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Journey With You (Chinese Series)

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...

Morrer Como Um Homem (Portuguese) [To Die Like a Man]

This film is a bizarre collage of scenes put together to make a movie. I mean, the movie definitely has a story but there is so much extra noise that has been put in addition to the main plot that the film drags so much so many times that viewers can't help but say "Enough already!". I can see the director's intention but oh boy, did he miss the bus or what.

The film is the story of an aging drag queen Tonia. Her love of life is Rosario, a drug addict half her age. For some reason she has fallen head over heels in love for him giving him lace to live, money, food etc knowing very well that he is not going to change his habits of drug and abuse. Tonia is getting old and has competition from an upcoming drag queen. At the same time, she is not too sure if she wants to undergo the sex change operation. The film randomly keeps following these characters and a host of other characters which have absolutely no bearing to the script or story of the film. FInally when Tonia gets infection from breast implants. The surgery is done and the implants are removed, and Tonia dies like a man exactly like she was born. Rosario overdoses himself and he gets buried next to Tonia which makes us believe that they must have shared a deep bond of love for some reason.

The opening sequence of the film with military men fornicating in woods and on a mission has no bearing to the film. Neither does the sudden emergence of Tonia's son. Worse is when Tonia and Rosario are on a road trip and get lost in the woods and they meet a drag queen living in middle of woods all by herself and another drag queen to serve her. These and so many more scenes have no bearing at all to the relevancy of the film. The other weird thing about the film was long drawn scenes and some where the characters are not shown, they are just heard. It becomes annoying after sometime. There is along scenes of Tonia just staring outside on the road in the car and singing, another one where she is walking in the woods. Then there are scenes where Rosario and Tonia are talking and camera is completely focussed on dogs. I mean , wtf !!

A confused collection of random interludes makes this film watching experience very frustrating. (1.5/10)

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