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Top 10 HIV/AIDS movies
During the early years Hollywood ignored the AIDS crisis, but like the Reagan administration did. But since then they've been making up for lost time. It's become a cliche to have suffering AIDS dramas. Still, there has been some fine work. Here are my top 10 picks for best HIV/AIDS films:
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10.
Longtime Companion
I found this film more powerful than Parting Glances because it deals with the AIDS angle head on. We follow a group of gay friends throughout the 1980s, from the start of the epidemic until the end. It's a much better representation of how that disease impacted an entire generation of gay men and despite that baggage, manages to end on an uplifting note. That's not an easy mix to pull off. Bruce Davison earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as the boyfriend of an AIDS victim. This is a good film for straight people to watch to see why this disease matters so much to gay Americans. Way too many friends were lost.
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9.
Event, The
So much for the fun HIV movie. Now we dive into the sad tales, beginning with this one about a man who wants to die with dignity. This movie is presented like a detective story. We follow the police around as they try to discover what exactly happened at "The Event." We're given some clues, and it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to put the clues together. Still, there are some surprises in store for those who jump to conclusions too quickly. It's a moving tale, but the detective aspect of it kept it from reaching the status of a similar movie, It's My Party. There was just more heart in the latter, which is why it's ranked higher.
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8.
Loggerheads
It takes a while to get a read on this film. Halfway through I wasn't sure if I even liked it or not. I could see where they were going with the adoption angle, and I hate plots that are that manipulated. Still, the acting is first rate and this is a very different gay film than we usually get. I kept waiting for the director to beat me over the head with his holier than thou preaching, but it never goes there. It remains subtle to the end and when it's over, you have gone places you didn't expect to go. Damn few movies can do that, and that's why this film made the top 10 list.
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7.
Dying Gaul, The
2005 was a great year for gay films. Chances are you missed this one, with Capote and Brokeback Mountain earning all the top honors. Go rent it now. Peter Sarsgaard stars as a struggling screenwriter who has just written the movie of his life, all about how his gay lover died of AIDS. A big-shot Hollywood producer wants the script, but wants one minor change: To make the film more mainstream, he wants the movie couple to be heterosexual. Will the screenwriter take the money, or stand by principle? That's just the start, as this film goes off in all sorts of different directions.
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6.
Philadelphia
This was the first big-time AIDS movie, bringing the disease from the art houses into the megaplexes. Not surprisingly, it was controversial but managed to earn a couple of Oscars. For many Americans, this movie was the first time they had to face AIDS discrimination and the high cost of this disease that had been ignored for so many years. It, probably more than any other AIDS film, helped change the attitudes that many Americans had about the disease because it was seen by so many. Telling the story from the point of view of a straight, homophobic black lawyer helped bring the reluctant audience along.
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5.
Bear Cub (Cachorro)
What's not to like about this delightful Spanish movie? First, it's the first full-length "bear" movie I know about. (For you heterosexuals, bears are gay men who tend to be a bit hairy and look like real people, not the guys that model underwear). It doesn't sugarcoat the life of this one gay man. We see him clearly, warts and all. But still, he manages to come across as real and decent. The HIV angle doesn't come into play until the second half of the film, but it plays an important part when it's revealed. Pedro is a dentist and is a little put out because he has to take care of his nephew for a couple of weeks. That's when the fun begins.
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4.
It's My Party
This should not be a happy film. In fact, there is so much sadness in it that having a box of tissues near by might not be a bad idea. A man learns that he's HIV positive and his boyfriend can't handle it. It leads to their breakup. That won't have them rolling in the aisles. The rest of the film deals with other sad themes, which I don't want to give away. But despite the heavy burden of all that grief, this movie has a lot of love between the characters that keeps it from becoming a downer. Despite the tragedy, there is still optimism. Eric Roberts is outstanding as the man scorned and you'll recognize many in the supporting cast.
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3.
24th Day, The
First, you have two gorgeous men in the leading roles, Scott Speedman and James Marsden. Next, you have a great story. Speedman plays a heterosexual guy who decided to experiment with gay sex only once, with Marsden's character. Later, he learns he's HIV positive and that he may have been the person who gave his wife HIV. After her death, he wants revenge. But, he doesn't know if the one guy he slept with gave him HIV or not? What to do? How about kidnap the guy and tie him up, forcing him to take an HIV test. Then he'll know the truth and must decide if he'll give the gay man or not. I wish all movies were this good.
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2.
Angels in America
The Broadway play swept the Tonys and this HBO miniseries swept the Emmys. Sounds like pretty sound credentials and I'd be a fool to leave it off this list. Not a chance. They cut the play down to six hours for the miniseries, so it is not something you're likely to do in one sitting. Still, you get some terrific performances and a moving story that nearly everyone can relate to. Some of the fantasy scenes take a little adjusting to, but with a message like this you're willing to forgive the sudden appearance of angels and ghosts. Forgiving Roy Cohn, however, is more than I think it fair to ask of anyone.
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1.
And the Band Played On
Here is where my love of politics probably clouds my judgment. Some would pick any of the other movies on their list for No. 1 before this one. But the fact that this is a portrayal of how the AIDS crisis was allowed to spread why the government did little to nothing about it makes this the No. 1 movie for me. I lived through those years as a man who stubbornly refused to admit he was gay. This film, based on Randy Shilts book, may be a bit one-handed in how it deals with the Reagan administration and its lack of response to the AIDS crisis. But, it is a fitting tribute to the millions of people who died.
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