This is the second vertical AI BL drama I've sat through, and honestly I went in knowing better. I had it on while I was doing cardio at the gym, and what struck me was just how much the plot echoed the last one I watched. Same step brother romance angle, same mystery girlfriend showing up near the end, same extra guy pining after one of the leads. Genuinely the only thing going for it was the runtime, the whole thing wrapped up in forty five minutes flat. The setup kicks off with Finn moving schools because his mom just married into money. He finds out his new step brother Aiden goes to the same place, and he's warned to keep his distance from him. Their first run in at school is rocky, just like you'd expect, but there's this odd pull between them neither can shake off. Finn keeps telling himself not to read into it because Aiden's straight and openly homophobic. Things shift when some kids start bullying Finn and the student council president, Ryan, steps in to ...
The artists dance & vogue on underground subway platforms, down half-empty streets, and on the grass at Christopher Street Pier. They pour themselves into stunningly elaborate costumes before hitting the dance floor under the eyes of hundreds of enthusiastic onlookers. The dance competitors are mostly queer and trans people of color, and "Kiki" introduces you to many of them. Twiggy and Chi Chi , two prominent leaders on the Kiki scene, introduce us to the structure of this ballroom community’s various houses, where LGBT youth form makeshift families. We meet 5 other people who have tried to break down the same barriers in their lives and activism. Divo Pink Lady describes his experience of homelessness after being thrown out by his folks, as well as the homophobia he routinely experiences. Christopher Waldorf recalls a childhood memory of dancing much to his father’s chagrin. Gia , a transgender woman whom we see at different stages of her transition, had an easier time being embraced by her family.
“Kiki” is, among other things, a record of that hostility. It’s a film of unmistakably and unapologetically political intent — not only in its focus on mostly black and Latino youth, but also its willingness to give significant emphasis to transgender issues. Kiki, ballroom and voguing isn’t just a pastime; it’s a cultural form derived from groups of LGBT people of color who have had to create their own families, clubs, and societies when they weren’t accepted in others. This documentary never lets you forget that, and never fails to pay homage to the past historical context of the scene while looking towards its future. On a flip side, the documentary keeps introducing people and takes a while to understand what is happening, and who is who.
A beautifully made documentary that takes an in-depth look at the personal lives of those who make up a fabulous and unique community. Very insightful, and a stunning, visually artistic documentary. (6/10)
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