1985: Desert Hearts
In 1950s Nevada, professor Vivian Bell gets a divorce and finds herself drawn to out lesbian Cay Rivers in this atypical western-esque film.
1986: Parting Glances
As Michael and Robert, a gay couple in New York, prepare for Robert's departure for a two-year work assignment in Africa, Michael must face Robert's true motives for leaving.
1988: Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein's re-creation of the Broadway play chronicles a New Yorker's search for love, respect and acceptance in a world in which he canÕt find his place.
1990: Longtime Companion
The AIDS epidemic gets a face through a small circle of friends living in the early '80s.
1993: Philadelphia
After a gay lawyer infected with AIDS is fired from his conservative law firm out of narrow-mindedness, he sues with the help of a homophobic lawyer.
1995: Boys on the Side
A chic trio, including lesbian nightclub singer Jane, travels the U.S. and overcomes several potholes along the way.
1996: The Birdcage
A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion play straight so that their son can introduce them to his fiancŽ's right-wing moralistic parents.
1997: In & Out
A high school English teacher is outed as a gay man by a former student while accepting an Academy Award.
1999: Boys Don't Cry
Brandon Teena's life ends young when he's raped and murdered once words gets around that he used to be a she.
2000: Broken Hearts Club
A gay group of friends share their love of life and baseball in West Hollywood.
2002: The Hours
Meryl Streep plays Mrs. Dalloway, a lesbian woman who's throwing a party for her AIDS-inflicted friend, in this Virginia Woolf-inspired tale that traces three women's tales.
2005: Rent
The live musical-to-movie rendition traces the modern day life of those living with AIDS.
2005: Brokeback Mountain
Although the film became the butt of jokes on late-night TV shows, the story about two sheepherders who shield their love for each other grossed a whopping $83-million.
Note: This timeline is not all-inclusive. It represents significant mainstream films with powerful LGBT characters and/or themes.
