Double the Rachel Weisz, a gay twincest affair, & more queer twin fare to stream this weekend

Welcome to your weekend streaming recommendations, a.k.a. the Weekend Watch, a handy guide to the queerest film and TV content that’s just a click away!

Is anyone else seeing double? In honor of the highly anticipated new series Dead Ringers, starring Rachel Weisz and, well, Rachel Weisz, this weekend’s streaming selections are centered on—why not?—twins! Isn’t there something inherently queer about an actor playing opposite themself, after all?

Kick back after a long week, log onto your favorite streaming service, and read on for our recommendations. 

Dead Ringers 

Premiering April 21, Amazon Prime Video’s limited series Dead Ringers hints at an intense intimacy between the pair of groundbreaking gynecologists at its center—both played by actor-producer Rachel Weisz. 

As the trippy trailer above attests, at least one of these twins appears to be overtly queer. And their auto-eroticism is a tantalizing undertone carried over from the 1988 David Cronenberg classic on which this is based, a twin-on-twin sensuality that could definitely stand to be fleshed out more.

Count on Oscar-winning extraordinaire Weisz, with her magnetic blend of delicacy and savagery, to handle any of the original story’s horrific twists and then some. Even just on paper, the prospect of this star developing chemistry opposite herself is enough to generate Emmy buzz. We’ll be watching this show as devotedly as Kathryn Hahn did in that one actress roundtable.

Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

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Saint-Narcisse

If you found the mere suggestion of twin-on-twin energy scandalous, get ready to clutch your pearls at our next streaming suggestion. Saint-Narcisse, a Canadian indie from boundary-pushing writer-director Bruce LaBruce, takes the notion of twin-cest to its queerest extremes. 

Stop us if you’ve heard this one: A self-obsessed motorcyclist in 1972 Quebec discovers his previously-thought-to-be-dead mother, her possibly witchy lesbian lover, and then a local monk who so closely resembles him, they must be twins. Bizarre, rebellious, and undeniably sexy mayhem ensues. C’est bon, non?

The film’s cheeky tagline, “Love thyself,” says it all. If you’re looking to expand your cinematic horizons with foreign fare well outside traditional narratives, the Venice Film Fest-approved Saint-Narcisse makes for a fun and fascinating pick. And as its trailer makes clear, leading man Félix-Antoine Duval, as both Dominic and Daniel, is a bona fide hottie. 

Now streaming on Kanopy, Mubi, and Film Movement Plus.

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The Skeleton Twins

Helmed by out-and-proud filmmaker Craig Johnson, this 2014 Sundance Film Festival hit centers on a twin brother and sister pair reuniting at their respective low points—and working through them together as only siblings can. He’s a struggling gay actor confronted with a complicated relationship from his past, while she’s caught between a devoted husband and a steamy affair with her scuba instructor. This is a modest and melancholy movie that leaves a lasting impression because of its ability to bring humor to the darkest inner difficulties of characters who can’t help but feel real. 

That works because of the tragicomic brilliance of co-stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. It’s not quite true that these Saturday Night Live scene stealers are underrated—the currently airing Barry season 4 continues to boost Hader’s profile, and Wiig is an Oscar-nominated screenwriting queen. But The Skeleton Twins is proof that they deserve more, and that many of cinema’s most comedic actors can go toe-to-toe with the serious dramatists. 

The fact that multiple scenes in this film capitalized on the skills of these two improvisation pros makes for a perfect marriage of actors and nuanced, understated material. We’ll never hear Starship’s cheesy ’80s duet “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” the same way.

Now streaming on Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Freevee.

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The Parent Trap

No, Lindsay Lohan’s The Parent Trap remake doesn’t belong on a list of queer-friendly classics because of its primary romance, between Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson—pretty much as hetero as it comes. This is a film helmed, after all, by Nancy Meyers, a queen who has cornered the market on straight rom-coms in the mainstream.

Hear us out: The real reason to revisit this family-friendly Disney confection is its supporting stars, icon (and vocal queer ally) Lisa Ann Walter as Chessy and the flamboyant Simon Kunz as Martin. When these two scenery-chewing characters—spoiler alert—get engaged at the end of the film, it’s not a stretch to imagine it’s more of a marriage of convenience between two like-minded queers. Chessy’s denim button-down over high-waisted khakis? That look is almost as gay as Martin’s impeccable suiting and skimpy blue swim briefs, now come on now.

Streaming exclusively on Disney+. 

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The Kicker…

And, finally, In the spirit of seeing double, we must pay homage to a self-referential queen who has pioneered the art of twinning. Serve yourself a double helping of Mariah Carey, who in 1999 starred opposite herself in the iconic “Heartbreaker” music video…

…and repeated the feat a decade later—as both herself and her alleged ex, Eminem—in “Obsessed.” Admit it, you’re obsessed too. You do know her. 

Related:

Guys sound off on whether it’s weird to hook up with twins

Seeing double?