London boys in love, sexually confused extracurriculars & more coming-of-age tales to stream this weekend

Welcome to your weekend streaming recommendations, a.k.a. the Weekend Watch, a handy guide to the queerest film and TV content that’s just a click away!

In case you haven’t heard, it’s Pride Month! As we get ready to celebrate our most colorful and fabulous 30 days of the year, we mustn’t forget the baby gays that are just starting to find their inner rainbow. So, to kick off Pride, here are some hidden gem flicks in which our heroes blossom, come of age… and come out.

Read on for some lesser-known coming-of-age films to stream this weekend.

The Blossoming Of Maximo Oliveros

This beautiful, heartbreaking (but also heartwarming!) 2005 Filipino drama from director Auraeus Solito tells the story of sweet, effeminate pre-teen Maximo Oliveros. A beautiful pink flower in an impoverished sea of rock and concrete, Maximo (Nathan Lopez) is beloved by his criminal father and two older brothers and largely accepted by the local community, thanks to his infectious personality and ability to befriend anyone.

But Maximo’s world turns upside down when he develops a major crush on dashing young police officer Victor (JR Valentin), who befriends the vulnerable kid. When Victor comes into conflict with Maximo’s ne’er-do-well dad, Maximo learns hard truths about the world around him and must decide where his loyalties lie. 

Rentable on Amazon Prime Video.

Beautiful Thing

Based on the play of the same name, this 1996 romantic dramedy directed by Hettie MacDonald is set in the London estates and follows Ste and Jamie, two working class teen boys from broken homes who find comfort in each other’s arms during a sleepover.

Beautiful Thing, written by iconic British soap scribe Jonathan Harvey, is filled with humor and pathos, as Jamie’s mother, “Scary Mary” Sandra (Linda Henry), isn’t as tough as she seems. A memorable turn by EastEnders star Tameka Empson as Mama Cass worshiper and chaotic neighborhood gossip Leah, as well as a fantastic soundtrack of The Mamas & The Papas music make this a warm, funny, and heartrending story about finding community in the most difficult of life situations.

Rentable on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

Date And Switch

A poignant coming-out-of-age movie disguised as a funny, raunchy sex comedy, this 2014 film directed by Chris Nelson stars Succession’s Nicholas Braun as straight high school senior Michael whose best friend, Matty (Hunter Cope), unexpectedly comes out of the closet.

Michael sets out to get his newly gay best friend laid, but their friendship is tested when Matty meets slightly older Greg and starts to explore what it means to be gay. Date And Switch also has hilarious supporting characters played by comedy luminaries Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally (who don’t share a scene together, oddly), Sarah Hyland, Aziz Ansari, Gary Cole and a pre-50 Shades Dakota Johnson. 

Streaming on Vudu, Pluto and Tubi.

Geography Club

Based on the book by Brent Hartinger, this 2013 Gary Entin film is about a group of friends who form a secret LGBTQ+ support group that masquerades as an extracurricular geography club. Cameron Deane Stewart stars as Russell Middlebrook, who readers will recognize as a major recurring character in Hartinger’s other books. Justin Deeley plays closeted quarterback Kevin, but don’t expect the typical coming-out arc—Kevin goes on a surprising journey that won’t be spoiled here.

Geography Club is a really lovely, wholesome movie that feels right at home with the Love, Simon crowd. And, if you really want to see what happens to Russell after the movie, read the rest of the books to follow the character’s continuing adventures.

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Roku and Tubi.

Dorian Blues

Dorian Blues is the sort of movie you don’t see much anymore. A no-budget indie by Tennyson Bardwell starring a cast of mostly unknowns and released in 2004 to little fanfare, it follows the titular Dorian (Michael McMillian) as he comes out of the closet to his conservative family, bonds with his straight jock brother Nick (Lea Coco), hooks up with the only other gay guy he knows in the suburbs, moves to NYC and starts to flourish.

It’s a little episodic, and filmed with a funny, surreal tone that just screams “air this on Logo after 11 p.m.” While Dorian Blues is a little rough around the edges, movies like this walked so your more wholesome and happy-go-lucky Love, Simons could run.

Rentable on Amazon Prime Video.

The Kicker…

We must remember to be kind to our baby gays this Pride Month. And for our allies reading this—liberal moms, we’re looking at you!—early intervention is also an option. Please consider this amazing toy to bring out the sensitive side of your child.