Lesser Known Queer 2000s Movies To Watch For Pride Month

With pride month in full swing we have 5 queer movies from lesbian flicks like ‘Pariah’ to transgender films like ‘Tangerine’ and everything in between. You may have not heard of these films yet, but trust us they are must watches!

Now that we’re a bit of a ways into pride, it’s time to start talking about one of the most fun aspects of this month: media! More specifically queer cinema. To get you started on a deep dive into queer film culture, here are 5 lesser known queer movies from the 2000s to watch for every mood during pride month.

Pariah

While not one of the most popular queer films ever released, Pariah is a beautiful depiction of not only queer culture, but black queer culture in the early 2000s. When the main character in Pariah, Alike, a lesbian in Brooklyn hiding her identity from her family, befriends her mothers coworkers daughter, and unlikely and beautiful romance blooms between them. Pariah is one of the most beautiful depictions of some of the most underrepresented queer subcultures and is an absolute must see! It is clear to see why Pariah has been voted a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Handmaiden

The Handmaiden is a South Korean queer international romance film and is by far one the most exciting and deeply sensual queer watches released in the last 20 years. The Handmaiden features a handmaiden hired by a conman to trick and deceive a wealthy Japanese woman out of her inheritance, only for the two to find love. This psychological thriller has more plot twists and turns than is possible to count and they will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout your whole watch while of The Handmaiden, offering a rare representation of queer Eastern Asians. It was said by the Berlin Film Journal that this film “reframes lesbian sex and queer, feminist China”.

Handsome Devil

Handsome Devil is a queer comedy set at an unforgiving all boys school in Ireland, and this movie highlights a growing bond between the school’s star rugby player and his new roommate who is, let’s just say, more the musician type. Throughout Handsome Devil their bond is tested by the harsh ridicule from the boys around them along with homophobia and general pressure to fit in, but will their connection persevere? Handsome Devil was voted by Buzzfeed as one of 17 underrated gay movies you should watch. 

Imagine Me and You

While not super popular, Imagine Me and You is one of the quintessential lesbian rom coms of the 2000s. Rachel, a woman who has quite literally just married a man, meets Luce, a charming flower shop owner at her wedding, and they are instantly inseparable, causing Rachel to have to make one of the most difficult decisions of her entire life. Imagine Me and You has everything you need if you’re looking for a fun, feel good, queer movie, a genre that is surprisingly rare. Piper Parabo “lights up the screen as Rachel”, according to Beverly Cinema

Tangerine

Tangerine is by far one of the most fun underrated queer movies of the 2000s. The whole film is shot on an iphone and follows two transgender women on Christmas Eve in Hollywood. Tangerine is a must-see when it comes to wild and rowdy queer movies and was featured on Buzzfeed’s list of 17 underrated gay movies you must watch.

These 5 queer movies are filled with iconic queer characters and deserve much more attention then they get. Hopefully we have convinced you to add some lesser known films to the classics to watch before the end of pride month, and vamp up your queer movie selection, not only in excitement but in diverse queer narratives as well.