What will make her list?
Based on Patrick McCabe’s novel, Breakfast on Pluto is the story of a trans-woman discovering herself against the backdrop of The Troubles in Ireland. Played flawlessly by Cillian Murphy, Breakfast on Pluto is darkly comic, sometimes uplifting, and sometimes disturbing, but always one hell of a journey. It is not afraid to explore the darkness inherent in the IRA attacks, but through our heroine’s (named Kitty in the film, Pussy in the book) dream-like narration, the audience feels just as detached from the situation as Kitty herself, which is why when something terrible does happen, it’s all the more shocking.
This camp Australian classic is the story of two drag queens (Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) and a trans woman (Terence Stamp) travelling across the desert to perform a drag show in Alice Springs. The titular Priscilla is the name of the bus they travel in, but this film is more than a road movie. It is a frequently hilarious, always uplifting story of acceptance and fabulous-ness. A particular highlight is when the three perform I Will Survive for a delighted aboriginal community, both groups marginalized by society.
Hilary Swank’s star-making role is the true story of teenager Brandon Teena, and earned Swank her first Academy Award. The horrifying and heartbreaking story of Brandon, a trans male, wisely avoids sensationalism and is instead a beautiful lament for a tragic free spirit. Co-starring Chloe Sevigny as Teena’s girlfriend Lana, Boys Don’t Cry is thought-provoking, intense, and ensures that Teena’s story will never be forgotten.
Nobody would argue that The Rocky Horror Picture Show presents a positive portrayal of the trans community, but it also doesn’t have a positive portrayal of anyone else. Rocky Horror is camp and ludicrous, and anyone wishing to take the film seriously should consider watching something else. Tim Curry is Dr Frank-n-Furter, the psychotic, alluring figure from “Transexual, Transylvania”. All actors wish they had a role as iconic as Curry’s, or could pull off a corset as well.
“Nobody’s perfect,” says this film’s final line, but Some Like It Hot is the perfect comedy. Starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, the film is the story of two men hiding out as women after witnessing the St Valentine’s Day Massacre. While the men are not trans, the iconic final scene, wherein Osgood doesn’t seem to care that the woman he wants to marry is a man, is refreshing for a 1959 film, and utterly hilarious for being so uncharacteristic of the era. Also notable is the fact that, while much of the humour comes from the men impersonating women, neither women nor the trans community are the butt of the joke.
Everyone knows the twist of The Crying Game by now. For some people, it’s all they know about The Crying Game. But the trans identity of one of the characters is not the only significant aspect of this film. It is also a deep, shocking exploration of the IRA attacks and The Troubles, nationality, and racism. Stephen Rea is fantastic as IRA footsoldier Fergus, but of course it is Jaye Davidson’s Dil that is the most iconic role, and rightly so. While the representation of the trans community is far from perfect, Davidson plays Dil beautifully, and the film reflects attitudes towards that community present during the setting, and unfortunately, are still present today.
Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman as an out-of-work actor who instead takes a female role, is not afraid to mix the serious and the absurd, It is a film with a lot of heart, and has a lot to say about sexism in society. It does this so effectively by employing farce, making the audience laugh and giving us a jolly good time, but has some very sharp observations along the way. Hoffman is excellent as the lead, while Jessica Lange won an Oscar for her role as Julie. As a fan of over-the-top American soap operas, the fact that Tootsie pokes fun at the genre is also joyous.
Transamerica stars Felicity Huffman as Bree, a transwoman taking a road trip with her long-lost son. The trans in the title refers both to Bree’s gender identity, and to the road trip central to the movie. Huffman shines in an unconventional film, but one that is ultimately touching and has much to say about parent-and-child dynamics, transphobia, and ultimately love and acceptance. Huffman is an empathetic lead, while Kevin Zegers is wonderful as her troubled hustler son, Toby.
The film with the best title on this list is another road trip movie. However, unlike Priscilla or Transamerica, the characters are all drag queens as opposed to identifying as trans, but it still has uses humour regarding the trans community in a positive way. The three leads, played by Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo, are all delighful in this camp and knowing adventure that tackles prejudice and stereotype with laughter.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a musical comedy drama from Shortbus director John Cameron Mitchell, who also portrays Hedwig, the East German trans singer of a fictional rock band. At times emotionally poignant, but with rock and roll at it’s heart, Hedwig is a delight amongst cult-audiences. Mitchell is wonderful as Hedwig, fabulous and tragic, strong and vulnerable. And the music, based on the musical of the same name, is fantastic.