NYT ranked the century's 100 best films—these 13 LGBTQ+ pics made the cut

100 entries, 13 LGBTQ+ films.

A list titled "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" was published by The New York Times this week, and some of our favorite LGBTQ+ films made the cut.

The publication polled more than 500 people while compiling this list. The participants were described as people who work in and around around the film industry, such as screenwriters, directors, and actors. The qualified picks span beloved films from the past 25 years, beginning at the turn of the century in 2000.

The ranking features classics by directors Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher, breakout indie features, and non-English movies that reached a global audience. There are huge surprises, too (looking straight at you, Superbad!). But whether or not you agree with the NYT ranking, we're pleased to spotlight the LGBTQ+ picks that made it onto the list.

Scroll through to see the 13 queer movies included in The New York Times ranking of 100 best films in the 21st Century (so far).

No. 81 — 'Black Swan' (2010)

2010's Black Swan tells the story of ballerina Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) pushing herself to extreme limits to star in a new production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. The film, directed by Darren Aronofsky, also includes actors Vincent Cassel (as Thomas Leroy) and Mila Kunis (as Lily) advancing the plot of this epic psychological horror.

Watch online via streaming: Hulu.

Read why Black Swan ranked at No. 81 per The New York Times.

No. 77 — 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' (2022)

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All At Once is an experimental and nihilistic film with a devastating queer story at its heart. In 2023, the movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture — A24's first-ever Oscar in the category.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why Everything Everywhere All At Once ranked at No. 77 per The New York Times.

No. 72 — 'Carol' (2015)

Carol is a queer classic directed by Todd Haynes that follows an aspiring photographer as she develops a romantic relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.

Watch online via streaming: Peacock, Paramount+, and Tubi.

Read why Carol ranked at No. 72 per The New York Times.

No. 67 — 'Tár' (2022)

Starring Cate Blanchett, Tár is a psychological drama that dives into the world of a female director of a major German orchestra who is accused of sexual misconduct.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why Tár ranked at No. 67 per The New York Times.

No. 57 — 'Best in Show' (2000)

Christopher Guest's Best in Show features a star-studded cast featuring Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge, Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael Hitchcock, and Michael McKean, to name a few. This campy classic, released in 2000, is a fan-favorite even after two decades.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why Best in Show ranked at No. 57 per The New York Times.

No. 52 — 'The Favourite' (2018)

The Favourite tells the story of Queen Anne's fragile day-to-day life being hijacked when she becomes enamored with an alluring new servant who has hidden motives.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why The Favourite ranked at No. 52 per The New York Times.

No. 38 — 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a French film that follows an isolated artist who develops feelings for the subject of a wedding portrait she's been hired to paint.

Watch online via streaming: HBO Max.

Read why Portrait of a Lady on Fire ranked at No. 38 per The New York Times.

No. 37 — 'Call Me By Your Name' (2017)

Call Me By Your Name is a sweepingly romantic — and also devastatingly — film that beautifully captures the yearning, steamy sensuality, and heartache attached to a doomed first love.

Watch online via streaming: Paramount+.

Read why Call Me By Your Name ranked at No. 37 per The New York Times.

No. 26 — 'Anatomy of a Fall' (2023)

Anatomy of a Fall centers on the bisexual character Sandra Voyter (played by Sandra Hüller). The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards and won in the category of Best Original Screenplay. Filmmakers Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, who cowrote the movie, accepted the award.

Watch online via streaming: Hulu.

Read why Anatomy of a Fall ranked at No. 26 per The New York Times.

No. 18 — 'Y Tu Mamá También' (2001)

Though likely not regarded as queer at the time of its release, Y Tu Mamá También is a sensual Mexican film that follows two teenage boys who fall for an older woman while exploring their sexuality together.

Watch online via streaming: Hulu.

Read why Y Tu Mamá También ranked at No. 18 per The New York Times.

No. 17 — 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)

Brokeback Mountain might've lost the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2006, but this iconic story of two cowboys falling madly for each other in a world that despised them has cemented itself as one of the best love stories of all time.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why Brokeback Mountain ranked at No. 17 per The New York Times.

No. 5 — 'Moonlight' (2016)

As one of only two LGBTQ+ films on this list that won the Oscar for Best Picture, Moonlight is an aching meditation on the toll of masculinity and repression in a hostile world, while still searching for softness and love.

Watch online via streaming: Tubi.

Read why Moonlight ranked at No. 5 per The New York Times.

No. 2 — 'Mulholland Drive' (2001)

Starring Naomi Watts (as Betty Elms / Diane Selwyn) and Laura Harring (as Rita / Camilla Rhodes), filmmaker David Lynch released a masterpiece, Mulholland Drive, in 2001.

Watch online via streaming: Apple TV+ and Prime Video for rentals and purchases.

Read why Mulholland Drive ranked at No. 2 per The New York Times.