Potentially overlooked or underwatched queer films I think are worth watching: a list by me
A very succinct title for this post, I know! lol
My 'methodology' for this was just to sort my Letterboxd list of all the queer films I've seen by popularity, so it's clearly not foolproof and people are welcome to disagree with me about whether any of these films are overlooked or underwatched XD it's really more just films I don't see talked about often when queer cinema comes up, or films that may be more overlooked by casual watchers, so if you're steeped in the history of queer cinema you'll probably be like 'wtf, these aren't overlooked at all, you fool!' But, yeah, that's my little disclaimer because I am an anxious person
I've grouped some of the films by theme to make it a little easier for me and I've also linked to the Letterboxd page for each film so you can see the summary so this post doesn't get TOO long
One more note: as I was compiling this list, I realised basically all these films are about cis men. I think this is a combination of those making up the bulk of queer films I've seen + the ones that aren't either being better known or just really not good (or I don't remember them well). But, yeah, it really showed up the blind spots in my viewing! Feel free to leave recs too fill in those blind spots (or any other recs)
I think I'm probably going to do separate lists of Australian queer films and one for 90s/00s queer rom coms? Yes, no, maybe, I don't know? So there aren't many of those on here for that reason
ANYway! For anyone who doesn't want to read more of my ramblings, here's just a list:
All three of these films were made in countries where homosexuality was illegal at the time the films were made (and I believe still is in two of them). They're also, as far as I'm aware, the first queer film produced in each country
Desecration (Nigeria) has been watched by 5 entire people on Letterboxd! It is not what I would call a 'good' film and the sound mixing is so poor I missed a lot of the dialogue, but I have SO much respect for not just independent filmmakers telling their stories with whatever means they have, but for people telling stories like this in particular. As I said, I would not call it a 'good' film, but I think it's worth watching if you have any interest in queer stories, especially from people and countries that may not often get to tell their stories, let alone on a more global scale
You can watch it on YouTube
Kapana (Namibia) is another independent film but I'd consider it 'better' than Desecration (and happier). While it's a romance, it also explores the reality of people living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia and, again, it's the kind of film I think is 'important' to watch for the same reasons as Desecration
You can watch it on YouTube
Dakan/Destiny (Guinea) is the most watched and probably better known, but I wanted to add it in here too. It's also probably the 'best' of the three and a film I can see myself revisiting. Like the others, it's the first queer film out of its country, but this was made in the 90s! And, from memory, there is a frankness to it that was sometimes elided in western media at the time. It's a brave film that was also clearly made with love
THIRD MAN OUT 2005 // SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM 2006 // ON THE OTHER HAND, DEATH 2008 // ICE BLUES 2008
I already did an entire post on the Donald Strachey films, so I won't repeat myself, but go watch these movies if you like hardboiled detective stories/noir pastiche and cute husbands, I highly recommend
Oh, and they're very different, but two other queer films in the murder mystery genre I'd recommend are The Last of Sheila (which Rian Johnson was inspired heavily by for Glass Onion) and Deathtrap
RIOT 2018
Riot is a fictionalised look at the gay rights movement in 1970s Australia. People are SO harsh on Australian films and it makes me sad, but I remember thinking this was not only genuinely good with some very solid performances, but it's so rare to get films about Australia's queer history. (If you want more on that, the docuseries Queerstralia is well worth a look as well)
I could probably do a post just on Australian queer cinema if anyone wants me to (or even if you don't :P)
THAT CERTAIN SUMMER 1972 // AN EARLY FROST 1985
The only thing these have in common is being TV movies, but I'm putting them together anyway
That Certain Summer is a lot better and more engrossing than I was expecting a TV movie to be (which I think shows my own bias more than anything) and is one of the earlier films I've seen that deals with a father/son relationship. It's a sensitive and empathetic portrayal
Plus, you get to see a young Martin Sheen (with, I might add, magnificent hair, say 'militant straights').
An Early Frost is a TV movie about a lawyer who discovers he has AIDS and this was shown on network TV at the height of the epidemic. It was actually number one in the Nielsen ratings the night it aired and was nominated for 14 Emmys (winning 3) but I rarely see people talk about it these days. (That could just be that I'm somewhat reclusive, even online lol) And it was really good imho!
Oh, and the screenplay is written by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman who also wrote/produced the US version of Queer as Folk
If you're looking for other 80s films about HIV/AIDS, I'd also recommend Buddies (which was devastating) and Parting Glances (I think this is pretty well known for starring a young, beautiful Steve Buscemi), which was actually lighter than I'd remembered it being when revisiting it
THE BURYING PARTY 2018 // BENEDICTION
The Burying Party is a crowdfunded film about Wilfred Owen, who has been one of my favourite poets since high school. (If you've not read any of his poems, at least read his most well known Dulce et decorum est, which doesn't shy away from the horrors of war.) It's obviously low budget, and less than an hour long, but made with a lot of care and love. I actually backed the kickstarter, or whatever it was, and I'm currently trying to figure out if I'm able to download the film from Vimeo where I 'own' it. But, yes, I think it's very good for what it is!
Benediction is far better known, being a Terence Davies (RIP) film that got cinema and festival screenings, but as it's about Siegfried Sassoon (Owen's mentor - afaik they never had a physical relationship, but they seemed to have loved each other dearly), I just wanted to note it.
BROTHER TO BROTHER 2004
Brother to Brother is one I don't remember super well, but it stars Anthony Mackie as a young gay man who befriends an older gay man who was a writer during the Harlem Renaissance. I pretty much never see anyone talking about this film, but I'm a sucker for an intergenerational friendship, especially with queer stories or stories about other marginalised people sharing their history
(Also of note, but far better known, is Looking for Langston. And, while we're talking about Isaac Julien, Young Soul Rebels is brilliant! And Mike from Heartbeat is in it haha)
WILDHOOD 2021
Wildhood is an incredibly tender and special film (though with a brutal start) about the main character finding himself and reconnecting with his heritage (his maternal lineage is Mi'kmaq) and is also essentially kind of a road trip movie, too, which I'm a sucker for. Really, really beautiful film!
The only other queer film I've seen with Aboriginal Canadian* characters is Fire Song, but I don't remember it well
*sorry if that's not the right term
WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR 2004
When I'm Sixty-Four is the film for you if you want some ~old man yaoi. It's soooooooo beautiful! I don't have anything else to say about it, but it was just so lovely and moving and ugh. I need everyone to watch it!!
HARD PAINT 2018
Hard Paint is another somewhat difficult watch with a cathartic ending. I just adore films about loneliness and lonely characters. Beautiful film, visually and otherwise, and I remember it having a cracking soundtrack too
A few others I'd like to mention that I don't remember well enough to write about (and, also, I'm tired and just want to post this): A Date for Mad Mary ; Alice Junior ; Cop Secret ; Golden Delicious ; The Leather Boys ; A Very Natural Thing ; Naz & Maalik ; Princess Cyd ; Coming Out 1989 ; O Fantasma ; Winter Kept Us Warm 1965 ; Some Nights I Feel Like Walking and I could keep going foreverrrrr. Might have to do a second part to this post one day?
And I'm planning on doing a post just on Marco Berger's films one day, but for now, I'll say, Plan B, Hawaii, Taekwondo and The Astronaut Lovers are all gorgeous!
MY OTHER REC POSTS // LIST OF ALL QUEER FILMS I'VE SEEN
Also, I never usually do this, but I'm going to be cheeky and tag anyone who liked and/or commented on my post about whether or not I should make this post. Feel free to scroll on by and ignore it though! Or tell me to never do this again. Or even block me if it's really annoying and/or inappropriate!!
The ukrainian publisher licensing The Locked Tomb series already released Harrow the Ninth and I desperately need to know how they adapted the "giddy-gone" pun...
Sneaking up behind me like that, aren't you afraid [the gun] will go off? If you shoot me, I'll die without a single regret. But I will go to prison for murder.
actually i wish there really was a slur against ukrainians cause khokhol isn't even an insult, it's practically playful. you deserve to have a slur created for you.
Oooh, how lovely. Is that all? Do we deserve anything else?
khokhol doesn't qualify as a slur. it's more like… honky? cracker? redneck? a somewhat pejorative word basically. heck, it's on the same level as katsap or moskal. they're not slurs and neither is khokhol lol
Oh wow, we have an actual ukrainian transliteration here! I'm impressed!
And second... what exactly are you trying to prove here, my lovely anon? Because funnily enough "khokhol" is not really common in this particular case! Even if we're gonna humour you here, pretend the nanon fandom really just were calling my fellow citizens khokhols and there was no other vile shit. How is it making them look any better?
Do you just want to chat with me in particular, honey? Why anon ask? I don't really believe you don't have a Tumblr acc. Why not send me this from your actual profile so I could block you? That way you wouldn't see me being awfully semantically wrong in my long long posts? Are you shy? Or are you trying to make it more romantic? Oooh, you're so sweet :3
Pig related, mostly. Unimaginative. I also remember seeing the "ukrop" one, which is just emberassing. You didn't even came up with it yourself, it was a name of a right wing party no one took seriously when it was active!
There are also threats!
And the attitude in general is quite telling
If I knew you will ask I woud save some quotes under an announcement post before they delete it
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Probably a lot of people who follows me here are very close to being absolutely fucking sick of me with this, but what can you do! I'd say I have very valid reasons to be angry. Or, as going to be said I am welcome to be angry.
I've blocked this person already and now came here with a catty screen shot because even if I wanted to start a conversation, there's no way it would be productive or meaningful. So.
I think it's very very weird when a (queer, since it's clearly important) person saying it's disrespectful and insensitive at best how the company and the artist decided to organise an entertaining event in the country currently bombing their country that was unprovokedly invaded, and in response you've decided to write "It could be beneficial to queer people there though" in a lot of long sentences (that shows me you don't know much how Russia manages its anti-lgbt laws. which wouldn't be an issue if not for your arguments) and then finished it with this.
Believe me, there's A Lot of posts on twt to gmmtv about this. And as for today it seems like the event is actually cancelled. The person in your comments was telling you this not for you to take actions about it. They probably wanted to clarify there was more reasons for an outrage. They haven't considered you might not see war crimes and genocide as issues.
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