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Journey With You (Chinese Series)

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...

A Road To Home (Documentary)

A Road to Home is a documentary that follows six LGBTQ youth over a year and a half as they navigate being homeless. Their lives are a snapshot of what about 500,000 young people in America go through every single night, and it's a huge wake-up call to realize that 40% of those kids are part of the LGBTQ community. The film takes this heavy subject and introduces us to six young adults, showing us how they ended up on the streets and how they eventually found community centers that stepped up to provide housing, food, school, and even help finding jobs. We also get to meet the people running these organizations who are right there backing these kids up every step of the way. And given that the documentary is set in my home city, it makes it all the more relatable for me. 

The six people the documentary focuses on are honestly the perfect choice for this story. They all have really sad backstories about how they ended up where they are, but there’s so much warmth and hope in the way they talk to each other and describe what they want to do with their lives. It’s inspiring to see how these shelters and centers have been such a huge support system for their dreams. Instead of letting the pressure of life break them, these kids just keep pushing forward and upward, trying to build a better future for themselves.

I really liked that the filmmaker didn't just dwell on the dark, depressing side of being homeless. Instead, they chose to show us the groups that are doing their absolute best to help. These kids aren't just getting a bed; they're getting all kinds of counseling and support. It was also cool to see the youth themselves going out to teach others that help is actually available, even if that info mostly travels by word of mouth. This documentary came out about 10 years ago, and it makes me a little sad that there’s so little info about it online today because it’s honestly one of the most hopeful and well-directed documentaries I've seen. The kids they picked are charming, and their stories are all totally different from one another, which makes watching them a real pleasure. For some reason, it really made me stop and think about whether I’ve done enough to help out my own community. It’s a very moving watch that sticks with you. I’d definitely recommend checking this out and doing whatever we can to support young people who are struggling.

It’s an incredibly hopeful and touching look at a serious issue that focuses on resilience and the power of community support rather than just tragedy. (7/10)

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