David’s Pride Picture Picks
Hi gay! Happy Pride Month! This week for David’s Download, I am gay-ing things up (as if The Drive Home wasn’t gay enough already) with a list of movie recommendations for Pride Month, although any of the films below are a great watch any time of the year. Check out the list below:
Femme
This 2024 British film offers a fresh, suspenseful take on the erotic thriller, following Jules, who performs as a drag queen named Aphrodite. One night after a performance, Jules is left beaten and bloodied from a homophobic attack by another man. After the attack, Jules becomes a recluse and withdraws from the world of drag. Then months later, out of drag, he runs into his attacker in a sauna for gay men, and plots his revenge by striking up an affair.
The movie does a chilling job illustrating the fear that queer people, and especially drag queens, feel in many situations and public spaces, and I love how Jules ultimately finds strength in his drag during the climactic encounter.
Director Sam H. Freeman brings a dark, gritty vibe to the proceedings and every scene between leads Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Candyman) and George MacKay (1917) crackles with suspense.
But I’m a Cheerleader
Natasha Lyonne absolutely shines in this goofy comedy from 1999 about a cheerleader who is sent to True Directions, a conversion camp, after her parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian. Despite a series of strange steps to “correct” her sexuality, she eventually comes to accept her identity and embraces her new, found family.
What could be a plot for a heavy drama actually provides fertile ground for lots of laughs, poking fun at and exposing the hypocrisy of many ultra-conservative and religious values. Quirky set pieces and pops of color at True Directions also make it a surprisingly fun place to spend 85 minutes.
Plus, you get RuPaul Charles playing a “straight” man! If that doesn’t convince you to give this movie a viewing, I don’t know what will!
Love, Simon
This romantic comedy about a high school student coming to terms with his homosexuality is about as good as LGBTQ+ movies get for teens.
As someone who came out of the closet a couple years after high school, I was really moved by this story. It brilliantly captures the uncertainty, hopefulness, and heartbreak of being a queer Millennial in the Internet age.
While Nick Robinson gives a relatable performance as Simon, it’s Jennifer Garner as his mother who really shines. The moment of truth between Simon and his mom toward the end of the film never fails to bring me to tears, scripted and acted with so much care and love.
M3GAN
While AI-powered robot M3GAN isn’t a queer character (nor is she surrounded by any LGBTQ+ characters), she has become a queer icon since this movie’s release in 2023. Look no further than the marketing campaign for M3GAN 2.0, hitting theater this week!
The horror genre has always been inherently queer, with LGBTQ+ people often identifying with the villains or monsters “othered” by their fellow characters. M3GAN dials up that feeling, especially for gay men, with her c*nty one-liners, sassy dance moves, and killer devotion to her female companion Cady.
The Imitation Game
Of all the biopics about queer icons, The Imitation Game surprised me the most. I will be honest - I didn’t know much about World War 2 hero Alan Turing before seeing this movie, but his story is awe-inspiring and heartbreaking.
Benedict Cumberpatch gives a fantastic performance as Turing, a mathematics alumnus who is tasked by MI6 to crack Nazi codes, which were thought to be unbreakable. Despite saving millions of lives, Turing was disgraced in the 1950’s when authorities discovered he was gay.
The Imitation Game is a powerful reminder that many queer heroes and stories have been lost or buried in traditional, conservative retellings of history. I hope this extraordinary film inspires Hollywood to produce more stories like Turing’s.
More Pride Month Recommendations from David
Brokeback Mountain
The Birdcage
Bros
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Happiest Season
Milk
Rocketman