EDGE Rewind: The Steamiest Queer Film Scenes of 2022
EDGE is reaching into its archive and sharing some of our favorite stories from the past.
As we close out 2022 and look forward to new movies on the horizon in the new year, it's easy to remember some of the best scenes that made us, you know, a bit hot and bothered. Some fantastic movies in 2022 and some not-so-great ones have provided steamy scenes that might have fogged up our glasses. Some big A-list stars, up-and-coming actors, and even a world-renowned pop star captured sex onscreen and invited us to join, if just for a little while. In a year like no other, here are the sexiest queer scenes of 2022.
"Fire Island"
Writer and star Joel Kim Booster gave audiences a hot and hilarious romantic comedy in "Fire Island," the story about friendship and sex on the famous New York vacation spot. Notable for its take on "Pride and Prejudice" for a modern queer era, "Fire Island" boasts a handful of sexy scenes that include a variety of naked men built for the viewer's pleasure and a blow job in the covert room of the Blue Whale club that goes horribly wrong when Noah (Booster) accidentally hits a guy in the face. It's incredibly sensual and simultaneously funny.
Noah is often in a contentious battle with Will (Conrad Ricamora), but the two have an odd attraction to one another despite their different personalities. Another scene in particular showcases Will's dance moves in a club on "Underwear Night," where he catches Noah's drug-induced attention. The two get sweaty on the dance floor as they eye fuck one another. Things appear to be heading in the direction of Will's bed for a brief moment, but the two get interrupted, and the mood shifts. Don't worry though, the movie concludes with a happy ending for all involved.
"Fire Island" is available to stream on Hulu.
"Bros"
Even though "Bros" didn't fare well at the box office this year, it might have had the wittiest and most sensual scenes of 2022. Writer and star Billy Eichner tells the story of two single men meeting and falling in lust for one another. Bobby (Eichner) attempts to navigate a new relationship with hot jock Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), and they engage in foursomes before even trying to have a one-on-one sexual encounter. When the two finally get the chance to have a private moment, their sex is animalistic, hilarious, and raw. The scene is strengthened by the two romantic leads comically hitting one another as they try to become the Alpha males neither of them really are. It's remarkably effective, underrated, and sexy, to say the least.
"Bros" is available to stream on Peacock.
"My Policeman"
Based on the novel of the same name by Bethan Roberts, pop superstar Harry Styles takes on a gay love story set in 1950s-era England. While the movie, and much of Styles' performance, left audiences wanting a better version, sex is on full display in this period drama. In the throws of passion under the radar when sex with another man was illegal, museum curator Patrick (David Dawson) gives a blowjob to police officer Tom (Styles), and the seduction grows from there. Their lovemaking is carnal yet tasteful, and when the two engage in full intercourse, it is deeply felt through admiring glances, passionate kissing, and orgasmic facial expressions. There is some nudity, but mostly the scenes play out like brief encounters of lust turning into love.
"My Policeman" is available to stream on Prime Video.
"The Inspection"
A biographical drama, Jeremy Pope stars as Ellis, a gay man who enlists in the Marines during the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era. Often thrown for a loop by his homophobic mother and fellow cadets, Ellis is forced to hide his sexuality to succeed in his chosen profession. His experience at boot camp is elevated by encounters with his drill instructor Rosales (Raúl Castillo), and Ellis' crush on Rosales results in delusions of grandeur. One scene depicts Ellis giving Rosales a blowjob in the bathroom, and the camera focuses longingly on Rosales' face. The scene sizzles, both because the two men are absurdly attractive and also for the wish-fulfillment nature of the sequence.
"The Inspection" is currently in theaters.
"The Last Thing Mary Saw"
Set in a New England Puritan society in 1843, "The Last Thing Mary Saw" is a supernatural horror flick with lesbian tendencies. Set against the backdrop of a murder investigation amongst the religiously repressed, Mary (Stefanie Scott) reminisces about a chance encounter with her family's maid Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman). A salacious kiss memorializes the tense scene of the two women crossing forbidden boundaries underneath their traditional Puritan garb. A significant change for both women as they face the consequences of their actions, their affair sets off a chain reaction that leaves their community in disrepair.
"The Last Thing Mary Saw" is available to stream on AMC+ and Shudder.
"Top Gun: Maverick"
OK, so "Top Gun: Maverick" isn't exactly a queer movie, nor does it boast any sex scenes catering to an LGBTQ+ audience. However, 1986's "Top Gun" is quite famous for its volleyball scene, which was once regarded as the most homoerotic sequence in the history of American mainstream cinema. With the flick's sequel flying high in IMAX theaters this year, "Top Gun: Maverick" did its predecessor the honor of delighting audiences with a spectacle of shirtless men on the beach once again. This time, half-naked volleyball has been replaced by a modern beach football game, backed by OneRepublic's "I Ain't Worried" on full blast. Oiled, sweaty, and gorgeous, our fateful heroes feel comfortable letting everyone on the beach see them do their thing. Stars Tom Cruise, Glen Powell, a dancing Miles Teller, and the rest of the Navy gang treat viewers to a gloriously homoerotic throwback scene that accentuates the rugged masculinity of the muscle-bound summer blockbuster cast.
"Top Gun: Maverick" is currently re-released in theaters.