Magnolia Pictures; Bleecker Street; Portobello Productions; Hulu
If it's your turn to choose what to watch next and you're in the mood for something gay (as you should be), don't discount Hulu as a platform to snag some good choices.
We totally get that there's always going to be some anxiety around choosing what to put on – whether just for yourself or when you have other people around you. Nobody wants to waste so much time scrolling through options, and even though tastes differ from person to person, we can think of at least 10 LGBTQ+ films on Hulu that you should definitely add to your watchlist when narrowing down your best options!
Searchlight Pictures/Hulu
By this point, it would be shocking if you hadn't at least heard of Hulu's Fire Island movie, a 2022 rom-com directed by Andrew Ahn and written by Joel Kim Booster, who also stars in the film. The premise follows a group of queer besties who get together at the Fire Island Pines every year. This year, however, sees some extra drama within the group. Also starring Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho, this is a must-watch, especially for those interested in a modern-day queer retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Bleecker Street/Hulu
The World to Come is a 2020 drama directed by Mona Fastvold and based on a story of the same name by Jim Spehard, who also fostered the screenplay with Ron Hansen. Set against a 1900's New York backdrop, it follows Abigail (Katherine Waterston) and Dyer (Case Affleck), a couple who's just lost their daughter. When a new couple moves in next door, Abigail is intrigued by the wife, Tallie (Vanessa Kirby), and the rest of the story follows their forbidden love as they figure out their marriages and feelings for each other.
CTM Films/Hulu
Annemarie van de Mond directed 2018's Dutch rom com Just Friends, which follows Joris (Josha Stradowski) who's coming to terms with the death of his father. When the free-spirited Yad (Majd Mardo) comes back into the picture, a spark ignites between the pair. Their relationship is put at risk, but this cute love story is well worth a watch for those on the hunt for a film to help them feel good.
StudioCanal UK/Hulu
If you're on the hunt for something that will tug a little harder at your heart strings, check out Harry Macqueen's 2020 British romance drama Supernova. It centers in on gay couple Sam (Colin Firth), a pianist/composer preparing for his final concert, and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), a writer struggling with early onset dementia. The two are also amateur astronomers and take a road trip across England and we follow all of the highs and lows of their relationship as they work together to save it, particularly with Tusker's increasing illness.
Hulu
Sammi Cohen made her directorial debut with Hulu's 2022 coming-of-age dramedy, Crush. Paige Evans (Rowan Blanchard) is a budding artist in Miller High School vying for a spot at the CalArts summer program. She's got a crush on the popular Gabby Campos (Isabella Ferreira), but after unwillingly getting placed on the track team, she starts to spend more time with Gabby's twin sister, AJ (Auli'i Cravalho). From there, unexpected drama occurs as Paige finds herself in the middle of a makeshift love triangle that drives the whole movie.
Magnolia Pictures/Hulu
There are two movies names Swan Song that came from 2021, and they are wildly different from each other, but only Hulu has the LGBTQ+ one. Written and directed by Todd Stephens, the movie stars Udo Kier as Pat Pitsenbarger, a retired hairdresser once known as the "Liberace of Sandusky," who takes a long walk across the town to style hair for one of his former clients who's passed away. Also starring Jennifer Coolidge and Michael Urie, this campy comedy is everything we need in a queer movie and more.
Soul Kiss Films/Hulu
Elena Undone is a 2010 sapphic film written and directed by Nicole Conn and loosely based on her romance with filmmaker Marina Rice Bader. When Elena Winters (Necar Zadegan), a mother and pastor's wife, encounters Peyton Lombard (Traci "Thunderbird" Dinwiddie), a well-known lesbian writer, the two form an immediate attraction. This ignites a wave of events that challenge their preconceived notions about what it means to love and the power of one person's soul.
Samuel Goldwyn Films/Hulu
Cowboys is a 2020 drama written and directed by Anna Kerrigan and making its official premiere at Outfest. It revolves around Joe (Sasha Knight), a transgender boy who accompanies his father Troy (Steve Zahn) on a trek through the Montana wilderness on their way to Canada. Although well-intentioned, Joe's mother, Sally (Jillian Bell), reports the disappearance to the police as the rest of the story is told through a series of flashbacks over Joe's childhood up until the disappearance. We won't get into any spoilers, but just know the film received massive praise for the emotional themes of family and gender identity explored throughout the film.
Portobello Productions/Hulu
Moffie is a 2019 biographical war drama co-writen and directed by Oliver Hermanus and based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Andre Carl van der Merwe. Set against the backdrop of the 1980s South American Defense Force (SADF) during apartheid, we follow Nicolas van der Swart (Kai Luke Brümmer, Matt Ashwell as the younger), a closeted soldier who attempts to hide his attraction for another gay recruit, Dyaln (Ryan de Villiers) as the two navigate the dangerous and homophobic methods South Africa used to police masculinity. It's a harrowing look at the time period, and snagged a number of award nominations for the performances and the cinematography.
Neon/Hulu
Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a 2019 French historical drama taking place on an isolated island in Brittany in 1770. Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is a painter and the central character to the story, having been commissioned to do a wedding portrait for Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), though Héloïse is a reluctant bride and Marianne must paint her in secret. What follows is an exploration of the power of observation and the impact of queer yearning. It's a slow build that ultimately leads to a satisfying climax and showcases the lasting effect of passionate love affairs.
