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On The Sea (UK)

By Golu
This one's a beautiful, tender, quiet romantic drama with a moody atmosphere, set in a tight knit Welsh fishing community. It's a touching story about a man waking up sexually in the middle of his life, and how he, his family, and everyone around him deal with it, which makes it emotional and sentimental without ever getting over the top. The slow burn plays out against a landscape that's as bleak as it is gorgeous, where quiet, closed off men are stuck inside rigid ideas of what masculinity should be. Some people might be reminded of "God's Own Country," but I think both films are lovely in their own way. Jack is a middle aged guy who co-owns a mussel farm with his rough around the edges brother Dyfan, and the tension between the two of them is simmering under the surface right from the start. Dyfan's three sons all help out with the work, while Jack's sulky teenage son Tom keeps skipping out. Jack's been with his wife since they were both 16, and...
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Your Eyes On Me (UK)

By Golu
It's always difficult to review films with taboo subjects. However hard you try, some sort of personal bias always come into play. There have been plenty of films which show us the world of drag culture, and it seems that of late I have been watching way too many of those. This small little independent film tells an interesting story of the façade behind the façade as the complexities of why somebody would choose to do this amidst the challenge of acceptance amongst the world.

Gloria is a celebrated drag performer, who performs in a club owned by Toni, the best friend. Meanwhile, a man Alex has been privately investigating Gloria and has been following her. Alex shows up as Candy at the bar wanting to audition for drag and gets the job. Gloria and Candy form a bond as a drag mother and daughter, staging rehearsals in what initially appears to be a fun performance. However, you feel there is a sexual tension between the two and soon they end up in bed with each other. Soon, the secret is revealed on how Alex is related to Gloria and how many would see this as an act of perversion, but surprisingly neither of. The two men see tithes way. With able support from Toni, Alex is finally revealed the truth of what really happened when he was born and eventually when and how did Gloria become a drag queen.

The makers have tried to give the film a very indie, artsy feel which works in its favor. You feel like you are watching a serious cinema with some real good acting and are waiting things to unfold. I personally was kind of expecting the surprise to be what it ended up being, but since the two men had sex, twice, I wasn't sure what was the intention behind it. I am glad that Gloria tells this to Toni and even asks if this makes him a pervert, since he would do this again, its clear the director knew they are walking on egg shells with the story. The stories about self acceptance and coming to terms on who you really are. Gloria as the drag queen does an excellent job. I felt Alex was a bit out of place. Toni as the supportive friend, did her part brilliantly. It was nice to see how their friendship lasted all these years.

Unlike most films about drag, this is not designed to be a campy film, but a tender and honest appraisal of one of the possible reasoning behind why Gloria pursue this as career line of work and the emotional attachments and complexities it brings. The story has loopholes and something that may not be acceptable. I sadly, am slightly biased myself but I think the director has potential for good future work. (5/10)
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