Straight Actors Playing Queer Characters Is Exhausting
It’s 2021 and what few LGBTQ+ films that are produced by major film studios continue to star cisgender heterosexual actors, rather than actual LGBTQ+ people.

In heaven, boys and girls were assigned their gender by being given a blue heart for boys and a red heart for girls. One of the cherubs does not want to stop being a cherub, so he gives one of the girls (Zafiro) his blue heart, because of Cachito's mischief, who is sent to earth as punishment to correct his mistake. The story really begins when, after a few years, the elf-like angel finds the girl and tries to convince her to return the extra blue heart he gave her. At birth, her situation is already complicated: in her kingdom, the Salic law prevails, so the king passes his baby girl off as a boy to prevent unscrupulous nobles from seizing power.
It’s 2021 and what few LGBTQ+ films that are produced by major film studios continue to star cisgender heterosexual actors, rather than actual LGBTQ+ people.
Hustlers was meant to be a film about female empowerment. And it was, to a certain extent. I expected and wanted this to be a kickass and complex film of sexy women who use their confidence, skills, and wits towards a brilliant plan to get revenge on the Wall Street guys who wronged them.
Sinister and suffocating, 2022's The Black Phone delivered more than just scares - it brought atmosphere, depth, and a villain audiences won't soon forget.
Overall, 18 Presents feels more like a soap opera than a drama, and I feel bad for saying that since the concept is based off a tragic story (even though it’s loosely). I’m sure other people will find this film emotional for them, but as for me, it’s bland and forgettable.
Kat Wahlen’s The Whiteboard tells, or rather shows, a delightful love story between two young women who meet in detention.
The Force Awakens is A New Hope 2.0, in essence. The story structure is virtually unchanged, marking a safe opening to the new trilogy.