Skip to main content

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...
Post a Comment

Fun Down There

By Golu
This one is a pretty straight forward simple sweet (maybe) film. It doesn't really have conflicts or drama, instead it is more of a positive portrayal of a single man coming to terms about his sexuality, embracing it and a making a new life for himself in the big bad NYC. I feel like, some of this may still be true for a lot of people who come to the big city with eyes full of dreams trying to discover themselves. 

Buddy, is a young man who lives with his family in Upstate New York. His sister always jokes about him being gay. One night when she discovers Playgirl magazine in his room and Buddy decides to move to NYC for sometime. ON his first night there, he has his first gay encounter by a guy named Joseph. In a sensitively handled situation. Joseph takes him under his wings and introduces Buddy to New York, get him his first room, show the gay scene, and also lecture and educate him about safe sex. He gets a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant and is pretty content in his life. He flirts a little with Angel, the busboy in the restaurant. Overall he is just enjoying his life, making some real close friends in both Angel and Joseph, reconnects with his family over telephone and in general hopefully a nice good life is waiting for him.

Fun Down There captures the ordinary day-to-day events. It captures the joy and nervousness of coming out and getting to know the big NYC at the same time. The film gives a good insight into what queer life would've been like in 1980s New York City. Meeting men was easy if you know where to find them, AIDS has a looming presence, homophobia was obviously around still and the gay community was just as strong then as it is now. There was no unnecessary drama. Buddy's family was good and happy and friendly and even the friends he made were real. The film is ordinary but its this quality that made this film stand out for me. Sure, sometimes it does get into the zone of almost documentary but not really. Buddy is a farm guy and the gays of the city find it fascinating to hear about talk about milking cows. Overall, the story and the characters provide a glowing energy, simply and unquestioningly asserting that no matter how challenging the times, gay life will continue and thrive.

Surely, the film could have been better in technical terms, but I have no complains given that this film came out way back in 1989. I wish I had seen this film just around the time I was coming out and also getting to know NYC. It may have had some positive impact on me. (6.5/10)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Tuxedo (Thai Series)

By Golu
When I saw this series with 8 episodes of about 20-25 minutes each, I thought, good: Finally someone has come to senses and made a show which is not stretched out and they have tried to squeeze in a decent storyline in a good small episode format. But unfortunately, despite a decent premise on hand, the clunky writing, bad screenplay and an extreme tasteless portrayal of mental illness makes this show, not a fun watch. By the time it finishes, you just want to laugh off at the entire absurdity of it all. Aioun is talented tuxedo designer and very much in demand but he has handful of clients and he builds suits only for people who he feels a connection to. One night when his younger brother is about to get mugged, he is helped by a total stranger named Sichol. Since he tears his suit in the fight and has an interview the next day, Aioun gifts him a suit form his design as an expression of thanks. Sichol's interview is for. Personal assistant of a man named Nawee, a wealthy heir to h...
25 comments
Read more

Heartstopper: Season 2 (Web Series) (UK)

By Golu
Heartstopper Season 1 was a universal hit. You could not have read one bad review or heard from anyone who has seen the show not liking it. It was the kind of series that is easy to love, with sweetness exploding out of every scene without overwhelming you. So naturally, when Netflix greenly Season 2, expectations were naturally high and the same happened with me. I didn't know what to expect, but I had high expectations of this very very sweet teenage love story. And with eagerness and being a little late to the game by a few days, here I am, pouring my t thoughts down having just finished one of the most anticipated shows of the year. The second season also has 10 episodes and has all of our loved ones from the original season. The show continues from where it had left off in Season 1. Charlie and Nick are a couple and only their very close circle of friends know about it. This includes Charlie's best friend Tao and his trans best friend Elle. The center of the show is still ...
19 comments
Read more

Gaya Sa Pelikula (Filipino Series) [Like In The Movies]

By Golu
Pinoy BL series seem to be catching up to the popularity of the Thai shows. And I must say that they are doing a pretty good job at it. Where Thai series started to get repetitive with so many shows based in a college setting with seemingly similar storylines, Pinoy series are offering the viewers with new and interesting stories and some really good sets and surroundings. This series was 8 episodes of about 25-20 minutes each. Karl, a 19-year old introvert architecture student is in the middle of an identity crisis. Prior to the start of the second semester in college and forced by his parents, he moves into his uncle's condominium unit so that he can learn to be financially independent. Karl takes on odd jobs online to do so. But when one of his major clients suddenly goes MIA, he is left short on funds and without a means to pay for his utilities. An opportunity presents itself when his cocky neighbor Vlad has to hide from his family and proposes to share Karl's space for th...
23 comments
Read more