Buffy, The Comeback and Heartbreak High — Plus a BFI Flare special

Guys, I'm so mad about Buffy getting cancelled. Again.

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Buffy, The Comeback and Heartbreak High — Plus a BFI Flare special
Credit: HBO

Guys, I'm so mad about Buffy getting cancelled. Again.

I was going to share pics of Tom Holland squirting his webs in the new Spider-Man movie trailer, but I'm just too depressed about Buffy. Not even this cute yet horny Spike GIF can help at this point.

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Want tips on how to get into journalism? Want to chat about your favourite movies? Or do you just want to talk about your favourite episode of Buffy? (Obviously it's this one 👇🏻).

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Queer and Now

Everything new in the world of queer TV and film

The Comeback is coming back for a third and final season this Sunday on HBO in the US and Sky in the UK.

If you're worried Valerie Cherish might have learned to be less cringe in the 12 years since we last saw her, don't be. The new episodes are just perfect, exactly what I was hoping for in every possible way. How they make this show so funny and relevant in ten year intervals should be studied. Lisa Kudrow is a force of fucking nature.

— The third and final season of Heartbreak High drops on Netflix next Thursday, and you just know it's going to be heartbreaking to say goodbye.

These cuties! I just can't. And if you haven't watched it yet, now's the perfect time to get stuck into this Aussie take on Sex Education (which is actually a very special show in its own unique way).

— Miley Cyrus is making all our childhood dreams come true with the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special out next Tuesday on Disney+.

The show that brought us classic bops like "The Best of Both Worlds" and "I Want My Mullet Back" will be revisited with never-before-seen archival footage and recreated sets from the show. As if saying goodbye wasn't hard enough the first time around.

— A new Taiwanese BL titled Wishing Upon The Shooting Stars is coming to GagaOOLala next Thursday and the synopsis is chock-a-block FULL of whimsy:

"After getting laid off, timid office worker Xiang Yong returns to his hometown from Taipei and makes a wish not to be recognized, only to have it mysteriously come true. Mistaken for a stranger and kicked out by his father, he’s stunned to find the new B&B staff is his high school crush, Hao Wei.

As a summer meteor shower approaches, the two reconnect, and Xiang Yong is forced to confront his true desires in a whimsical tale of healing and rediscovery."

It's like if Makoto Shinkai made cute Taiwanese romance films about the gays.

— Speaking of the gays, a new Hong Kong-set BL called Sammy's Children's Day has started airing every Tuesday on GagaOOLala. I've only watched one episode so far, but it's kind of giving Revenged Love, which is a bold claim, I know. But IYKYK!

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20 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2026 Ranked (so far)

Plus where to watch them

In need of something new and extremely gay to watch? Look no further than my ranking of the 20 best LGBTQ+ movies released this year so far.

But which film lurks in the top spot? And which one came dead last? Find out at the link below that I'll continue to update weekly for paying subscribers.

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Queer Awakenings

You know, the hotties who "turned" you gay.

Being gay is NOT a choice. How do I know? Because I was always going to be gay after seeing this as a kid.

Credit: Mutant Enemy Productions

Just to be clear, I don't condone torture... Unless you're a 299 year old vampire who's frankly asking for it at this point.

Credit: Mutant Enemy Productions

Did anyone else wish they were Buffy as a kid? No? Just me?

This GIF is an incredibly accurate representation of me around the age of 10, and I know I'm not the only one who felt that way.

David Boreanaz in the rain? How dare you!

(I'm totally over the Buffy reboot cancellation by the way. Can't you tell?)

Send your own suggestions: cruisingcinema7@gmail.com.

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Out Takes

Queer hidden gems you need to see 

I'm doing things a little differently this week and that's because the BFI Flare Film festival is in (London) town.

I've been attending it on and off for almost a decade now, and it's honestly one of my favourite festivals anywhere in the world. There's just so much queer passion and joy to be felt everywhere, from the programming to the audiences who attend.

I'm going to pick out a few faves that I've already seen, but make sure you check out the program in full here, which kicked off on March 18th and will continue until March 29th.

And if you can't attend in person? Read on anyway so you know what to look out for when some of these gems enjoy a wider release later this year or next (Don't forget to click on each film title for tickets and more info below).

— I already talked about Hunky Jesus a bit last week (here), but I can't stress enough how much fun I had with this doc. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are essentially drag queen nuns who do incredible work for the LGBTQ+ community, and their annual Hunky Jesus pageant is just as incredible as it sounds.

Madfabulous stars It's a Sin standout Callum Scott Howells as a real-life gay aristocrat who enjoyed life in all its excess at the turn of the 19th century. A rare, much needed look at queer history that's also fabulously Welsh!

Lunar Sway is a weirdo little road movie which features Liza Weil (Paris from Gilmore Girls!) in the kind of role you'd never expect. The lead, Noah Parker, vibes with the offbeat Lynchian tone nicely, plus Heated Rivalry star Kaden Connors is naked in it a lot.

Satisfaction isn't an easy watch, and it's hard to describe it without spoiling too much, but just know you're in safe hands here with some incredible performances. Emma Laird especially impresses as Lola, a gifted composer who falls for Fionn Whitehead’s charming Philip in a relationship that takes them to stunning Greek islands and a whole lot more.

What Will I Become is exactly the kind of documentary filmmaking we need right now at a time when trans rights have never been more under threat. Directors Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos do vital work here highlighting how important it is to help trans youth who face prejudice and as a result, suicidal thoughts.


15 Best LGBTQ+ TV Shows of 2026 Ranked (so far)

Plus where to watch them

Do you want gay shit? Of course you do. Do you want to spend hours looking for it? Obviously not. Thankfully, I'm here to help with this ranking of the 15 best LGBTQ+ shows I've seen so far this year.

But which show serves in the top spot? And which one is stuck at the bottom of the rankings? Find out at the link below that I'll continue to update weekly for paying subscribers.

(If you would just like to make a smaller, one-time contribution to Cruising Cinema, you can buy me a coffee here.)


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As a thank you for making it this far, here's Jonathan Bailey with a reminder to drink your milk. See you next Tuesday!

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