Cruising Cinema: Pluribus, Stranger Things, and The Watermelon Woman

AI is everywhere right now. But you know what?

AI doesn't know that Batman & Robin is a masterpiece. AI doesn't understand why Nicole Kidman is Mother. And AI sure doesn't get why The Lion King is gayer than Rent on poppers.

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From today, this includes a ranking of the 48 best queer movies and 42 best queer shows of the year (so far) — with starred recommendations and links on where to watch them.

Perfect for gays on their 100th Burlesque rewatch who should try something new.

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Queer and Now

Everything new in the world of queer TV and film

— Stranger Things is ready to turn your world - wait for it - upside-down with its fifth and final season. It's also going to be pretty gay if Will's yearning for Mike continues like it did last time. Let's hope that means an end to the bowl cut at last.

— Heated Rivalry is about two rival hockey players who are secretly very gay and not-so-secretly very hot for each other. It quickly became the internet's favourite show before it even aired thanks to scenes like this one.

It's me. I'm "internet."

Watch Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya (Connor Storrie) puck their way to the top from November 28th on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the US. Heated Rivalry probably won't come to the UK until 2026, however, proving that there obviously is no god.

— Younger me watching True Blood would have probably had a seizure watching Alexander Skarsgård play a BDSM biker in Pillion. Get ready to go feral for him, of course, but don't overlook the tenderness of Harry Lighton's debut either. Tender because of the sweet love story at the heart of this dom-com, and also tender from all the spanking (coming to UK cinemas on Nov 28 and the US in February 2026).

— Sandbag Dam (Zečji nasip) follows two young men who rekindle their love in the face of overwhelming hostility from gross homophobes in their small Croatian village. The story is beautifully told, even if the film itself doesn't do anything particularly new. Still, Croatian gays deserve to see their love stories on screen too, especially in a film as gorgeous and sensitive as this one (out Dec 2nd on VOD in the US).

— Peaches Goes Bananas dives deep into the life of Peaches, the queer feminist icon behind classics such as "Fuck the Pain Away" (Mozart has been real quiet since she dropped that one). The best scene comes when Peaches talks about being menopausal and what that means now for her artistry: "We’re punks, we’re artists, we’re people. We haven’t stopped. We need things to relate to. Maybe we’re not the biggest consumer market, but who cares?" (out Dec 3rd in US cinemas).

Celluloid Closet

Must-see queer classics no one should be without 

After Gregg Araki's The Living End last week, I've returned to 90s New Queer Cinema again, this time focusing on Cheryl Dunye's groundbreaking classic, The Watermelon Woman (1996).

Dunye stars as a video store worker named Cheryl who's trying to make a film about Fae Richards, a Black actress from the 30s who was known for playing stereotypical "mammy" roles once common in Hollywood. However, Richards is actually a fictional creation herself, written by Dunye to shine a light on the very real Black actresses who have been forgotten by history.

As the first feature film ever directed by a Black lesbian, The Watermelon Woman is just as important as it is iconic. Dunye's debut is a love letter to Black film history, and it's also a vital story that intersects Black, female, and lesbian identity.

Did I mention there's a sex scene in the film that was even discussed by Congress back when it was first released? Presumably, they just talked about how hot it was. See what the fuss was about by adding The Watermelon Woman to your watchlist today.

The Watermelon Woman - movie: watch streaming online

Find out how and where to watch “The Watermelon Woman” on Netflix and Prime Video today - including free options.

JustWatch

Queer Awakenings

Which queer film or show spoke to you growing up?

Long before I knew I was gay, stories about outsiders and people who don't belong really spoke to me as a kid. And I know I'm not alone in that. So I'm asking you, the beautiful, sexy and talented subscribers reading this right now; which stories inspired you growing up?

Did animated stories like Steven Universe speak to you on a deeper level? Did watching Moonlight rewire your brain chemistry as a teenager? Did you creep downstairs every night to watch Queer As Folk with the volume way down low?

Please send in your own stories, those early examples of shows and films that shaped who you are today, and I'll share them right here in the free edition of this newsletter (Don't worry, your accounts can be anonymous).

Send them to this email address: cruisingcinema7@gmail.com.

Out Takes

Queer hidden gems you need to see

Is it just me or did IT: Welcome To Derry get kind of sexy these past few weeks?

Clown fetish aside, I'm actually referring to the addition of actor Joshua Odjick, a Canadian member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. So naturally, I thought of his star-making turn in Wildhood, an overlooked hidden gem that I caught at BFI Flare back in 2021...