A Personal List of Films That Remind Me of Noel and Liam
This is a list of my favorite movies about siblings that remind me of Noel and Liam. I have selected pieces that either focus on sibling bonds or depict relationships that are implicitly or explicitly incestuous. It’s basically just a kind of personal memo for myself. I might add more later if anything else comes to mind.
Brotherly (2018) Based on a true story of how an incestuous relationship formed between two brothers in 1970's Ohio. It tells of their abandonment by their alcoholic parents and how the brothers turned to each other for comfort. (URL) -I...don’t really think this should be on the list, since it’s based on a real story. But I still had to bring it up because the younger brother’s monologue feels way too close to things Liam has said about Noel leaving him in interviews over the years. It’s only about ten minutes long and you can watch it on Youtube, so I really recommend watching it.
Do Começo ao Fim / From Beginning to End (2009) Two brothers develop a very close relationship as they are growing up in an idyllic and happy family. When they are young adults their relationship becomes very intimate, romantic, and sexual. -The main characters are biological half-brothers, there are sex scenes, they even exchange rings, and on top of that, it has a happy ending. I don’t know if this is normal for Brazilian movies, but I was totally shocked. The characters grew up in a wealthy happy family and hardly ever fight, but I still got strong gcest vibes from this film. Especially the way they flirt in front of their friends, making them feel awkward, or their public displays of affection, it reminds me of Noel and Liam flirting when they were young.
Shame (2011) Successful and handsome New Yorker Brandon seems to live an ordinary life, but he hides a terrible secret behind his mask of normalcy: Brandon is a sex addict. His constant need for gratification numbs him to just about everything else. But, when Sissy, Brandon's needy sister who works as a singer, unexpectedly blows into town, crashes at his apartment and invades his privacy, Brandon is finally forced to confront his addiction head-on. -One of my personal most gcest-ish movie. The brother and sister aren't straight-up incestuous in this movie, but their heavy sexual closeness and total codependence feels so gcest to me.
The Dreamers (2003) In 1968 Paris, film-loving twins Theo and Isabelle befriend American student Matthew during student protests. While their parents travel, they pull him into a month of sensual exploration, until reality intrudes. -I ended up watching The Dreamers because I came across a Dreamers AU with Andy as the main character (it's really good), and after finally seeing it, I totally got why it would inspire someone to write an AU. Something about the dynamic really feels familiar to me, the dom older sister and sub younger brother, and the younger brother being so fixated on his sister.
Goodbye Gemini (1970) A pair of unnaturally close twins whose relationship becomes strained and dangerous after they enter Swinging London’s party scene and encounter a predatory outsider. -To be honest, it’s a really weird movie, but seeing the younger brother so smitten with his older sister and constantly insisting that they should be together made me think, “That’s so Liam…”
Bonus: This is obviously not a story about actual brother and sister, but I still wanted to bring it up because it’s one of my personal favorite films.
わが恋せし乙女/Waga koi seshi otome (1946) A baby girl is taken in by a family in the countryside and raised with an older boy as though they were real siblings. She grows into a beautiful woman gifted with a fine singing voice. When her older brother returns from the war, he realizes that he has fallen in love with the girl he has always regarded as his sister, and comes to dream of marrying her. But the young woman already has another man she wishes to marry. -This is obviously not a story about actual brother and sister, but I still wanted to bring it up because it’s one of my personal favorite films. It’s old, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.
