Comedy/Gay and Lesbian: In and Out- 1997

When dim-bulb actor Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon) wins an Oscar for playing a gay Marine, he outs his high school drama teacher, Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline), in his acceptance speech. It all comes as a surprise to Howard -- not to mention to his long-suffering fiancée, Emily (Joan Cusack). With his wedding just days away and national media descending on his town, Howard's under the gun to prove just how much of a man he is. (Netflix.com)

Grade: B+

This is another one that I remembered watching a long time ago, but didn't really remember the movie, so decided to watch it again, and was quite happy that I did. This movie really is funny, and, given the topic, a pretty light-hearted, fun comedy. The acting in it was great. I love Joan Cusack, I think she's always funny, and Tom Selleck's part was pretty funny too. As for Howard Brackett, Kevin Kline, they could not have found a better person to play the part. He rode that thin line between questioningly feminine and downright gay the entire time so well, and there were so many laugh out loud moments, for example, the scene where he's "testing his masculinity", pretty funny. Like I said before, this is lighthearted and fun, and if your looking to watch something NOT serious, this is a good one to check out!

Documentary/Gay & Lesbian: Prodigal Sons- 2008

In high school, Kimberly Reed was male, a straight-A student and captain of the football team. But since leaving his rural Montana hometown, he's become a woman -- and a filmmaker whose documentary could not be any more personal. Half the story involves her attending her high school reunion as a transgendered female; the other half involves reuniting with her siblings, including her estranged adopted brother. (netflix.com)

Grade: A

I originally saw a segment about this movie on Oprah, and when I came across it on netflix I decided to check it out. The whole idea behind the documentary, and the intimate and personal side of it was very compelling, and incredibly interesting. This was just a very up-close and personal look into the life of this woman, and her family relationships, as well as her brother's. This was made very well, and is well worth the watch, in my opinion.

Drama/ Gay and Lesbian: Boys Don't Cry- 1999

When Teena Brandon (Hilary Swank) moves to a small Nebraska town in search of a new life, she takes the name Brandon Teena, passes herself off as a boy, begins dating a beautiful girl (Chloe Sevigny) and makes friends among the town's redneck men ... until the truth is revealed. Swank's Oscar-winning portrayal of this real-life character illuminates one woman's voyage of self-discovery -- and the tragic events that cut it short. (Netflix.com)

Grade: B+

This whole story is just about a woman looking to find herself, and looking for acceptance in a world, and more specifically part of the country, that she doesn't fit into. First of all, this was an interesting look into the lives of people from small, rural southern areas, seemingly cut off from the advances of society and the acceptance of different cultures in all forms. Hilary Swank plays this character beautifully, and really had me rooting for her the entire time, to find love, and somewhere she could feel free and safe. This definitely had it's tearjerker moments, but above that was a thought provoking, and compassion inspiring movie. If you want a look into the difficult life that so many gay and lesbian Americans can, have, and may face this is a good movie to watch.

Gay/Lesbian Drama: What Makes a Family- 2001

Brooke Shields stars in this wrenching drama as Janine Nielssen, a nurse who faces the death of her partner, Sandy (Cherry Jones), and separation from their daughter when the child's biological grandparents wage a battle for custody. State law is stacked against Janine, but attorney Terry Harrison (Whoopi Goldberg) sets out to prove that family is not defined by blood alone in this GLAAD Media Award-winning biopic directed by Maggie Greenwald. (Netflix.com)

Grade: B-

This was a very touching and thought provoking drama about the struggles a non-traditional family has when some type of tragedy takes place. The acting in this was really good, and Cherry Jones' decline as she got more and more sick was very believable. This was a sad story that you are just hoping for a happy ending for the entire time. This was a good watch for a few different reasons. It was definitely a good tear jerker, so if you want to get out some of that "inner sadness" this is good. It was a good look into the lives of a lesbian family, and the struggles that take place, and it was also a good love story. This movie really showed the meaning behind the vows "through sickness and health" that you take when getting married, and how a relationship can still stay loving and strong, and how difficult loss can be. Check it out, it was worth the watch!