“Crush”, must see on Disney+
How about a positive Sapphic romance? This is what refreshes Squash (yes to that title!), directed by Sammi Cohen, who identifies as non-binary. Focusing on lesbian teenager Paige’s (Rowan Blanchard) first crushes, this teen movies it has the good taste of not being centered on coming out, but on the joy of its heroine’s first amorous emotions. The icing on the queer cake, the young Hawaiian actress Auli’i Cravalho (voice of Vaiana), a bisexual icon from across the Atlantic since it came out in 2020, plays AJ, a newcomer who won’t leave Paige indifferent.
” The Big Sick”, to be seen on Prime Video
Produced by Judd Apatow, this romantic comedy is aimed at fans of US independent cinema. Actor and co-writer of the film, Kumail Nanjiani tells a fictionalized version of his love story with his wife, Emily V. Gordon (also co-writer). An Uber driver and aspiring stand-up, Kumail meets Emily (played by Zoe Kazan). This beginning of a love story is frustrated by an illness from which Emily suffers, but also by their two families: one of her, Pakistani and conservative, the other white and in a panic over her daughter’s health. More realistic than most rom.com, The big sick tells with humor and tenderness the challenges faced by mixed couples.
“Smiley”, to be seen on Netflix
Have you ever tried to search for love on Grindr? This is the situation in which Alex, a Barcelona bartender and fitness enthusiast who one day accidentally receives a touching voice message from Bruno, an intellectual and romantic architect tired of chaining disappointments on gay apps, finds himself. . This pleasant Spanish series, created by Guillem Clua, follows the chaotic first steps of this couple in the making. Beyond the tasty scenes typical of the genre (misunderstandings, rivalries and reunions), Emoticons explores romantic relationships in depth through the journey of highly successful supporting characters, whether they are gay, lesbian or straight.
“Where are the men?”, to be seen on Disney+
Released in 1995, Waiting to exhale (no thanks for the French translation of the title…) is exceptional in a cinematic landscape then very white. It’s Forest Whitaker (yes!) who directed this romantic comedy about the love lives of four black women: Vannah, Bernie, Glo and Robin. In the cast we find the incomparable Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. Just to see the latter, in a nightgown, burn the car of her former traitor, worth the movie! It is also a pleasure to see this group of friends who stick together under all circumstances evolve.
“Anything is possible”, to be seen on Prime Video
Trans people finally have the right to happiness in this rom.com directed by queer icon Billy Porter (Posed) and written by trans screenwriter Ximena García Lecuona. We follow the love story full of pitfalls between two high school students, Khal and Khelsa. If the latter’s trans-identity is addressed in the film, it doesn’t even take up all the space. It’s mostly about the first emotions between these two adorable teenagers. Self Everything is possible tick all the boxes of the rom.com as a teenager it is credited with offering new interpretations and a cast that is not only queer, but also mostly racialized. On Netflix the Indian film Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021) also offers a romantic comedy with a trans woman, which makes him a pioneer in the land of Bollywood and its straight romances. But the character is played by Vaani Kapoor, a cis actress, and the film has been criticized by the LGBTQI+ community for its sometimes awkward portrayal, despite its good intentions.
“Nola Darling does as she pleases”, to be seen on Netflix
In 2017, Spike Lee adapted his film, She must have it, released in 1986 as a series for Netflix. Over two delightful seasons, we follow the adventures of Nola Darling (DeWanda Wise), a polyamorous and pansexual African-American artist living in New York City’s rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Fort Greene. Season 1 examines her relationships with three very different men, including our beloved Mars, played by the brilliant Anthony Ramos. During the second season, she enters a serious lesbian relationship with Opal and seeks her artistic compass. What we love about Nola is her ability to love fully, but also to remain true to herself, no matter what.
“Love, Victor”, to be seen on Disney+
Sequel to the hit film Love, Simon (2018) developed by showrunner Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger (this is us), this tender teen drama tells in three seasons the high school years of Victor Salazar, a Colombian-American teenager who discovers his homosexuality and will live his first great love story with Benji. This beautiful series also focuses on the heterosexual and queer loves of important secondary characters, such as Lake, Mia or Rahim. In a safe environment, a small town in the United States that furiously resembles that of the cult series Dawson — and in a benevolent tone, this LGBTQI+ nugget rightly evokes dual culture, the place of religion, or exploring one’s sexual orientation.
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
