Best LGBTQ+ movies of 2023 (so far)

From horror to heart-breaking, these are the best LGBTQ+ movies of 2023 so far, with details on where you can watch them.

LGBTQ+ media is still just as important than ever. It empowers members of the community by seeing themselves on screen, and it normalizes the community’s presence in society.

Thankfully, there have been numerous releases over the past year that portray LGBTQ+ people in a respectful, relatable way, and here’s a list to show you the best of the best. This list will cover multiple LGBTQ+ movies that have come out – pardon the pun – this year, or were still playing in cinemas by the time New Years rolled around.

We’ll make sure to update this list when new great queer media comes out. Also, this list may contain spoilers, so proceed with caution!

Fanfic

Synopsis: Two high school students form an intense connection as they navigate the challenges of discovering and expressing their truest selves.

Why you should watch: Based on the novel of the same name by Natalia Osinska, the movie premiered with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated film on this list. The film touches upon a lot of LGBTQIA+ themes – in fact, the novel was the first one in Poland that explicitly included such topics. You can read more about the movie here.

Where to watch: Netflix

Knock at the Cabin

Synopsis: While vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand they make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. Confused, scared and with limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

Why you should watch: Horror is a very interesting genre when it comes to LGBTQ+ themes, which we discuss more here. While some may be turned off by the end of the movie, overall the plot tackles themes of homophobia and spiritual extremism with relative nuance. The central family, which consists of two fathers and an adopted daughter, feel real, and are definitely the characters you are meant to root for overall. Plus it’s one of M. Knight Shyamalan’s best.

Where to watch: Peacock

Of an Age

Synopsis: During the summer of 1999, an 18-year-old amateur ballroom dancer has an unexpected and intense 24-hour romance with a friend’s older brother.

Why you should watch: The plot for this film is relatively simple, but this allows for real character growth and exploration. Rated 5 stars and described as “One of the most romantic stories I’ve ever seen” by Screen Hub, it is very easy to connect with the characters and the highs and lows they go through. Prepare the tissues for this one.

Where to watch: Peacock

M3GAN

Synopsis: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by Gemma, a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.

Why you should watch: Does this film feature any notable LGBTQ+ characters? No. But is M3GAN a LGBTQ+ movie icon? Absolutely. With a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a queer army that will be meme-ing the robot and her dancing until the end of time, this movie is a gay old time, in every sense of the word. To read more of our M3GAN coverage, click here.

Where to watch: Peacock

Strange Way of Life

Synopsis: After twenty-five years Silva rides a horse across the desert to visit his friend Sheriff Jake. They celebrate the meeting, but the next morning Jake tells him that reason for his trip is not to go down the memory lane of their friendship.

Why you should watch: Okay, this movie may not be out yet – it premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in May – but judging by the trailer there’s little doubt it won’t belong on this list. This Spanish western drama film written stars Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, figures who have become very popular with the LGBTQ+ crowd. And the film’s only half an hour long, so it won’t waste your time.

Where to watch: Strange Way of Life will release in cinemas on September 22.

We’ll make sure to update this list when new great queer media comes out.