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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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Apostles (Mandarin / Cantonese)

By Golu
If you have been following gay films for as long as I have, I bet you have come across the name SCUD before. He is an experimental film maker from Hong Kong. His films are very experimental and weird (for lack of a better word), and I have personally never enjoyed his work. Sadly, not much has changed even with this film. Look, I am all up for experimentation and film makers getting freedom to express their thoughts and ideas in a manner that speaks to them, but if there is no audience fo sit and no one understands what you are trying to say, then is it worth it?

In “Apostles,” a scholar claiming to be an apostle to Socrates and Plato, finds it hard to face his end. With the help of his wife and his ex-partner’s family, he recruits 12 young men to come to his secluded manor to pursue the exploration of death. Philosophical discussions aside, the practices encompass climbing the volcanic summit of Mt. Fuji, bondage, sexual activities, and even living sacrifice. Throughout it all, these thrilling experiences are filmed, leaving everyone involved facing life changing revelations.

This film, like most of his previous work, feels like an excuse to show these men, for much of the film, in the nude. There are sex scenes in gyms and restaurants. There is an opening masturbation scene. Later there is an actual death sacrifice. But all of these look and feel dull. They lack elegance and has no art to it, something I would like to think that the director was going for. Sure, there are some brief discussions about reincarnation, the existence of ghosts, and the possibility of immortality but these aren’t given serious contemplation (but then no one really cared about that, especially anyone watching this film). Perhaps anyone that feels an affinity for nudist colonies might appreciate this but it seems a bit unnecessary to what Scud is apparently trying to express. The only so called positive thing is a lot and lot of naked ripped male bodies. (1.5/10)
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