Image Credit: ‘Otto; or, Up with Dead People,’ Strand Releasing
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!
Did you see the TV glow?
Jane Schoenbrun’s revelatory new horror film, I Saw The TV Glow, is about two teens whose obsession with a cult Buffy-esque show leads to a dark, reality-warping mystery after the show is canceled. The disturbing but spellbinding film stars queer actors Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine as the two teens grappling with identity as their reality and the series they love appear to blend together. Between the acclaimed film and their 2021 narrative feature debut We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, trans filmmaker Schoenbrun has distinguished themself as one of the next great horror auteurs.
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Inspired by Schoebrun, this week’s streaming picks are horror films from LGBTQ+ directors. Trigger warnings for scary stuff are officially in effect, so reader beware!
Read on for queer-coded horror to stream this weekend.
Nightbreed
Iconic gay writer and director Clive Barker, known for his legendary Hellraiser series, directed this 1990 film based on his novella Cabal. Craig Sheffer stars in this unique fantasy-horror as Aaron Boone, a troubled man suspected of being a serial killer. When Boone has to go on the run to prove his innocence, he finds refuge with a group of strange, humanoid outcasts named the Nightbreed. The themes of this film could easily be seen as an allegory for being queer and finding your community and chosen family.
Now streaming on Peacock, Stars, Screambox, Plex, Cineverse, and Midnight Pulp.
Suspiria
Queer director Luca Guadagnino is having a major moment right now. The man behind Call Me By Your Name and the heart-racing new film Challengers—yes, the one with the Zendaya-led throuple—staged a daring and shocking remake of the seminal Italian slasher Suspiria. The 2018 update stars Dakota Johnson, scream queen Mia Goth and the iconic Tilda Swinton in a cerebral, operatic epic about a coven of witches that lead an intense ballet academy. The sensual and provocative portrayal of the witches is pretty sapphic, and Swinton’s performance—which we can’t spoil here—is extremely queer. Just watch carefully!
Now streaming on Prime Video and Freevee. Available to rent digitally on Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and Microsoft Store.
Happy Death Day
This 2017 black comedy, directed by Christopher Landon, asks the question: “What if Groundhog’s Day but murder?” B*tchy sorority girl Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) wakes up one day to find that a serial killer is out to get her on campus. Every time she dies—which is quite often!—she wakes up and has to relive the day. As Tree tries to figure out what’s going on and how to break the loop, she also begins to reckon with her decisions and painful past. But while there’s some surprising pathos here, Happy Death Day is absurdly funny and wickedly clever.
Available to rent digitally on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and Microsoft Store.
Otto; Or, Up With Dead People
Bruce LaBruce’s provocative 2008 art film is a weird one, but also captivating. Otto (Jey Crisfar) is a young zombie (maybe) who hitches a ride to Berlin from the countryside and finds himself cast in a zombie adult film. That’s the high-level premise of this strange and wonderful film, but you’ll need to watch it to get the full experience. Just know this movie is quite explicit, so don’t watch it at work!
Now streaming on Tubi. Available to rent digitally on Amazon.
The Kicker…
In this hilarious video, drag superstars Trixie and Katya sit down to watch Mike Flanagan’s gothic horror series, The Haunting Of Bly Manor. Spoiler alert: they have a lot to say.
