.

[Blood Eclipse]

.

 

[BetsySundrop]

I wasn't a fan of that sad movie either. But a couple of movies i liked ( I'm old, so these are old) are The Birdcage, and To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar. They may not be exactly what you're looking for, but I thought they were fun.

 

[Blood Eclipse]

I wasn't a fan of that sad movie either. But a couple of movies i liked ( I'm old, so these are old) are The Birdcage, and To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar. They may not be exactly what you're looking for, but I thought they were fun.

Thank you so much, I will definitely give them a watch!

 

[daringred_]

i've never seen this movie and don't intend to, so take this with a grain of salt.

i don't think it's necessarily heralded as good representation but more for what it did for representation. this movie came out only two years after the striking down of the anti-sodomy law which "effectively decriminalized homosexual relations nationwide" or, in layman's terms, made gay relationships legal. it was a huge risk. i believe the script itself was written before that law was even overturned, but nobody wanted to touch it for obvious reasons. it could've locked the two lead actors out of hollywood, and they faced a lot of homophobic hate etc. for going through with it, but they did so anyway because they knew how important it was. the academy acted like it didn't even exist, but it was a historic accomplishment nonetheless. but even aside from that, this was one of the first times a lot of gay people saw themselves on the big screen, in the media. it made them feel seen. it made them feel less alone. it made them feel like people. it meant a lot to them and still does, and i think that's why it still receives the praise it does.

 

[Stikki]

Boys Don't Cry is a very good film, based on real people. Very sad though, so be warned.

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

Another more obscure movie might be one titled "Camp". I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Things have changed since it came out.

 

[Soigne]

my favorite feel good lgbt movies are Carol and The Way He Looks.

there's also a dutch movie called Jongens (or Boys in english) that i remember watching when i was in high school and liking.

 

[Aniko]

I don't remember Brokeback Mountain, not sure if I've seen it or not, but I like "Happy Together" (old movie). It's more about a breakup though, I watched that movie several times and could somehow relate to it (don't know why). I liked Boys don't cry as well, very sad.

 

[Belle T]

i've never seen this movie and don't intend to, so take this with a grain of salt.

i don't think it's necessarily heralded as good representation but more for what it did for representation. this movie came out only two years after the striking down of the anti-sodomy law which "effectively decriminalized homosexual relations nationwide" or, in layman's terms, made gay relationships legal. it was a huge risk. i believe the script itself was written before that law was even overturned, but nobody wanted to touch it for obvious reasons. it could've locked the two lead actors out of hollywood, and they faced a lot of homophobic hate etc. for going through with it, but they did so anyway because they knew how important it was. the academy acted like it didn't even exist, but it was a historic accomplishment nonetheless. but even aside from that, this was one of the first times a lot of gay people saw themselves on the big screen, in the media. it made them feel seen. it made them feel less alone. it made them feel like people. it meant a lot to them and still does, and i think that's why it still receives the praise it does.

Absolutely this. You'll find a lot of older movies about minority groups (though it still feels a little weird to categorize 2005 as 'older') tend to be seen as important less because of how they portray the characters in question, and moreso because of how they portray the minority characters given the limitations of their respective time periods. Similarly, you'll find what is defined as "good representation" to one generation will inevitably be criticized--no matter how well-intented--by later generations. Simply put, if you're going to watch any older movie--particularly those known for their social impact--you're going to have to look at them with a much more analytical eye and generally be aware of the many asterisks that come along with it.

If you want something dramatic--but a little less upsetting--than Brokeback Mountain, you might give Carol a try. It's based on the book The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, and while it does take many creative liberties, I'd argue that it does translate to the big screen rather well. The book is primarily known for being... I don't know about the first, but probably the earliest example of a romance between two women in literature that doesn't either end in tragedy or with the lovers returning to their men at the end. Both the movie and the book are fantastic. I recommend them both.

It is, however, an R-rated movie, so if you're squeamish to love scenes, then you may want to pass.

 

[Jacob]

I don't think whether or not the protagonist is a good person equates to how good a movie is. Brokeback mountain isn't meant to be a feel good movie in any sense of the word, it's actually a tragedy for every character involved. The fact that you're passionate enough to recall specific events in the story and write up a thread about it means this movie was provocative and memorable. The writing, cinematography, and acting were SO emotionally intense, and that's why people like it


Although, if you were looking for why people like this movie even with a protagonist with questionable morals, it's because that's the reality of a lot of closeted individuals, especially in the deep south. I believe that film was also set near the 60s or 70s? It can easily be a life of suppression, anger, hopelessness and lies for LGBT people out of necessity. I guess a lot of people can relate more to that than to a character who has no flaws.


Source: Brokeback mountain shoved me out of the closet, lol

 

[g u a v a]

i agree with the previous comments. also you have to consider the context within which the film was released, 2005 (while it may not seem that far away) is extremely distant to the present in regard to what is we consider to be socially acceptable.

 

[Dracule]

It’s definitely a story of sexual repression, hurt, and tragedy. I remember feeling bad for the wife as well, because on an individual scale the men shouldn’t have engaged in a relationship that would hurt their families (this is more the case with Ennis than Jack, but both end up dragging their families through these problems to a certain extent.)

Yet, I think others here make a good point on what it’s supposed to represent on a greater scale than what is seen between the actual characters (all of these people are, of course, very flawed in their own ways.) It shows a lot of trauma that comes from growing up a closeted individual, especially in the rural South, and how such repression ends up destroying not only the individuals but the lives of those around them—although Ennis and Jack definitely lost more than others, even to the point of Jack losing his life for being found out as gay.

Also, I’m not sure how many know of this, but the movie Brokeback Mountain is based entirely off the writer Annie Proulx’s short story “Brokeback Mountain,” which was published in The New Yorker in 1997. I recommend reading it, if not for anything than how beautifully she constructs language to paint images and convey emotions.

 

[sleepydreepy]

Recently, I've been on the hunt down for some good LBTQ movies to watch and came across Brokeback Mountain on some top 10 list (I've heard about it before, too, I just never decided to watch it then).

I decided to watch it yesterday and didn't like it at all. I'm now wondering how on earth this movie got so popular as one of the best films to represent the LBTQ.

[Spoiler Alert]

It starts of ok... nothing too special though the pacing is pretty forced and rushed, imo.

Later on, in the story, the main character goes from someone I had sympathy for to someone I thought was terrible. Being married, WITH CHILDREN, I might add, he kept dumping the responsibility of raising his daughters on his working wife to go cheat with his lover. (I would find this act equally abhorrent if he was cheating with a female). He even tries hitting his wife when she figures out that instead of fishing with his "friend", he was actually with his lover. He also got mad when she wanted to use protection to not have any more kids that he wouldn't help to raise. And despite all of that, his wife never reveals any of that to their daughters. If anything, I had the most sympathy for his wife than any other characters in this movie.

How is this a good representation of LGBTQ again? I'm confused.

(BTW if you know of any good LGBTQ movies pls feel free to list them ^^)

My favorite LGBTQ movie right now (and one of my favorite movies of all time) is Carol. Oh my god its so good, you have to watch it if you haven't already!

 

[Stikki]

Another one worth mentioning (though not technically a movie) is an episode of Black Mirror called San Junipero, which I believe was written by Rashida Jones, who most people know as an actress rather than a writer, but she's done a phenomenal job with this little project so I hope she keeps writing.

All Black Mirror episodes are standalone stories, so you don't need to have seen any other episodes. And unlike a lot of Black Mirror episodes, this one isn't bleak and miserable but yet still manages to really grab your emotions.

I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but it's about a same-sex couple who meet in a simulation. Given the era the characters grew up in, some struggles with sexuality/family reactions are mentioned, but I wouldn't say it's the main focus. Definitely worth a watch, cos the story is so lovely and hopeful.