This is a ranking of the top 10 queer movies in the 2020s, or at least, so far…
Queer cinema is in a very good place, right now. Whether it’s comedy, horror or drama – there is a wider selection than ever. To celebrate the release of Andrew Haigh’s “All Of Us Strangers” – I wanted to count down the top 10 queer movies of this decade. Eligibility for this list is dependent on queerness being a major theme of the movie and/or a queer relationship/character being centre-stage.
This is all my opinion. If you don’t agree with it, let me know in the comments below!
10. Blue Jean (2023)
Blue Jean is a British movie about a lesbian teacher from Newcastle-upon-Tyne teaching PE during Section 28. Section 28 was legislation introduced by Margaret Thatcher, that made it illegal for homosexuality to be discussed in classrooms. In reality, this meant that any teacher who was outed risked losing their job. When Jean recognizes one of her new students at a gay bar, the anxiety over her career causes her to spiral out of control. This is a really insightful look at the harm done by the Conservative government in the 20th century, and you can’t help but draw links to how things are in the modern day.
One thing that I really enjoyed about this movie was how it does not paint queer people as heroes. Some queer characters in this movie commit evil acts, to keep themselves protected from homophobia. You can’t help but compare that to movements today, who are willing to sacrifice some aspects of the LGBT community for their own survival (or so they claim).
9. Turning Red (2022)
Okay, this might be a cheat; but I don’t understand how you can’t interpret this movie as being queer. It’s about a young woman, who lives a secret double-life as a giant red panda. She finds enjoyment in it, and her friends accept her – but her family shame her for it. Her mother doing so, because she was shamed for it herself. Obviously, there are a lot of other interpretations of this movie; puberty being the obvious one, but it still counts! Packs that Pixar emotional punch, while being incredibly charming throughout. I can’t wait to see it on the big screen in February. Somehow only the 2nd best movie of 2022 about a Chinese-American mother overcoming generational trauma to love her queer-(coded) daughter.
If you’re in disbelief at this argument, I’d recommend this article from slashfilm.com regarding the film and its queer themes.
8. Tár (2022)
I simply do not understand how Cate Blanchett is straight. Tár is a movie about the titular Lydia Tár, a world renowned conductor, who has the world at her fingertips… and throws it all away. It’s, ultimately, a movie about cancel culture – but Tár’s sexuality and her sexual relationships with women (particularly younger ones) are a core element of the plot. An absolutely fantastic drama, that’s gripping throughout, with a fantastic performance from Blanchett. Every time I remember that this took home nothing at the Oscars – I want to rugby tackle a conductor.
See Related: Tár (2022) Review
7. Shiva Baby (2021)
Don’t you hate it when you’re at a Shiva, with your whole extended family; your ex-girlfriend; your sugar daddy; and his wife? That’s exactly the situation that Rachel Sennott finds herself in, in Emma Seligman’s “Shiva Baby” – and it’s just as hilarious and awkward as you can imagine. It’s under 90 minutes, and it zips by. I’d recommend this to anyone, it’s well on its way to cult classic status.
6. Joyland (2023)
I haven’t included many international picks on this list, and that’s on me. But, I couldn’t skip by Joyland. This is the first movie from Pakistan to screen at Cannes; and was nearly banned from showing in the country, due to it’s queer themes. The plot of the movie centres around a man, who becomes obsessed with a transgender woman that he meets, though he is (of course) already married. This is a very daring movie, that really captures the life of trans people in Pakistan; presenting a human-look at a very under-represented demographic. I would definitely recommend checking this out.
5. All Of Us Strangers (2024)
Newly released for 2024, All Of Us Strangers is a queer romantic drama, with some elements of a ghost story. It tells the tale of Adam and Harry – two men who live in an empty apartment building and stumble upon each other. Throughout the course of their relationship, Adam also starts struggling with seeing his dead parents; who died before he ever had the chance to come out to them. I found this to be a very interesting explanation of how sexuality can be isolating, and how it can breed internalized homophobia. I haven’t heard of a single person who watched this without crying.
See Also: All Of Us Strangers (2024) Review
4. Everything, Everywhere All At Once (2022)
Everything’s already been said about this movie, but it is just brilliant. Hilarious, unique and it still makes me cry every time. The reason it makes it onto this list, however, is for the relationship between Evelyn and her daughter, Joy. A major point of this movie is Evelyn’s refusal to accept Joy’s sexuality, particularly due to her concerns of what her own father will think. That’s a topic that hits home for me, and I’m sure it does for a large number of queer viewers. Watching Evelyn come to terms with what she needs to provide for her daughter breaks me every single time. It helps that everything else in this movie is just stellar.
3. We’re All Going To The World’s Fair (2022)
Possibly the most unique movie on this list, We’re All Going To The World’s Fair is an indie horror movie from trans director Jane Schoenbrun. I can imagine some people watching this and the word “queer” never crossing their mind. It doesn’t contain any explicitly LGBT characters, but it’s clear that the horror of the movie is consistent with Schoenbrun’s own experiences of gender dysphoria. I’ve seen some idiots arguing online that “queer horror” is a stupid term; but this is exactly the type of movie that deserves the moniker. Religious horror movies play on the fears of association with religion. Queer horror movies play on the fears that stem from being LGBT. This is a unique experience, that I don’t want to ruin for you; it’s a short watch, so I’d recommend giving it a go.
2. Bottoms (2023)
Yes, Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott have earned themselves a second spot on this list. Sennott very easily could’ve earned a third, through “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” if I was feeling generous.
Bottoms is a raunchy high-school comedy about two gay women who create a “fight club” to look appealing to the school’s cheerleaders. It’s over-the-top, it stars Ayo Edebiri and it contains an iconic Avril Lavigne needle-drop; genuinely, what else do you want in a movie? Every line of this movie is quotable, you will laugh the whole way through it. It’s the type of movie that makes you shake your head and say, “They don’t make them like this, anymore.”
1. Nimona (2023)
I am honestly so sick of singing Nimona’s praises, but I couldn’t justify anything else at #1. A movie shelved by Disney for being too gay, now Oscar-nominated. Nimona is an animated movie from Netflix, that tells the story of a shapeshifter that has been rejected by society, and so has turned to a life of chaos. She teams up with a knight who has been wrongly accused of murdering the Queen, to help clear his name; and in the process, hopefully help the world come to a better understanding. This is a movie that is very trans-coded, contains openly queer characters and some devastating sequences, that hit very close to home. They also had the Queen voice-acted by RuPaul which is one of the funniest casting decisions I’ve ever seen.
See Also: Nimona (2023) Review
This was a list of the top 10 queer movies of the 2020s. Do you agree with this list? Let us know in the comments below.
