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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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Siberia And Him (Russian)

By Golu
A film that tracks a gay relationship in Siberia in Russia. As it is the topic can be controversial enough, especially in a geography like Siberia where apparently there are fewer than four people per square mile and where mile upon mile of open country is completely devoid of any settlement. There was a very good scope of making a beautiful love story with these surroundings but somewhere I feel the makers got too involved in the location than the actual story and relationship.

Closeted gay man Sasha is suicidal after his last secret boyfriend called off their relationship. Eventually he is coming out of the hibernation. One week when Sasha's grandmother fails to return the calls , his mother asks Sasha to accompany his brother-in-law Dima (his sister's husband) to visit her to make sure everything is fine. This starts a couple of days of drive sand trek during which we find that the two men have secretly been having an affair. It seems Dima is feeling more and more pain and wants to be in a more stable relationship with Sasha but Sasha feels a bit off. They reach their destination and see to Sasha's grandmother's well-being. Afterwards, Sasha and Dima during their return trek have a fight when Sasha tells Dima that he never loved him. He was just playing around. This pisses off Dima who has been struggling with his sexuality and ends up killing Sasha. Dima returns to his native village and eventually commits suicide.

As I said, the story had some good potential but then almost 45 minute sequence of their trek through the countryside feels overlong and underdeveloped. There are long drawn scenes of them just walking and not even talking at all. The stony silence is supposed to create dramatic or sexual tension but that doesn't happen at all. I was also confused as to whether their relationship developed during this trip or they did some fooling around before. They had so many opportunities to connect with each other but they just waste all the time in awkward silence. There is only one night of intense passionate sex. Sasha is particularly cold towards Dima, who in my opinion, had a lot more to lose. as actors they both do a great job, but IMO, its Dima who has a slight edge above Sasha (who also happens to be the director of the film). 

The film is a much-needed examination of internalized homophobia, repression, and identity in a remote Siberian town but sadly the opportunity is missed in my opinion. There are still many parts of this world where queer folks still cannot live a hopeful life. (4/10)
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