The big Pride weekend is here, bringing rainbows, parades, shirtless guys (and girls) and all things marvelously queer.
Between the festivals, concerts, parties, and marches, we start craving a little (or a lot of down time.)
Hence this selection of screeners that allow you to enjoy the queer experience in all its glory in the privacy of your home.
Check out these plenty ‘o pride treasures.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
1. Man in an Orange Shirt
Debuting June 18, this PBS miniseries features Oscar-winning legend Vanessa Redgrave. Inspired by the life of writer Patrick Gale’s father, Man in an Orange Shirt chronicles the secret love affair of two British soldiers against the backdrop of World War II. We’ve seen an advanced copy of the film, and can already say it recalls Brokeback Mounatin‘s sensual love, though this time, with a twist: the love story takes place in flashback, while the soldier’s present-day, also-gay grandson deals with his own issues of love, sex, and masculinity.
PBS starting June.
2. Electric Dreams
This Amazon sci-fi anthology series based on the works of Blade Runner creator Philip K. Dick has some very far out premises…and some very queer themes too. The pilot episode features Oscar-winner and bisexual Anna Paquin as a lesbian cop using virtual reality to experience life as an African-American man (played by Terrance Howard). It’s that kind of show. Other episodes deal with a despotic President who uses TV for mind control (sound familiar?), and feature appearances by Bryan Cranston, Vera Farmiga, and queer “free-ass motherfucker” Janelle Monae as a sensuous android.
Streams on Amazon.
3. A Fantastic Woman
Chile racked up an Oscar with this drama about a transgender woman confronting the family of her late boyfriend after his death. With a spellbinding turn from real-life trans actress Daniela Vega, A Fantastic Woman deserves mention alongside titles like Moonlight and Call Me By Your Name as a latter-day classic.
Streams on Amazon, Vudu, iTunes and YouTube.
4. Weekend
Director Andrew Haigh of Looking and Lean on Pete fame turned in this indie gem about two men grappling with falling in love after a one night stand. Like a good deal of Haigh’s work, Weekend seems on the surface to deal with sex, but in actuality with yearning for companionship and love. Since that love draws one character to come out publicly, we think it fits perfectly as a film celebrating pride.
Streams on YouTube, Amazon & iTunes.
5. Wilde
Comedian Stephen Fry gives one of the most robbed-for-an-Oscar performances on record in this biopic of the famed Irish writer. The story focuses on the bon vivant and sort-of-out gay life of the title character, and the love affair with a spoiled, young aristocrat (played by a very yummy Jude Law) that landed him in the biggest homosexuality criminality-related trial in UK history. Though the cast features performances from acclaimed actors like Tom Wilkinson, Michael Sheen and Vanessa Redgrave, Fry owns the show, embodying the humor and spirit that made Wilde into a hero, and into one of the community’s most tragic figures.
Streams on Amazon & Vudu.
Related: 10 comforting queer flicks to soothe the soul in a discomforting time
6. Pit Stop
Though Pit Stop came out (as it were) in 2013, the indie tear jerker seems made for the Trump era. A drama about an interracial gay romance in a Texas small town, the film explores how masculinity can oppress feelings, how past love can haunt the present, and how embracing affection frees the spirit.
Streams on Amazon, Vudu, iTunes, Kanopy, Hulu and YouTube.
7. Killing Eve
Attention all those who take their mysteries suspenseful and their femmes fatale: Emmy-winner Sandra Oh stars in this BBC series about an MI5 officer tracking a female assassin. As the two play cat-and-mouse, a bizarre eroticism develops. Hey, it’s not the gay James Bond some of us are hoping for, but it comes close.
Streams on BBC America.
8. Sense8: The Finale
June 8 marks the final curtain for this remarkable series, possibly the most LGBTQ-diverse character-driven show ever produced. The suspense from last season’s cliffhanger has driven us crazy for the past year, so we can’t wait to see what the visionary creators J. Michael Strazynski and sisters Lana & Lily Wachowski have cooked up.
Streams on Netflix starting June 8.
9. The Fabulous Allan Carr
We profiled this doc about the notorious and very gay producer of Grease and Can’t Stop The Music on the festival circuit last year. Now available on Revry for public consumption, break out a caftan, pour a mimosa and enjoy this profile of one of the communities most unknown—and amusing—entertainment sharks.
Streams on Amazon, iTunes & Revry
10 Do I Sound Gay
Just where does that lisping stereotype for gay men come from? This little-seen, fascinating, documentary examines vocal gendering as it affects both gay and straight men with commentary from celebrities including Tim Gunn, Dan Savage, Margaret Cho and George Takei.
Streams on YouTube, Hulu, Amazon & iTunes.
11. Eat With Me
Speaking of Mr. Takei, the veteran actor gives a scene-stealing dramatic performance in Eat With Me, a comedy about a traditional Chinese mother coming to live with her formerly disowned gay son. Though the film examines the heretofor little-discussed culture clash between traditional Asian and LGBTQ-positive western values, the real heart of the movie comes from the exploration of the dynamic between mothers and sons of all backgrounds and sexualities.
Streams on Amazon, Vudu, iTunes, Hulu and YouTube.
