Gay compulsive liars, rich kid robberies, and more true crime 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!

True crime. It’s a buzzword with multiple meanings. Perhaps “true crime” is two rich white ladies who do a boozy podcast about their favorite serial killers? Maybe it’s a rainy afternoon of deeply disturbing murder documentaries on Netflix? These true crime stories all have a connection to the queer community, whether it’s a horrific string of murders in Manhattan’s gay bar scene, a closeted school administrator embezzling tons of money, or even the unsolved murder of a beloved activist. We’ve tried not to get too grizzly here, but trigger warning for violence, injustice, and amazing Long Island accents.

Read on for some queer true crime recommendations to stream this weekend.

Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

This documentary, directed by Anthony Caronna, chronicles the shocking tale of a serial killer who stalked Manhattan’s gay bar scene in the 1990s, a time when gay men were ostracized due to HIV/AIDS and nobody wanted to help them. Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York shines a big, shiny disco ball on the failures of law enforcement to help a marginalized community and tells a suspenseful, twisted tale that will send shivers down the spine of any queer person who’s felt compelled to look over their shoulder on a dark night.

Now streaming on Max, new episodes weekly.

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Bad Education

Based on the 2004 New York article “The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker, this 2019 Cory Finley crime drama stars Hugh Jackman as real-life school superintendent Frank Tassone, who embezzled millions of dollars from a Long Island school district in the early 2000s. Jackman plays Tassone as a mild-mannered guy who just happens to be a compulsive liar with no scruples. Tassone steals millions from the school, romances a former male student (which the real Tassone asserts didn’t happen) and somehow keeps his pension! The real standout of Bad Education is Allison Janney as the gluttonous, loud-mouth assistant superintendent/co-conspirator Pam Gluckin, who is so fabulous and wild that she’s basically in her own film.

Now streaming on Max, rentable on Apple TV.

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The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson

How very dare the gay community? That’s one of the many questions this 2017 documentary (directed by David France) asks as it chronicles the embattled life of Marsha P. Johnson, a self-identified drag queen and one of the pioneers of the gay liberation movement. Johnson, along with Sylvia Rivera, were co-founders of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries and often ostracized by more “mainstream” gay activists. The documentary looks into Johnson’s mysterious 1992 death, but also raises questions about the gay community’s tendency to turn on itself, and the apathy of law enforcement.

Now streaming on Netflix.

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The Bling Ring

What did you do for fun as a teen? Even if you weren’t a theater geek or an athlete, we’re going to guess your hobby didn’t involve breaking into superstars’ homes and pulling off massively successful heists. The Bling Ring, directed by Sophia Coppola, tells the wild true story of a group of teens who did just that. Israel Broussard plays Marc, a gay teen who longs to be like the rich kids in his swanky Los Angeles suburb. He and new friend Nicki (an absolutely brilliant Emma Watson) gradually start breaking into celebrity homes and stealing money, jewelry, and clothes before getting caught and attaining national media attention. This 2013 movie is based on the Nancy Jo Sales’ Vanity Fair article “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” which also spawned a 2022 Netflix documentary The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist. Also, Paris Hilton’s actual house is in the movie. “I wanna rob!”

Now streaming on Paramount Plus, Showtime, Kanopy, Hoopla, and DirecTV.

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The Kicker…

There’s no shame in watching true crime, but Saturday Night Live recognized the somewhat unlikely trend in this hilarious music video sketch featuring Nick Jonas. Try to get “Murder Show” out of your head after watching this video. Just try.