The '90s had some bangers when it came to queer movies. Here are some you shouldn't miss.
The ’90s were quite the time to be alive, and truthfully, a majority of fashion and pop culture trends happening now are reminiscent of the allure of the ’90s. Fashion isn’t the only thing that needs to be celebrated right now, as movies from the ’90s are something truly special. Ask any millennial, and they can quote their favorite ’90s movie word-for-word. With it being pride month, there are some hidden queer films from the ’90s that just don’t get the love they should. If you’re looking to expand your LBGTQ viewing this month and want something a bit different, check out this list of the 5 queer movies from the ’90s that you just have to watch.
Released in 1996, The Birdcage is iconic. Starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, Williams plays Armand, a gay drag club owner in Miami. In an attempt to hide his gayness, because his son’s fiancé’s parents are staunch Republicans running for office, he hides his relationship with Albert (Lane) and turns down the flamboyance during their visit to meet them. This film is a remake of the French classic La Cage aux Folles. The Birdcage is such an incredibly fun and important story that shows, in the end, we can’t hide who we truly are or who we love just to hopefully make someone else happy. Plus, we get to see Williams in drag in another one of his films. 10/10 recommend. Watch The Birdcage on Prime Video, Peacock Premium, and FreeVee.
In 1995, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar was released and the star-studded cast delivers a fantastically fun and sugary sweet film about drag culture, queer culture, and approaches some serious topics which grace. Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze), Noxema Jackson (Wesley Snipes), and Chi-Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) are three drag queens taking a road trip to Nationals, but along the way they run into trouble and end up spending some time in a small midwestern town. The film itself is amazing, and Robin Williams makes a cameo appearance, so that make it automatically 10 times better. Watch To Wong Foo on Prime Video.
Boys Don’t Cry is heartbreaking and tells a gut-wrenching true crime story of a trans man in Nebraska. Hilary Swank stars as Brandon Teena, a man trying to escape his hometown after his ex-girlfriend’s brother learns about his transition. He relocates to a new town and falls for a new girl, but her friends learn about Brandon’s transition and hatred starts to find him at every turn. This one is a bit harder to watch, but really calls for bravery and staying true to one’s identity in the face of such extreme hatred. Watch Boys Don’t Cry on Hulu.
Starring Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet, Heavenly Creatures is a sapphic thriller based on a true story. It’s set in the 50s, and Juliet (Winslet) and Pauline (Lynskey) develop a friendship through some shared interests that eventually evolve into a more intimate relationship. The women flee New Zealand to America and do anything they can to prevent people from getting in between them, and I mean anything.
Probably the most iconic queer film on this list, But I’m A Cheerleader is an instant classic nowadays. The film wasn’t well received when it initially released, but now it has a cult status among the LGBTQ community. Natasha Lyonne is Megan, a cheerleader with the perfect life and perfect boyfriend, except there’s one problem, she’s a lesbian. Her parents send her away to conversion camp to “fix” her (yawn) and there, she meets Graham (Clea DuVall). Megan eventually starts to come to terms with her sexuality and falls even harder for Graham. The film is bright and pink and has the most hilarious scene of Lyonne confessing “I’m a homosexual!”. Watch But I’m a Cheerleader on Paramount+.
