I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
When I saw that this film was by the same director of the film " The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros", it got me excited. I liked that film and was expecting something similar. This film is not great by any means but it is definitely different. It is a funny and touching story of a up and coming teenage poet who also happens to be a gay boy. A teenage boy goes into a gay nightclub one Saturday night and it is empty except for those who work there and the usual crowd. "Boy" has never been to the club before and knows nothing about the gay lifestyle so he has no idea of the rules that are followed. Suddenly an 18 year old dancer Aries takes the stage and boy is mesmerized although he does not understand what has caused the attraction. The boy gets so attracted to Aries that he sells his prized collection of comic books and action figures to gather enough money so that he can bring Aries home on New Year’s Eve. When he does that, the boy's mother suspects something is going on, questions him, and the awkwardness of his answers are painful. Later Aries leaves, without taking his payment. The boy follows him, and goes home with him, where he is faced with a very different environment from the one he knows. His friend also explains why he dances, which gives a lot more insight into his personality and his culture. In the end, neither can live in the word of the other, and there is no safe haven where they can be apart from their respective environments.
The film is highly erotic yet as I stated it is extremely tastefully presented. The eroticism comes across by implication and it is highly homoerotic. The love scene is tender and we watch the two make love through a glass, through water, through the aquarium that the boy has in his room. The connection between the two central characters is sweet and fragile in a way that brings a freshness to the film. Boy explores the relationship as a life-changing moment as the sensitive poet learns to grow more confident and assured in his sexuality. They also show a different mindset about the dreams of a poor person struggling to get by in the Philippines.
It is a touching but a slow story. (5/10)
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