A Landmark Year for Queer Cinema
2025 has proven to be an unforgettable year for LGBTQ+ representation on the big screen. We've been treated to a stunningly diverse slate of films, from heart-wrenching historical dramas and groundbreaking documentaries to laugh-out-loud comedies and spectacular musicals. Whether you're looking for a quiet meditation on love or a thrilling ride, this year's queer cinema has something for everyone. Here are the films you absolutely cannot miss.
Musicals That Dazzle and Delight
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Get ready for a showstopper. Jennifer Lopez gives what critics are calling the performance of her career in this gorgeous musical drama directed by Bill Condon. The story unfolds in a prison cell, where a political prisoner (Valentin) is captivated by the stories of his new cellmate, the fascinating and gender-ambiguous Molina. Molina escapes their grim reality by recounting his favorite Hollywood musical, allowing for a dazzling film-within-a-film structure. It’s a tribute to the golden age of Hollywood and a powerful story of connection in the darkest of places.
Wicked: For Good
The story that has become a cultural cornerstone for so many in our community continues. While the first film focused on Elphaba, this sequel, Wicked: For Good, shifts its gaze to Glinda (Ariana Grande) as she grapples with the consequences of her choices. Cynthia Erivo continues to be a force of nature as Elphaba, and the chemistry between the two leads remains electric. Expect breathtaking musical numbers and an emotional continuation of a story we all hold dear.
Love Stories Across Time
The History of Sound
Prepare to have your heart broken and then gently put back together. This beautiful historical romance stars two of today's most compelling actors, Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor. They play music students in 1917 whose budding love is torn apart by World War I. Years later, they reunite for a road trip to record folk songs, attempting to find their way back to each other. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, it’s a tender and profound exploration of love, memory, and the scars left by time.
Plainclothes
Set in the 1990s, this gripping drama from debut director Carmen Emmi tackles a dark chapter of queer history. Tom Blyth plays a young, closeted police officer forced to go undercover in gay cruising spots to entrap and arrest men. His world is turned upside down when he meets and falls for Andrew, a kind man played by the brilliant Russell Tovey. Plainclothes is a tense and moving look at the paranoia of the closet and the courage required to live authentically.
Comedies and Thrillers with a Queer Twist
The Wedding Banquet
How do you update a classic? By making it even more inclusive. Andrew Ahn (Fire Island) reimagines Ang Lee’s beloved 90s rom-com with a fantastic modern ensemble. When Min's (Han Gi-chan) family pressures him to marry, he arranges a lavender marriage with his lesbian best friend (Kelly Marie Tran), who needs help paying for IVF. With Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone rounding out the cast, the chemistry is off the charts. It’s a hilarious, heartwarming film that celebrates chosen family in all its forms.
Ponyboi
A groundbreaking thriller that puts intersex representation front and center. The incredible River Gallo (who also co-wrote the script) stars as Ponyboi, an intersex sex worker in New Jersey. On Valentine's Day, a drug deal goes wrong, and Ponyboi is forced to go on the run from the mob. It’s a gritty, stylish, and suspenseful film featuring a stellar supporting cast that includes Dylan O’Brien and Murray Bartlett. Gallo is a revelation, delivering a star-making performance.
Twinless
If you love a story about a charismatic scammer, look no further. Writer-director-star James Sweeney introduces us to Dennis, a man who joins a bereavement group for people who have lost a twin. There, he meets and quickly insinuates himself into the life of the grieving Roman (Dylan O'Brien). Is Dennis who he says he is? This film is a wild ride—darkly funny, surprisingly sexy, and genuinely unsettling. A truly unique entry in the queer thriller genre.
Essential Portraits and Documentaries
Hedda
Tessa Thompson is absolutely magnetic in this stylish adaptation of Ibsen's classic play, Hedda Gabler. Set in the 1950s, Thompson plays a bored, manipulative socialite who finds her carefully constructed world threatened by the arrival of her former female lover (Nina Hoss). It’s a sharp, tense psychological drama that adds another unforgettable character to the canon of complex, fascinating queer women in cinema.
Enigma
In an era where trans history is under threat of erasure, Zackary Drucker's documentary Enigma feels more vital than ever. The film explores European trans history through the lives of two pioneering figures: models and cabaret performers April Ashley and Amanda Lear. By contrasting their very different public lives and experiences, Drucker paints a rich portrait of what it means to live a full, visible trans life. A crucial and enlightening watch.
Come See Me in the Good Light
This documentary is a profound and moving experience. It follows the final years of the beloved non-binary poet Andrea Gibson as they navigate a terminal cancer diagnosis alongside their wife, Megan Falley. But as the filmmakers insist, this is not a film about dying—it's a film about living with breathtaking clarity and purpose. Gibson's reflections on life, love, and mortality are a gift, making this a beautiful, unforgettable tribute to a singular artist.
Peter Hujar's Day
Some films feel like a time machine, and this is one of them. Director Ira Sachs (Passages) gives us an intimate, fly-on-the-wall look at a single day in 1970s New York. The film consists of a long, meandering conversation between photographer Peter Hujar (Ben Whishaw) and his friend, writer Linda Rosenkrantz (Rebecca Hall). The dialogue is captivating, and the performances are beautifully understated. It’s a quiet, powerful meditation on art, friendship, and the texture of queer life.
