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Journey With You (Chinese Series)

By Golu
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...
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Boys On Film 20: Heaven Can Wait

By Golu
And the 20th volume in the series is out there. Every volume has a theme and most short films follow that strictly but to be honest, I am not really sure what "Heaven Can Wait" means. I didn't find a pattern, but then who cares. It was quite a decent collection after all.

Chromophobia (Tunisia)
A beautiful animation charting the life of a gay man in Tunisia; his childhood, his self-discovery, his first love and the consequences when this is uncovered within his conservative community.

Sleepover (Sweden)
When Emil stays over in his friend Adam’s bed after a night at the cinema, there’s a tension in the air, and unspoken feelings are on the tip of his tongue. A film about friendship and the longing for something more. Cute but unsatisfying.

Just Me (UK)
Scott is preparing for his future with his wife-to-be, but when policeman Connor arrives on his doorstep this reignites feelings Scott had tried to bury. Consumed by the idea of what could have been, Scott finds himself sneaking off from his stag do to pursue this ghost from his past.

Mine (UK)
Liam and Ben are fathers to baby Lottie. Biologically Ben is the father, and as his bond with their baby flourishes, Liam feels left behind and refuses to be the third wheel anymore.

Don't Blame Jack (UK)
As Jack comes to terms with his new medication, he longs for the adrenaline-fueled manic highs he’s given up. Is sanity and stability worth the sacrifice? Jack finds himself searching and failing to find moments of magic, until he meets Frank. This was the most boring of all.

Foreign Lovers (USA)
Sparks ignite when an actor and a foreign dancer meet in New York, and the two artists share an immediate connection that surprises and scares them both. It begs the question; can you fall in love with someone in 24 hours? A meditation on life and love in the digital age.

Mankind (UK)
Will is restless. He loves Evan, but it is not in his nature to settle, and when he has a shot at the adventure of a lifetime, he’s prepared to leave love and the Earth behind. ‘Mankind’ reflects on the idea of human beings as explorers by nature, and on the consequences of standing still for too long.

Isha (UK)
Rahmi, a Romanian immigrant living in England, creates a new life for himself whilst trying to keep up appearances with his Muslim family. His brother is a rebel and mother is always scared of unknown. Will Rahmi be able to live a carefree life, being himself and being with the new possible love.

RUOK (USA)
Best friends Alex and Brian have a bitter fight, entirely via text message, when one of them sleeps with the other’s crush. But, just as things seem to settle, an unexpected development may lead to yet another riff. Wonderful short with almost no dialogues until very end. Gay men are indeed mostly shallow.

Manivald (Estonia/Croatia/Canada)
Manivald is turning 33. He feels content but claustrophobic, being smothered by his mother and her expectations. When foxy Toomas arrives to fix their washing machine, his affection towards Manivald leads to a sexual and emotional awakening. Animation and slightly boring.

The World In Your Window (New Zealand)
Eight-year-old Jesse struggles to comfort his grief-stricken father who refuses to face the past, acknowledge the present or plan for the future. They are stuck, until an unlikely friendship with the transgender Repa unlocks the means for Jesse to liberate his father and himself.

I was amazed that I had not seen any of these short films before. Most of these were good, barring the almost 30 minute Don't Blame Jack.
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