I'm sure there are plenty of other terrific coming out films out there but my list is limited to the ones that I have seen and impacted me the most. When you are living your life in the closet, it is so powerful to see someone on the screen take the stand that you want to take in your own life.

I'll start with the superb "Doing Time on Maple Drive," a 1992 television movie starring William McNamara as a gay college student who is intent on marrying a girl (Lori Laughlin) despite a three-year relationship with a classmate. Jim Carrey plays his older brother in this Ken Olin-directed drama that illustrates the toll trying to be the best little boy in the world can take on a person, especially a gay person. The performances are great all the way through. The first time I saw "Maple Drive," I bawled because McNamara's character was so similar to a guy I loved at the time who was trying desperately to be straight. That guy and I happen to be great friends today, thankfully, the drama long since played out. And one more thing, on a rainy day in Woodland Hills about two years ago, I was getting some money out of an ATM machine when I came face-to-face with William McNamara whose other credits include Showtime's "Beggars and Choosers" and such feature films as "Copycat," "Stealing Home" and "Chasers." I told him how much "Maple Drive" had meant to me and he remarked how often he hears that. I think it remains his best work ever!
Just as good in different ways are a pair of British films that are very powerful and have great heroes who come out in the end as their true loves stay closeted: "Get Real" and "Maurice."
Rupert Graves and James Wilby in "Maurice" (left) After Maurice (James Wilby) Graves' character is emotionally-tortured for so long by his repressed and closeted love (Hugh Grant) who enters into a sexless marriage with a woman, he falls for the gardener on Grant's family estate (Rupert Graves) and they even end up together in the end!
Ben Silverstone and Brad Gorton star in "Get Real" (pictured, left). Gorton's character is a popular and closeted high school jock, who falls in love with Silverstone's character who writes for the school magazine and is more in touch with his feelings. One of them boldly comes out in front of the entire school in the finale.

The masterpiece "Brokeback Mountain" makes the list not just because it was so beautifully acted by Oscar nominees Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, but for how this Ang Lee film portrayed true love. In the end, Jake's character, although married with a child, is willing to give it all up to make a life with Heath. He has come to terms with who he really is and is ready to follow his heart. His heartbreak is so real and any gay man who has deeply loved a closet case can feel his pain. And for those gays who have chosen a closeted life, Ledger's pain is deeply felt when he realizes, too late, how he had given up the love of his life.

Then there is 1982's "Making Love" which may seem a little dated by now (it was made more than 25 years ago) but still rings true in so many ways. Michael Ontkean's character married Kate Jackson in an effort to be straight. He loves her and they have a wonderful life everywhere except in bed. She's clueless as he starts cruising bus stations and bars then falls in love with an author (Harry Hamlin). He confesses, Kate feels betrayed and slams a piece of china onto the floor then Ontkean moves out. Hamlin, enjoying the single life, blows Ontkean off but in the end, both he and Kate end up with pretty nice guys to spend their lives with.

The rest of my top 10 coming out DVDs:
6. Edge of Seventeen
7. The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love
8. Kissing Jessica Stein
9. The Truth About Jane
10. (tie) Big Eden
10. Get Real

I would have included one of the more well-known movies, "In & Out" but I watched it again and it pretty much sucked. Kevin Kline is a middle-aged man (and I'm fairly certain is a virgin in every way) about to be married and doesn't realize he's gay until Tom Selleck gives him a big, long kiss on the side of the road. Suddenly he's dancing to the Village People in the next scene. Just silly but kinda worth it just for Joan Cusack's performance alone. Her Oscar-nominated turn is a hoot with such lines as "Is EVERYBODY gay?" and "I've got a heterosexual code red!"