Overall, gay films aren’t very good. There are a lot of cliché storylines (coming out, HIV/AIDs, hustlers, et al). Still, these 10 are all excellent movies and perfect for a film night. Here are my top 10 picks for best gay men’s films:

>	10. Mysterious Skin This is a hard movie to watch. It tackles a subject most of us would rather avoid. It goes places few films have the courage to delve into. The subject is paedophile. Two young boys are molested by their baseball coach but have wildly different reactions to the experience. One embraces being gay and actively seeks out older men, while the other has blacked out the experience and believes he was abducted by space aliens. Sounds strange, but it’s a great film that balances humour with great sadness.
	9. Brother to Brother One of the most disappointing aspects of gay movies is the lack of films focusing on black men. What few there have been, haven’t been very good. Finally, there’s a great film all about being black and gay. This film focuses on the Harlem Renaissance, as a modern-day student comes face to face with history. It switches back and forth between the past and present. We get to see the lives of some of the great gay writers of that era. For that reason alone, it belongs on this list. Add to it that it’s a very original film that will entertain as much as inform and you have a classic gay film.
	8. Victim This 1961 film dealt with homosexuality in a much more honest light that most films, and had an impact on society. By showing how gay men were being blackmailed, it helped change the British laws that made homosexual acts illegal.
	7. Wonder Boys This is a quirky film of misfits all dealing with the inequities of life. Michael Douglas shines in this film as a middle-age professor who has never been able to duplicate his success in publishing a first novel. He’s got problems with his wife and his girlfriend. Not to mention his editor and his drag queen boyfriend. The story keeps surprising the viewer and you’re almost sorry when it ends.
	6. A Love to Hide (Un Amour A’taire) I thought all the Nazi Germany films about gays were going to be about lesbians. Finally, one about gay men. In this tale a gay man tries to save the family business by day while he keeps his male lover secret at night. How long will it take the Nazis to discover the relationship and ship the men off to a concentration camp? And will the woman who is in love with the gay man be the one to turn him in? Or will it be someone else?
	5. Lilies If you watch the trailer for this one, you’re likely to be perplexed about it. A confessional where the roof comes off to show a balloon? I hear you ask: “Lilies, isn’t that a lesbian film?” No, it’s not. It’s the story of two young men in love in early part of the 1900s. But that’s the play. We meet one of those young men many years later when he’s in prison and giving his confession. It takes a second to adjust to how this story is presented, because it’s very original. It has excellent cinematography, a shocking story and hot boys. What more can any gay movie fan want?
	4. Another Gay Movie – Gays Gone Wild A treuly all gay movie, this is a no holds barred joke about the sterotypical antics of 4 gay men who go on holiday to fort lauderdale. There is lots of fake sex, gay jokes and if you don’t enjoy the movie you can always look the the obvious and no so obvious advertising. Why not turn it into a drinking game? While a lot of people still fight that this is a awful movie I believe it is awful but still brilliant.
	3. Brokeback Mountain Now that the hype is gone we can evaluate this landmark film based on what’s on the screen, not the impact it had on the mainstream. It still ranks very high and will no doubt be on this list for a long time. It’s a beautiful film and a tremendous love story. Why isn’t it higher? I like subjects that are bigger, and outside of the displays of homophobia and life inside the closet, this film just doesn’t have it. But, it did contribute to a fantastic year in gay films and earned more conversation than any gay film in history. So it doesn’t need me to rank it higher.
	2. American Beauty This movie was an easy winner for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Kevin Spacey plays a middle-age man having a bit of a crisis in his life. His wife is ignoring him, he’s been fired from his job and he’s suddenly experiencing erotic thoughts toward his daughter’s teen-age friend. Not to mention the crazy neighbors, including a gay couple (the only normal people on the street). The gay angle is not obvious for most of the film, but when it hits it is a major turning point. It was written by Alan Ball, who is gay and remains one of the most original films ever.
	1. Shelter Who could not fall in love with shelter? This brilliant film is about two surfers, one still exploring his sexuality and the other openly gay. It is a lovely and touching story of fighting through prejudice to be together. It also has a strong focus on family and the effects of coming out has on a person who relies on you.