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I Enjoyed This One For Its Intrinsic Value
This is yet another brilliant art film from China that is misunderstood. Because it is so cryptic, its message does not consistently flow and so therefore, it feels a bit uneven. But I loved it. It is raw, feels organic, and presents life as it truly is. For just a moment. I totally got it even though it is a short series and involves literally only 2 people. Others are there but they are, as you will see, only become secondary figures and end up for our protagonists, being a mistake that they made in their lives. All we see is a slice-of-life as it transpires. I simply enjoyed being given the experience of seeing two guys meet, find their truer selves through their cosplay. Right or wrong; good or bad. Their lives after this is a whole other story. What arises afterwards is unknown.Was this review helpful to you?
Almost A Complete Disappointment Except For...
It is one of the biggest BL disappointments for this year. What literally saves this series is only the way it is displayed. It is a cinematographic triumph. The costumes, the settings, the fantasy theme all come together so breathtakingly impressively. There has not been a portraiture this flawless in a long time. But its cosmetics are simply not enough to save or salvage the story itself. Quite honestly, it did not make any sense; at all. It is convoluted. Contrived. With much of it displaying grandiosity and concentrated wealth to the privileged few, while people are protesting issues of poor working conditions and dying under those condition at the same time, there is also a deep-seated acceptance and tolerance for gender inequality. In the meantime, people are forced to bow and bend-the-knee as a form of subjugation with intense injustices going on within the various subkingdoms. All of this is in plain sight but accepted as inevitable and in fact, romanticized as ‘good’ for the people. I found no depth between these two and could not believe in any type of connection except one that was rehearsed for them. I am sorry but this is not expressions of love. Both actors showed up for work, but the commitment seemed rather scattered and at times insincere. It just did not work for me whereas others obviously poured their heart and soul into their roles.Overall, I did not like this series. It is ‘pretty’ and presents well, but the story is unfocused, disjointed, and little depth to it. Watch this series for the supporting cast, in particular the connection between Jimmy Karn as Prince Ramil and Ohm Thanakrit as Paitai. They are the REAL stars of this series along with all the supporting characters. You can read my full review of this disappointment at BLBliss.com.
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The "BL" is Great; The Story Is Lousy
This series can best be described by a quote from Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities” – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” It had an exceptional storyline only to slip into banality and nonsensical story arcs. Here is yet again another Thai series that simply had no idea what a great diegesis it actually had. If only they had followed through with their main title.It is first and foremost a love story dawning in a rural backdrop in Thailand which in and of itself made it unique and refreshingly different. That alone was enticing. The basic, simple life of rural Thailand seems almost idyllic to those of us who do not have to live in it. It felt sublime. I know, of course, it is not. And sadly, that reality is bore out in all too graphic ways in the end.
The love story is between two childhood neighbors who over the years of being companions developed an intense devotedness and bond to one another that is discernible. Closer than brothers. Cherished friends who know each other better than they know themselves. But as they grow closer to the age when expectations are that each must seek a mate for marriage, as is customary, it finally spills over into a physical relationship. One that at first feels awkward but at the same time is unambiguously inevitable. Both knew or at the very least sensed that someday it would lead to this moment. Both and each knew they were in love with each other. Not just ostensively or only merely in a physical sense. They were meant to be – had to be – together. Each thus pledged their undying love for one another both in words, actions, and emotions.
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Surprisingly Effective
Honestly, I was not expecting this short web series to be so effective and poignant. But it truly is! And I was surprised by its effectiveness. Where it fell flat was its lack of fully committing itself to the romance. This is a decidedly short series, and a lot is crammed into this time. The whole drama is just about an hour or so. Yet, the production value of this series is surprisingly good. The screenplay is witty and sharp and at times rather poignant. I wish I could say that there is a strong screen chemistry between the two main leads, but I cannot. While they are stunningly handsome, both project a sense of uncomfortableness that becomes obvious with their closeness to each other, although they did try to hide that. There is little romance in this series. If you have a spare hour and want to be thoroughly engaged, this is a very good series to watch. It is entertaining and cute. Although the protagonists are attractive, they are not very enchanting as a couple. They just did not know how to be, or maybe did not want to be although they exude desire like crazy.Was this review helpful to you?
A Hidden Gem
This series not only started emotionally deep, it also ended up being deeply substantial. I honestly felt like we really got to know these two unlikeliest of inamoratos. Do not misinterpret what I just stated, however. Although this is not an intensely romantic story, it is nonetheless a profoundly solemn love story. This is one of the most distinguishable love stories I have ever seen and certainly one of the more insightful Japanese ones. While Japanese BLs sometimes go deep, dark, and pensive and paint life generally in broad strokes as somber, this series projects intimacy between two guys in a non-intimate way but still affirms a sense of profound communion. Overall, however, this is an exceptional and deeply introspective BL from Japan that concentrates on the two protagonists that makes you feel as if you are watching the cultivation of a relationship that is a world onto their own.Was this review helpful to you?
Just another 'Basketball' BL
While parts of it are well crafted, well written, and even occasionally well-acted, all that gets lost in the completely mundane storyline replete with the usual trite, cliché set-ups and standard screenplay. It is just another one in a long-line of other ‘basketball’ BLs that are similar. This one, seriously, had nothing even creative or original about it. As usual, it writes itself. It is simply another 'basketball' BL and not a very good one at that. The minor characters of Shogun and Que made this series, and I do not think I have ever stated that about supporting characters in a series before. If it were not for these two very interesting and dynamic characters, this series would have been an abysmal failure. Overall, there was just nothing here to sustain my interest or even be entertaining. These two gave it life and a connection to empathy.You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com.
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Very Avant-Garde and Misunderstood
To be sure it is a stream of consciousness movie of a troubled young gay boy. An allegory. If you observe it as a parable of his journey to discovery, albeit, dark and problematic, it will make a little more sense. If it does not, then simply drink in its utterly fascinating and captivating tale of the imagination and madness of a teenage boy. Admittedly, this movie is confusing and will require your complete attention or perhaps a second go-around. It is that complex. It is that deep and full of hidden meanings. To understand this movie, you need to understand its title. The blue hour is the time between sunrise or after sunset when the sun is low on the horizon and the sky takes on a soft blue color. It deserves to be reviewed more positively than it has.See my full review at BLBliss.com.
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Tried Too Hard
Sometimes the characters went deep while at other times, they were clones of other BL stories. While the overall story is a rather interesting one, its execution was just plain awful in places. The story creates too many side issues to prove that these two young men are worthy of our attention. Yes, they are, on the whole, good guys, and one does not need to constantly and continuously provide evidence that they are. They are morally decent guys who occasionally have fallen down, pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and move on. This series is a good series. It is just not great.Was this review helpful to you?
Remarkably Laid Back Series
Superficially, this series is cute and adorable and very entertaining but true to Japanese custom, there is a hidden undertone layered deep within the subtest of this smartly done tale. The Japanese have a way of expertly taking two modest characters and turn them into figures greater than what they are in a such a quiet manner that we do not even realize what is happening. In a way, they become unwitting stewards. Stewards in the sense each is an important someone who leaves a positive impact on the other, if for no other reason than simply because it is the right thing to do. These two young men, tacitly and effectively, are the epitome of that distinction. Without complaint or bitterness, they did what they had to do and put the needs of others always before their own. That made them paladins.Was this review helpful to you?
A Surprisingly Moving Series!
With very didactic moments as well even though it is perhaps categorized under the general category of Comedy. And yet a highly suspect series. One that glosses over a glaring ethical issue that is hard to ignore. Nonetheless, it delicately handles the situation innocently enough as if it is not even an issue or problem. It is the fact that a high school student falls in love with a teacher; and a teacher who falls in love with a high school student. Putting it that way, it sounds immoral, which, most assuredly, it is not. Genuinely a sincerely warm, and smartly done love story done without the slightest hint of impropriety. But I liked this series a lot. It was funny, poignant, scrupulous, and highly principled. Although formulaic at times, it still is entertaining and fun to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
An Incoherent Mess
My sympathy goes out to those who started this series way back in August 2023 when it first began. I know myself too well to realize that a series of this magnitude and depth would not have held my attention for very long as it is an anthology of 12 short stories of two episodes each. I would have forgotten the plots to most of the substories. As it was, even with binge watching this and taking copious notes, there is not much here to capture your attention for very long, and most of these stories become forgettable soon after they are seen. With only two episodes per story, you got very little plot, no character development, and even less understandable conclusions of what the stories were about. Some were comedies, although I found none of them funny at all. Silly yes, but not funny. Some were metaphysical or occult which were incomprehensibly difficult to navigate the point to the story. Most were just drab and dull. Others were just amateurish confusing messes.Was this review helpful to you?
Great Title But Nothing Else
I really, really wanted to like this series. With every fiber of my being, I was hoping it would come through at the end with something to make me like it; but it just did not. This manifests more like an ‘afternoon school special’ or a Hallmark movie. Seemingly sweet, cute, and feels adorable and you think has a point, but it really does not. It is all so superficial. It started out much like a light romantic BL with catchy music to draw you in, assuming this will be cheery, light-hearted, and charming. Unfortunately, this series is self-absorbed, unromantic, and honestly, irritating.If you want to read my full review, pleas go to BLBliss.com.
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An Overindulgent Mess
This is the continuing story of CUTIE PIE which itself was an incoherent hot mess. Fortunately, this series was a bit better and less emotionally abusive in content. It also made an attempt to tell a story and did try to bring a certain level of maturity to the forefront. Unfortunately, it merely continued the overindulgent and pampered story of Kon Dio . and Yi. While certainly not deep and more like a soap opera, it had the potential for being a good BL series that just would not push itself to tell a love story. There are some deeply and profoundly moving and poignant moments to this series, however. And it also features in a supporting role one of the handsomest men I have ever seen.You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com and find out who that is.
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Better Mystery Than Romance
Surprisingly, this series works well as a mystery story and a good ‘who done it’ chronicle, but as a BL it foundered. The above quote literally summed up this series. For it is all about an unprincipled attorney’s futility in trying to be good but has fallen so far down the rabbit hole of evil that it is impossible for him to dig himself back up to the sunlight. I cannot say that the story is disinteresting; it is not. However, it does get overplayed and after a while, too many characters and too many scenarios convolute the story, and it almost becomes a farce. If you are expecting romance, there is little here. The 'second couple' is a way more interesting pair and should have been a major focal point in this series and wanted a more intense romantic connection between them. They were a power couple.You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com.
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One of the best GAY movies ever made!
I could write a book about the beauty of this movie. There is so much to unpack in what initially seems like a throw-away film that was originally released in 2022. Marketed as a comedy, it is indeed funny. Its premise is rather unorthodox for us who live in the West. We do not fully understand or grasp different religious beliefs or cultures especially centering around a deep connection to individuals who are deceased. But that does not take away from its impact. If anything, it adds to it. As stated, this is billed as a comedy, but its ending is so sad. Deeply sad. Full of regrets but with an opportunity to redeem those regrets. Perhaps that is its lasting message that we should be overcome with. Life is so fragile. Regrets are plentiful with perhaps the opportunities to redeem those regrets coming along so infrequently. Maybe it is best not to waste them.This is an astonishingly impactful movie that will make you laugh, cry, and allow you to ponder and take pause. The timing of its humor is seamless. The acting is impeccable. The story is inspirational as well as being a tear-jerker. In other words, it is memorable. To read my full review of this awesome film, go to BLBliss.com.
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