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Chained To My Bully Stepbrother (AI Vertical BL Drama)

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 Christmas House

My third holiday queer movie of this month from USA. I guess this much be a special year where many production houses are either focused on gay storyline or have made sure to have gay characters more prominently featured in almost lead roles. Although in this film, the leads are not gay but keeping a gay couple as the other prominent couple qualifies this movie to be reviewed here.

Mike is the star of TV show Handsome Justice. After wrapping the current season, he is about to head home when his parents tell him that this is going to be like the childhood Christmas. His parents are giving the old Christmas House tradition one final go—which means they move literally everything out of their home and turn it into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling winter wonderland! Also arriving are Mike's brother Brandon with this husband Jay who are in the middle of adopting a baby. It turns out that Mike's high school crush Andi has moved back in town with her 10 year old son after her divorce. Slowly, we find out that the parents are not doing too well personally and are looking to sell the house so they can live separately for sometime. and the gay couple is doesn't want to tell family about adoption since it fell through before. While preparing for the Christmas house, Mike realizes how much he enjoys and misses being in the small town and how much he still cares for Andi and now her son as well. He decides to take a risk with his career and buy his parents place and move back to town to work on his personal and family life. And Brandon and Jay get the good news that finally their adoption has gone through and soon they will be having a baby.

Made by Hallmark for their network, this is a classic holiday rom-com film. Its the addition of a gay couple that made it special for me. Andi and Mike's story is what you would expect but thankfully Brandon and Jay were given the respect that it deserved. There is no coming out angle (Thank God!). They are just there as any other couple working on their love and issues without getting any second looks from anyone. They hug, they hold hands, they are generally affectionate—and they kiss. And this is what I call a huge change. The chemistry of the family members is quite good, although i am really not clear what was the real issue between the parents. It felt that they were growing apart and the mother would blame father for it, but hey all's well that ends well. The actors do a good job of showcasing the love and the holiday spirit. 

Of the three films I have seen recently for Christmas, this one would rank the lowest but hey this is still high up there in my recommended list. Watch it, feel good and get into the holiday spirit. (6/10)

Comments

Sailor Maan said…
Hurray for gay Christmas movies, I was thrilled to see 3 were coming this year!! This is the only one I could see and it was nice. Too much good feelings kill good feelings but this is what christmas movies are all about so no real complaints here. I totally felt for the gay couple not wanting to tell because of many disapointments before. The good news is of course totally expected but still moved me. Also the incredibly decorated house subject is something quite intriguing and exciting for me to watch as we don't really have that in France. Now I'm sooo looking forward to see the 2 other Christmas movies (but for now we can't look/rent/buy them here sob sob).
Merry Christmas Golu!!!
Golu said…
Merry Christmas to you too my friend!!
And yes, this whole fully decorated house for christmas was the first that I had seen and it was truly magical.

I hope you get to see the other two movies soon.
I saw the other two, and they are available when u know where to look. gerald.corbeil@yahoo.fr. @Golu, glad to see you are ok.
Golu said…
Good to see everyone is doing fine, happy and healthhy. I have been using december to catch up on films , this being a slow month for work.
Sailor Maan said…
Gerald I will send you an email right now XD

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