Sad gay films
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It's certainly one of the most tragic love stories in the history of modern cinema. However, thanks to its source novel, 1952’s The Price of Salt, the Cate Blanchett stunner spins a relatively happy ending for its two leads. It’s developed an unearned reputation for being mediocre due to its poor box office and because of some sassy think pieces by self-hating queers, but the movie’s satire of millennial cis white gay men is pretty spot-on.
The film has been labeled as an important contribution to New Queer Cinema, as well as becoming a cult classic among LGBTQ+ audiences. Also, the movie is directed by legendary Queer as Folk star Peter Paige!
Anything’s Possible (2022)
Movies with trans characters have taken even longer to lighten up than their cis counterparts.
This send-up of blaxploitation and sexploitation films is one of the campiest, messiest, and cringiest things that RuPaul has ever written and starred in, and that’s saying a lot! And in that spirit, here are seven of the best queer movies with happy endings.
Oh, by the way, SPOILER ALERT. Call Me By Your Nameis a coming-of-age romance drama movie based on a book of the same name that tells the story of Elio, a 17-year-old Italian teenager whose family lets post-grad student Oliver stay over summer to do his research, and they end up falling in love.
A band of desperate heroes rise up to demand more action as the virus claims an unbearable number of lives. Thankfully, this rom-com challenges that stereotype by coupling the proudly pansexual Harry with the prickly gay Sam. On top of that, Harry is Sam’s former high school bully, which brings a collective queer fantasy to life. If you decide to give it a watch, prepare for the suffering.
However, thanks to director Billy Porter, this Amazon film not only delivers a trans-tastic happy ending, but accomplishes it in smart, big-hearted style. A young boy endures horrible abuse and exploitation in a world where torture, murder and drugs rule everyone’s lives. Fire Island, which follows a group of friends in the titular queer paradise, is no exception.
The movie did exceptionally well, as it was nominated at numerous major awards shows. D
Fortunately, other viewers in the chat were more than happy to oblige. The plot is centered around a teenager named Simon, who, because he's still a closeted gay, starts anonymously communicating with a fellow closeted queer person at his school.
All of this culminates in one of the most gory and shocking happy endings of any of the rom-coms on this list.
Starrbooty (2007)
Oh, you thought this list would only include “critically-acclaimed” films? And what do queer people want? The theme of the film reflected reality as well: upon release, according to Them, Rafiki was banned in its home country for showcasing LGBTQ+ stories.
This was his baby.
Carol (2015)
This movie was almost the lesbian Brokeback Mountain – that is, a devastatingly bleak Oscar nominee, but with lesbians. The ending is a bit contrived, but still joyful, and that’s something to celebrate.