Friday, September 7, 2012

The most glorious, groundbreaking gay and lesbian movies of all time


I can't remember where I first saw this list (I think it was on a Tumblr blog), but when I searched again it seems to be a list by Josh Winning at TotalFilms.com.  Personally, I think there are movies on this list that do not belong and some that should be closer to #1 such as Latter Days (#42).  Furthermore, if they are going to include such movies as The Color Purple and Mulholland Drive, then how can they omit such classics as Some Like It Hot and Fried Green Tomatoes. Or, why include The Birdcage but omit La Cage Aux Folles? Most, if not all, of the movies listed are American movies, but some of the best in gay cinema tends to be foreign movies.  The French and Latin American countries have made some wonderful gay movies.  I've seen a fair number of these movies and really question how good many of them are. So what do you think of this list? What movies do you think are missing?  What movies do you feel should be excluded from the list?  Here are the 50 movies that made Mr Winning's list of "the most glorious, groundbreaking gay and lesbian movies of all time":

50. Shelter (2007)  
49. When night is falling (1995)

48. Loose Canons (2010)
47. She-Monkeys (2011)
46. C.R.A.Z.Y (2005)  

45. The Birdcage (1996)  
44. Go Fish (1994)
43. L.I.E (2001)
42. Latter Days (2003)

41. D.E.B.S. (2004)
40. The Hours (2002)
39. Female Trouble (1974)
38. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
37. All Over Me (1997)
36. Prayers For Bobby (2009)
35. The Celluloid Closet (1995)
34. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
33. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
32. Gods And Monsters (1998)
31. My Summer Of Love (2004)
30. Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)
29. Patrik 1.5 (2008)
28. But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
27. Your Sister’s Sister (2012)
26. Tomboy (2011)
25. The Colour Purple (1985)
24. Maurice (1987)
23. Transamerica (2005)
22. High Art (1998)
21. Show Me Love (1998)
20. Bent (1997)
19. The Crying Game (1992)
18. The Boys In The Band (1970)
17. Mysterious Skin (2004)
16. The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (1994)
15. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
14. Shortbus (2006)
13. Water Lilies (2007)
12. Beautiful Thing (1996)
11. The Kids Are All Right (2010)
10. Philadelphia (1993)
9. Monster (2003)
8. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
7. Milk (2008)
6. Bound (1996)
5. A Single Man (2009)
4. Weekend (2011)
3. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
2. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
1. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

10 comments:

gp said...

I really didn't think Brokeback Mountain was a good movie, at all. IMO, the 2 very best "gay" movies (by a mile) are Fellini Satyricon and Angels in America. Of course, neither one even made it on this list :). Although it was made for tv, i thought Angels was fantastic; easily should be #2 on that list. I'd probably put Philadelphia at #3.

Anonymous said...

I agree Brokeback Mountain is number one and I love that Beautiful Thing is so high - it's a lovely film I remember watching when I first came out. I wrote a graduate paper on My Own Private Idaho for a Shakespeare class - love it! I still gotta see Weekend though. May have put Edge of Seventeen in their too.

Anonymous said...

I think I've seen 3 of them, so I better get busy!

Peace <3
Jay

Will said...

Latter Days is one of my great favorites. In addition to two beautiful boys who finally get together, Latter Days sticks it very appropriately to the Mormons.

silvereagle said...

Christopher's Kind should definitely be on the list.
Brokeback Mountain received great reviews and it was good, but not the best.

GeorgeR said...

Latter Days is also a personal favorite, succeeding on a number of levels. I think it should be much higher in the list.

Trippy Trellis said...

My top ten:
1. Maurice (1987)
2. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
3. The Hours (2002)
4. For a Lost Soldier (1992)
5. Death in Venice (1971)
6. The Boys in the Band (1970)
7. A Sigle Man (2009)
8. The Fourth Man (1983)
9. Grande Ecole (2004)
10.Doña Herlinda and Her Son (1985)

Wharton said...

I miss The History Boys, which I watch often!

nikki said...

Love the list and also can't wait to see the just released "Keep the Lights On" by Ira Sachs.

susy25 said...

while I wouldn't put it at 1st place I thought Brokeback Mountain was actually a good movie..film critics also agree..