Best LGBTQ+ movies of 2022

Frenesy Film Company Gone are the years when the only LGBTQ+ films you could find were awards-baiting biopics or historical dramas. These days, you can find a queer film in pretty much any genre, for any mood. Several documentaries have explored the lives and work of its queer subjects using various techniques. The David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream” employed concert footage and personal archives to delve into the rock icon’s story; at the same time, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” cast a light on how bisexual artist-activist Nan Goldin took on Big Pharma with her photography and slideshows. In 2022, audiences were also treated to plenty of genre-breaking, ambitious LGBTQ+ storytelling–just look at the Afrofuturist musical “Neptune Frost,” the creepypasta-inspired horror film “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,” or the multiverse-bending, huge sci-fi heart of “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” To determine the best queer cinema of the year, Stacker looked at Metacritic data on all movies released in 2022 and ranked the top 25 that had significant LGBTQ+ representation in character, plot, or theme. A film had to have at least seven reviews to qualify. Ties are broken internally at Metacritic, where the data extends further than what’s presented online. Counting down, here are the 25 best LGBTQ+ movies of 2022. You may also like: 50 best WWII movies of all time #25. Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel Clin d’oeil Films – Directors: Maya Duverdier, Amélie van Elmbt – Metascore: 71 – Runtime: 80 minutes In “Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel,” the film’s directors utilize archival footage and ghostly projected images to tell the story of New York City’s iconic Chelsea Hotel. Along the way, they also reveal how a queer bohemian hotspot is now on the cusp of being transformed into a generic boutique hotel. #24. Bros Universal Pictures – Director: Nicholas Stoller – Metascore: 72 – Runtime: 115 minutes Billed as one of the first gay romantic comedies from a major studio, “Bros” stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as two gay men in Manhattan who fall for one another despite their struggles with commitment. Despite bombing at the box office, which co-star and co-writer Eichner bemoaned online, the movie explores the impact of masculinity on gay culture and makes an admirable push for predominantly LGBTQ+ representation in film, boasting an all-queer cast. #23. Fire Island Searchlight Pictures – Director: Andrew Ahn – Metascore: 72 – Runtime: 105 minutes This queer Jane Austen retelling grafts the class intrigue and romantic entanglements of “Pride and Prejudice” onto a weekend at the iconic gay vacation destination Fire Island. Joel Kim Booster stars as Noah, a New Yorker who embarks on an unexpected romance with the Mr. Darcy-esque Will (Conrad Ricamora) over the course of a weeklong excursion with friends. #22. Anaïs in Love Année Zéro – Director: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet – Metascore: 73 – Runtime: 98 minutes In “Anaïs in Love,” the film’s titular, free-spirited protagonist begins an affair with an older man (Denis Podalydès) only to find herself also falling for his partner, Emilie (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi). The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis praised the movie, writing that it moves “as briskly as its protagonist, with the editing and lively music doing more conspicuous work.” #21. The Inspection Freedom Principle – Director: Elegance Bratton – Metascore: 73 – Runtime: 95 minutes Based on director Elegance Bratton’s own experiences, “The Inspection” follows a young gay Black man (Jeremy Pope) who enlists in the Marines to avoid homelessness after being rejected by his homophobic mother (Gabrielle Union). Along the way, he faces homophobia within the military but notices its inherent homoeroticism and forms unexpected connections with his fellow recruits. Pope received a 2023 Best Actor Golden Globe nomination for his performance. You may also like: 25 iconic closing shots from film history #20. Bones and All Frenesy Film Company – Director: Luca Guadagnino – Metascore: 74 – Runtime: 131 minutes Luca Guadagnino’s darkly romantic road trip film “Bones and All” follows cannibalistic teenager Maren (Taylor Russell) and fellow “eater” Lee (Timothée Chalamet) as they fall in love while traversing the backroads of Midwestern, Reagan-era America. Lee is suggestively bisexual (or pansexual), adding another layer to the film’s exploration of love and desire that falls outside societal norms. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw gave “Bones and All” a five-star review, writing that it is “startling in its warped romantic idealism.” #19. Nothing Compares