We don’t mean to belabor our anger over Sex and the City 2, but there’s one more thing we just can’t shut up about: As any review will tell you, the movie begins with the wedding of Stanford Blatch and Anthony Marantino. We have nothing against Willie Garson or Mario Cantone, but come on: Carrie’s gay marries Charlotte’s? Really? As though there’s some kind of shortage of homosexual men in Manhattan? Plus, the ceremony itself (which features Liza Minnelli covering Beyoncé, for heavens sake!) comes straight out of Gay Stereotypes 101.
If one good thing came out of our annoyance at this offensively implausible plot twist, it’s that it got us thinking about all the great same-sex movie couples we have loved. Peruse our ten favorites after the jump and add yours in the comments.
Ewan McGregor and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Velvet Goldmine This is a movie in which Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a thinly veiled David Bowie, while Ewan McGregor is an unsettling but attractive mashup of Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain, and Lou Reed. And you know what the means: We get to watch two of film’s sexiest men make out.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain Wait, these dudes were straight? Could have fooled us! Gyllenhaal and Ledger entirely disappeared into their roles in Annie Proulx’s melancholy tale of cowboys who are secretly fond of each other.
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right So, we haven’t exactly seen this film, which got big buzz at Sundance this year. But listen: If a movie stars Julianne Moore and Annette Bening as a lesbian couple, that is a movie we want to see.
Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, The Runaways Who knew that two teen-movie princesses could get down as hard-partying proto-punks Joan Jett and Cherie Curie, much less effectively portray two ladies in lust?
John Cameron Mitchell and Michael Pitt, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Mitchell may have been playing a transwoman, but we’re counting this because he identifies as a guy in real life. And also because (see Velvet Goldmine, above), we like to see dudes in makeup get it on.
Clea Duvall and Natasha Lyonne, But I’m a Cheerleader Remember the days before Lyonne was a nutball? Back in the day, she was among our favorite actresses. She and Duvall got under the covers in this kitschy film about gay teens doing time at a camp designed to make them straight.
Macaulay Culkin and Wilmer Valderrama, Party Monster The best thing about this couple (besides the WTF factor) is that they’re based on real people. Culkin plays club-kid killer Michael Alig, while Valderrama is the supposedly straight Superstar DJ Keoki. They may not warm your heart, but they could certainly heat up a dance floor.
Emily Blunt and Natalie Press, My Summer of Love Rich girl (Press) meets poor girl (Blunt) in Yorkshire. They have nothing in common except an undeniable mutual attraction.
Sean Penn and James Franco, Milk You probably shouldn’t watch this incredible film about gay rights martyr Harvey Milk simply because it features Sean Penn and James Franco as a couple. But we certainly wouldn’t blame you for enjoying their scenes together.
Hilary Swank and Chloë Sevigny, Boys Don’t Cry Another real-life tale that ends in tragedy, Boys Don’t Cry awakened millions of Americans to the violence and secrecy many in the LGBT community have had to endure. Sevigny and Swank play their difficult roles with admirable realism and restraint.