(Photo Credits: Screengrab from IMDb)
Are you a fan of gay or boy’s love movies and TV series? If so, you’re in the right place! Today, we’re diving into the world of LGBTQ+ cinema and television to uncover the best of the best. Whether you’re into heartwarming romances, compelling dramas, or captivating storytelling, there’s something for everyone in this diverse and vibrant genre. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to discover some new favorites as we explore the top gay and BL movies and TV shows of all time. Don’t forget to grab some popcorn and share your favorite gay or boy’s love movies and TV series in the comments section below!
Brokeback Mountain (2005): Directed by Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain follows the forbidden love affair between two cowboys, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), set against the backdrop of the American West. The film’s raw emotion, breathtaking scenery, and stellar performances earned it critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards, cementing its status as a landmark in LGBTQ+ cinema.
2gether is a popular Thai television series that follows the story of two college students, Tine and Sarawat, who enter into a fake relationship to ward off unwanted advances from Tine’s admirer. As they navigate the complexities of their pretend romance, they begin to develop genuine feelings for each other. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery, while also addressing societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ relationships. With its engaging storyline, charming characters, and heartwarming moments, 2gether has garnered a large fanbase both in Thailand and internationally.
Life: Love on the Line is a Japanese drama series that follows the story of two high school students, Ito and Nishi. Ito, a serious and hard-working student, finds himself drawn to Nishi, a friendly and naive classmate, as they cross paths on their way home from school. Their relationship blossoms as they navigate the challenges of late childhood and adolescence, all while discovering the complexities of love and identity. As they transition into adulthood, they face new challenges that test the strength of their bond. The series explores themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery against the backdrop of high school life and beyond.
Red, White & Royal Blue is a contemporary romance novel written by Casey McQuiston. The story revolves around Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and Henry, Prince of Wales. After a public altercation at a royal wedding, Alex and Henry are forced to stage a fake friendship to smooth over international relations. However, as they spend more time together, their animosity turns into a genuine friendship and eventually blossoms into a secret romance. Set against the backdrop of politics, family expectations, and the spotlight of the media, Alex and Henry must navigate their feelings for each other while facing the pressures of their respective roles in the public eye. The novel explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the transformative power of love, all while delivering a heartwarming and swoon-worthy romance.
Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi: Onodera Ritsu no Baai, also known as Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World’s Greatest First Love in English, is a Japanese boys’ love (BL) manga series turned to anime show created by Shungiku Nakamura. The story follows Ritsu Onodera, a young editor who transfers to a new publishing company after resigning from his father’s publishing company. To his surprise, he discovers that his boss, Masamune Takano, is actually his high school crush. As Ritsu navigates the challenges of his professional life, he must also confront his unresolved feelings for Masamune. Filled with humor, romance, and the complexities of workplace relationships, Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi explores themes of love, identity, and second chances. The series has gained popularity for its engaging characters, captivating storyline, and beautifully illustrated artwork, making it a beloved addition to the BL genre.
Junjou Romantica: Pure Romance is a popular Japanese boys’ love (BL) manga series created by Shungiku Nakamura. The story revolves around three interconnected couples as they navigate the complexities of love, relationships, and personal growth. The main couple, Misaki Takahashi and Akihiko Usami, embark on a tumultuous journey of discovery and passion. Misaki, a college student, becomes the reluctant lover of Akihiko, a successful author who harbors a deep affection for him. Their unconventional romance is marked by misunderstandings, jealousy, and tender moments as they strive to understand each other’s feelings. Alongside Misaki and Akihiko’s story, Junjou Romantica also follows the relationships of two other couples: Hiroki Kamijou and Nowaki Kusama, and Miyagi Yo and Shinobu Takatsuki. Each couple faces their own challenges and insecurities as they navigate the ups and downs of love. Filled with humor, drama, and heartfelt moments, Junjou Romantica has captured the hearts of fans worldwide with its engaging characters, captivating storylines, and charming artwork.
Happy viewing!
THE SKINNY….
Noah’s ARC … a lot of the style mentalities and sayings like Tea came from Noah’s ARC via 1970s 80s black/ Latino community in NYC … both the show , movie and the YouTube special
While “Brokeback Mountain” is a favorite, my all-time favorite is “That Certain Summer”. It was a 1972 movie starring Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen, Scott Jacoby, and Hope Lange. It was shocking in its portrayal of normal gay men — which was not what our community experienced a half-century ago in cinema. Not unlike Black characters on screen, homosexuals invariably came to a bad end…. Gay parenting was depicted positively in the movie, and Scott Jacoby won an Emmy for his performance. Two decades later, I became a divorced, custodial parent who was raising his two Preciouses alone after my ex-wife’s… Read more »
Let’s not forget My Beautiful Launderette
Brokeback Mountain … the realistic, gripping story of love between two adult men in a time and in a place where such things were strictly forbidden.
The other stories are “cotton candy” for me.Rom-coms. Those who enjoy their silliness are welcome to them.
“Brokeback Mountain” would be near the top of the list for me. I know you’re deliberately casting a wide net for this question, but is it necessary to include the zillions of manga “BL” animated films & series? Can’t we just talk about real cinema, starring real human beings?
Other great films/shows to include in consideration for “the best”: “Maurice”, “The Wedding Banquet”, “Call Me By Your Name”, “Queer as Folk”, “Beautiful Thing”… and the list goes on!
Best gay TV show for me was “Queer as Folk” (UK version).
Tales of the City was better.
QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE 1959
I like the movie Trick. It’s funny. One is a bull stud, the other a cute boy. It’s got a good script. Tori Spelling is hysterical. I think we’ve all felt the frustration of wanting to get laid, finding someone and then having cirumstances keep preventing it. It’s a good premise to which everyone can relate. I still want beer can to fuck me and I want to fuck that boy.
I like TRICK a lot. Probably more than a lot. I have seen this film numerous times. I never get tired of it.
I’ll probably get my head handed to me but William Friedkin’s “Cruising” with Al Pacino was a very scary, intense and exciting movie. As for the gay element to it and the controversy it drew when it first opened in 1980, being a NY’er who used to cruise some of those kinds of sleazy places (adult bookstores, hardcore gay bars) I still thought it was a legit thriller.
A perfect example of the darker diversity in the gay community. Places where you keep your cash & ID in your boot.
Cruising was an amazing movie! Ive often wondered how Pacino felt about making it because in all the years ive been a fan of his ive never heard or read any interview from him where he ever even acknowledges its existence
Yes, good point. With all the bad press and protests it got – and poor reviews to boot – he probably wanted to distance himself from it.
I have often wondered the same.
Or the research he did to get “into” the role…
No one will chop off your head. I thought “Cruising” didn’t work as a movie or a mystery when it was originally released; story, plotting, direction – none of it was cohesive. Controversal for its graphic/implied sex but not a good moive. If there was a dearth of man-on-man sex in a mainstream movie up to this point in time, I could see where gay men would go, “wow” and straight people, “Oh my god, that’s so disgusting!” However, so many technical things were wrong, including the guy who actually did the killing looked nothing like the guy who was… Read more »
I also think it is a very good movie.
Shelter; Latter Days; The Thing About Harry…I’m a hopeless romantic who wants to see a happy resolution. I’m so over “serious” movies where the gay men have to pay with their lives for loving another man. Not every story has to end “and then he dies”.
HUGE Latter Days fan here too….
Cruising. No contest.
Die Consequenz with Jurgen Prochnow. Spetters.
The most fun movie to watch for me was easily Latter Days, the characters were great and i love a happy ending!! And for me greatest tv show was Queer as Folk, U.S. version, it was just so groundbreaking at the time i still cant believe Showtime had the balls to put it out there lol! Now obviously Brokeback deserves its flowers, its just so sad and so depressing by the time it ends it just leaves me in a somber mood
So is “An Early Frost” but it came out decades before Brokeback and it was a TV movie 🙂
I have to wonder if Showtime would do a show like QAF in today’s political climate. On the other hand, they did Fellow Travelers last year, so maybe they’re just that edgy.
Movie from selected above list: Red, White, and Royal Blue
Movie all time favorite: TRICK
TV Show: Heartstoppers
Heartstoppers is so cool! Try Young Royals too.
Don’t forget “An Early Frost” even tho it was not a bright happy movie, it still is remembered by me!!
“and where are my fucking french fries???”
To Forget Venice, Franco Brusati.
There are a small handful of great gay themed films. Ranging from heavy to light.
Years ago, I rented a DVD of LATTER DAYS. Halfway through the film, I stopped the DVD, went on line and bought a copy. It is one of the very few films that I never get tired of watching.
Brokeback Mountain was an amazing movie, even my straight cowboy friends enjoyed it. An awesome gay movie no one has mentioned “Priscilla queen of the desert” As the best “gay series” two come to mind Queer as Folk, and of course Will and Grace.
fellow travelers… no question
Noah’s ARC
That was the series the black LGBTQ+ community, had been waiting for since “Paris is Burning”. I think “Pose wasn’t forward enough, it was a television show that focused too much on the past.
God’s Own Country
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN 2 ..
make it happen, baby! ♥
the Wedding Banquet was another good gay movie, told about how Asian still aren’t quite able to embrace it when homo gets into their lives, honey .. interesting yet funny story
From the selection above: BrokeBack (Movie); Red, White, and Royal Blue(TV). My “Go-to favorites” would be Latter Days and Mulligans. I have loved them both and watched them over a dozen times.
“Making Love”, “Broke Back Mountain” these two, readily come to mind for me.
Queer As Folk – Best TV Series (I miss them all, the casting was spot on!) Favorite movies: Torch Song Trilogy, To Wong Foo With Love Julie Newmar, Later Days. All three should be required viewing before getting your Gay Card. There are a slew of movies about the AIDS Crisis, Philadelphia and Love, Valor and Compassion top the list for me. But, they are all just too damn depressing. I lived through it. In the mid 80’s I was in my 40’s, I swear I have PTSD from it. It was hell, when I should have been enjoying the… Read more »
Where are the bears, very funny comedy thriller
Movies -“A Single Man” directed by Tom Ford and based on the book by Christopher Isherwood. AND… Broke Back Mountain based on a short story by Annie Proulx.
TV- “Looking”, and “Smiley”.
The British TV show, Vicious.
My favorite gay TV was Lance Loud in “An American Family”. It was ground breaking in 1973. A real gay boy on TV, being actually gay, not just acting gay. He was asked who would he like to meet, in one interview and he said some random hot boy he had seen on the side of the road while driving to the beach with his family. I loved that answer and could relate…
The best were in the 1970s and 80s.
Weekend, Paris Is Burning, Hellbent, Cassandro, But I’m A Cheerleader, Moonlight, GBF, Legendary the series, Orlando, A Single Man, Yves Saint Laurent, Euphoria, Psycho Beach Party, All Of Us Strangers, Dragula the series, Fire Island, Tom Of Finland, Interview With The Vampire TV series, Femme, Beach Rats, Baby Reindeer the series, The Queen, Mapplethorpe, Pose TV series, Saint Laurent, Q Force animated series, Cruising, Gia, Infamous, Touch Of Pink, Big Freedia Queen Of Bounce TV show, Firebird, Hedwig And The Angry Inch Movie, Hellraiser (2022), Trade Center, Those People, Fellow Travelers TV series, I Shot Andy Warhol, Trick, Bound, It’s… Read more »
Weekend, Paris Is Burning, Hellbent, Cassandro, But I’m A Cheerleader, Moonlight, GBF, Legendary the series, Orlando, A Single Man, Yves Saint Laurent, Euphoria the series, Psycho Beach Party, All Of Us Strangers, Dragula the series, Fire Island, Tom Of Finland, Interview With The Vampire TV series, Femme, Beach Rats, Baby Reindeer the series, The Queen, Mapplethorpe, Pose TV series, Saint Laurent, Q Force animated series, Cruising, Gia, Infamous, Touch Of Pink, Big Freedia Queen Of Bounce TV show, Firebird, Hedwig And The Angry Inch Movie, Hellraiser (2022), Trade Center, Those People, Fellow Travelers TV series, I Shot Andy Warhol, Trick,… Read more »
“The Living End,” should should have made the suggested list. it came out during the AIDS epidemic, the ending was thoughtful and heartbreaking.
Best movie with a gay theme for me is “The Sum of Us”. It stared a very young Russell Crowe as a gay man that still lived with his single father in Australia. Best gay TV show for me was “Brothers”. Of course I also loved “Will and Grace”.
Brothers & Sisters, 4th Man Out, Man in an Orange Shirt (1st segment), The Broken Hearts Club, Eating Out, Torchwood, Shared Rooms,Shoulder Dance.
Strapped (2010)
Taxi zum Klo (1980)
Wittgenstein (1993)
Trick (1999)
Sordid Lives (2000)
Weekend (2011)
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Winning Dad (2015)
Rustin (2023)
The Boys in the Band….
Brokeback Mountain is a believable, realistic movie, well cast, pro actors, hands down! From the choices made, the rest are crap