WATCH LIST: “Bohemian Rhapsody” on VOD, Acclaimed Trans Dramas “Girl” and “Butterfly” Streaming
In Theaters
M. Night Shyamalan’s climax to his comics-inspired trilogy—Unbreakable and Split being the first two films—sees out actress Sarah Paulson join Bruce Willis’ almost invulnerable hero, Samuel L. Jackson’s mastermind, and James McAvoy’s villain with multiple personalities (some falling all over the sexual and gender spectrum). (January 18, Universal)
DVD/Blu-Ray/Video on Demand
Six gay male short films touching on themes of secrecy make up this second volume of the anthology, including “Turn It Around,” the tale of a 15-year-old closet case who connects with another boy at a party, and “Like Father,” in which a dying man opens up to his son about desires he’s kept hidden. (DVD, Dekkoo)
The multiple Golden Globe-winning biopic about rock icon Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) and Queen covers the band’s formation, Mercury’s sexual self-discovery, the making of iconic hits like “We Will Rock You,” and their triumphant 1985 Live Aid performance, which serves as the it-will-rock-you-climax. (VOD, 20th Century Fox)
Looking like Leo DiCaprio with bee-stung lips and curly locks, teenage Argentinian serial killer Carlitos Puch—aka “The Angel of Death”—gets the fictionalized biopic treatment from queer cinema icon/producer Pedro Almodovar and director Luis Ortega. In the colorful drama, Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) become enamored with a bad boy, Ramon (Chino Darin), and so begins a bloody crime spree. (DVD, The Orchard)
Claire Foy takes on the role of bisexual hacker-avenger Lisbeth Sander—previously played by Noomi Rapace and Rooney Mara—in this follow-up to late author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, as well as its Swedish and U.S. film adaptations. Transgender actress/model Andreja Pejic plays Sofia, one of Lisbeth’s lovers. (VOD, New Regency Pictures)
TV/Streaming
Desperately unhappy as a boy, 11-year-old Max (Callum Booth-Ford) makes a suicide attempt, which brings estranged parents Vicky (Anna Friel) and Stephen (Emmett J. Scanlan) together to support her gender transition and true identity as Maxine in this affecting, superbly crafted three-part U.K. drama. (January 18, Hulu)
The first gay couple in a Star Trek TV series, Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) were torn apart last season when a disguised Vulcan murdered Culber, but look forward to his appearances in the second season—hey, it’s sci-fi!—plus even more laughs, thanks to new cast member Tig Notaro as starship engineer Commander Reno. (CBS All Access)
Belgium’s Oscars submission for Best Foreign Language Film, this acclaimed—and controversial, for casting a cisgender male actor as a transgender female—follows an aspiring 15-year-old ballerina, Lara (Victor Polster), as she tries to keep her biological gender secret from fellow students in the midst of a grueling, competitive course of study. (January 18, Netflix)
RuPaul joins the list of co-stars in Season 5 of Netflix’s hit comedy about two frenemies (Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda) who bond after their respective husbands come out as gay. It’s already been renewed for a sixth season, so expect a rollicking, strong batch of episodes! (January 18, Netflix)
The second season of Freeform’s Twilight-ish series about a bisexual mermaid, Ryn (Eline Powell), guarantees plenty of conflict, drama, and underwater action when alpha mermaid Katrina (Aylya Marzolf) and several others arrive in Bristol Cove, while Ryn may develop a proper poly situation with couple Ben (Alex Roe) and Maddie (Fola Evans-Akingbola). (January 24, Freeform)
