Quinn7
on top of Old Smokey
Wholesome and cute! <3
This was such a fun drama to watch! The actors all seemed to be having fun, and everything was more or less lighthearted and charming. Despite the ending kind of being a cop-out, the flow of the story made sense and was more or less a comedic slice-of-life with some magic realism. All the characters were adorable, especially Jing (Copter's character). The drama was a bit slower than most current ones, kind of reminiscent of how slow old "Doctor Who" episodes are, but it was very calming and enjoyable to watch. I would recommend this drama to anyone who wants a show with a "Frog and Toad" feel to it.Was this review helpful to you?
Fun, light, and relaxing
"Ocean Likes Me" is a really cute drama with a simple, slice-of-life plot. The two main characters balance each other out well-- Ba Da, a shy, reserved restaurant owner and Tommy, a relaxed, outgoing singer-turned-beach-bum. The setting of the series is relaxing, set on a cold, small town beach, which gives the series a gentle, wistful feel. While the story wasn't necessarily the most organized, it was engaging enough to keep the viewers coming back for each episode.One major plus for this series is that Holland, the actor/singer who plays Tommy, is openly gay. It's wonderful seeing an actual gay person playing a gay character. Also, Holland did a good job depicting the character of Tommy in a believably adorkable way, making him a lovable main character for this lovable series!
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Bohn and Duen were definitely the funniest couple at first. Sadly, their storyline went downhill after a while, though their massive problems ended up actually being useful for character development. Personally, I wish Bohn hadn't been so volatile, but it was good seeing Duen's character stand up for himself, being both strong and soft.
Ram and King were very cute! I liked their storyline, through all its ups and downs. It was very hearttouching and beautiful.
The best couple was Boss and Mek. In the end, they were the couple I was rooting for the most while watching the drama. They're a good example of the best friends becoming lovers trope.
The ending theme song by Ton Thanasit is so romantic! It's the perfect song for a romantic comedy. I wish P'Ton sang more for dramas!
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Kind of fizzled out...
This drama started off looking like it would be good, but the story just kind of fell flat. The characters had little to no development, the conflicts felt contrived, and the whole thing felt like it should have just been a cute movie rather than a drawn-out series. Christian and Bogs both had so much potential as characters, but ended up being rather boring, and Pepay and Benjo were just jerks. The only character who seemed okay was Kelly, probably because her actress had the most life and energy out of the entire cast. She seemed to really be enjoying her role.Now, this is no lie, "Twinkle Star" is an amazing song for the end credits! I've listened to that on repeat since the drama first aired.
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Just not interesting...
"Bad Buddy" really wasn't attention-grabbing. I watched the first episode, started the second episode, and decided to drop it. It's another "Romeo and Juliet" remake, with an enemies-to-lovers trope, I guess. It doesn't seem bad, but it doesn't seem original enough to really enjoy. The characters weren't really that interesting, though there did seem to be potential. The jokes weren't very funny. The brawls felt cliche. There's not much more to say. Maybe this would be good to watch if one is bored or is new to BL, but it really doesn't have much going for it. Maybe it was overhyped.Was this review helpful to you?
A lot of fun!
"Rainbow Prince" is now by far my favorite BL! The story was a mishmash of several Disney movies, and the actors went all out with their campy and cheesy roles. The songs were fun, the energy was upbeat, and despite the cliches, the whole drama felt fresh. It's the perfect drama to watch if you're looking for something light and feel-good.Both the main characters were funny and lovable (I especially liked Mikey), and there was a whole host of side characters who were magnificent and fun, as well. Most of their adventures were a series of romps and unconnected events, though the overall main plot was engaging. The drama got a little dramatic at times, though it was also very uplifting. Also, a lot of it was unintentionally funny, so it provided lots of entertainment!
Some people were upset by the relatively low quality of "Rainbow Prince". That's part of the charm, though. It worked for this drama, because it kept things simple and unassuming. It was rather reminiscent of web series like "My Best Gay Friends" and "My Immortal". That, mixed with it's Disney-esque quality, made "Rainbow Prince" total nostalgia bait. I'm certainly going to rewatch it! :D
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This review may contain spoilers
The worst movie ever
Trigger warning: Just about everything...You know what it would be like to watch a "Freddy the Frog" rewrite by Khaled Hosseini? The movie "Sin" is basically that. It's about a hotel receptionist who meets an alcoholic and they start having a relationship. Along the way, there's tons of drinking (which would be an excellent explanation for the screenwriting), homophobia, arguing, affairs, yelling at God, hospital visits, more homophobia, more arguments, domestic disputes, attempted suicide, more hospital visits, and even incest. You can kind of see the pattern.
The only reason the story gets a 6/10 score is because it's at least interesting. The rewatch value is 5.5/10 because the movie is so bad, it's funny. Maybe it would be a fun movie to prank people with by showing it at a party.
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This review may contain spoilers
A dumpster fire
"Limited Edition" had a terrible story, terrible characters, and horribly problematic "life lessons". It starts off with a disclaimer about how insightful the drama will be, which should have been the first red flag. It then introduces the main character Mario who is so emotionally stunted that he is unable to function in a normal relationship, and in later episodes it's revealed that he still has his mom clean his room for him. The other main character is Jethro, a creepy narcissist who doesn't respect Mario's boundaries or seem to realize that Mario needs someone who is capable of communicating like an adult. Jethro goes too fast for Mario, but then Mario falls for Jethro, but he never confesses his true feelings. Mamita, the local partier who thinks she's like a fun aunt, does nothing to help, so Mario has to rely on his friend Chona, who is annoying and doesn't do much else. Then there's Arnold, who can't take a hint when Mario turns him down on a dating app multiple times. Then, to make Jethro jealous, Mario dates Arnold, but doesn't tell Jethro that he's dating Arnold, then Jethro goes back to New York, and then Mario gets sad and becomes a vlogger, and then everything else that happens is of no consequence to the audience because at that point there's no use bothering to care about these characters.If you like bad shows because they're funny to talk about, this is the show for you.
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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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Funny and cliché and lolz!
Arcie is trying to get into the fashion world, but has to adopt their best friend's children after said friend is murdered by the evil gang Addictus Anonymous. The children's uncle wants to adopt the children as well, though. Instead of having a major custody battle, the mixed family ends up living together in the house of Arcie's boss who is away. Hilarity ensues! This movie was not what I expected. It follows a typical family comedy plotline, but it has enough randomness thrown everywhere that one can't help but laugh out loud! Sometimes the jokes got a little too random, but overall they land well. The main characters have big personalities and stubborn temperaments, the villains are nefarious and petty, and the side characters are simply shocked the whole time. It's a delight to watch!Was this review helpful to you?
A welcome surprise
"B X J Forever" is not necessarily a light drama, and it definitely diverges from the tone of "Ben X Jim". What I liked about "B X J Forever" is that it discusses deeper subject matter while maintaining a sort of reserved optimism. Ben and Jim aren't the only main characters, as the narrative focuses on a dysfunctional group of friends and acquaintances at a gay café who are trying to figure out how to work well together. This is a big breath of fresh air after watching other shows that romanticise the concept of LGBT "community". The narrative also follows each character as they figure out how to break out of their shells, and it handles its depiction of the process of self-discovery very well.Was this review helpful to you?
A very disturbing movie! Do not watch if you get triggered!
This movie had beautiful music and good acting, but that's about where the good stuff ends. This movie seems like it was written for people who think they're allies just because they watch movies about gay people being miserable. Homophobia can be depicted well in film, especially when depicted with nuance, but "Run" almost felt like a warning for gay people, especially in how it depicts homophobic violence. The main character loses everything, and the whole movie ends in anguish and tears. It is not a movie I would suggest to anyone, especially someone who has dealt with fears of what their parents would do when they come out of the closet.Was this review helpful to you?
Subtly complex, subtly dark, subtly wise
"Quaranthings" was unexpectedly fantastic! The cast wasn't too large, and the sets were minimalist (mostly all set in the same apartment). The soundtrack wasn't particularly groundbreaking, but it did its job.The story started off super cute and fluffy, but things quickly got real! Judah is a gay guy who recently came out, Rocky is a gay guy who is still closeted, which means they both deal with a ton of emotional and social baggage. Trouble ensues, and it's not pretty. Ultimately, the story is about how heteronormative society and the closet create young queer people without direction or interpersonal skills, and about how communication and honesty are important in any relationship. It's a story about emotional immaturity, and the path towards emotional and social health. "Quaranthings" is heart-touching, beautiful, enjoyable, and painful all at the same time!
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Honestly surprised
Before watching it, "Sakristan" had a lot of promise. The other Filipino BL dramas I've seen have all been really good quality, so I was a little disappointed that "Sakristan" would have a half-written story, awkward actors, and moments that were unsuccessfully supposed to be "artistic". In the end, though, this became all part of its charm. Overall, it's a rather fun series, and even struck several emotional chords I wasn't expecting it to.Personally, it would have been nice to see more development of Christian and Zach's relationship before they started officially dating. Of course, the way their relationship played out after they started dating was beautifully portrayed! Of all the Asian BLs I've seen, none came this close to depicting character development and interpersonal drama in such a risky, nontraditional, realistic way. "Sakristan" actually manages to depict real human emotions and thoughts, which is both shocking and refreshing.
Another great thing about this drama was how it presented a nuanced view of faith and Christianity. The characters have varying opinions about religion and homosexuality, and even go through opinion shifts. Ultimately, they learn to work together and respect each other, even if there isn't complete mutual understanding.
One of the things that made me extremely uncomfortable with this drama, though, was how sexualized Zach was. The actor was only 15 or 16 when the filming was going on, so the torso-shots and similar scenes were disturbing. >:(
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What a cute drama!
"Game Boys" is an adorable BL drama about two guys who fall in love online. Cai is a somewhat reserved gamer who has never dated anyone, and Gav is a spaz who gets into online gaming just so he can hit on Cai. The results are a lot of ups and downs as they learn to take care of each other through their online relationship.The story is fun, though some of the characters' personal drama can be a bit much at times. There are underlying themes of forgiveness, communication, tough decisions, and even grief. The formatting takes a moment to get used to, since it's almost all done on video chats and social media posts, but, in general, it's handled really well. In case you think this is all deep and dramatic, there are tons of fluffy moments that are sure to get you smiling!
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