Ok, for quite some time now all I’ve been hearing about is the wonder that is Brokeback Mountain. A gay love story to end all love stories. Now this is a beautiful movie that everyone should see however less we forget this is a movie about two presumably “straight guys”. Not to mention that when it comes to gay cinema it’s only one in a long list of gay films. So what makes this movie so special? Is it that the actors playing them are straight? Is it that this is the first movie to get national attention? Or is it the big budget and big name celebrities? I don’t really know, but what I do know is that there are other queer films that should be recognized. So once the hype has settled and the awards given out here are some titles you might want to check out:

Grande Ecole- This French film is not just visually stunning it also has a strong story behind it. Directed by Robert Salis and inspired by playwright Jean Marie Bassest, Grande Ecole examines how class, race and social standing still influence modern day France. This is the story of private school student Paul who becomes the center of controversy when he falls for a poor Arab man.

200 American- This may be a low budget film but it has a lot of heart. 200 American is the story of Ian; a bright-eyed Australian who arrives in New York City chasing after the man he loves. However in order to raise the money to pay for a sham marriage to get his citizen papers he becomes a hustler. That’s how he meets Conrad who turns Ian’s world upside down.

The Broken Hearts Club- Call it the Steel Magnolias of gay films. This charming movie tells the story of a group of friends in West Hollywood. They rely on each other for conversation and camaraderie as they search for love and mourn their many losses. This movie stars a young Zach Braff, Timothy Olyphan, and Dean Cain.

Food of Love- Adapted from the novel The Tale of Love by David Leavitt. This is the story of a love affair between an eighteen-year-old man and his much older mentor. The two meet in Barcelona and begin a passionate affair but they must contend with the disapproval of the boy’s mother and the mentor’s boyfriend.

The Trip- One of my personal favorites, this low budget film is the love story of gay rights activist Tommy and Alan whose political views skew as far right as Tommy’s do left. In spite of their differences, they fall in love, but four years later they’re torn apart when an anti-gay book Alan once wrote re-surfaces. This is definitely one to watch with tissues on hand.

So every one go out and see Brokeback Mountain and then stop by Blockbuster and pick up one of these great films to continue your support of gay cinema.