Somehow it’s already the end of Pride Month, which came and went before we could even catch our breath! If you happened to miss a few things that have gone down on the internet while you were busy celebrating, you’d be forgiven. But that’s where we come in…
Over the past few weeks, we’ve gotten first looks at the latest queer films & television shows—everything from a gay spin on saw, to a documentary about a sexy TV trailblazer, to the latest from New Queer Cinema auteur Gregg Araki, to the highly anticipated movie conclusion to the Heartstopper story, which has us tearing up just thinking about it!
To help you stay ahead of it all, we’ve assembled a recap of the best and gayest trailers that hit the internet throughout June with reminders of when and where you can watch each title. Check them all out below and mark your calendars accordingly!
Check them all out below and mark your calendars accordingly!
Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story
Back in the ’70s, NYC gave power to the people with public access television, and one of the voices that managed to rise above the airwaves was Robin Byrd, an adult film star whose eponymous chat show represented a wild & sex-positive new frontier for late-night TV. Proudly bi, she welcomed on folks from the full spectrum of gender & sexuality, and became a vital resource for information during the AIDS crisis, too. Now, in this fabulously fun documentary, Byrd is looking back on her unlikely rise to fame and reflecting on her legacy.
Now streaming on HBO Max.
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The first-ever TV show for the gays was wild, uncensored & completely free for anyone to see
The Sundance documentary ‘Public Access’ shines a long overdue light on ‘The Emerald City,’ NYC’s historic cable show by & for the queer community.
Playing Around
From creator & star James Camargo De Alba, this Spanish-language queer comedy import from Colombia catches up with the aimless Germán Andrés Yanez who’s suddenly panicked about getting old—mind you, he’s not even 30 yet, but gays will be gays! After finally coming out to his mother, Germán realizes he’s never experienced “romantic love,” so he sets out on a noble quest to find the one, one date after another, in this quirky look at modern dating and the way the internet’s changed how we connect, desire, and commit.
Now available on digital/VOD platforms.
Red Light
If you’ve ever wondered, “What would the Saw be like if it were about gay guys?,” have we got a movie for you! From Cuban actor-turned-filmmaker René Lavan, Red Light takes a familiar premise—two guys wake up in a locked room with no memory of how they got there & no clue how to get out—and gives it a queer twist. Wearing nothing but their underwear, Blake (Jeffry Batista) and Alex (Justin Powell) will have to work together if they want to survive, especially the threat of danger seems to heighten their sense of desire.
Now available on digital/VOD platforms.
Survival Of The Thickest, Season 3
The hilarious Michelle Buteau’s comedy series follows one woman’s struggle to to have it all in NYC, from romance to a respected career in the fashion world. But Survival Of The Thickest knows that succeeding in life is all about the friends you surround yourself with, and the series has always been an affirming and queer- inclusive story about chosen family, especially via its groundbreaking support turn for Peppermint. And in this final season, keep an eye out for cameos from Jonathan Van Ness, Alex Newell, Kandi Burruss & more.
Streaming on Netflix July 2.
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Peppermint keeps winning by giving on-screen representation a refresh
Peppermint is spotlighting Black trans representation one gig at a time.
Heartstopper Forever
Across three seasons and four years, the world has fallen in love with Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) in this groundbreaking teen romance series. And soon it’ll be time to say goodbye with Heartstopper‘s feature-length finale, supersized to make space for all the feelings, no doubt! It’s senior year for Nick and many of their friends, so naturally everyone’s looking ahead to the future, leaving the couples wondering if they’re in it for the long haul, or if they’re fated to be another teen relationship that doesn’t last.
Streaming on Netflix July 17.
I Want Your Sex
It’s been 12 whole years since New Queer Cinema auteur Gregg Araki has made a feature film, but his candy-colored sex comedy proves he hasn’t missed a beat, as sharp and irreverent as ever in his examination of the agony & ecstasy of being human. After scoring a job at the gallery of provocative pop artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), wayward twenty-something Elliot is surprised to be quickly selected for a promotion: her sexual muse. Also starring Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Margaret Cho, Charli XCX & Araki regular James Duval.
Opening in select theaters on July 31.
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A raunchy new Gregg Araki comedy just dropped & it’s the perfect excuse to rewatch his other queer classic
The provocative New Queer Cinema auteur’s raunchy ‘I Want Your Sex’ & a restoration of ‘Mysterious Skin’ are both heading to theaters this year.
Dreams In Nightmares
Writer-director Shatara Michelle Ford’s sophomore feature is a road-trip movie brimming with color and life, one realized by a majority Black queer & trans cast. Out of a job and haunted by mysterious dreams, Z (Broadway star Denée Benton) links up with her two BFFs for a much-needed vacation, but the group instead decides to take an impromptu journey across the country in search of a long-lost friend who’s gone off the grid. Along the way, they’ll come across familiar faces played by Charlie Barnett, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and more.
Opening in select theaters on August 21.
On The Sea
In a small, remote town on the rocky coast of Northern Wales, middle-aged mussel farmer Jack (Barry Ward) has never strayed from the life that was laid out for him, marrying his childhood sweetheart and raising their son to one day take over the family business. But when he sparks a connection with a young deckhand (Lorne MacFadyen) passing through town, he begins to question everything. Filmmaker Helen Walsh’s romantic drama is a salty yet soulful meditation on masculinity, intimacy and belated sexual awakenings.
Opening in select theaters on August 21.
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There’s a micro-genre of gay films about rough & tumble men following in love against the backdrop of the great outdoors.
