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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 24: Happy Endings

By Golu
Oh wow ! I cannot believe thatches widely popular short story collection series is coming to an end on DVDs. I hope that they will continue in some format on OTT or digital. Appropriately titles "Happy Endings", it is a bit of a mixed bag, but that is not a slight to the quality of the films. Every entry is worthwhile and well made; it is more a matter of personal taste. The best shorts in the anthology feature two guys navigating sex, love and desire. Many of them deliver the happy ending of the title, but a few shorts may leave viewers wanting more.

Aloof (Israel)
Flip-flopping between scenes from a family outing and a gay bathhouse, Yariv, a timid photographer cannot seem to decide where he truly belongs. When your identity seems to have so many different contradictions, how do you figure out who you are?

Beautiful Stranger (France)
After being abruptly dumped by his long-time boyfriend and missing his train, Romain checks himself into a two-star hotel. Deciding to drown his breakup blues, he invites over an American Don Juan, but things don’t go as planned.  I had already seen and reviewed this film.

Firsts (New Zealand)
Modern times have made it much easier to connect with strangers, especially when it comes to hook ups. But that doesn’t always mean that your first time is any easier. When Steven, a closeted Chinese student in New Zealand invites a stranger over for a hook up, he learns that who you choose to lose your virginity to can make or break that experience. Also reviewed here earlier on my blog.

L'homme Inconnu (Belgium)
Louis, a writer struggling with writer’s block travels to the Côte d’Azur to write in solace. When he spots the mysterious Tommy and his girlfriend, truth and fantasy begin to blend.

Prelude (Colombia)
High strung Samuel is an aspiring piano player. Despite practicing religiously, something is missing from Samuel’s music. That is until he meets Camilo, a carefree actor, who will introduce him to the power of love.

S.A.M (UK)
A touching story of two boys who form an unlikely bond on the swings of their local park. Seen before and reviewed as well, the misunderstood Sam and the popular Sam bond over their shared name, one of them begins to catch feelings. 

Sea Sparkles (Uruguay)
A young man is about to leave his home in Uruguay. Mere hours before his departure, he has a one-night stand with Juan, an immigrant, which incites him to truly meditate on what he wants from life. A very interesting short film that makes audiences question their relationship with home.

The Rev (UK)
Caught in a repetitive loop of giving sermons to a lacklustre crowd, Reverend Neil Marlow can’t help but feel uninspired. When he is spontaneously asked to organize a funeral, he allows his imagination to run free. Filled with fun and laughter, THE REV is a glittery celebration of staying true to yourself.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday (France)
When their factory unexpectedly catches on fire, work best friends Romain and Adémar decide to spend the long weekend together.  By the time their days off are over, these two men may have fallen in love. This is an enchanting short that has a nice low-key rhythm to it.

We Collide (UK)
A stylish done short, where  two young concert goers whose meeting in a mosh pit results explosively and connect.

You Like That (UK)
Joshua, an American literature student is studying in Edinburgh, who makes ends meet by performing online. Lost in this hypersexual digital world, Joshua dreams of the kind of love he’s only read about in classic literature. When he meets Sebastian, their tryst gets a bit dramatic when Joshua’s imagination collides with reality.

This time I had already seen almost half of these shorts, but the ones I had not seen were a mixed bag. (5/10)
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