With Oscars close at hand, and Milk among the frontrunners for Best Picture, this week at Metro Weekly we decided to go out on a limb and name the 25 gay movies we think everyone should see. Naturally, this wasn't an easy process for a very simple reason: There are far more than 25 GLBT films out there worthy of your time. Where's Jeffrey? What about Gods and Monsters? What were we thinking when we left out Go Fish?
Even among our staff, agreement wasn't complete and some compromise had to be made -- not an easy thing for a group of people who have reviewed hundreds of gay films over the past 15 years, both mainstream productions and art-house showcases at Reel Affirmations.
So, if you're appalled that we left out Trick or Rent or The Broken Hearts Club, tell us about it. Comments are open, and we'll be checking our email for some of the best comments to group together and post later.
And don't forget to add our 25 films to your Netflix queue -- they are definitely worth your time and a few buckets of popcorn.
Even though I helped put the list together, I don't agree with everything on it, because I'm just that way. In particular, I would make the case the Boys in the Band and Cruising are both too loaded with self-hatred (Boys) and inane implications about the meaning of homosexuality (Cruising) to be truly "gay" films. I make the argument more fully at my blog: http://seanbugg.typepad.com/buggblog/2009/02/movie-magic.html
Let us know what you think of our list -- I'm looking forward to hearing what you think we missed (and I know you think we missed something!) or what we perhaps should have left off.
Happy Netflixing!
where's querelle?
Metro Weekly reader Kevin writes: "I think I would have included Four Weddings and a Funeral. While not gay specific, it illustrates how many gay couples either choose or are forced to live and how the world around them can be oblivious to their relationship."
Oddly enough, Four Weddings is one of those films I've always meant to see but haven't gotten around to. Whoops. Guess I'd better be putting on my Netflix queue.