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"Defiance" is based on the true story of a group of Jews in Belarus who successfully defied the Nazis, hid in the forest and maintained a self-contained society while losing only about 50 of their some 1,200 members. The "Bielski Partisans" represented the war's largest and most successful group of Jewish resisters, although when filmmakers arrived on the actual locations to film the story, they found no local memory of their activities, and, for many reasons, hardly any Jews. Edward Zwick's film shows how they survived, governed themselves, faced ethical questions and how their stories can be suited to the requirements of melodrama.

The story of "Defiance" has all the makings of a deep emotional experience, but I found myself oddly detached. Perhaps that's because most of the action and principal characters are within the group. The Nazis are seen in large part as an ominous threat out there somewhere in the forest, like "Those We Don't Speak Of" in M. Night Shyamalan's " The Village ." Do I require a major Nazi speaking part for the film to work? No, but the drama tends to focus on issues, conflicts and romances within the group, and in that sense could be a very good reality show but lacks the larger dimension of, say, " Schindler's List ."

What the film comes down to is a forest survival story, with a few scenes of Nazis trying to find and to destroy them and a few battle scenes that furnish the trailer and promise more of an action film. The survival story may contain omens for our own time. In the most fearsome of future scenarios, we may all have to survive in the wilderness, and we should be so lucky to have the Bielski brothers to help us. They were farmers, strong, fierce, skilled in survival skills, pragmatic.

The brothers are Tuvia Bielski ( Daniel Craig ), Zus Bielski ( Liev Schreiber ) and Asael ( Jamie Bell ). After they flee from genocide into the forest, others come hoping to join them, and word of their encampment spreads through the refugee underground. Tuvia decides early on that they must take in all Jews, even the helpless ones who cannot contribute; Zus, a firebrand, is less interested in saving Jews than killing Nazis, which he reasons will save more Jews. This conflict -- between helping our side or harming theirs -- is seen even today in the controversy over the invasion of Gaza, with Israel playing the role of the Bielski settlement.

The refugees sort out into leadership and support roles, feed their growing group largely by stealing food, establish such institutions as a hospital, a court, even a tannery. Romance blossoms, which is common in life but indispensable in a movie, and there are tender scenes which are awfully warmly lit and softly scored, under the circumstances. Craig and Schreiber bring conviction to their roles, differing so sharply that they even come to blows before the younger brother leaves to join the Russians (who hate Jews every bit as much as the Nazis do).

Early in the film, there's a scene where a feckless middle-aged man named Shimon Haretz ( Allan Corduner ) hopes to join the group and is asked what he does. He thinks maybe he's ... an intellectual. This is no use to the partisans, although he is allowed to stay. At the time of the story, the region was largely agrarian and peasant, and many were skilled craftsmen, artisans and laborers. I thought, I'm also an ... intellectual. Of what use would I be in the forest? The film works in a way as a cautionary tale. Most of us live in a precarious balance above the bedrock of physical labor. Someday we may all be Shimon Haretz.

The best performance, because it's more nuanced, is by Liev Schreiber. His Zus Bielski is more concerned with the big picture, more ideological, more driven by tactics. Daniel Craig is very effective as Tuvia, the group leader, but his character, perhaps of necessity, is concerned primarily with the organization, discipline and planning of the group. A farmer, he becomes an administrator, chief authority and court of last resort.

As a Nazi observes, not without admiration, the Bielskis set up a self-sustaining village in the wilderness. Their situation is more precarious because they are surrounded by anti-Semites not only from Germany but from Russia and Poland. They cooperate with Soviet forces out of necessity, but cannot delude themselves. Their efforts prevailed, and today there are thousands who would not have been born if they had not succeeded.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Defiance (2009)

Rated R for violence and brief language

137 minutes

Allan Corduner as Shimon Haretz

Alexa Davalos as Lilka

Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski

Liev Schreiber as Zus Bielski

Jamie Bell as Asael Bielski

Directed by

• Edward Zwick
• Clayton Frohman

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Den of Geek

Defiance film review

Daniel Craig leaps from the world of Bond to Ed Zwick's latest. And Lucy, contrary to many, is really rather taken with Defiance...

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After seeing trailers for Defiance , I was keen to see it. I’ve always been interested in the history and stories of World War II and as this film was based on true events during Nazi occupation, the base was there for a potentially gripping film.

Starring Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell, Defiance is set in Eastern Europe in 1941. Adolf Hitler is fully behind his plan to eradicate all Jews, and for all accounts, his plan is working. Thousands and thousands are massacred daily, either gassed or forced to dig ditches to bury the dead and then shot – the force of the bullets propelling them into the very holes they’ve just created.

On arriving at their parents’ farm, brothers Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) find their mother and father slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis. Fearing also for the life of their youngest brother Aron (George MacKay), they search the grounds and mercifully find him hiding underneath some floorboards in an outhouse. Knowing that the Nazis will come back to the farm to try and find the family members they did not kill the first time, the Bielskis gather what belongings they can and disappear into the Belarussian forests.

Soon, though, they are confronted by a welcome face. Tuvia (Daniel Craig), the oldest Bielski brother, is travelling through the woods and discovers his brothers sleeping rough amongst the trees. They have an emotional reunion in the woods, made more overwhelming by the fact the others have to break the news to Tuvia that their parents are dead, murdered by order of the Nazis.

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They know they cannot go back to their village as they will be hunted down like dogs, so decide that their only choice is to hide in the woods. It soon becomes apparent, though, that they are not the only ones that have had this idea. They come across more and more groups of Polish Jews hiding in the forest, desperate not to be herded into ghettos, or worse, concentration camps. They know if they are caught their chances of survival are slim, but living in the forest is difficult with little food and shelter.

After murdering the officer that commanded his parents’ death, Tuvia doesn’t feel much better. He realises that the best way to get revenge on Hitler and his cronies is simply to survive. Tuvia forms the Bielski Otriad, a group of partisans. They begin to live together as a community – foraging for food, building shelter and acquiring weapons. They also liberate some of their brethren from the ghettos and reunite separated families. Their group grows and grows, giving them strength, but also making them more difficult to hide.

What follows is the tale of how a determined band of brothers gather and protect over 1,000 persecuted Jews and emerge from the Belarussian forest three years later.

Defiance is, in spite of what many critics seem to be saying, a gripping film. You are drawn in immediately by genuine footage from the war, which serves to remind you that what you are about to watch really happened. The story was filmed on location in Lithuania, providing stunning backdrops to what is an enthralling story.

Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell and the relative unknowns Liev Schreiber and George MacKay all shine in this film. They do a grand job of portraying the Bielski brothers and the violent range of emotions they must have been feeling as their lives were turned upside down. I was glued to the screen, and really got caught up in the emotions of the story. After all, this really happened. People were given no choice but to run for their lives – or face Nazi concentration camps and firing squads.

Overall, I recommend checking this out, particularly if you have an interest in the period. It’s a touching story and does a very good job of bringing the brave actions of the brothers before the eyes of the world.

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28 January 2009

Lucy Felthouse

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Brave brothers risk all in brutal, graphic WWII epic.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Classic good-versus-evil situations. Bravery and s

Most of the characters aren't clearly "good" or "b

Violent battle scenes from beginning to end. Piles

A man's hand touches a woman's breast over her clo

Harsh swearing throughout, including all forms of

Multiple scenes of Russian soldiers, victims, surv

Parents need to know that this war movie isn't for kids. There are many fierce battles and violently graphic killings, as well as executions of unarmed citizens. Other images include hand-to-hand combat, mob beatings, point-blank shootings, and barbaric, inhumane treatment of the Jewish population. The language is…

Positive Messages

Classic good-versus-evil situations. Bravery and selflessness are shown to be powerful forces against the enemy. Meanwhile, the Nazis wreak havoc on the Polish Jews -- rounding them up, killing them, bombing them, and spraying bullets into large groups of people (including women and children).

Positive Role Models

Most of the characters aren't clearly "good" or "bad." For instance, Russian soldiers are shown to be heroic but also anti-Semitic. And the Jewish victims who fight back are shown to be both honorable and selfish, just and unjust.

Violence & Scariness

Violent battle scenes from beginning to end. Piles of naked bodies lie in a dry river bed; babies and children are wrenched from parents' arms and slaughtered; bombs are dropped on fleeing victims. There are many instances of cold-blooded, point-blank shooting, including the execution of entire families. There are also vicious fist fights, stabbings, and a lengthy scene in which an angry mob beats and stomps a Nazi soldier to death.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A man's hand touches a woman's breast over her clothes. Several passionate kisses. One couple is shown embracing, with their bare shoulders visible above blankets to indicate a post-sexual moment.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Harsh swearing throughout, including all forms of "f--k" and many instances of "s--t," "bitch, " and "hell."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Multiple scenes of Russian soldiers, victims, survivors, and partisans drinking vodka. One leading character drinks heavily. Several scenes in which men drink until they become very drunk. Camaraderie inspired by drunkenness appears to be the only form of recreation available to these people who are hiding out for years.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this war movie isn't for kids. There are many fierce battles and violently graphic killings, as well as executions of unarmed citizens. Other images include hand-to-hand combat, mob beatings, point-blank shootings, and barbaric, inhumane treatment of the Jewish population. The language is very strong as well, with lots of harsh swearing. There's some suggested sexuality, but nothing explicit and no nudity. Soldiers and resistance members drink vodka in many scenes, sometimes to excess. But if they can handle the intense content, this movie could offer mature teens and young adults a valuable look at a momentous period of recent world history and a vivid example of heroism -- as well as power and prejudice run amok. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (6)
• Kids say (13)

Based on 6 parent reviews

Violence is not the main message

What's the story.

At the height of the Nazi occupation of Poland, three Jewish brothers find their family slaughtered and other Jews being rounded up in the countryside -- with mass killings or extermination camps their sure fate. The brothers escape into the dense Belarussian forest; on the way, eldest brother Tuvia Bielski ( Daniel Craig ) comes to the rescue of a small group of terrified Jews on the run. The refugees follow the brothers into the forest, against the better judgment of volatile middle brother Zus ( Liev Schreiber ), who's certain that their presence will make them all more vulnerable. With Tuvia's help, more and more displaced Jews find their way to the constantly moving Bielski encampment, and a fragile community is established. Some of the able-bodied join forces with the Russian resistance, while others remain with Tuvia, fighting the Nazis and disrupting their brutal purpose. Lives are lost; relationships are built; bravery and sacrifice are rewarded.

Is It Any Good?

Edward Zwick wants to make passionate movies, and DEFIANCE is no exception. The story of a Jewish arm of the Resistance hasn't been told before, not like this. The film is exciting, shot with skill and a singular ability to show the harrowing savagery and heroic behavior that lived and breathed in the early 1940s.

Defiance is less successful when it zeroes in on the stories of the individual people who make up the refugee community. Then the filmmakers rely on certain stereotypes: the intellectual chess players, the leering hothead, the sibling rivalry. Still, it's well worth seeing, if only as an important reminder of where the world has been and how much care must be taken never to return there.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about why so many movies about World War II and the Holocaust are still being made so long after the events occurred. What connection do stories about these events have with today's world?

Are there still instances in which strong beliefs set people apart and against one another? How do you think the media will end up treating current conflicts further down the line?

Why do you think the Bielski brothers were heroic? What made them different from the people who were afraid to stand up for themselves?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 31, 2008
• On DVD or streaming : June 1, 2009
• Cast : Daniel Craig , Jamie Bell , Liev Schreiber
• Director : Edward Zwick
• Studio : Paramount Vantage
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 137 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : violence and language
• Last updated : July 17, 2023

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D uring the Second World War, Hollywood produced a number of films extolling the bravery of Soviet troops and guerrillas - The North Star, Counter-Attack, Days of Glory - most of them involving Jewish actors, directors and writers. What they didn't touch on, and no one has until now, is the bravery of eastern European Jews who stood up to the Nazi invaders.

And I must say that, until the appearance of Defiance, I was unaware of the Bielski brothers, three farmers in Nazi-occupied Byelorussia (now Belarus), who took to the forests in 1941 as partisans after the slaughter of their parents and girlfriends and ended up saving more than 1,000 fellow Jews from death in the extermination camps. Two of the brothers survived the war and emigrated to New York, where they became truck drivers, rarely speaking about their extraordinary adventures until late in life.

Director and co-writer Edward Zwick brings to the film the same feel for place and a skill at handling battle sequences that inform his best movie Glory (the US Civil War), Courage Under Fire (the first Gulf War) and Blood Diamond (civil war in Sierra Leone). Otherwise, it is a fairly conventional combat movie centring on the rivalry between stern, unsmiling Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig) and his less humane brother Zus (Liev Schreiber, giving the film's most authoritative performance). Tuvia believes in saving people, whatever their age, at whatever risk. Zus's commitment to survival of the fittest leads him to command a breakaway faction that makes common cause with a regiment of antisemitic Russians.

The conflict is dramatised rather crudely at the film's midpoint. Tuvia is a celebrant at the traditional Jewish marriage of his young brother Asael (Jamie Bell), held outdoors in the snow with an elderly rabbi officiating and a congregation dancing to fiddle music. Meanwhile, Zus is accompanying the Russians to ambush a German convoy. Zwick cross-cuts between the two until the precise moment when Asael the bridegroom crushes the ritual glass beneath his foot and Zus opens fire on the enemy.

There is a deal of high-flown rhetoric: "We must not be like them, even though we are forced to kill like them"; "Our revenge is to live"; "We will become warriors like the Maccabees." And the love interest is predictable. But what is most striking is the ruthlessness shown by both Tuvia and Zus, who begin by killing Russian collaborators in cold blood, shoot down those who challenge their leadership and end up slaughtering Germans with a glee associated with Hollywood wartime propaganda entertainments.

It took the American cinema quite a time to make pictures like Exodus and Cast a Giant Shadow, which presented Jews fighting for the creation of Israel, but this week is not, I think, the best moment for a picture celebrating them in ruthless, take-no-prisoners mode.

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Review by Brian Eggert January 17, 2009

Given the noble and heroic origins of the true story surrounding the Bielski Brothers, partisans determined to save hundreds of Jews from encroaching Nazis by removing them from the ghettos and hiding them in the Naliboki Forest of then-Belorussia, Defiance should have all the trappings of a stirring historical action-drama. Unfortunately, director Edward Zwick, nobly determined to depict the Jews as resistance fighters versus passive victims, tells his story flatly with reductive themes that seem familiar and tired, even though this story is largely untold.

Four Bielski brothers—Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), Asael (Jamie Bell), and the youngest Aron (George MacKay)—survive Nazi raids, their own families murdered, and escape to the woods to hide, endure, and gather themselves. The Bielskis are known throughout their lands as rebels against local authorities, and their insubordinate nature allows them to carry on whatever the extreme. Others have the same idea to flee into the forest and soon a small community blossoms, complete with do-it-yourself bunkers and huts. Throughout the war, the Bielskis organized around 1,200 fellow Jews, teaching them survivalist ways of defense, relying on “donations” from nearby farms for food and tools, and moving camp whenever enemy patrols threatened to discover them.

The film depicts some conflict between the brothers, as dignified Tuvia believes their staying power is the same as fighting, but the spirited Zus believes in violent retribution. Craig does a fine job as the staid leader defending righteousness, though Schreiber gives the most compelling performance because his character is constantly at ends with himself. Eventually, Zus departs to fight with the Soviet partisans, a more active military group also hiding in the forests but taking a more active stance against the Nazis. They despise Jews almost as much as the Nazis. But Zus just wants to kill Germans, so he tolerates their anti-Semitism in exchange for the opportunity of vengeance. The other two brothers are largely untapped. Asael spends his time crooning his future “forest wife” Chaya (Mia Wasikowska). Aron represents humanist sensitivity, the camera cutting to his face whenever one of the other brothers needs to be reminded of their conscience.

There’s been something of an overload of Holocaust movies in theaters over the past few months; each offers something different for its viewers by way of attitude toward the atrocity. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas centered solely on the victims. The Reader discussed the phenomenon of individual humanism and the capacity for forgiveness. Valkyrie attempted to create a thriller without the possibility of suspense since we already knew the plot to kill Hitler failed. Where Defiance falls short is its script, written by Zwick and Clayton Frohman and based on the 1993 novel Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec, as the screenwriters have bogged it down with sappy love subplots and melodramatic power struggles within the makeshift community.

Of course, movies about history aren’t supposed to remain jealously devoted to facts. After all, there are moviegoers to entertain! Zwick is ardently devoted to entertainment value, even if it means sacrificing the dignity of his otherwise stimulating story. He has condensed inspiring and important historical truths before in Glory and Blood Diamond , and ignored history altogether with The Last Samurai . But that doesn’t mean those pictures aren’t diverting in the simplest ways possible. His insight, however, leaves something to be desired when he forgoes truly challenging and gravely serious material for such a run-of-the-mill approach.

Defiance manages to keep the viewer barely involved for its 137-minute running time, hanging on to the basics of the human drama and actionized plot through Zwick’s intelligible and straightforward direction. Certainly, the film’s fundamental popular entertainment approach gets the viewer right in the gut. Forgiving the mundane story for its limited capacity may prove more demanding, as the production undoubtedly had the potential to be something grand and epic, but instead chose to be routine. When there’s nothing customary about the narrative, indeed, the real Bielskis deserved something much more unconventional and artistically worthy filmmaking to tell their story.

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Metacritic reviews

• 88 Premiere Premiere The perfect antidote to the post-holiday blues. It's exciting, well-acted, touching, and genuine.
• 75 ReelViews James Berardinelli ReelViews James Berardinelli The battle scenes are well choreographed and contain enough uncertainty to make them genuinely exciting, but one would expect no less from a man who has overseen Civil War engagements (Glory) and Japanese strife (The Last Samurai).
• 63 TV Guide Magazine TV Guide Magazine A Holocaust film that's light on sentimentality but high on human drama, Defiance tells one of those remarkable survival stories that's so incredible it must be true.
• 63 USA Today Claudia Puig USA Today Claudia Puig The tale of the resistance movement in Belorussia is undeniably inspiring and ideally suited for a cinematic rendering. But Defiance resists bold, passionate storytelling and delivers something rather conventional.
• 60 The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen That butting of heads, as performed by actors as strong and soulful as Craig and Schreiber, lends Defiance an emotional charge, even as the film itself struggles dramatically to find its way out of those woods.
• 60 NPR Bob Mondello NPR Bob Mondello It's an inspiring story, if one that doesn't need quite as much poetic inspiration as Ed Zwick's movie insists on giving it, with dialogue that's too often ornate and parable-inflected.
• 60 Village Voice Village Voice There are subtitles and vaguely East European accents; there is romance and rebirth, tears and regular pauses for gallows humor (at which we Jews are known to be very good, on account of our long history of persecution).
• 50 Variety Todd McCarthy Variety Todd McCarthy A potentially exceptional story is told in a flatly unexceptional manner.
• 50 The New York Times A.O. Scott The New York Times A.O. Scott Defiance presents itself as an explicit correction of the cultural record, a counterpoint to all those lachrymose World War II tales of helplessness and victimhood. This is a perfectly honorable intention, but the problem is that, in setting out to overturn historical stereotypes of Jewish passivity, Mr. Zwick (who co-wrote the screenplay with Clayton Frohman) ends up affirming them.
• 50 Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan Defiance has some genuine strengths but also some weaker elements, and these opposing traits battle it out kind of the way the contentious Bielskis fought not only the Germans but each other.
• See all 34 reviews on Metacritic.com
• See all external reviews for Defiance

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In a small Jewish village in Nazi-occupied Poland, fanatical Nazi SS troopers attack unexpectedly and all of the inhabitants are forced from their homes and shipped to concentration camps to face imminent death. The three Bielski brothers ­ Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael (Jamie Bell) ­ escape the roundup and hide in the Byelorussian forests as the storm troopers ruthlessly haul away their friends and neighbors. They have two choices ­ surrender to the fascists or fight ­ and the tough band of brothers decide to make a stand against the Nazi oppressors to show their “Defiance.”

Laura's Review: C

Robin's review: b.

Director Edward Zwick came to filmmaking fame with his based-on-fact and finely-crafted 1989 film “Glory.” His filmography is impressive, since, with such works as “Courage Under Fire,” “The Siege” and “Blood Diamonds.” Even his films that less-than-thrilled me, “Legends of the Fall” and “The Last Sumurai,” still show his excellent craftwork and ability to create sweeping epics. “Defiance” falls in between the former and the latter films. Another based-on-a-true-story flick, “Defiance” again shows that Zwick has a real talent in recreating the look and feel of his subject and time, making his latest great to look at. The story of the battle for survival against the Nazis is a well traveled one and put me in mind of Lewis Milestone’s 1943 anti-fascist “The North Star” and Paul Verhoven’s 1977 “Soldier of Orange.” The craftwork is, once again, there in “Defiance” but the adaptation of the Nechama Tec book (by Zwick and Clayton Frohman) is passionate but stilted. I do not think that it is intentionally derivative but it’s smart and cunning David against the monolithic monster Goliath has been done before. Acting is solid but not memorable with Daniel Craig playing out of his usual tough guy persona as the pacifism-embracing Tuvia, a man who sees saving lives and his Jewish community just as important as being strong in their fight against the Nazis. Liev Schreiber plays the militant Bielski brother, Zus, who is as dedicated to fight and kill the Nazis as Tuvia is to save Jewish lives. Jamie Bell, as youngest sibling Asael, is bland, almost transparent, in his role. Supporting characters are generic. It is the look of “Defiance” that is the draw. Cinematographer Eduardo Serra does an excellent job lensing, using an overall bluish hue that gives the film a monochromic look that lends to the cold harshness of war. Attention to nearly all details is first rate, with the exception of the obvious CGI used to create the snow effects. That is a niggling complaint on the fine production. The story needed a new twist.

Laura's Score: C

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has been produced by Robin and Laura Clifford at the Malden, Massachusetts cable access television station, MATV, since March 16, 1991.

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The 12 Best LGBTQ+ Movies on Max Right Now (June 2024)

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Just because Pride Month is almost over, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate LGBTQ+ stories year-round. With movies from across the spectrum of representation, Max is one of the best places to experience the evolution of queer films throughout the decades with their extensive library. From coming-of-age stories to rich cultural dramas about embracing who you truly are, here are our top picks to get your Pride flag waving.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Max across all genres.

'The Fallout' (2022)

Rotten tomatoes: 93% | imdb: 7.0/10.

The Fallout

The directorial debut of writer and actor Megan Park ( The Secret Life of the American Teenager ), The Fallout , starring Jenna Ortega ( Scream ) and Maddie Ziegler ( West Side Story ), is a heart-wrenching story deeply rooted in the anxieties of the current generation. The story follows Vada and Mia (Orteg and Ziegler, respectively) as two high school students on opposite sides of the popularity scale who quickly form a tight bond after the trauma of surviving a school shooting. Mass shootings are a common occurrence in the United States, and although the endless gun-control debate tends to be the focus afterward, the survivors are often left in a liminal space of trauma with few resources to help them find a path forward. It makes sense this film took South by Southwest by storm, considering the amazing cast and poignant writing that perfectly captures the ways that such a tragedy in one’s formative years can affect one's path forward by disrupting their family life, friendships, and future.

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'Shiva Baby' (2021)

Rotten tomatoes: 96% | imdb: 7.1/10.

Written and directed by Emma Seligman ( Bottoms ) in her directorial debut, Shiva Baby follows a young Jewish college student played by Rachel Sennott ( Bottoms ) trying to navigate a shiva with her parents while avoiding her ex-girlfriend and sugar daddy. Based on a short Seligman created years prior, she expertly expands the themes of this captivating story while showcasing her outstanding directing skills. Seligman unfolds the events like a play, generally taking place in a single location and in near real-time, which gives the story a sense of chaotic momentum while letting the audience linger in the more awkward moments with nowhere to escape. This choice gives the film an intimate feel, putting the audience right alongside Sennott’s Danielle, who wants nothing more than to escape this shiva with her sanity.

'The Stroll' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 95% | imdb: 7.1/10.

The Stoll is an award-winning documentary by directors Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker focusing on the history of trans sex workers in New York in the '80s and '90s. The narrative shines light on the experiences of the Black and Latina trans women who fought tooth and nail just to survive in a city that rejected their existence. Through interviews, archival footage, and personal stories, Lovell and Drucker paint a vivid picture of the violence, discrimination, and demonization they suffered as policing and gentrification constantly tried to push them out of the Meatpacking District. Many of the first-hand accounts of this period are equally harrowing and heartbreaking. However, the greatest feeling the documentary evokes is admiration. Despite all the abuse and harassment, these women are the pinnacle of endurance and self-love with inspirational tales of struggle and perseverance.

'Moonlight' (2016)

Rotten tomatoes: 98% | imdb: 7.4/10.

Writer and director Barry Jenkins ( If Beale Street Could Talk ) brings us the story of a lifetime that follows a young man growing up during the crack epidemic as he moves through the different phases of his life and discovers his identity and sexuality. Moonlight earns every ounce of praise as it deftly peels back the many layers of growing up as a young Black man trying to understand queerness while carrying the weight of societal expectations of masculinity. But it’s not just the writing and direction that stand out (even though they are absolutely fantastic) but the casting as well. The central character, Chiron, is played by three actors throughout the movie: Alex R. Hibbert ( The Chi ), Ashton Sanders ( Judas and the Black Messiah ), and Trevante Rhodes ( Mike ), and each brings something new to the character as he gets older, adding rich and authentic layers to the story. And that's not even to mention the grounded and captivating performances of Mahershala Ali ( True Detective ) and Naomie Harris ( Skyfall ).

'The Color Purple' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 81% | imdb: 6.8/10.

The Color Purple (2023)

In the latest adaptation of Alice Walker’s groundbreaking novel of the same name, The Color Purple takes the stage musical and commits it to film. The beats are similar — a coming-of-age tale about Celie Harris ( Fantasia Barrino ), a young Black woman living in the American South not long after the fall of slavery who endures a brutal abusive relationship while coming into her own. However, director Blitz Bazawule ( The Burial of Kojo ) and writer Marcus Gardley ( The Chi ) have taken this opportunity to embrace an aspect of the story that is often left by the wayside: Celie’s intimate relationship with Shug Avery ( Taraji P. Henson ). It has been a topic of discussion for decades, despite Walker’s vocal support and stated intention for this relationship to be explicitly queer and loving as a gift of representation to her lesbian and bisexual friends. Now, Walker’s vision comes to life with a stellar cast of singers and actors that light up every scene.

'Paris is Burning' (1990)

Rotten tomatoes: 98% | imdb: 8.2/10.

Paris is Burning

Paris is Burning is an absolute ball! Chronicling the New York City Drag Ball scene of the 80s, this documentary captures a moment in time that would ripple out for decades to follow. Anyone who loves RuPaul’s Drag Race , Madonna ’s hit single “Vogue, or even the occasional drag brunch with friends should thank the innovative and fun-loving community of Black and Latino LGBTQ+ performers and activists who found joy even during the turbulent struggle to be accepted by the broader society. This extensive and deep dive into the golden age of ball culture is not just a wonderful showcase of queer expression but a remarkable reminder of the ways that communities take care of one another and provide a place to belong for even the most marginalized groups.

'Moonage Daydream' (2022)

Rotten tomatoes: 92% | imdb: 7.2/10.

Moonage Daydream

Filmmaker Brett Morgen ( Cobain: Montage of Heck ) presents a visual and auditory roadmap that leads viewers through the life of revolutionary multi-genre songwriter, performer, and bisexual icon David Bowie . Morgen takes the psychedelic space-faring iconography that Bowie embraced through characters like Ziggy Stardust and bathes the montage-style documentary in kaleidoscopic lenses and far-out colorscapes — honestly, it’s a vibe. As a film that leans heavily on the collection of hours and hours of archival footage that Bowie left in his wake, it does a great job of letting Bowie’s actions and words speak for themselves and doesn’t try to inject any narratives into his story. It’s a bold choice that lets the audience truly sit with the legacy of everyone’s favorite Starman.

'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 95% | imdb: 7.5/10​​​.

All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

Typically, when people envision social movements, the first images they see are the marches, the first sounds they hear are the speeches, and the first things they remember are the clashes between two opposing parties. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a story about the artists and activists that both immortalize those moments for posterity but also inspire the movements that create them. The documentary is a biographical film following renowned activist and photographer Nan Goldin , who not only used her art to expose and document the devastating effects of the AIDS crisis on the LGBTQ+ community in the 80s but also led a full-scale campaign to remove the Sackler Family from the art world in response to their role in the opioid epidemic. Oscar-winning director Laura Poitras ( Citizenfour ) expertly utilizes Goldin’s photography to capture the passion and energy of her advocacy group, P.A.I.N.

'Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 91% | imdb: 7.3/10.

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Rock Hudson was one of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood, but the celebrity status that comes with that kind of fame ultimately became a cage that kept him from being his true self in public. Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed looks back on the double life Hudson was forced to live as he tried to maintain his “ladies' man” persona while hiding that he was gay. Like many in the gay community during the AIDS crisis, Hudson was failed by his peers, the entertainment industry, and society at large. Director Stephen Kijak ( If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd ) uses archival footage and interviews with Hudson’s closest friends to tell his tragic story and show the ways that societal stigma and pressure contributed to his ultimate fate.

'The Watermelon Woman' (1997)

Rotten tomatoes: 92% | imdb: 7.1/10.

The Watermelon Woman

Touted as the first feature film by a Black lesbian, The Watermelon Woman is an intersectional romantic comedy that digs into topics like interracial dating and the erasure of Black contributions to cinema. Writer and Director Cheryl Dunye ( The Owls ) also stars in this meta-commentary about being a Black filmmaker, and we follow her character as she tries to track down a Black actress she admires from the '30s known only as “The Watermelon Woman." On her journey, she discovers that she and the actress have more in common than she realized. This film has a scrappy vibe that complements the premise of a video store worker making a documentary, and Dunye brings a unique charm to the whole film that makes you want to see her succeed — both as a character and filmmaker.

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'Desert Hearts' (1986)

Rotten tomatoes: 90% | imdb: 7.1/10.

Desert Hearts

A lovely adaptation of the Jane Rule novel, Desert Hearts is a sapphic romance with a lot of heart starring Helen Shaver ( The Amityville Horror ) and Patricia Charbonneau ( Manhunter ). Shaver shines as Vivian, who has to settle down in Reno while she waits for her divorce to be finalized, infusing her with a delightful curiosity that draws the audience in just as much as it does her co-lead and love interest Cay, portrayed by Charbonneau, who wraps the character in layers upon layers of complexity. The push and pull of the interplay between the two leads is mesmerizing as they bounce emotions off one another in defiance of what they think they want out of life. Anyone looking for a nice slow-burn romance, this is the film for you.

'The Normal Heart' (2014)

Rotten tomatoes: 94% | imdb: 7.9/10.

The Normal Heart

From prolific genre-hopping writer and producer Ryan Murphy ( Pose ), The Normal Heart adapts the mostly autobiographical play written by playwright and gay rights activist Larry Kramer . This gripping drama tells the story of the founding of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) organization in response to the atrocious systemic response (or lack thereof) to the AIDS epidemic ravaging their community. Something that stands out about this movie is the number of openly gay actors in the cast, including two standouts: Matt Bomer ( Doom Patrol ) and Jim Parsons ( Hidden Figures ), who both came out later in their careers and now get to represent different aspects of the queer experience. Bomer especially digs into his role as the closeted Felix Turner. This film is an extraordinary dramatization that illustrates the power of community organizing while reminding viewers about the real human cost of the epidemic.