The Best LGBTQ+ Movies on Netflix Right Now

It’s certainly gotten better over the last decade or so, but in the past, the representation of queer people on screen was a bit hard to come by. Luckily, there’s a clear trend in Hollywood towards telling LGBTQ+ stories, and in some cases, letting the LGBTQ+ community tell it themselves. Previously, queer movies were generally of the indie or underground variety, with movies like But I’m A Cheerleader, Jennifer’s Body, and Desert Hearts becoming cult classics years after release. In recent years, LGBTQ+ stories have become more welcome in the mainstream, with some major successes being Love, Simon, Call Me By Your Name, and Moonlight.

In order to celebrate the queer community and make LGBTQ+ entertainment more accessible, we thought it might be helpful to provide a little guide to the best LGBTQ+ movie offerings on Netflix. There’s simple romance, comedies, horror, and lots of documentaries. So if you are looking for a good queer movie to watch, we’ve got you covered.

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Ride or Die

Director: Ryūichi Hiroki

Writer: Nami Sakkawa

Cast: Kiko Mizuhara, Honami Sato

A Japanese psychological thriller, Ride or Die is another Netflix Original starring Kiko Mizuhara and Honami Sato. The story follows Mizuhara’s character Rei, a woman in her late 20s who commits a violent crime to help a former classmate who she’s been in love with for years. The other woman, Nanae (Sato), is the victim of horrific domestic violence, and so to save her, Rei kills Nanae’s husband. After the murder, Nanae feels conflicting emotions towards Rei, but she leans into Rei’s love for her as they go on the run together. While Rei’s decision to kill the husband is made as an effort to give Nanae and her freedom, the two travel down a path together that gets darker and more tumultuous as reality finally sets in. The movie is written by Nami Sakkawa and directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, based on the manga series Gunjō written and illustrated by Ching Nakamura. If you are looking for a tightly-packed thriller with a passionate and emotional central relationship, this is an excellent movie to watch.

Alex Strangelove

Director/Writer: Craig Johnson

Cast: Daniel Doheny, Antonio Marziale, Madeline Weinstein

Alex Strangelove is a modern rom-com about a teenage boy’s journey to understanding his sexuality. Alex Truelove, played by Daniel Doheny, is a regular, awkward teenager who has been best friends with Claire (Madeline Weinstein) for years. After comforting her at a party leads to a kiss, the two begin to date. All seems to be going well, or as well as a high school relationship can go, until Alex meets Elliot (Antonio Marziale), an openly gay teenage boy, at a party and sparks fly. Through hilarious scenarios and friendship struggles, Alex starts to question whether he might be bisexual or gay, all while juggling his relationship with Claire and a blossoming connection with Elliot. Another underappreciated movie on this list, Alex Strangelove is definitely a hidden gem of a rom-com on Netflix, commonly overshadowed by more well-known movies like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Kissing Booth.

Circus of Books

Director: Rachel Mason

Writers: Rachel Mason, Kathryn Robson

Cast: Karen Mason, Barry Mason, Rachel Mason

The first documentary on the list (though definitely not the last), Circus of Books is about a gay pornography shop and bookstore of the same name in Los Angeles. Through the movie’s exploration of this shop, audiences see a story unfold about a caring Jewish couple who kept the secret of what their business really was from their family for decades while continuing to serve as a safe haven for the gay community at a time when the world was very much against them. Directed by the couple’s daughter, Rachel Mason, the film does a fantastic job exploring porn, religion, AIDS, politics, and more as it covers the Masons’ takeover of the store in 1976, along with everything that decision led to. It’s extremely fascinating and touching, and it’s also a true homage to the queer culture of Los Angeles and its history over the past 50 or so years.

Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen

Director: Sam Feder

Cast: Laverne Cox, MJ Rodriguez, Angelica Ross

Another documentary, Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen is about exactly what the title says. The movie focuses on the history of transgender representation on screen in Hollywood over the years, and how that has in turn affected the queer community and American society. Many prominent figures in both the entertainment industry and the world of activism and academia appear in the movie to speak on their personal experiences, including Laverne Cox, MJ Rodriguez, Angelica Ross, Yance Ford, Lilly Wachowski, Chaz Bono, and many more. The film showcases how historically Hollywood has inaccurately portrayed transgender individuals in a harmful way, with specific films referenced including Ace Ventura, Tootsie, and more. Disclosure is a very intelligent and interesting movie, and a good pick if you are looking for a documentary to watch.

Let It Snow

Director: Luke Snellin

Writers: Laura Solon, Victoria Strouse, Kay Cannon

Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Kiernan Shipka, Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson

Let It Snow is a teen rom-com set around the holiday season that showcases a few intertwining romances within a small town. The movie is based on the young adult book of the same name by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle, and it has a stellar cast that includes Kiernan Shipka, Isabela Merced, Shamiek Moore, Liv Hewson, Anna Akana, and more. While most of the romances featured in the film are of the heterosexual variety, the love story of Dorrie (Hewson), a waitress at a local restaurant called Waffle Town, and Kerry (Akana), a cheerleader she’s been seeing, is one of the best parts of the movie. It’s a straightforward story, with Kerry being unafraid to come out to her cheerleader best friends, despite the fact that she truly believes they’d have no problem with it. But then she comes face to face with Dorrie, and must decide whether or not to save her relationship and finally reveal the truth about herself. The surrounding storylines are also sweet and funny, and Let It Snow is all-around an enjoyable, easy watch.

The Perfection

Director: Richard Shepard

Writers: Richard Shepard, Eric Charmelo, Nicole Snyder

Cast: Allison Williams, Logan Browning, Steven Weber, Alaina Huffman

If you want a queer horror story, The Perfection is that and so much more. Fair warning, this film is filled with gore and a twisted story, but if you are willing to take all that on, it’s a very satisfying and modern horror movie. The Perfection stars Allison Williams as Charlotte Willmore, a young woman whose promising cellist career is brought to a halt by her mother’s terminal illness. When she is finally able to get back to music, she meets Lizzie Wells, played by Logan Browning, the woman who took her spot in the music program. The two have instant chemistry, hooking up one night, but then Charlotte takes Lizzie on a psychological horror trip that leads Lizzie to believe that Charlotte wants to sabotage her cellist career. Honestly, there’s no way to describe how crazy The Perfection gets, but if you are a hardcore horror fan, you should certainly check it out.

Duck Butter

Director: Miguel Arteta

Writer: Miguel Arteta, Alia Shawkat

Cast: Alia Shawkat, Laia Costa

Duck Butter tells the story of two women who randomly meet and hook up, then decide to do a relationship experiment by staying together for 24 hours nonstop, having sex each hour and opening up emotionally. While Alia Shawkat’s character Naima is initially against the idea, the more free-spirited Sergio, played by Laia Costa, helps change her mind, and together they attempt to skip forward through all the traditional steps in relationships to something more intimate and revealing. The film’s cast also includes Mae Whitman, Kumail Nanjiani, the Duplass Brothers, and more, and it’s a great queer indie film to watch during a night in.

The Half of It

Director/Writer: Alice Wu

Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire

Another teen rom-com, The Half of It presents a very nuanced story of a shy, Chinese-American teenager named Ellie Chu, played by Leah Lewis, who aims to make a little extra money by helping a jock named Paul (Daniel Diemer) from school write love letters to the most popular girl. The only problem is that the boy has a crush on Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire), who Ellie also happens to have a crush on, which only gets more intense as she reads Aster’s responses to Ellie’s ghostwritten letters. On top of that, Paul and Ellie start to bond and become friends, which puts Ellie in an uncomfortable position, forcing her to decide between keeping her secret and helping Paul and Aster get together, or coming clean and taking the risk of losing both of them. The Half of It is a genuine hidden gem and a teen rom-com that everyone, no matter the age, should watch.

A Secret Love

Director: Chris Bolan

Writers: Chris Bolan, Alexa L. Fogel, Brendan Mason

Cast: Terry Donahue, Pat Henschel, Diana Bolan

This one is a heart-wrencher, but it’s also a must-watch. Another documentary on the list (there are a lot), A Secret Love is about the relationship between Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel, the two great aunts of the director, Chris Bolan. Having met when they were young women, Terry and Pat fell in love. At the time, queer people faced extreme prejudice, and so the couple kept their love a secret for almost 70 years. They stayed together the whole time, while also running a successful interior decorating business. A Secret Love tells the story of these two women who were pioneers in many ways, finally getting to celebrate their love for one another, which they hid for so many years.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Director: David France

Writers: David France, Mark Blane

Cast: Marsha P. Johnson

Many people likely know of this documentary, which focuses on icons and activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who fought for gay and transgender rights in NYC from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Although The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson spends a lot of time exploring this important history, it also features LGBT rights activist Victoria Cruz and her investigation into Johnson’s death. Initially, it was ruled a suicide, despite the circumstances surrounding the death being rather suspicious. The documentary is detailed and enlightening, and a fantastic addition to the existing group of queer documentaries.

The Boys in the Band

Director: Joe Mantello

Writers: Mart Crowley, Ned Martel

Cast: Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer

The Boys in the Band is a story that has a long history, originating as a 1968 play by Mart Crowley. The story is about seven gay friends who gather for a birthday party in NYC in 1968, whose happy time devolves into tension as buried feelings and secrets come to the surface. The play was made into a film for the first time in 1970, which starred the play’s original cast. Netflix hosts the new version of The Boys in the Band. The play had a revival in 2018, whose cast then went on to film this movie. With a cast of exclusively openly-gay actors, the 2020 film stars the likes of Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, and more.

Elisa & Marcela

Director/Writer: Isabel Coixet

Cast: Natalia de Molina, Greta Fernández

The 2019 Spanish biodrama Elisa & Marcela is filmed entirely in black and white and set in the early 1900s. It’s subject? The first recorded same-sex marriage to ever happen in Spain, at least as far as we know. In 1901, Elisa Sánchez Loriga and Marcela Gracia Ibeas posed as a heterosexual couple so that they could get legally married at the Church of Saint George in A Coruña, Spain. In Elisa & Marcela, the historical couple is portrayed by Natalia de Molina as Elisa and Greta Fernández as Marcela. The drama film is visually stunning and sweet in its portrayal of the two women’s love, and it’s a great pick to watch if you are looking for a period romance.

Handsome Devil

Director/Writer: John Kelly

Cast: Fionn O’Shea, Nicholas Galitzine, Andrew Scott

The Irish comedy-drama Handsome Devil is a coming-of-age story about two roommates at an all-boys, rugby-obsessed boarding school called Wood Hill College. A shy outcast named Ned (Fionn O’Shea) just doesn’t like rugby that much, which makes him quite unpopular at school. When he gets a new roommate named Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), it initially looks like they’re destined not to like each other. But soon enough they start a friendship, encouraged by their kind new English teacher, Mr. Sherry (Andrew Scott). As the two boys become better friends, Ned discovers that Conor, the handsome star rugby player, is gay, but afraid to come out due to the school’s homophobic tendencies. With the support of Ned and Mr. Sherry, who is also gay, Conor attempts to overcome these challenges to be his real self. If you are looking for a heartwarming story with positive themes, Handsome Devil is one to watch.

Other People

Director/Writer: Chris Kelly

Cast: Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow

Jesse Plemons stars in Other People, a movie about a man named David who returns home to Sacramento to take care of his mother Joanne, played by Molly Shannon, as she deals with her terminal cancer. While at home, David must face his father Norman (Bradley Whitford), who still hasn’t accepted David being gay a decade after he came out. As Joanne’s cancer gets worse, David is trying to hold on to his career, his relationship with his ex-boyfriend Paul (Zach Woods), and his family, which is in danger of falling apart once Joanne is gone. Other People is an intricate family drama about a man going through some major struggles that many people face, including dealing with a family member not accepting of your sexuality and losing a parent to a long and decaying sickness like cancer. With amazing acting from a cast that also includes Maude Apatow and June Squibb, Other People is a film that should be on everyone’s Netflix list.

The Prom

Director: Ryan Murphy

Writer: Bob Martin, Chad Beguelin

Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Kerry Washington, Jo Ellen Pellman

The Prom is a relatively enjoyable watch, even if it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure for musical fans. Based on the Tony Award-nominated musical of the same name, Ryan Murphy’s adaptation certainly picks a style. The film is uncompromisingly melodramatic and revels in the absurdity of its premise. It focuses on a group of Broadway stars who decide to advocate for a teenage girl, who is denied entry to the high school prom in her conservative hometown of Edgewater, Indiana. The actors are obviously out of touch, and thankfully the film satirizes the disconnect instead of completely lionizing the theater industry. If you can stand James Corden, the eccentric performances by Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Andrew Rannells make The Prom worth watching. –Liam Gaughan

Fear Street Part One: 1994

Director: Leigh Janiak

Writer: Leigh Janiak, Phil Graziadei

Cast: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Ashley Zukerman, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Maya Hawke

Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy is a love letter to horror, with each entry paying homage to the tropes associated with different periods in history. However, while each film tries to work as a standalone story, the deeper we go into the lore, the more things become connected. That’s what makes the first part, 1994, so special; aside from a cliffhanger right at the end, the whole movie is a wonderful 1990s slasher that you can enjoy without committing to the whole trilogy. Also, while part of the appeal of horror movies comes from the gore and gruesome deaths, no slasher can work without high emotional stakes. And at the center of Fear Street is the romance between Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Welch), two young women trying to find their place in the world. So, while Fear Street Part One: 1994 is a great slasher, it is also a story about acceptance and love, making it one of the best LGBTQ+ movies on Netflix. — Marco Vito Oddo

The Power of the Dog

Director/Writer: Jane Campion

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Award-winning film The Power of the Dog is an immersive, cerebral experience. Director Jane Campion—who walked home with the Oscar for Best Director for this film—crafts this story to nigh perfection. She paints the landscape and the characters with exceptional detail. Based on the Thomas Savage novel of the same name, this psychological drama is so tense and stressful, that you will be both relieved once it’s over, and yet miss it as well. The film takes place on the sprawling ranch of the Burbanks, run by domineering bully Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his sweet-natured younger brother, George (Jesse Plemons). The two cross paths with widowed inn-owner Rose (Kirsten Dunst) which sets in motion an intense conflict among the trio and Rose’s son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The extraordinary performances by the main cast make this a compelling watch. The queer storyline is subtle, but its undertone informs the proceedings. Don’t let the film’s use of a derogatory fatphobic term put you off—this film is a critique of toxic masculinity with a denouement that will leave you shocked and satisfied. – Monita Mohan

Single All the Way

Director: Michael Mayer

Writer: Chad Hodge

Cast: Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke Macfarlane, Kathy Najimy

The recent renaissance of queer Christmas romances has been a long time coming. Single All the Way is the first gay holiday original film by Netflix and it includes all the hallmarks of a…Hallmark classic. Perpetually single Peter (Michael Urie) and his best friend, Nick (Philemon Chambers), visit Peter’s family for the holidays. Peter is set up on a blind date with James (Luke Macfarlane)—sparks fly, but why does Peter keep talking about Nick?

This is an adorable comfort watch. Don’t overthink the contrivances, just go with the flow of this romcom, and its busy-body characters. Urie is his usual effervescent self, while Chambers expertly plays the long-beleaguered and subdued friend. The supporting cast is all larger than life, but the star of the show is Luke Macfarlane. Despite a rather curtailed role, he is such a lovely character! If you’re in need of the Christmas spirit (and a lot of it) you need to watch this film. – Monita Mohan

The Old Guard

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writer: Greg Rucka,

Cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari

Adapted from the comic book of the same name, The Old Guard is a refreshing addition to the superhero genre. The film starts with a shocking scene that sets the tone for the rest of the runtime—don’t get comfortable and expect the unexpected. This Charlize Theron vehicle is at its best when the story concentrates on the characters because they are all unique and a delight to watch. While the action is visceral and Theron proves once again that her action hero-career has only just begun, the scene-stealer of this film is the epic, centuries-old romance between Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli). The lived-in chemistry between the two characters, their familiar teasing, their little moments of affection, it’s all so effortlessly woven into the film. Kenzari’s iconic speech partway through the film won hearts around the globe. Joe and Nicky’s relationship is revolutionary since superhero films still struggle to even acknowledge queer identities, let alone a full-blown romance. But the best part of their love story is that it’s treated as matter-of-factly as any other romance, and that’s what makes this film even more extraordinary. – Monita Mohan

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