The Best LGBTQ Films Of The 21st Century (So Far) - Page 2 of 6

“Call Me by Your Name”
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel

Synopsis: Teenager Elio begins a passionate affair with Oliver, his father’s graduate student, during a sumptuous summer in 1983 Italy.
What You Need to Know: What is there to say about “Call Me by Your Name” that hasn’t already been said? Perhaps the most exquisite film of 2017, this visceral tale of summer love had us all reaching for a glass of apricot juice, a sweat-soaked sweetheart, and an Oscars ballot. Armie Hammer showed his range as a seductive and worldly graduate student, while Timothée Chalamet made everyone tear up and fall in love – and both had lesbians and gay men everywhere googling “’80s swim fashion.” It’s not often that a film sucks you into its world so completely, and gay romance films of that caliber are practically unheard of. As Gregory Ellwood wrote in his review, “the love and intimacy between two male characters have never truly felt this real or emotionally heartbreaking in a theatrical context.” With “Call Me by Your Name,” Luca Guadagnino crafted an unforgettable, sensual tale of love and heartbreak that still has the Italian sun imprinted on the backs of our eyelids. Blessed be the mystery of love.

“Carol”
Director: Todd Haynes
Cast: Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler

Synopsis: When photographer Therese Belivet meets Carol, a wealthy married woman, at her department store job, the nascent couple must explore their feelings amid Carol’s contentious divorce.
What You Need to Know: If you didn’t leave Todd Haynes’ 2015 romance “Carol” at least a little bit seduced by Cate Blanchett, you have one less thing in common with every lesbian in America. In this 1950s-set tale based on Patricia Highsmith’sThe Price of Salt,” Blanchett seduces Rooney Mara with swoon-worthy guile and worldliness – and I guess the exquisite sets, costuming, and score aren’t all bad, either. “Like a person with whom you’ve fallen for instantly and hopelessly,” our own Jessica Kiang wrote in her review of the film, “‘Carol’ shimmers and bewitches until it feels that, like Therese at a crucial climactic moment, you could be walking toward it, entranced and lovelorn, forever.” Though the film was notably snubbed for all its 11 combined Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, it scored Mara a Best Actress nod at Cannes, Blanchett an AACTA Award, and both actresses a spot in lesbian iconography. Now a Christmas must-see for lady-loving cinephiles everywhere, it would be downright irresponsible to downplay the modern significance of “Carol.”

“Cloudburst”
Director: Thom Fitzgerald
Cast: Olympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker, Ryan Doucette, Kristin Booth

Synopsis: Dotty, a blind senior citizen, is forcibly placed in a nursing home by her estranged family. Her partner, Stella, is determined to break Dotty out and marry her across the Canadian border.
What You Need to Know: One of the lesser-known titles on this list, “Cloudburst” is a sweet, “Thelma and Louise”-style 2011 romp that follows its older protagonists as they speed, hopelessly devoted to each other, toward the Nova Scotia horizon. Olympia Dukakis is unforgettable as Stella, a hardened old butch with a penchant for raunch and k.d. lang. In a world of cinematic narratives obsessed with youth, “Cloudburst” offers a representation double-whammy – and it’s genuinely delightful besides. Although bittersweet, “Cloudburst” is heavy on the heartwarming, offering viewers a story of late-in-life lesbian love that’s so rare it’s otherwise nonexistent. If you’re able, I highly recommend watching this northeastern tale the same way I first did: alone, in a rural, rickety Maine farmhouse. Adjacent k.d. lang shrine optional.

“Disobedience”
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola

Synopsis: When Ronit’s father dies, she makes the long journey from Manhattan back to her native Orthodox Jewish community in London – only to find that Esti, the girl she used to love, has married a man.
What You Need to Know: While his helming both “Disobedience” and “A Fantastic Woman” in the same year may have you wondering whether or not Sebastian Lelio has superpowers, a screening of this Rachel-on-Rachel romance will soon fix your mind on other questions, like: How does Rachel Weisz’s hair look this good all the time? Why am I just now realizing what a massive crush I’ve been harboring on Rachel McAdams? Is sexual spitting a thing now? (Answers: Magic; I know, right?; Yes.) This adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s 2006 novel is not only one of the first acclaimed films set in an Orthodox Jewish community, but it is also the first LGBTQ film to grapple with that community’s constraints. In a cinematic world that’s saturated with homosexuality vs. Christianity narratives, “Disobedience” offers a deeply moving and spiritual investigation of lesbian desire and female autonomy in another kind of isolated community. “Lelio once again shows a remarkable sensitivity to the challenges women face, particularly those who are marginalized by their age or identity,” Kevin Jagernauth wrote in his review. That remarkable sensitivity occupies every frame of this film. Despite its ambivalent ending, “Disobedience” is an unforgettable addition to modern LGBT filmmaking – especially if you like women, wigs, and secular delights.

“God’s Own Country”
Director: Francis Lee
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Ian Hart, Gemma Jones

Synopsis: Johnny, a brutish farmer in Yorkshire, finds an unexpected connection with his parents’ hired hand, Gheorghe.
What You Need to Know: Largely considered to be a spiritual successor to “Brokeback Mountain,” “God’s Own Country” [our review] examines emotional adolescence and gay desire on a breathtaking farm in Yorkshire. Between the film’s pitch-perfect script and assured lead performances, it’s mind-boggling to think that this was Francis Lee’s first film – an achievement that rightly earned him a number of festival and critical accolades. Made on just a scant £1 million budget, this sparse and lovely romance scored four BAFTAs, Sundance’s World Cinema Directing Award, and Berlin’s Männer Jury Award. Every bit as emotionally intelligent as it is gorgeous, “God’s Own Country” is easily one of the most overlooked films of 2017. If you haven’t already taken advantage of its stint on Netflix, go. Do.