Like in the Movies (2020)

I liked it

Gaya Sa Pelikula is a good BL, I think, because it manages to show that it cares about gay people and their experiences, their stories. This isn't a series for a female, straight audience to thirst after and swoon, but rather the story of two people who could exist irl and have very real issues. It wants to send a message, and I appreciate it for that.

The acting is great. The two main actors are incredible together, they both show such vulnerabilty and emotion that I almost cried a couple of times. They make you feel for both of their characters. It also felt very natural when they were together, their interactions as a couple were relaxed and seemed improvised (idk if they were though). I'd also like to point out that the actor who plays Vlad has such beautiful, expressive eyes. That's it that's the tweet.
The secondary characters are good as well! Anna especially is my favorite, she's supportive and amazing but also has her own problems that she's dealing with. And the sister.. well she's quite messy tbh but she's funny regardless.
The music is on point. I'm adding a few of these songs to my playlist. The one for the dancing-in-the-living-room scene? Loved it
This series has an overall chill, cozy feeling about it - it's simple, it's natural, and most importantly it's real. Karl's fear is real. I liked that.

The reason why I'm giving it a 7 is one I'm happy to have seen other people bring up - the preachy-ness. This series wants to send a message, yes, but I think it's quite clumsy when doing so. There's no subliminal messaging, no subtext, no 'show-don't-tell' (not in general, at least). They don't let the audience come to those conclusions themselves - they force-feed them to you in case you didn't catch them. Vlad in particular got on my nerves at the beginning lmao, like "I don't want to be the plot device that triggers someone else's sexuality crisis" what is this?? Who talks like that?? I've said he sounds a little bit like a Twitter essayist and I stand by that.

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This movie sets a high standard.

First of all, I have to say everyone should watch this movie. This movie sets a very high standard not only among the Pinoy BL series but also among the BL series worldwide. The story is well written. It's one of the coming of age categories but different from other BL drama. It's also educational about coming out, which many LGBTQ+ find challenging and also the relationship issues. But this movie is so sweet. The two main actors are handsome and cute together. Their acting skill is phenomenal. The chemistry between them is so good. The cinematography is beautiful. Another thing I like about the drama is the OSTs. They introduced one OST in each episode but every song is great and fit very well with the drama. I decided to watch it again as soon as I finished the last episode. Looking forward to more BL series like this one.

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I May Have Cried More Than I Care To Admit

Gaya sa Pelikula is a must-watch!

The soundtrack is on-point and is meticulously picked to fit the story. It bravely tackles issues that not many series in this genre does not do as well, sometimes to a fault (to the point of being too preachy, but the author has repeatedly acknowledged that this is deliberate, so with that said, this might come off as such to some). No moment is wasted and all the puzzle pieces fall into place to deliver an extremely solid story.

Backed by supporting characters that are not sidelined and have their back-story, an agenda, and a message to the masses, Gaya Sa Pelikula expertly weaves the overarching message about the biases of society against gay individuals (and how this is so ingrained even to queer individuals themselves) with the budding romance between queer individuals.

Honestly, Gaya Sa Pelikula ruined BL for me, somewhat. I have watched other BLs before and I have been forgiving of the cringe-y moments and the other things that don't give weight to the story or are just plain contrived. However, since diving into GSP, I now find myself looking for and failing to find more meat and substance to these otherwise just-OK stories. Gaya Sa Pelikula is that food you find incidentally but is now your benchmark for all the other ones with the same flavor. You try to go and have a taste of the ones you usually have but now you find yourself unsatisfied with what you used to have before. And now you find yourself uncomforted by the shallow waters that you start yearning for someplace deep to dive into.

It's profound what Juan Miguel Severo has created. I have not yet seen or maybe I am much too unseasoned a media consumer to not have seen any other story in this context that furthers the queer agenda while also beautifully delivering what the consumers' hearts clamor for.

The ideologies behind the advocacies that the characters are fighting for are not dispensed for the sake of the usual romantic excitement. What Gaya Sa Pelikula masterfully does is very seamlessly blend the two, forming a cohesive narrative -- one that does not only deliver a message but also provokes thought and, satisfies and invokes a myriad of emotions.

Gaya Sa Pelikula has really set the bar high on what a BL series can be and do. A perfect combination of chemistry, good talent, a story with substance, and most importantly, unwavering purpose to tell and take back our story.

In the end, it says that "the real fight is outside," reinforcing its message that it is but one part in the many parts of the fight against homophobia and the rally for gender equality. Truly, GSP is that long, tight, warm hug that queer people want from society, and their loved ones.

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"Gaya sa Pelikula" is in general quite good. The story is basic and easy to follow, but the actors do a good job portraying the motional ups and downs of their characters. The narrative is preachy at times, and the uncomfortable and sometimes problematic affirmations at the end of the end credits were not necessary, but the depictions of Karl's angst about being gay and wanting to stay closeted were very well done. The drama did a good job showing through Vlad how people who aren't closeted can still be hurt by the closet.

The music was probably the best part of GSP. There was a good song for just about any situation in the drama, and it really pushed the narrative. The best scenes featuring music were the "Tahanan" and "Fools" sequences. The theme song "Unti Unti" is really good, too.

Now, is GSP as progressive as it depicts itself to be? In some ways, yes. The characters have some genuinely good discussions about microaggressions and family pressure, and it is generally quite uplifting. While the drama sometimes falls into pop culture progressivism, this is subverted with the character Judit, who is a deconstruction of what it means to be an ally. The problematic part of the show is this overall atmosphere of solidarity, or as the drama's poster says, "It's time to take back our story." Our story? This message, which is repeated in the end credits affirmations, is very damaging for closeted queer people to internalize. Solidarity, unity, and community are very good things, but are not always what one finds after coming out of the closet. The last end credit affirmation ends with, "We will welcome you when you are ready." That's a nice thought, but a lot of people who have come out of the closet can testify how cliquey a lot of LGBTQ+ groups, centers, clubs, bars, etc., can be. This is a far cry from dramas like "Quaranthings", "Game Boys", "B x J Forever", and even "Sakristan", all of which depicted both stability and dysfunction within the interactions of queer people, therefore being a bit more realistic in this regard.

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This was such a beautiful show and everyone should watch it

WARNING: This review WILL contain spoilers for the ending!!!

I'm not very good at reviews which is why I don't post them very often but I had to post my review on this because this series was just so amazing! It had such a beautiful message and had multiple moments talking about real topics/issues in the LGBT+ community. It was such a wonderful series to watch from beginning to end. It was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions, but it was such a beautful series and everyone should give it a chance!
Both the actors did such a fantastic job! This series just felt so real and natural and the actors had such amazing chemistry together! While yes the series didn't end 100% happy, it was very emotional and kinda bittersweet, I love that they kept it that way. As much as I wanted it to have that ''movie'' ending where he comes out and they're able to be together, I like that they kept the realistic ending and showed that Karl wasn't ready yet and that nobody would force him till he was. That plus the ending message really helps people who arent out yet. I just love that despite the sadness of the situation, it really drives home that if you're not out it is perfectly fine and there's no pressure or rush for you to finally come out to people. That it's all in your own time and that we will be ready and waiting to welcome you when you do.
I also love that the final scene made it seem like Vlad would stay in his life until Karl is ready.

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Everything I could want in a BL

Is this BL or is it transitioning into a truly LGBTQ+ piece of media? For me, it's right on the line. The story is cute and fluffy but the issues that are raised are very serious and relevant to modern times.
Karl is sweet and relatable and "questioning" but Vlad is my fictional boyfriend and I love him so much! In episode 4 he says "I refuse to be a plot device that triggers somebody else's identity crisis" and I just fell in love with him (who can blame me? :))
The soundtrack is perfection (and I never notice music!), the acting is spot on. the storyline is great.
I know there have been some behind the scenes issues that a truly disturbing and depressing but I choose to honor the work put into this project by so many people and not let one bad apple spoil the bunch. Full marks!

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Great on Many Levels

I placed a spoiler alert at the end of this review.

Warning, I’m a little bias with this review because it was the first BL series that I watched. This was a really outstanding story. I love the script because it touched based on so many elements. It gives you the right amount backstory information on the characters for an 8-episode series. See spoiler alert at the end of this review if you want more info. Even the closing credit scenes were great. I also like the little sayings at the end of the credits which were linked to what happened in that episode. The cast was remarkable on portraying their characters. The songs they used were great in setting up the mood.

Random Note: I feel lucky that this was my first BL series. For better or worse, this series set-up my expectations to be very high on what a BL series should be.


******Spoiler Alert******


The ending is open to interpretation. It will not satisfy someone that needs an ending that has to be happy or sad. To me, it’s an ending with hope which is something we all need in our life.

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it's a must watch

this serie is wayy wayy beautiful than u will think it will be it's perfectly perfect
while watching it u will experience all the kinds of emotion i even felt frightened by the fact that i may never find someone and ill never be able to feel what they felt it's trully truly mind blowing breathtaking it's just ..I can't even explain im literally in love and i won't get bored even if i kept rewatching this my whole life there's literally no way to describe this im just in love with every little detail about it.. bestie believe me u will never regret watching this show ??

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