The Top 50 Greatest Gay Films

by Julian P. Ledezma | Published Online on February 01, 2011

In honor of award ceremonies like The Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, I have created a list of the top 50 greatest gay films. This list is for your own enjoyment. It isn’t a list for the faint of heart, but rather for the pride-filled gay individual. Although I know you can “Google” a list of the 50 greatest gay films, I feel the lists on-line are wrong. And, after researching these lists, I found that they WERE NOT listing the best gay films. But, rather, these lists were compiled as a result of big production companies’ payoffs. The writers are paid to make sure their movies make the list. The lists online are obsolete and poorly put together. So, let me assure you, this list comes from the heart. I’ve watched each and every one of these films (some many times more than once) and have rendered these 50 paramount.  These are my top 50 greatest gay films.

Disclosure: I feel that all Pedro Almodovar and John Waters films are ALL the best gay films of all time. And with that said, the large amount of movies they have made would have dominated the list.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2010) R
Jim Carey plays the perfect gay man and has fallen in love with Ewan McGregor!

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) R
A transsexual punk rock singer emerges from East Berlin…only to have her boyfriend steal all her songs. This is Rock Theater at its best by director John Cameron Mitchel.

Paris is Burning (1990)
This documentary shows one urban community’s allure with fashion. Side note: This is for the fashionista at heart.

Trans America (2005) R
The film tells the story of Bree, a transexual woman (Felicity Huffman), who goes on a road trip with her long-lost son, Toby.

Quincernera (2006) R
A latina’s 15th birthday draws near, but in this family there are a few hidden secrets.

The Hours (2002) R
Virgina Wolff’s novel, Mrs. Dalloway, entwines 3 generations of women and each woman will deal with suicide in their lives.  

Dorian Blues (2004) R
Dorian is coming of age. He realizes he’s gay and wants to come out of the closet and with the help of his brother he does.

Velvet Goldmine (1998) R
In the height of British 1970’s glam-rock, two young musicians delve into their mischievous music career.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001) R
Janeane Garofalo (and many celebrities from SNL) star in a romantic absurdist comedy.

Milk (2008) R
The story of Harvey Milk and his struggle to become California’s first openly gay elected official.