Best gay-themed films

Oh, I wish there were words capable enough to describe this film - to describe how it made me feel. But maybe there aren't. So, we'll make do with those we have.

I saw this movie at the 50th International Film Festival of Thessaloniki - a festival I've been going to for about 8 years, give-or-take. And this is the best movie I've seen in all those years, through all those movies. It's so intense it rips you apart, full of the most sublime poetry, simplicity raging and screaming. The direction is so meticulously studied - nothing left to chance - every single take and scene offering gravity to the characters. Even now, that I see the poster of the film, it's so brilliant is ridiculous how much. It has this sad-looking child on it, when in the film, we only see a child for seconds, and it is a happy-looking child in those seconds.

After the second half I was constantly crying. I can bet that I'm from the few people how have cried in this film - if not the only one. Because there really isn't something in it that can prompt tears. But it is one of the most intense, more human, more real films I've watched in my life. I wanted to explode, to stand up and shout. I kept switching positions in my seat, I shook my head and laughed and wanted it to end because I couldn't take anymore. And when it was over, I wanted to watch it again.

It's so far my favorite movie of this year. No, scratch that. It's my favorite movie of the last few years. If not my favorite movie amongst the few I hold so dear.

I wish Xavier Dolan can be funded to create more, more, more films in the future. Even though, I already think he has created his chef-d'oeuvre. Cinema is great indeed, my friends.

Powerful movie, compelling story and stunning acting. Maybe the greatest movie of its decade.

Probably one of my top favourites of all times. Instant classic. True, non-negotiable, full of magic and surprises with one of the greatest endings ever. Sam Rockwell delivers another astounding performance in this no-budget, undisguised, lost-in-the-process-of-making-blockbusters masterpiece.

What an amazing movie. Makes you travel with it. A movie-container of values like love and friendship that are so generously offered to the viewer. The performances are extraordinary. The greatest journal into a family's long-forgotten lies and remorse. Astonishing. Breath-taking.

Sincere, simple, angry, wonderful, a fist to the stomach, a taste of polychromy in the mouth, a relentless question to the mind. AMAZING. Filled with everything that is and isn't, with performances that could sweep the Oscars, with excellence that shines all the way to Heaven.

L.I.E. successfully merges hidden desires/homosexual ambiguities with the inner will for a getaway from reality. Paul Dano and Brian Cox are marvelous. A true masterpiece that always manages to sneak up on you when you least expect it.

The only reason I'm sorry for, is that I didn't get to see this film when it came out two years ago. It was a powerful hit to the stomach, a film that is infused with subtle intensity, a movie about an unusual human drama. For me, this movie was about antitheses: prejudice vs. acceptance, male vs. female, freedom vs. oppression, love vs. neglect, heart-break vs. fulfillment.

The performances are simply brilliant, and although Argentinian cinema is one I'm the least familiar with, I was just proven that indeed the greatest movies don't require neither Hollywood nor billions worth of budget, nor happy endings.

A most powerful film about humanity, sexuality, acceptance, growth and tragedy. I literally didn't want it to end. Lyricism that flies off the screen straight to the heart. No taboos, no restrains, no limits. Real cinema. At last a movie I can call a masterpiece.

The reason I'm rating this film with a 5 isn't just because the entire cast -from the extraordinary Sean Penn to the refreshingly wonderful Emile Hirsh to the surprisingly good James Franco and Diego Luna to the realistic Josh Brolin- did a marvelous job. Neither just because Gus Van Sant is one of my most favorite directors or because I'm a hand-to-heart fanatic gay rights supporter. This movie receives my 5 stars for all these reasons, but mainly because of its content, its humanity, its pulse. A film that makes you want to explode, to shout and cry. A film that shows you how one man with enough drive and will may not be able to change the world but he can change many other things. Maybe seemingly the lives of gay people have improved since the 1970's. Maybe someone responsible for a double homicide would receive something more than 5 years today. All I know is that maybe today we're all so comfortable in the puffy chair of inertia that if there was a Harvey Milk in 2009, nobody would really pay attention to him.

I knew I was going to be shocked and get emotionally involved in this film, but I did not expect that to happen at the degree that it did. A wonderful movie. Maybe it's low-budget, maybe it's not for everyone -especially those suffering of homophobia or have the faintest of hearts- but it's a film that reaps everything apart like a whirlwind. It's real, unaffected by all the Hollywood cliches, loving and warm, promoting tolerance and aiming to make you furious about the death of a man who didn't deserve what he got. And his killers receiving 12 and 15 years? Talk about freedom and justice for all....

Dynamite film. Ian McKellen is unbelievable in his role and so is Brendan Fraser. Truly stunning, a tremendous blow of fearlessness.

Filled with great performances both by Keanu Reeves and late River Phoenix, through a world of hustling and futility, we see the lives of two men who have no idea what they want out of their life. This is by far one of the most poetic, greatest gay-related movies and one of Gus Van Sant's best. Absolutely stunning, but it could do with a different ending...

I bow to Hoffman's acting talent. Beautifully delivered film.

Amazing film. Informative, emotional, superior. And the ending is simply...wonderful in its tragedy

This film was REALLY good, which was unexpected at some degree. Flawless performances (the two strongest by Derek Magyar and Patrick Bauchau), intriguing storyline and multi-leveled characters are the elements that compile this wonderful movie. It definitely isn't your typical gay film, because it walks down different paths than most films of the genre. It is true and honest, it doesn't bargain, it doesn't follow the status quo, it's smart and funny. A great movie and one of the greatest gay films I have seen the last few years.

If life was a movie it would be this one. Bell starts a career that will be wonderful

Simple, beautiful, sad, funny, warm and real. Germany has a talent in making such films.

Nothing better than British comedy

Great movie and so under-rated. Went totally unnoticed. Highly recommended.

This Oscar-winning documentary is beautifully extraordinary. It's tragic and simply wonderful. Accurately symbolizes the generation that was changed by the political service of the first openly gay elected official. Harvey Milk was, is and always will be one of the most tragic figures in the political history of the United States. His murderer, Dan White, also responsible for the murder of Mayor George Moscone, served only 5 years in jail for double homicide, simply because he was rich and white.

It took me a while to find this movie, but it was so worth it. Simplicity sometimes is all you need, indeed. A true, human movie about a friendship and a love relationship between a young boy and a soldier. It offers so many and deep emotions, like you're sitting back watching the lives of real people who suffer and love and plummet and fall and rise up again. Independent cinema will always exceed in many ways from every other movie big companies make -because of its ability to produce movies that don't care about standards or budgets or box offices. A movie with a magical musical that covers beautifully the scenery, the performances, the silent yet satisfying open ending. One of a kind.

A truly heart-breaking, heart-crushing, heart-numbing movie. It makes you hate and wonder and cry. Beautifully conceived, superbly directed and the many different characters of the interviewees make this movie one of a kind. It was shocking and powerful. Truly, a film no words can adequately explain. One that I would recommend to everyone and anyone.

Lucky Blue is a 28-minute film from Sweden that not many people have seen. I don't have much faith in short films; they usually don't deliver and don't say all they want in their short duration.

This film however, is completely the opposite. It's a coming-of-age gay romance between two boys during vacation. The filmmakers' choice of not overdoing it with details pays off in this case. It's simple, honest, pure-of-emotions, funny and tragic and cleansing all wrapped up into one. Truly beautiful. In 28 minutes says a lot more than a 2 hour movie could ever say.

Some movies even if they're not masterpieces, I just award them close to the 5 stars because of their wonder-making, powerful content.

I don't have many things to say about this movie really. Sigourney Weaver was as great as always and it's very refreshing watching Ryan Kelley escaping his Dust Factory days. All other technical things are...tolerable.

This film made me insane with anger and brimmed my eyes with tears and repeated a lesson nobody hears. A masterpiece in my books. And like this movie teaches, you only appreciate what you have after you've lost it. If only wisdom came earlier for some people.

What can anyone say about this film? So many things that others will never know about it. Daniel Day Lewis is...well, take a wild guess...

Behind the lightness of its theme and their Irish accents, lies a story a lot more profound. A story about true love and where you can find it, a story about fear and how you can set it away, a story about acceptance and tolerance.

Indie films are always the best. Take this one for example. Not many people know it, even fewer have actually seen it. But it's a great film. Mostly a tragedy disguised as a comedy -and that absolutely works. It's hilarious, fresh, has a meaning, rhythm and wits.

Michael McMillan was brilliant in his role as a confused high school student and later graduate whose father's abusive nature towards him turns him into a scared individual. The script -although flawed in points- is not original, but works amazingly well in this case. I would suggest this film for a 90 minutes' duration of pure fun and thought.

Love this film -it's hilarious, unreal and provides two hours of pure pleasure.

Excellent film. Clive Owen, Johnathan Rhys-Meyers and Malcolm McDowell deliver fantastic performances in this dark, full-of-questions, edgy dramatic movie.

It's Gus Van Sant. There's not much I can do. Although it could be a lot better, still has the amazing Van Sant signature. And Michael Pitt is simply brilliant.

Not as brilliant as Puenzo's previous film, but the quality is excellent, the concept original, the acting flawless and it's overall a great film from a highly promising Argentinian cinema.

The story is quite disheveled and loses track of sense, but at the end you are left with nothing but a feeling of fulfillment. No sappy Hollywood over-doings, no tearjerkers. Maybe it was too ambitious and far-stretched, but otherwise a very beautiful film that everyone should watch.

Has one of the greatest opening scenes I've ever seen in a movie and the acting is adequate to make this movie something more than good.

Disturbing and stomach-twisting. But good.

I'm very satisfied with this movie, since I initially had no expectations out of it. I don't think it can be called a "biography" - it's rather a time line in the lives of two of Spain's greatest intellectuals.

It doesn't have much of a budget and it's highly likely it has flown/will fly completely under the radar. The chemistry of the two basic actors is splendid and highly believable. Javier Beltrán (playing Garcia Lorca) was certainly better than Pattinson, but nonetheless it's refreshing seeing Pattinson escape from his bloodsucking-leader-of-team-Edward role and actually go for a bold role in the shoes of Salvador Dali -a closeted homosexual who leaned towards insanity. There were definite problems with Pattinson's accent which changed every few scenes, and a few holes in the script as well as a somewhat amateurish direction, but I highly enjoyed this film. It didn't tire me and even though it was flawed, I'd suggest it.

Extremely fun and light and entertaining. I loved the characters (even the secondary ones) and I loved the style and noir-like deliverance. Matthew Rhys amazing as always and Brittany Murphy...well this role suits her perfectly. The movie is quirky, relaxed, fully engaging and one I wouldn't mind watching again. I'm not at all a fan of romantic comedies, but I'm currently making an exception. My biggest criticism would be the slight predictability and the accents which were fully American some parts of the movie, fully British at others, and a mix of American and British the rest of the time. Maybe they should have just settled for one of all. Other than that - great fun!

Ths is by far one of the most bizarre and unusual indie projects I have seen in quite a while. It reminded me something between two other films: "Magnus" and "Tarnation." It's an experimental film that bases its beauty in the amazing cinematography and screenplay, rather than the script or performances -not that those are any less wonderful.

Malcolm Stumpf, the 13-year-old leading actor, does an amazing job as the confused, apparently-homosexual, detached young boy and Fairuza Balk does an equally excellent job as the cruel, yet loving mother.

Something among a coming-of-age timeline, a dramatic love story and a wannabe masterpiece. Contains many scenes and quotations that stick to the mind, but unfortunately, their will to turn an inexistant storyline to a 5-star movie fails miserably.

One of Almodovar's weakest films.

This is a pretty decent film that had a lack of...something. Whether that "something" is a point, a better storyline, a less complicated trio love story, it surely missed something. The performances are excellent (with Vincent D'Onofrio on the lead, Thomas Jane next -Salma Hayek was not at her greatest here) It's an interesting gay-themed film, especially if you like indie, low-budget films or one of the actors starring in it. But it could have been a lot better.

Very beautiful movie - very sweet and human. Views tolerance through the eyes of a child and how you have to "keep low" and be a part of conformism in order to be respected and accepted by others.

I wish I could say I liked this film as much as I would like. The music is great and the fantasy element into it makes it distinguished, but I found it quite slow-paced and immature. None of the characters appealed to me and despite the fact that it pays a tribute to Shakespeare his play got massacred. A light, indifferent but beautiful movie without much of a depth for those who love romantic stories about the impossible.

A very human story about love, abandonment and desires. It's smart and beautiful, with great performances and such reality into it. The characters are absolutely honest and easy to find yourself into -their stories so genuine. A sweet movie, gone completely under the radar.

A beautiful tale of obsession twisted love and dependence, narrated by a piano player and a serious workaholic. Typical quality of French cinema, even if the story wasn't told properly. There was repetition, and at the end you feel no sympathy, no pain, no fulfillment, no justice - just a void and complete exhaustion. Judith Davis and Isild Le Besco are phenomenal and the piano solos are just sensational. Great deliverance of how love of a draining nature can affect your life, but it still didn't feel fully satiating.