It’s the return of date night! And we’ve got 5 fantastic, LGBTQ-friendly films sure to deliver the perfect mix of chills and cuddles.
Now that we’ve thankfully been given a reprieve from severe Covid restrictions, you may be thinking it’s time to dive back into the dating pool. And while movie theaters are finally beginning to welcome back audiences, we still think it’s hard to beat a comfy, cozy, at-home movie marathon while cuddled up on the couch. If you follow my work on this site, you may also know how big of a fan I am of movie theme nights. So, this time, I’ve got a great night of programming featuring exceptional LGBTQ-friendly films.
The following five features are well worth your time and offer a great deal of variety — from a subversive teen horror-comedy to a groundbreaking queer slasher, an intense French Extreme shocker to a stylish, Hitchock-inspired thriller. We’ve even got a modern vampire film that’s destined to become a new classic.
Of course, you don’t have to be queer to appreciate any of these highly recommended films. But if you are, there’s no doubt these films will score big on your next date night.
If you happen to be an LGBTQ single seeking a partner, now’s a great time to visit an online dating platform. There are many aimed at the queer community. The secure communication platform will make it easy to connect. So if you’ve ever asked the question, ‘where’s the best place to meet lesbians near me?’, the answer is simple: a digital dating site.
Once you connect, plan the perfect stay-at-home date night with these five must-see, LGBTQ-friendly horror films.
1. Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Starring Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body is a wickedly smart, female-driven horror-comedy. It’s the perfect way to kick off an LGBTQ-friendly movie marathon while also celebrating Women’s Month; the film not only features a female-centric storyline but was also written by (Diablo Cody) and directed by (Karyn Kusama) women.
Fox plays the titular Jennifer, a high school student who becomes possessed by a demon after a botched attempt by an indie rock band to sacrifice her to the devil for fame and fortune. Her best friend Anita, played by Seyfried, is the girl-next-door character infatuated with Jennifer. Her sisterly bond with Jennifer (and potential romantic attraction) gets in the way of her attempts to prevent the demonic Jennifer from embarking on a killing spree — consuming men to maintain her vitality.
Jennifer’s Body has achieved cult status with the help of its queer fan base. Though the film is not explicitly queer, there are clear bi-sexual undertones. Yet, what really makes the film so influential is the way it targets toxic heterosexuality, with its allegory of sexual violence, and puts empowered, fearless women at the forefront of the story.
A box office failure upon its release and widely panned (likely due, in part, to poor marketing and inherent sexism), modern audiences have thankfully begun to reassess the film’s merits.
Jennifer’s Body is now considered a modern genre classic, adeptly exploring ideas of female sexuality and liberation. Watch it now on Tubi.
2. Hellbent (2004)
Although this 2004 film would fall into the category of a slasher movie, its first release was at the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay film festival. Its success went on to inspire a wave of what became known as gay slasher movies.
The night before Halloween, a gay couple is attacked by a bare-chested assailant wearing a devil mask. He brutally murders his victims, setting in motion a cat and mouse game as detectives try to thwart further attacks.
The idea for a serial killer horror film featuring homosexual characters came from executive producers Michael Roth, Joseph Wolf, and Karen Lee Wolf. The trio tapped art director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts to help them write and direct their micro-budget, gay-themed horror film.
Etheredge-Ouzts had never written a complete script before, nor had he directed a film. To prepare to write the script, he binged as many 80’s horror films as possible, taking note of the typical structure and stock characters found in slasher films. His goal was to turn each character type into a gay version of the heterosexual trope. But he also believed it was important to not play into LGBTQ stereotypes or emphasize the characters’ sexuality in a way that felt inauthentic. The fact that these characters are gay is incidental; it’s not their only defining personality trait.
While reviews were mixed, Hellbent was quite successful and helped spawn a number of similarly themed films.
This is one LGBT-friendly slasher that will have you on the edge of your seat. Find it now on Here TV or rent it on Amazon.
3. High Tension (2003)
Released in the UK under the title Switchblade Romance, High Tension is another slasher film. This one hails out of France, a country known for its shocking, extreme, and boundary-pushing genre films.
A peaceful family scene is shattered when a mysterious stranger comes to the door, who turns out to be a deranged serial killer intent on decapitating his victims with a razor. Known as an example of the ‘New French Extremity Movement,’ this nail-biting portrayal of two young students setting out to thwart a killer in a secluded farmhouse has proved popular with genre and LGBTQ audiences alike.
The film’s queer storyline sets it above many similar slasher movies. But that’s not the only reason to watch. It also delivers insane levels of violence, terror, brutality, and, of course, tension.
French Extreme Horror films borrow from the late 1970s American exploitation films that weren’t afraid to touch on taboo topics and transgressive ideas. High Tension (Haute Tension in its native France) was listed in Time Magazine’s Top 10 Most Ridiculously Violent Films of All Time.
Need another reason to watch? The film’s unforgettable ending puts it near the top of the list when it comes to genre films that have most shocked and surprised audiences over the years. Check it out for free on Tubi, Hoopla, or Shudder.
4. B&B (2017)
B&B is a Hitchcockian psychological thriller with a social conscience.
Written and directed by BAFTA-nominated Joe Ahearne, the film revolves around a homosexual couple fighting for recognition of their civil rights by waging war with the devout Christian owner of a remote guesthouse. A deeply personal film inspired in part by real-life events, Ahearne’s feature film debut is an impressive one. It’s not only a smart and well-crafted thriller, but it explores important social and moral issues that feel urgent in today’s political climate (sadly, even more so than when the film premiered in 2017).
Starring Sean Bill, Paul McGann, and Tom Bateman, the storyline is fairly straightforward. A gay couple set off on a weekend getaway at a quaint bed and breakfast establishment, a place they were denied service at one year prior due to the owner’s bigoted religious views on homosexuality. Their return follows a recent court ruling in their favor which forces the owner to accept them. What starts out as a celebration of justice served turns sinister when a mysterious stranger shows up at the B&B.
Beautifully shot and well crafted with superb acting, the film is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. It also delivers some great surprises while giving audiences the gift of complex and interesting homosexual characters in leading roles.
We mentioned B&B in our feature, Top Ten LGBTQ Horror Films. While that list focused on some stellar genre classics, B&B is a standout among the new wave of compelling LBGTQ horror films. You can now watch it for free on Tubi.
5. Bit (2019)
No horror date night would be complete without a vampire thriller. Why not choose one that also feels incredibly fresh and fun, giving the lesbian vampire a 21st century makeover?
Bit stars Nicole Maines, an American actress who is also a transgender rights activist, playing a girl who becomes a vampire during a summer holiday. As well as the traditional bloodsucking themes, the narrative dwells on an all-female vampire coven, led by a matriarch. These lesbian undertones set the scene for a gripping thriller that is stylish, funny, and action-packed — an absolute joy from beginning to end.
It’s not every day you come across a film featuring queer feminist vampires who are out to victimize predatory males. This makes Bit wonderfully unique in the sub-genre with its clever writing and killer girl power mantra, but it’s also everything you want from a vampire film: badass, blood-soaked, and wildly entertaining.
You can catch this underrated genre gem for free on Prime Video, Tubi, or Hoopla.
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