The 20 best LGBTQ movies of all time, according to critics
Abby Monteil
- The Rotten Tomatoes' editorial team put together a list of the most highly-rated LGBTQ movies of all time, according to critical consensus. These are the top 20.
- The movies mentioned include modern classics, such as "Moonlight" and "Portrait of a Lady on Fire."
- Seminal works like "Victim" and "The Watermelon Woman" are also present.
- To be considered for the list, Rotten Tomatoes' editorial team said a movie had to prominently feature queer characters and LGBTQ themes.
- Miniseries and movies made for TV were not included.
Pride month is an especially great time to revisit acclaimed movies that tell important queer stories and moved cultural conversations around the LGBTQ community forward.
To celebrate, ratings site Rotten Tomatoes' editorial team put together a list of 200 of the most highly-rated LGBTQ movies of all time, according to critical consensus. The team noted that it did not include miniseries or movies for TV, and to be considered for the list, "a movie had to prominently feature gay, lesbian, trans, or queer characters; concern itself centrally with LGBTQ themes; present its LGBTQ characters in a fair and realistic light; and/or be seen as a touchpoint in the evolution of queer cinema."
Here are the top 20 LGBTQ movies, according to critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, along with where you can watch them and what top critics say. You can view the full list of 200 films here, which is a part of Rotten Tomatoes' Pride Month Hub, "Rainbow Tomatoes."
Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change.
In the 1999 Spanish drama "All About My Mother," a woman searches for her ex-partner (a trans woman) after the death of their son.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
What it's about: The 1999 drama "All About My Mother" follows Manuela, who searches for her ex-partner (a trans woman named Lola) after their teenage son is unexpectedly killed. Along the way, she connects with a group of local women who are all struggling with their own crises.
"Both funny and deeply felt, the movie traces the ways these wounded, resilient women save each other's lives," wrote Newsweek critic David Ansen. "This is humanism in drag: Almodovar's passionate redefinition of family values."
The 2017 drama "BPM (Beats Per Minute)" follows a group of AIDS activists in 1990s Paris.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available on Hulu
What it's about: "BPM (Beats Per Minute) unfolds in 1990s Paris, where members of the advocacy group ACT UP Paris demand that the government and pharmaceutical companies fight the AIDS epidemic.
"'BPM' is an affecting memorial about being alive and being heard — a movie that says the only things that matter in life are love, righteous struggle, and the joy of being with others," wrote Ty Burr for The Boston Globe.
A relationship grows between two farmers in the 2017 romantic drama "God's Own Country."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
What it's about: "God's Own Country" revolves around the romance that slowly grows between surly farmer Johnny and Gheorghe, a Romanian migrant worker who is temporarily helping out with Johnny's family farm in northern England.
"Toughness and tenderness duke it out to the bittersweet end of 'God's Own Country,' a transporting, wrenchingly acted love story set in the windswept wilds of northern England," wrote Justin Chang for The Los Angeles Times.
In the 2019 French period romance "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," a painter and her subject fall in love.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available on Hulu
What it's about: In "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," 19th-century French painter Marianne is commissioned to secretly paint a wedding portrait of a rebellious young woman named Héloïse (who refuses her arranged engagement). The two women fall in love and begin to collaborate on the portrait together.
"'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' [is] a bittersweet celebration of passion and art [...] You've never seen another movie quite like this," wrote Moira MacDonald for The Seattle Times. "In its quiet gaze, love becomes art — and vice versa."
The 2018 biographical drama "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" recounts the true story of Lee Israel, a lesbian writer who forged literary documents.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available on Hulu (with Cinemax)
What it's about: "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" tells the real-life story of lesbian writer Lee Israel, who resorted to forging literary documents with her close friend (a gay man named Jack), to make a living.
"McCarthy and Grant are both note-perfect in their portrayal of two people at the end of their rope who have no business being friends, or getting away with as much as they do, or having such a good time along the way," wrote Dmitry Samarov for The Chicago Reader.
The 2016 drama "Moonlight" tells the story of Chiron, a gay Black man growing up in Miami.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Where to watch: Available on Netflix
What it's about: The best picture-winning "Moonlight" tells the story of a young Black gay man named Chiron growing up and trying to find his place in the world.
"Unspoken, unspeakable intimacy is the dominant mode of Barry Jenkins' 'Moonlight,' a personal/political triptych which offers keen perspectives on masculinity, queer sexuality, racial identity, and the odd angles at which they intersect," wrote Charles Bramesco for Little White Lies.
The 2018 documentary "McQueen" explores the life and work of famous designer Alexander McQueen.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
Where to watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video
What it's about: "McQueen" recounts the life and career of gay fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, from starting off as a tailor to launching his iconic clothing line, to his untimely death in 2010.
"This intelligent, honest documentary explores McQueen's complex personality without getting tacky or tabloidy, or ignoring his dark side," wrote Cath Clarke for Time Out.
In the 1974 French-Belgian drama "I, You, He, She," a directionless young woman embarks on a road trip and has lonely love affairs in search of meaning.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available on The Criterion Channel
What it's about: Early on in "I, You, He, She" (also known by its original title, "Je tu il elle"), an aimless woman leaves her self-imposed isolation and decides to travel through France. Along the way, she has brief love affairs with both a man and a woman and hopes to find direction in her life.
"Chantal Akerman is a triple threat," wrote New York Times critic Janet Maslin. "This film is most notable for Miss Akerman's evident sang-froid, even under the most soporific of circumstances."
The 1994 coming-of-age drama "Wild Reeds" centers on a love triangle that forms between two boys and a girl at a French boarding school.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: N/A
What it's about: In "Wild Reeds," shy student François begins a relationship with farm boy Serge, before a love triangle forms between him, Serge, and his best friend (a girl named Maïté). All the while, the three deal with the consequences of France's involvement in the Algerian War.
"This is a slice of life with an imperfect beginning and conclusion, but what transpires between those two endpoints is strong enough to leave an impression on anyone with the patience to commit to a movie of such unhurried temperament," wrote Reel Views critic James Berardinelli.
The 1987 indie comedy "I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" revolves around the misadventures of Polly, a queer Toronto artist.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: "I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" follows Polly, an absent-minded photographer who begins to work in Toronto artist Gabrielle's gallery. Polly begins to fall in love with Gabrielle, and when her boss's ex-lover, Mary, returns, she discovers that Gabrielle is not who she pretends to be.
"[Director Patricia Rozema's] vivid and surprising imagination, coupled with a startlingly original performance by Sheila McCarthy, help make the film a rare and unexpected delight," wrote Associated Press critic Bob Thomas.
The 1987 dramedy "Law of Desire" follows a gay film director as he deals with a newfound relationship and an obsessive lover.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
What it's about: In "Law of Desire," a gay filmmaker decides to put distance between himself and his new, less-famous lover, before becoming torn between him and a fling with a homicidal obsessive fan.
"What it lacks in depth, 'Law of Desire' makes up in surface energy, with a lively cast, a turbulent plot and a textbook-worthy collection of case histories," wrote Maslin for The New York Times.
In the 1996 romantic comedy "The Watermelon Woman," a Black lesbian filmmaker researches a 1930s queer Black actress.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video, The Criterion Channel, and Kanopy
What it's about: In "The Watermelon Woman," a young Black lesbian filmmaker (who is an avatar for writer, director, and star Cheryl Dunye) works on a project about the fictional
"Watermelon Woman," an obscure 1930s queer Black actress.
"Funny and smart, full of biting humor and astute observations about identity and history, Cheryl Dunye's audacious, joyous debut feature captures the process of falling hopelessly in love with the movies," wrote Serena Donadoni for The Village Voice.
The 1931 German romance "Mädchen in Uniform" centers on a boarding school student who falls in love with her teacher.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: N/A
What it's about: "Mädchen in Uniform" follows Manuela, a student at a German all-girls boarding school who secretly falls in love with one of her teachers.
"The plot mechanics are predictable [...] But the atmosphere and sensitivity to teenage fears are not," wrote Time Out.
The 1969 Japanese drama "Funeral Parade of Roses" retells the Oedipus Rex story within Tokyo's underground gay scene.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: N/A
What it's about: "Funeral Parade of Roses" explores a love triangle within a Tokyo gay bar, and is a Japanese adaptation of the "Oedipus Rex" story.
"'Funeral Parade of Roses' is a heady, emotionally resonant work of art," wrote Simon Abrams for RogerEbert.com. "[...] You will walk away from [director Toshio] Matsumoto's film with a newfound appreciation of what movies can be."
In 2017's "Signature Move," a Muslim lesbian finds love and an unexpected wrestling career.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, or YouTube
What it's about: "Signature Move" opens in Chicago, as Pakistani Muslim lesbian Zaynab cares for her recently widowed mother (who isn't aware of her daughter's sexuality). She decides to cope with the changes in her life by taking up wrestling and falls for a Mexican-American woman named Alma along the way.
"With its likable characters, local color and cross-cultural sparks, 'Signature Move' has unsentimental sweetness and pluck," wrote Sheri Linden for The Los Angeles Times.
The 2019 documentary "Gay Chorus Deep South" follows the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus as they tour the American South.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: N/A
What it's about: "Gay Chorus Deep South" centers on the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, who embark on a tour of the American Deep South in response to the divisive 2016 election and passage of several anti-LGBT laws there.
"What makes the film emotionally satisfying, beyond the stirring music, is that we witness the healing and enlightenment of chorus members, some of them bearing scars from their oppressive red-state upbringings," wrote San Francisco Chronicle critic David Lewis.
The 1967 documentary "Portrait of Jason" features an interview with Jason Holliday, a Black gay sex worker and entertainer.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video
What it's about: "Portrait of Jason" centers on the life and work of Black gay sex worker and entertainer Jason Holliday, as told to experimental filmmaker and director Shirley Clarke.
"['Portrait of Jason'] says more about race, class, and sexuality than just about any movie before or since," wrote Melissa Anderson for The Village Voice.
In the 1961 British noir film "Victim," several gay men are blackmailed in 1960s London.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video or iTunes
What it's about: "Victim" takes place in 1960s London, where a young man's death leads to the discovery of a blackmail plot against several gay men.
"Recent critics find 'Victim' timid in its treatment of homosexuality, but viewed in the context of Great Britain in 1961, it's a film of courage," wrote Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert.
The 2005 coming-of-age drama "C.R.A.Z.Y." follows a young man dealing with his conservative family, gay identity, and Catholic faith.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: N/A
What it's about: "C.R.A.Z.Y." follows a young French-Canadian boy named Zachary as he grows up in the 1960s and 1970s, struggling to reconcile his gay identity with his father's conservative beliefs and his own Catholic faith.
"The whole family can feel comfortable watching 'C.R.A.Z.Y.,' Jean-Marc Vallee's bouncy coming-of-age tale that coasts along on a terrific soundtrack and a spot-on feel for period detail," wrote Jay Weissberg for Variety.
Netflix's 2020 documentary "A Secret Love" tracks two elderly women's decades-long relationship.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Where to watch: Available on Netflix
What it's about: The Netflix original documentary "A Secret Love" recounts the nearly seven-decade romance between Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel, who were forced to hide their relationship for most of their lives. Now elderly, the couple navigates the unique challenges and joys of coming out late in life.
"'A Secret Love' [...] Stands out by being sweetly understated, at a time when that's especially welcome," wrote Brian Lowry for CNN. "It's a deeply felt testament to both the strength of this couple's bond, and the fragility and hard choices that often come at the end of a lifetime."
You can view the full list of the 200 most highly-rated LGBTQ movies of all time on Rotten Tomatoes.READ MORE ARTICLES ON
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