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...
Thirteen years ago when the mysterious Mr D started the first leather night in Sao Paolo only one other person turned up. Barbudo. Now it is one of the most important leather parties in the country. It's time for the second competition in 2019 and we have 4 contestants. The documentary trails the four contestants vying for the title we get the feeling that this is still quite an intimate affair where everyone knows everyone else. At the Leather Dinner that precedes the competition everyone is decked out in their fiercest leather finery. The film maker profiles each of the four hopefuls mixing their words with some nifty camerawork which doesn’t just flatter them but makes for very entertaining viewing. The four contestants of the second edition do not only compete based on their leather appearances, but also to promote the community's spirit. The first is Deh Leather, the only contestant who had competed in the first Mr. Leather edition. Maoriguy is a man of action and likes to walk his puppy slave through the city. Kake is a tattooed, off-the-charts masculine bear, while Dom PC is the one who draws the line between Leather and BDSM, as he admires both the simplicity of leather-wear and the pleasure in doing BDSM.
The film is not a simple walkthrough of the story of the founders and contestants of Mr. Leather, but a deep dive into their lives, showing the audience what leather and BDSM actually mean to them. Dominant/submissive relationships, leather wear, sex and nudity, all meet in this documentary. In the finals, the four contestants are asked about their self-identifications, their awareness of sexual diseases, and the fight for equal-rights, showing that to win Mr. Leather, you need more than just looks. It shows how the Brazilian leather community has moved on from the hangover of 'Tom of Finland' days. Not just how they dress and look but their whole attitude to being part of a forward thinking group that intermingles much more. The documentary sometimes sticks to the stereotypes that most people associate with leather and gays with but it also helps shed some of the myths by presenting the audience some very erotic moments. (5/10)
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