britain where homophobia is rife. Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Andrew Scott, Dominic West, and Ben Schenetzer are part of an ensemble that connects the generations through a noble cause and a community of outcasts that proves themselves to be relatable.
BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017)
Director Robin Campillo used his experience as part of the militant AIDS advocacy group ACT UP as the basis of this electrifying movie which won the Grand Prix at Cannes. As the number of dead rises and the struggle for proper treatment from the government staggers on, the group continues to protest in various ways, even creating chaos on the ground that causes friction and questioning if it is working. Within the drama, a romance blossoms between an outspoken HIV-positive young man and a shy newcomer, even as it becomes obvious they will be short on time together. It’s passionate, it’s fierce, and it is exhilarating to see a heart-pounding story.
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