XXY, Masters of the Universe, and The Vampire Lestat

I haven't got much space for this intro because today's issue is STACKED, just like Nicholas Galitzine's tiddies in that gay ass harness.

Masters of the Universe actually made me gayer somehow, and for that I will always be grateful 🙏.

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Queer and Now

Everything new in the world of queer TV and film

— The only bloodsucker show that's ever given Buffy a run for its money is Interview with the Vampire and it's back with a third season titled The Vampire Lestat. Fangbangers unite on AMC from this Sunday!

People say immortality is a curse, but I'd be happy for Louis or Lestat to suck and take a bite out of me if it means I can watch this show on loop for 1000 years (or more!).

— 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! (out now in UK cinemas)

— The Korean BL gods are smiling down on us today with the release of a new show titled The Lie We Lived In.

From the producer of Semantic Error (hot) and the director of Love in the Big City (a masterpiece), comes the unlikely story of a hitman and a police officer who end up living together.

"Bang bang" is the noise their guns make and also the thing I want them to start doing together asap. Streaming from today on Viki!

— I can't get enough of She's The He, a teen comedy where two guys pose as trans women to get into the girls locker room, only for one of them to realise she's trans herself.

Everything from the casting to Siobhan McCarthy's writing is genius, flipping transphobic conservative rhetoric into something joyous and beautiful. Opens today in New York's IFC Center before expanding to other cities later this month.

— 120 BPM director Robin Campillo is back with an unusual coming of age drama that stars Eloy Pohu as a privileged yet confused kid who finds himself drawn to a Ukrainian bricklayer named Vlad (Maksym Slivinskyi).

A fitting swan song for co-writer Laurent Cantent, an extraordinary talent in his own right. Watch Enzo from today in UK cinemas.

— ITV isn't usually my go-to for hilarious sitcoms that sensitively tackle modern day concerns, but I'll make an exception for G'Wed, a wonderful scouse comedy that's as funny as it is horny (and queer-inclusive to boot!)

Check out season three when it starts June 8th and go watch earlier seasons on ITX if you haven't already.

35 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 35 best LGBTQ+ movies released this year so far.

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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.

It's easy to forget the original Interview with the Vampire (1994) these days. AMC's adaptation has become the definitive version, a true five-starrer, through and through.

But back in the mid 90s, we didn't have Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson to admire and applaud and salivate over. We just had Brad Pitt sucking and this flamboyant version of Tom Cruise who I'd love to be s-speaking to about his extraordinary acting technique in the film.

Never mind that Cruise actually did a decent job of playing against type, surprising everyone including original author Anne Rice (who later apologised to Tom for criticising him in an eight page ad).

That action hero charm of his is twisted here into something sinister, all twinkling eyes filled with hate. Lestat is the kind of guy who would cut your throat as soon as look at you (complimentary).

And that's how I found out I'm drawn to fuck boys.

Reply with your own Queer Awakenings or email me at: cruisingcinema7@gmail.com.

Out Takes

Queer hidden gems you need to see

XXY (2007) follows a 15 year old intersex person named Alex who was born with both male and female genitalia. While she's been living as female up until now, taking medication to suppress masculine physical traits, Alex stops taking her medication at the start of the film to explore that side of herself.

Meanwhile, her parents have invited friends from Buenos Aires including their 16-year-old son, Alvaro, who Alex finds herself drawn to. As if things weren't confusing enough, she now has to navigate her sexuality within that space too.

Writer/director Lucía Puenzo treats the intersex experience with much empathy and sensitivity, providing a rare glimpse of the 'I' in LGBTQIA+ on screen. XXY fills a void in cinema, and it does so beautifully without ever sensationalising what could be easily and unfairly sensationalised.

The legendary Ricardo Darín appears in the cast, but this is really Inés Efron's film. The way she embodies Alex's hesitance and confusion until it grows into something more certain is really special to behold.

Check out where you can watch XXY at this link below.

XXY - movie: where to watch streaming online

Find out how and where to watch “XXY” online on Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ today – including 4K and free options.

JustWatch

34 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 34 best LGBTQ+ shows I've seen so far this year.

Check out the link below to see where your faves end up.

And just like that, we've come to the end of Cruising Cinema today. As a thank you for making it this far, here's Jonathan Bailey with a reminder to drink your milk. See you next Tuesday!

Remember to share your own Queer Awakenings for future editions by replying to this email or via cruisingcinema7@gmail.com. And don't forget to follow the newsletter on Twitter here, Instagram here and Facebook here and Letterboxd here.

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