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Experience the powerful journey of self-discovery and young love with these unforgettable LGBTQ coming-of-age films. From heartfelt romances and poignant struggles to uplifting tales of acceptance, these movies capture the complexity and beauty of growing up queer. Dive into stories that celebrate identity, friendship, and the courage it takes to be your true self.
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00:00She seems cool. Is she your girlfriend?
00:06Um, not really.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most impactful and influential movies
00:14that highlight queer coming-of-age stories and experiences.
00:18Spoilers will be mentioned, so this is your official warning.
00:22Now we shall never be parted.
00:25Number 30. Girls Like Girls.
00:28Sometimes one unforgettable summer is all it takes to change everything.
00:33You know, you could have just given that to me on paper, right?
00:36Darling, it's called romance.
00:39Oh my god.
00:44Hey, Coley.
00:46Yeah?
00:48Promise you'll message me tonight?
00:50An expansion on the Hayley Kiyoko song of the same name,
00:542026's Girls Like Girls explores two teenagers embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
01:00It follows Coley and her blossoming friendship with Sonia,
01:03which eventually develops into something deeper.
01:06I...
01:22It encapsulates the classic queer experience of falling for someone that may not feel the same way,
01:27and wondering if you should pursue it or not.
01:29The film perfectly captures every tumultuous emotion that comes with young LGBTQ plus love,
01:35from the first kiss to the crushing rejection of being compared to a platonic friend.
01:40I don't know what to say, Coley.
01:47I guess...
01:49I'm just like that with all my friends.
01:52It ending on a hopeful note is the cherry on top,
01:55creating one of the best romances in recent years.
01:58Number 29, Bottoms.
02:00As inspiring as queer rite-of-passage movies are,
02:03they come with their own easily identifiable tropes that eventually become old.
02:07We teach a bunch of girls how to defend themselves against the evil Huntington killers.
02:12They are grateful to us.
02:14We build a community.
02:15We bond.
02:16We share.
02:17We connect.
02:19We're punching each other.
02:20Adrenaline is flowing.
02:22Next thing you know,
02:23Isabel and Brittany are kissing us on the mouse!
02:24Bottoms takes those beats and turns them on their head.
02:28It follows best friends Josie and PJ on their quest to impress their crushes,
02:33which leads them to create a fake girls fight club in an attempt to win them over.
02:38We had to survive the tributes,
02:40and, you know, I did have to, like, fight people basically every single night.
02:44People were betting on us,
02:45and we were given, like, chips and rusty pocket knives and splintered wood and pipes as well.
02:53And we had to just, like, fight people sometimes to the death.
02:56It forgoes the usual coming out plot in favor of one about two teens
03:00concocting a desperate plot to end the school year cuffed up.
03:03The flick also portrays LGBTQ plus teens in a more complex light,
03:08rather than the sanitized version that studios usually opt for.
03:11You followed my lead when you created that insane story
03:15about girls betting on you to fight other girls with shivs?
03:19You were just mad, because I did this.
03:22I got to be with Isabel on my own, without you.
03:25No, you never would have talked to her without me, ever.
03:29Between its unique take on representation and its hilarious satire,
03:33it's a refreshing take on the subgenre.
03:35Want to see more from your favorite coming-of-age comedies or dramas?
03:39Scan the QR code on the screen and join the 24-7 Ms. Mojo livestream for endless pop culture fun.
03:46We have nowhere to go but up.
03:47Listen, I think this is a good idea, okay?
03:49Number 28.
03:50Of an age.
03:52Sometimes, the people who mean the most to us are only in our lives for a short period of time.
03:57I'm a true good boy.
04:05That idea is explored in Of an Age,
04:12which tells the story of a young man meeting his dance partner's older brother.
04:16As the feelings between Cole and Adam morph from mutual attraction to something deeper,
04:21the former struggles to come to terms with his sexual orientation.
04:24Your Macedonian ex is gonna kill me.
04:28Oh, chill.
04:29He won't.
04:30As they spend the night together,
04:32the knowledge that their bond has an expiration date remains a looming presence.
04:36Their encounter is fleeing,
04:37but when the story jumps ahead by a decade,
04:40it's clear that it had a lasting effect.
04:42It was really nice to me.
04:49I guess.
04:50I know.
04:52Not I guess.
04:56Yeah.
04:57It may be bittersweet,
04:58but it's the perfect example of how seemingly small moments can have the biggest impact.
05:03Number 27.
05:04My Beautiful Laundrette.
05:06On the surface,
05:07it seems to tell the story of a couple attempting to revive a coin-operated laundry business from the brink
05:12of closure.
05:12I need to raise money to make this place good.
05:16And I want you to help me with that.
05:18I want you to work here with me.
05:24What kind of work is it?
05:26Variety.
05:28Variety of menial things.
05:30However,
05:31My Beautiful Laundrette is about so much more.
05:33It follows Pakistani,
05:35Britton Omar,
05:36as he reunites with a friend from childhood,
05:38Johnny.
05:38As they reconnect,
05:40the romantic bond between them reignites as well.
05:43This could be a Ritz among laundrettes.
05:46A laundrette as big as the Ritz.
05:50Oh yes.
05:55Although their lives are plagued by greater political dissent,
05:58the one thing they are certain about is their feelings for one another.
06:01Their love and intimacy with one another never waver,
06:04even in the face of an arranged marriage.
06:06My family.
06:07It's a liminal.
06:10I'll swallow you up like a little kebab.
06:16I couldn't leave him.
06:18Not now.
06:22Don't ask me to.
06:23By not allowing their love to be marred by tragedy,
06:26they created one of the most enduring and influential queer coming-of-age stories of the 20th century.
06:31Number 26.
06:32Three months.
06:34Graduation should be a time of celebration and new beginnings,
06:37not worrying if your life is going to end before it even begins.
06:41This is sort of a,
06:42any queer person who wants to talk and eat free cookies kind of group.
06:45So,
06:46it's for people in your position too.
06:49Okay,
06:49and typically how long does somebody in my position have to wait to know if they have it for sure?
06:57In three months,
06:59Caleb is forced to reckon with the latter following the revelation that he's been exposed to HIV.
07:03Suddenly,
07:04his summer is spent waiting for test results that will redefine his future.
07:07I get test results tomorrow.
07:10All right.
07:14Want to hang?
07:15Help take your mind off of it?
07:16I'm supposed to work,
07:17but it's not like anyone needs me here.
07:19I'm good.
07:20Don't worry.
07:21I'm not worried.
07:22I just thought you might want some company.
07:25Through support groups,
07:26constant distractions,
07:28and an unexpected romance,
07:29Caleb is able to find a new outlook.
07:31Rather than focus on the potential diagnosis itself,
07:34the story is centered on the way it affects the relationships he has with others.
07:38Telling you just makes the whole thing feel real,
07:39and I was just totally hoping it would be imaginary.
07:44The only thing that's real is this right here.
07:48You and me.
07:50You know?
07:52Give me a hug.
07:56The movie not only helps lessen the stigma around the disease,
08:00it serves as a beacon of hope for others who are going through the same thing.
08:03Number 25.
08:05Edge of 17.
08:06For many,
08:07young adulthood is a chance for one to redefine themselves
08:10and take control of their own lives.
08:12Did you put on my cologne?
08:14No.
08:15I mean, I just like,
08:17I opened it up.
08:18I wanted to see what it smelled like.
08:22You did.
08:23In Edge of 17,
08:25Eric does just that,
08:26following a romantic night with his co-worker Rod.
08:29Although it doesn't pan out into a relationship,
08:31it gives Eric a better understanding of himself.
08:34Eric, I'm sorry.
08:35I just don't want people getting the wrong idea.
08:37What idea?
08:39They might think that-
08:40What?
08:42People think you're gay.
08:46Is that what you want to know?
08:47Throughout the next year,
08:49he experiments with his self-expression and fashion,
08:51all while venturing out into his local gay scene.
08:54He experiences the highs and lows of one coming into themselves,
08:58from forming a community
08:59to inadvertently hurting the ones they love.
09:01Eric, you're my best friend.
09:04It doesn't change anything.
09:15It's an achingly realistic portrayal
09:18of someone trying to better understand their own sexuality.
09:21It even has a hopeful ending,
09:23reminding viewers that a free life is out there for the taking.
09:26I'm just gonna do, you know,
09:27one final song for everyone,
09:28for all my fruit and nutter friends,
09:30and I'm-
09:36And I'm gonna dedicate it to my good friend, Eric.
09:42Number 24, Mario.
09:53Although the world has become more accepting of queer love,
09:56there are still plenty of institutions that discourage it.
09:592018's Mario explores that idea,
10:02with it following an elite football player
10:04who forms a relationship with his teammate.
10:18Mario and Leon are forced to keep their love under wraps,
10:21while courting women publicly
10:23and dealing with homophobic insults.
10:40As the film progresses,
10:42the protagonist struggles between achieving his dreams
10:44and being with the man he loves,
10:46with him ultimately choosing the former.
10:48It's a heartbreaking reminder
10:49of the persisting bigotry within sports,
10:51and how coming of age sometimes means deciding
10:54which parts of yourself
10:55are worth sacrificing for success.
11:12Number 23, Maurice.
11:15It can be hard to remember that just last century,
11:18non-heterosexual relationships
11:19were criminalized globally.
11:21It's like the good blundering creature
11:24that you are to try to comfort me,
11:26but there are limits.
11:30I'm thankful that it was into your hands I fell.
11:33Most men would have reported me to the dean,
11:36or the police.
11:37Maurice is about that period,
11:39and the impact it had on both the titular character
11:41and his relationships.
11:43It follows him falling in unrequited love
11:45with a fellow student named Clive,
11:47who refuses to deepen their relationship
11:49out of fear that it will ruin his potential career.
11:52No.
11:53Can't you kiss me?
11:57I think...
11:58I think it would bring us...
11:59I think it would bring us down.
12:01Maurice navigates the homophobic society he lives in,
12:05from gay men being arrested
12:06to doctors attempting to cure him.
12:08While he's able to accept himself
12:10and start a successful relationship with another man,
12:13Clive submits to conformity
12:14and is left wondering what could have been.
12:16Who were you talking to?
12:19No one.
12:20No one.
12:21I was just trying out a speech.
12:23It's a beautiful portrayal
12:24of how shedding the fear of societal rejection
12:26can change your life for the better.
12:28Number 22.
12:30Close.
12:30When one thinks of coming-of-age films
12:32about the queer experience,
12:34they may turn to instances of young love
12:36or self-acceptance.
12:44Yet one perspective that often goes unseen
12:47is the negative impact of being perceived as non-het.
12:51Few movies tackle this better than Close.
12:53It's centered around two friends,
12:54Leo and Rémy,
12:56who are unapologetically affectionate with each other.
13:09That all changes once other kids
13:11start to mock their friendship.
13:12Seemingly overnight,
13:14Leo abandons Rémy
13:15and overcompensates for the previous insults
13:18by icing him out entirely.
13:36It highlights a different aspect of LGBTQ plus youth,
13:40one that's crushing yet all too common.
13:42While unfortunately not as uplifting
13:44as other films in this list,
13:46it's a heartbreaking reminder
13:47of the societal ills of homophobia
13:49and how it can ruin innocent lives.
13:51Number 21.
13:53Shelter.
13:53For some people in the LGBTQ plus community,
13:56home isn't where you're from.
13:58It's where you're finally accepted.
14:00What does that mean?
14:01It means I'm sad, dude.
14:03They're just gonna set me up with something
14:04of his firm, you know,
14:06so I can go back,
14:07get some more parting out of my system,
14:09move back here,
14:10buy a couple of suits,
14:11start making some real cash.
14:12You could have the same life
14:13if you wanted.
14:15Shelter displays this idea perfectly.
14:18The film is about an artist named Zach
14:19who has to put his own desires and goals
14:21to the side to care for his family.
14:23That all changes when he falls
14:24for his best friend's older brother, Sean,
14:26who teaches him to own his destiny.
14:29It's not as easy for me as it is for you.
14:31You know, this is,
14:32this is all totally new to me.
14:34Look, we'll get through the game thing.
14:35No, it's not that, Sean.
14:37You just don't get it, okay?
14:38I can't just take whatever I want.
14:40My life is not like that.
14:41You'll never get what you want
14:42unless you take it.
14:43Zach is then left with a huge decision to make,
14:46staying behind to care for his nephew
14:48and repressing himself in the process
14:49or following his passion.
14:51He chooses the latter,
14:52but gets the best of both worlds.
14:54Why are you here?
14:56What changed?
15:00I did.
15:05Will you help me?
15:07Are you serious?
15:10Of course, anything.
15:13Although it may seem like a love story,
15:15its true lesson is in taking the plunge
15:17to prioritize one's own happiness.
15:19Number 20, Cowboys.
15:22I'm not a tomboy.
15:23What?
15:23Tomboy's just another type of girl,
15:25but I'm not a girl.
15:26Written and directed by Anna Kerrigan,
15:29Cowboys offers a neo-Western take
15:31on the queer experience.
15:33The film centers around a trans boy named Joe,
15:36who, faced with the disapproval
15:38of his recently separated mother,
15:40struggles to assert his true identity.
15:43Come on.
15:44She's cool.
15:45Look at her.
15:46I don't want that.
15:50Okay, well then,
15:51we're not getting any toys today.
15:53As a result,
15:54he runs off into the Montana wilderness
15:56with his father, Troy,
15:57kicking off a police investigation
15:59into his disappearance,
16:01as well as his own transformative
16:03coming-of-age journey.
16:04Kerrigan goes for the gold here,
16:07serving up a nuanced,
16:08character-driven exploration
16:10into themes of family dynamics
16:12and the importance of unconditional love
16:14for queer youth.
16:15If you take her with you,
16:16I'll call the police.
16:18Dad, I'm sorry.
16:20Dad, I can't stay here.
16:24Of course, Cowboys would be nothing
16:26without the impressive ensemble of actors
16:28who bring the well-rounded characters to life.
16:32Number 19.
16:33Rafiki
16:34While there has been progress
16:35and LGBTQ plus acceptance
16:37in many countries,
16:39queer people still face danger
16:41in certain parts of the world.
16:42With her 2018 film Rafiki,
16:45Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiou
16:48highlights this reality
16:49while telling a beautiful love story
16:51between two young women.
16:53Let's make a pact
16:56that we will never be like any of them down there.
16:59The movie follows Kenna and Ziki,
17:02who nurture a secret love for each other
17:04despite their fathers being political rivals.
17:07While Rafiki features the violence
17:08that queer people in such places face,
17:11it doesn't revel in it.
17:12Does that make it any better?
17:18Instead, it celebrates the unbridled joy
17:20that innocent love can bring,
17:22giving its lead characters an ending
17:24that is as happy as can be.
17:26Although it was temporarily banned in Kenya,
17:29it became the first film from the country
17:31to be screened at Cannes.
17:37Number 18, Holding the Man
17:40John Calleo,
17:43will you go around with me?
17:45Based on the critically acclaimed 1995 memoir
17:48by Timothy Conagrave,
17:50Holding the Man details the true love story
17:52between Conagrave and his partner,
17:54John Calleo.
17:55The film follows the two young men
17:57from their first meeting as teenagers
17:59at a Melbourne secondary school.
18:01It then chronicles their journey
18:03as they both come to terms
18:04with their sexuality
18:05while navigating societal pressures
18:07and their own personal struggles.
18:09Help.
18:12Forgive us, Paul.
18:13Will you marry me?
18:16It's an intense and enduring love story
18:19that is completely sold
18:20by the profound chemistry
18:22between the two lead actors,
18:24Ryan Corr and Craig Stott.
18:26Although it ends on a sad note,
18:28with both characters succumbing
18:29to AIDS-related complications,
18:32Holding the Man is still an affecting tale
18:34of love and passion
18:35in the face of adversity.
18:37You can't go without me at your side.
18:42That's the deal.
18:44Number 17, Beautiful Thing.
18:47I'm Daya.
18:48Queer.
18:49Gay.
18:51Very happy.
18:55I'm happy when I'm with you.
18:57Jamie and Stee are two teenage boys
18:59who discover their attraction to each other
19:01while living in a South London council estate.
19:03As they navigate their newfound feelings,
19:06the relationship between the boys blossoms,
19:08with help from their eccentric neighbor, Leah,
19:11and Jamie's single mother, Sandra.
19:14What's his problem?
19:15Oh, he's in love, that's all.
19:17No.
19:19Yeah, I'll see ya.
19:20That is the premise of this screen adaptation
19:22of Jonathan Harvey's 1993 same-titled original play.
19:27A tender yet complex coming-of-age story,
19:30Beautiful Thing was first released only on TV,
19:33but earned a theatrical run
19:34after garnering critical acclaim.
19:36The film brilliantly explores
19:38the intricacies of young love,
19:40highlighting just how important it is
19:42for young queer people to be accepted
19:44and supported by their own community.
19:46Just stay.
19:48Yeah, stay.
19:49Whoa.
19:50Imagine you're that sponge.
19:52Sweet seas till sunbeams find you.
19:56Number 16.
19:57Blue is the warmest color.
20:04Clocking in at three hours,
20:05Blue is the warmest color is certainly a slow burn,
20:08but one that cares about
20:09and revels in its central characters.
20:11The movie centers on the young love
20:13between the young Adele
20:14and the artistic blue-haired Emma.
20:16Director Abdelatif Keshish places the audience
20:19right in the center of the whirlwind romance,
20:22with stunning visuals to highlight the emotional depths
20:24that the film dives into.
20:25You see a good girl.
20:29It's a good girl.
20:32It's a good girl.
20:48You've been lucky.
20:49I love you.
20:54I love you too.
20:57I love you too.
21:07I love you too.
21:14Number 15.
21:20as the three travel through rural mexico they engage in a series of romantic and emotional
21:26encounters that challenge their preconceptions of love friendship and sexuality with exceptional
21:33performances from diego luna and gael garcia bernal the film questions traditional notions
21:38of masculinity by taking both characters on an unexpected sexual awakening the film takes the
21:44road movie genre and injects it with themes of class and politics elements that can appeal to
21:50everyone and their mother too number 14 the way he looks
22:10after receiving high acclaim for his 2010 short i don't want to go back alone brazilian filmmaker
22:17daniel ribeiro decided to expand it into a feature in 2014 ribeiro released the way he looks a
22:25brilliant evolution of its source material the film centers around leonardo a blind teenager who longs
22:32for his independence from his parents at the same time he develops feelings for a new student in his
22:38high school named gabriel which threatens his relationship with his best friend giovanna
22:51although the way he looks features multiple teen movie tropes what sets it apart is its genuine warmth
22:57and absolutely lovable protagonists this is one film that will remain with you long after it comes to an
23:14end
23:1613. crazy
23:29set in the 1960s and 70s crazy follows zachary bolia as he struggles to come to terms with his
23:37sexuality growing up as one of five boys in a deeply conservative family zach initially represses
23:43his true feelings for fears of being rejected by his folks
23:53as he goes through various life experiences zach gradually learns to accept himself and eventually
24:00comes out to his family co-written and directed by jean-marc valet crazy is brought to life by an
24:06impressive soundtrack featuring hits by david bowie pink floyd and the rolling stones
24:22the film received critical acclaim and is considered by some to be one of the best canadian films
24:28ever made number 12 get real
24:35this one may not be as popular as some of the other entries on this list but it nevertheless deserves
24:41a
24:41spot here get real explores the coming of age of stephen carter a british school boy yet to come out
24:48who falls in love with a popular jock named john after finding out he's also queer
24:54i mean how can you really like yourself if you deny what you are fine let's tell everyone then
24:59no don't you dare when john gets paranoid that he has been outed to the entire school
25:04he destroys his relationship with stephen and abandons him released back in 1998 the film was
25:10groundbreaking in its exploration of self-discovery acceptance and the challenges of coming out
25:16especially at a young age never loved anyone so much
25:21through its nuanced and realistic portrayal of the experiences of lgbtq plus youth get real has now
25:28become a beloved classic of queer cinema number 11 i killed my mother
25:39co-produced written and directed by canadian prodigy xavier dolan who also stars in the lead role
25:46i killed my mother was partly inspired by dolan's real life the film revolves around hubert minel a
25:52talented teenager whose tumultuous relationship with a single mother affects the exploration of
25:57his own sexuality
26:02as he grapples with his identity and tries to find his place in the world hubert experiences conflicting
26:09emotions about his mother whom he both loves and resents borrowing from his own life dolan tells a
26:15poignant story of the challenges of growing up queer in a society that often misunderstands you
26:27although uneven at times i killed my mother is still raw honest and criminally good
26:33number 10 wendell and wild i'm bro i don't do friends raw bad things happen to people i'm close to
26:43this 2022 horror comedy marked the long anticipated return of the famed stop motion animation filmmaker
26:50henry selick co-written by jordan peele who also voices one of the titular characters wendell and wild
26:56tells the story of cat an angsty teenager who was tricked into summoning two demons into the land of the
27:02living while the film does a great job with its fantastical exploration of grief it also triumphs
27:08in its frank and honest representation of trans people wow you were a poodle too i i tried to be
27:17but
27:18you're not nearly as annoying this is achieved through cat's best friend raoul a trans boy in an
27:25all-girls school who uses his art to express himself and challenge authority despite being a supporting
27:31character raoul's identity journey still takes the foreground in a way that feels organic and
27:36effortless
27:43it's cat number nine book smart every time i come to busy you you're just gonna be scissoring a different
27:49girl dude scissoring is not a thing don't knock it until you try it don't knock it until you try
27:55it
27:55not knocking it how about you don't knock it until you tried it in this raunchy comedy amy and molly
28:00hope to
28:00make up for their time spent focused on school with one wild night of partying before graduation
28:05unlike many of the other movies on this list book smart treats amy's sexuality as simply matter of
28:11fact as she spends the film pursuing a girl she has a crush on what are you doing go back
28:16that was bad
28:17that was that was bad i'm good i don't even know if she's into girls i'm good that was she
28:20wore a polo
28:20shirt to prom well that's just her gender performance it's different from her sexual orientation i'm
28:26sorry but i don't get it filled to the brim with zany characters and delivering one quotable line
28:31after another it's one of the most distinct high school comedies to be released in the 2010s
28:36oh god you taste like my vitamins uh i think i'm in love with you i don't think you are
28:41you're coming
28:42with me what the friendship between the two leads is at the heart of the movie though
28:49and their chemistry is what makes this a modern teen classic
28:53i have no breath excuse me sorry what i have nowhere to go with this it's too perfect you
29:00are literally glowing you've hit the level of perfection and now i'm just i have you still
29:04my heart number eight my own private idaho always know where i am by the way the road looks
29:16look i just know that i've been here before gus van sant's cult classic drama is widely regarded
29:21as a landmark in queer cinema of the late 20th century with electric performances from river phoenix
29:27and keanu reeves it follows mike and scott as they embark on a search for mike's mother learning
29:33about one another along the way it's a touching and at times brutally honest tale of transitioning
29:39from one phase of life to another and it doesn't pull any of its narrative punches
29:44i will die a hundred thousand deaths before that happens though its shakespeare inspired story is
29:54relatively tame by today's standards its subject matter and style were innovative at the time
29:59and opened the door for several later films on this list well you know normal like like a mom and
30:05a dad
30:06and a dog and shit like that normal normal so you didn't have a normal dog number seven but i'm
30:13a
30:13cheerleader one two three four you're the one that i adore five six seven eight don't run from me
30:22because this is fake although it received negative reviews upon its release but i'm a cheerleader has
30:28since grown to become a cult classic and deservedly so starring natasha leone this movie follows her
30:35character megan bloomfield who was sent to a conversion therapy camp by her conservative parents
30:41despite not initially considering herself to be gay megan slowly begins to understand and accept her
30:46sexuality with the help of her fellow attendees
30:49i'm a homosexual
30:53i'm a homosexual
30:55i'm a homosexual
30:57but i'm a cheerleader puts the camp in campy employing a hyper aestheticized look in its satire of religion
31:05heteronormative standards and societal expectations in doing so it raises awareness about the harmful
31:12effects of conversion therapy and the importance of accepting people for who they are
31:17my name is peter and my daughter is a homosexual
31:25hello peter
31:26number six mysterious skin
31:28in fact his vibe is kind of weirdly asexual
31:32his name is brian lackey he lives in little river and like yours truly attends hutchinson loser community college
31:38mysterious skin tells the parallel story of ufo enthusiast brian and teenage gay cowboy neil
31:45who share a painful event from the past the two deal with their trauma in vastly different ways
31:50as brian attempts to find the truth in alien abduction theories and neil tries to find fulfillment in new york
31:56i don't think jackson's hot
31:59dude
31:59he's fat
32:01and bald
32:02although it's a particularly harrowing film it treats its themes and content with the greatest care
32:08crafting a beautiful and ultimately uplifting story
32:11your only way to uncovering the truth
32:15think of yourself as a detective following clues
32:17maybe concentrate on that other boy in your dreams
32:20he could help you find the answers you're looking for
32:22featuring a marvelous early career performance from joseph gordon levitt
32:26it's a hidden gem that's hard to watch
32:28but truly thought-provoking
32:30number five
32:31god's own country
32:32do we understand each other?
32:36good
32:37this british indie flew under the radar when it premiered in 2017
32:41which is a shame since it was one of the year's best films
32:44it tells the story of johnny
32:46a depressed farmhand struggling with alcohol use disorder
32:50who begins to rethink his life when he meets and begins to fall for jorge
32:54they call thee jorge or something
32:56jorge
32:57a poignant romance wrapped up in a gritty setting
32:59this juxtaposition sets the stage for the raw passion of the lead's relationship
33:04as it develops over the course of the film
33:06it's beautiful here but lonely
33:08despite the muddy backdrop
33:09it's ultimately a story of learning how to love oneself as well as another
33:13and the beauty is hidden beneath the muck
33:19number four
33:20pariah
33:21what if say
33:24somebody liked you
33:25they like you or they like you like you
33:27they like you like you
33:30uh-huh
33:30a deeply personal film
33:32pariah is writer-director d re's semi-autobiographical story of self-discovery
33:37alike is a young poet who has recently come to terms with her attraction to women
33:41and her preference to present herself androgynously
33:44everything's fine
33:45did you ask
33:46no because i don't have to
33:48while she has supportive friends
33:50her parents struggle with her changing identity
33:52it presents familiar themes in a fresh way
33:54as alike juggles her true self with her relationship with her family
33:59i'll be praying for you
34:03that said
34:03every character is written and played with a degree of empathy
34:06never outright villainizing the parents for their views
34:09and helping us to understand how difficult alike's struggle is
34:13okay look i am concerned that my mom will find out but
34:17it's not like that
34:19it's just that she's
34:20look if you knew her mother you'd understand
34:22overprotective
34:24equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring
34:26pariah manages to tap into the most human elements of the experience of coming out
34:31broken is freedom
34:36i'm not broken
34:40i'm free
34:41number three call me by your name
34:44why don't you and i go swimming
34:45right now
34:46yeah
34:47based on andre asimann's novel of the same name
34:51call me by your name follows 17 year old elio
34:54over a single summer in italy
34:56he falls for the artistic grad student oliver
34:58and the two begin to bond
35:00and eventually have a passionate summer fling
35:03i love this oliver
35:16despite telling an admittedly simple story the emotions are raw and true
35:21and timothy chalamet's phenomenal performance is a masterpiece unto itself
35:25director luca guadagnino captures the frenzied intimacy of a first love with gusto
35:31with every shot more evocative than the last
35:33elio
35:36olive
35:37elio
35:40the movie lives and breathes as it follows elio on his journey
35:44and it will stay with you long after your first viewing
35:47olive
35:51i remember everything
35:54number two love simon
35:56i'm just like you
35:58i have a totally perfectly normal life
36:01except i have one huge ass secret
36:03when love simon debuted in 2018
36:05it was the first film from a major hollywood studio
36:08to focus on gay teen romance
36:10and it made quite a splash
36:13and then there was my first girlfriend
36:14i think i'm going in love with you
36:16wow thank you
36:18be right back
36:19simon is a secretly gay high school student
36:22who finds solace in a pen pal named blue
36:24the two come out to each other
36:26and simon begins to have feelings for him
36:28even though he has no idea who he's talking to
36:30i think i'm the kind of person who is
36:32destined to care so much about one person
36:35it nearly kills me
36:41me too
36:42it manages to tap into the anxieties of coming out
36:45with more than enough charm
36:46humor and sincerity to go around
36:49but these these last few years
36:51more and more
36:54it's almost like i could feel you holding your breath
36:57love simon is one of the most important lgbtq plus movies of the 2010s
37:02you get to exhale now simon
37:07you get to be more you than you have been
37:10in a very long time
37:14before we unveil our top pick
37:16here are a few honorable mentions
37:18crush
37:19a sweet non-tragic high school romance
37:22that queer girls everywhere loved
37:24kind of weird that we've co-parented
37:25and never kissed before
37:26huh
37:27yeah
37:28it's a little bit strange
37:30well maybe we should try it
37:32we could try it
37:33the miseducation of cameron post
37:35a powerful film on lgbtq plus resilience
37:39friendship and surviving conversion therapy
37:41can i say that hey yeah yeah
37:47hey yeah yeah
37:49blockers
37:50it included a surprising and sincere coming out subplot
37:54that outshone the main storyline
37:55dad
37:57can i tell you something now
37:59yes
38:00yes yes yes anything
38:02i'm a lesbian
38:03red white and royal blue
38:05a love story with themes of self-acceptance
38:08and rejecting harmful traditions
38:09there is no turning back
38:12if you go out there now
38:14i certainly hope not
38:18i love you
38:20i love you more
38:22weekend
38:23a movie that highlights how even fleeting relationships can have a lasting impact
38:27i just thought that we were having a really nice time
38:32and it was lovely
38:34it was more than enough for me
38:44before we continue
38:46check out this single from sound mojo's album balance
38:49classical music reimagined as rock hard rock and metal
38:52check out the full track and album below
38:55born in the sunlight
38:58born in the rain
39:00life is a rhythm
39:03running through veins
39:09number one
39:10moonlight
39:11hey black
39:12i mean uh
39:14charron
39:17what's up man
39:18it's uh
39:19it's kevin
39:20as the first best picture winner to feature lgbtq plus themes
39:24barry jenkins dazzling portrait of a young man growing up black and gay
39:29is nothing short of phenomenal
39:31it depicts the life of chiron as he comes to terms with who he is in three parts
39:35as a youth
39:36as a teen
39:37and as an adult
39:38nah you trying to get smart with me huh chiron
39:41yeah you trying to get smart with me huh
39:44loaded with themes of race
39:45sexuality
39:46and identity
39:47moonlight reaches a depth that many films attempt
39:50but few are able to achieve
39:52you're gonna tell him why the other boys kick his ass all the time
39:55with a compelling hero and a singularly brilliant vision
39:58it's a movie that transcends the life it portrays
40:01and surely one that we will be talking about for a long time to come
40:05what's you looking at me like that for
40:09what man come on you just drove down here
40:15yeah
40:17which lgbtq plus coming of age film had the biggest impact on you
40:21let us know in the comments
40:22who's in the comments
40:22yeah
40:25and
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