Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

This is how some series should be (take a cue Asian BLs). I mean, just 6 episodes, each of 11 minutes each and the mini-series says so much with so little. I love every single second of it. Poignant, sentimental, emotional and with respect and dignity it shows us a story about one man's past trying to reconcile with his present. As per the director of the show, he wanted to focus on son the show on young adults and whether teenagers in 2025 realize that not so long ago it was quite hopeless to fall in love with someone of the same sex. Things have changed drastically between 2000 and current times. This series tells the story of Seb, a father who comes out as a gay in 2025 and thus ends his relationship with his child's mother. What follows is an intimate portrait of personal growth, identity and the search for acceptance. Seb is in the middle of divorce from his wife and the teenage daughter doesn't understand it. In pain, Seb blurts out, "Because I am gay". The ...

This is a mystery/horror genre of film. This one again, I would not call a gay film per se, since the focus is not sexuality. The lead characters just happen to be gay and even if they were straight, the film could still have been the same. The film was a straight forward one. Films in this genre usually need a lot more suspense/background and chills to scare the audience, which I thought was missing here. But given whatever little it did, it was fine. Thomas and Beni are a happy gay couple in Berlin. But Thomas is struggling with getting his residency papers sorted. Around same time he gets the news that his mother has passed away back home in Brazil, whom he had not seen in about 10 years. Once back in Brazil, he finds out that he has now inherited the country house that is being taken care of by two of his grand aunts. Beni and Thomas decide to visit the place is hopes to sell it, and also of course, Thomas craves for some family connection. Once in the house, Thomas, as expected, i...

Based on a novel by the same name, this TV series is a beautiful drama of two gay men in their 70s having hidden their identity all their life and finally coming to terms with it. Barry and Morris have been in love since their youth and emigrated from Antigua to London when they were younger. Now in their 70s, they remain committed lovers and partners in all ways except publicly. I had never heard of this series till the lead actor of this show recently won the BAFTA award for Best actor drama and that made me go and look for the show and boy am I glad or what! Even before I start writing more, I can say that this show is magnificent, beautiful, vibrant and very moving. The show is 8 episodes of 30 minutes each. Our lead character here is Barry, a charming 75-year-old Antiguan descent man and a successful businessman, husband, beloved father and grandfather. But he also has a secret. He has been lovers for over 50 years with his best friend Morris. They have been friends since their bo...

This little Korean series is cute and all but honestly we have seen this story play out so many times, that it does not hold any novelty at all anymore. Plus, the lack of chemistry between the leads and the slow pacing makes these episodes very dull. The story line is pretty thin and there are no real dramatic moments or anything. Sure, it's a sweet drama and easy watch but won't leave you with anything memorable. With 8 episodes each of 24-25 minutes average, this is how I like my episodes in terms of both number and duration. Woohyun is a high school senior with a secret crush on Jeongmin, his homeroom teacher and club advisor. Woohyun is drawn to his teacher's warm personality and quickly becomes smitten. One day he gives a hint to his teacher that he likes someone but never tells the name. He does understand that student-teacher relationship is taboo and even if he confesses, this will go nowhere. We then meet Park Doha, Woohyun's classmate and best friend, who figu...

The original 1993 "A Wedding Banquet" film is a cult classic film that showed us a cultural dynamic that East Asians have grappled with for centuries, especially in the queer space. The 2025 movie, like a second generation Asian American, knows intimately the struggle of this one weird moment of displacement in our modern era. While the reference of this one is still the original film, but this new version gives its own spin making to more of a drama than a comedy film. And maybe it's my bad. I expected more of a romcom, but it felt like a deep romantic movie with a lot of serious and thoughtful ideas conveyed and some comedy to lighten it up. We have 4 main characters here. After a second unsuccessful IVF treatment, Seattle lesbian couple Angela and her partner Lee, who would have carried the pregnancy, hit a wall as to how to proceed with their relationship. Financially, they can’t afford to keep trying, and the prospect of another disappointment hurts too much. Their t...

Let me start by saying this "I absolutely loved this film" Its clearly made with a lot of love, heart, emotion and understanding. Sure, being Indian myself and living in US, it connects with me deeply at a cultural level but even if that was not the case, the film succeeds in showing some raw universal emotions that a lot of folks will be able to connect to. This isn’t just a story about Indian families or arranged marriage it’s about love, identity, and the longing we all have to be seen and accepted. The film beautifully shows the struggles queer people face across cultures, and how family, love, and fear can all coexist in the same space. The film starts with an Indian wedding of Arundhati getting arranged marriage to a soon-to-be surgeon, a catch for any girl. The parent are overjoyed and everyone keeps posting to the brother Naveen, reminding him that he is next. He is gay, which his parents gingerly accept. However, it is his family’s culture not to discuss feelings, fe...