March has arrived, and with it, a whole bunch of new (and archival) content on Netflix. We’ve done a quick overview of the queerest and queer-adjacent stuff we’re looking forward to streaming this month. (For a comprehensive list of what’s coming to the platform, go here.) Now, prepare to set your watch lists…
Merlí. Sapere Aude (March 1)
A handsome young philosophy student attending University in Spain falls hard for another handsome classmate. The pair try to navigate their budding relationship in the shadow of an imperious professor.
Gattaca (March 1)
Queer author Gore Vidal has a supporting role in this dystopian sci-fi drama starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. An aspiring astronaut works to hide his identity in a society where lives are predetermined based on genetic engineering.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (March 1)
Rupert Everett became a bonafide star with his scene-stealing performance in this Julia Roberts-led rom-com. We still can’t get enough of Everett’s rendition of “Say a Little Prayer.”
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V For Vendetta (March 1)
Natalie Portman gives one of her best performances as Evie, a young woman who joins with a mysterious freedom fighter called V (Hugo Weaving) in Lana and Lily Wachowski’s adaptation of the classic graphic novel. Gay actor Stephen Fry has a supporting part, while a lesbian relationship plays a key role in the film’s plot.
The Invisible Thread (March 4)
A teen son decides to make a documentary about his gay dads… only to stumble onto a family secret that totally upends his life.
Queer Eye Germany (March 9)
Germany gets its own Fab Five in this Deutschland retooling of the unscripted makeover show.
The Andy Warhol Diaries (March 9)
The iconic queer artist returns to life… sorta… thanks to artificial intelligence. Yes, the voice of Andy Warhol narrates this biographical series based on his diaries, offering a stark look behind his famously curated persona.
Once Upon a Time… Happily Never After (March 11)
The campy Spanish language musical comedy created by Manolo Caro and featuring Colombian heartthrob Sebastián Yatra hits the screener March 11 and we can already tell we’re addicted.
Lee Daniels’ The Butler (March 17)
Out director Lee Daniels and an all-star cast tell the story of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), an African-American White House butler. Over the course of half a century, Gaines witnesses American crises and triumphs alongside his alcoholic wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey). Robin Williams, James Marsden, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda, John Cusack and Cuba Gooding, Jr. also star.
The Imitation Game (March 28)
Benedict Cumberbatch scored an Oscar nomination for this biopic of gay mathematician Alan Turing. Though it downplays Turing’s sexuality, it does feature fine performances by Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley.
HenryCameron
(Mild Spoiler Alert) Merii was a great series, but I think US Netflix only ever had Season 1. Merli: Sapere Aude Season 1, which is what Netflix has up right now, didn’t have the same magic, but it was okay. It had potential, but the creator/writer decided to leave Bruno completely out of Season 2, so, surprise, surprise, there won’t be a Season 3.
val_el
I wasn’t that he left him out. The actor left the show (He did the same on Merli left on Season 2) which changed the whole logistics of the show. I liked Season 1, I don’t like season 2 they lost the compass when David Solans left the show.
HenryCameron
But then he gave another interview where it sounded like he made the decision, so who knows.
HenryCameron
Okay, so the first part of my reply, which is in Awaiting Moderation purgatory for some reason, said that Solans gave an interview in which he said the show’s creator made the decision to not have Bruno in Season 2…
Joshooeerr
Out of respect for Alan Turing, it’s worth saying again that The Imitation Game is a complete crock of shit. The real Alan Turing was not at all like the socially awkward autistic savant played by Benedict Cumberbatch. That was all in service of the filmmakers’ (and Cumberbatch’s) bid for Oscar gold. Those who actually knew and worked with Cumberbatch reported that he was socially adept, as well as witty and amusing company. There was never any kind of romantic relationship with a woman (which the film invents). In fact, for his time Turing was remarkably open about being gay and unapologetic about having an active sex life. The truth would have made a better film, but it was clearly not the film they wanted to make.
MacAdvisor
One of my favorite toys is a set of Turing Monopoly, a reproduction of Monopoly set created by Turing for him and the staff at Bletchley Park. He seems to have been a rather fun guy.
Man About Town
Um, when you say “Those who actually knew and worked with Cumberbatch” you do mean “Those who actually knew and worked with Turing”, don’t you? Just checking!
Joshooeerr
Yes, Turing. Obviously.
Cam
They had to make it that way so they could excuse glossing over his being gay. The other excuse was “Oh, it’s a movie about a brilliant guy, so we didn’t want to put relationship stuff in there.”
Except the movies about Stephen Hawking and “A Beautiful Mind” were at least 50% about them and whatever woman they were dating/married to.
Mark
Where can I read or watch more about Alan turing to learn more about the man???
jel1955
Check out “Codebrea
jel1955
Check out “Codebreaker” from 2011, and “The Codebreaker Who Hacked Hitler”,” from 2015. Both are decent docs. David Leavitt’s biography of Turing, “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” is good I hear. Have not read it, but the NYT review of the book indicates it’s a good read.
nitejonboy
There’s a wonderful play about TURING called BREAKING THE CODE that I think they made into a film with gay actor Derek Jacobi. See if you can find it.