Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

Where there are rules, there will naturally be those who want to break them. At the core, this is a story about tradition and authority vs modernity and individuality, keeping a few BL stories at the center of things. The premise of the show was quite interesting. Sadly, the build up of an intriguing drama mixed with revenge plotting etc turned out to have a shallow story behind and such an easy quick solution that left me wondering what was the hoopla all about. On a bright side, at 12 episodes of 40-45 minutes each, I managed to watch the whole thing without rolling my eyes too much (at double speed). Suppalo is an all boys school with over 100 years of reputation and is known for its very strict rules and protocols. Akk is a senior student and prefect whose responsibility includes making sure the rules and protocols are followed. He takes this job very seriously and his teacher advisor Chadok thinks highly of the prefect's abilities. Recently the school has been rocked by consta...

With a name like this and the film starting with what's going to happen; knowing how this couple's story ends still doesn't dilute the impact of watching this tearjerker of a movie. A good balance of drama and comedy and love and romance, the film knows when to be brutally honest within the characters and to its audience. There is always more to life's journey than the finale, which is how the film begins. With big names like Jim Parsons, involved, it was only befitting that I watch this film on big screen, my second queer film this year to watch in theaters. Based on the memoirs of Michael Ausiello, editor-in-chief of TVLine; we are told the story by Michael from future who takes us back to the beginning of story of Michael and Kit. Michael is a TV journalist, a dream job of his, since him and his mother used to watch soaps on TV as a kid. But with his father and mother having having died of cancer, he has some sort of residual trauma. He meets the charming and dashing...

This documentary came back in 2009 where before the 30th anniversary, Vancouver's Gay Pride Parade director Ken Coolen, examines relevance of Pride celebrations internationally. He travels to places where Pride is steeped in protest to experience the powerful oppression that still exists. Pride is more than a parade, it's a giant step on the road to equality. Ken Coolen recognizes that the ride celebrations had started to overshadow the whole activism situation at the pride parades and hence he decides to travel to places like Sri Lanka, Moscow, Poland, Canada to understand what its like there. He finds the situation a lot different in Sri Lanka, where just flying the rainbow flag can get you 10 years in jail or the lesbians are sometimes subjected to "conversion rapes". In Poland, where the European Court only recently ruled that pride celebration must be legalized, Coolen encounters anti-gay violence first-hand, as hoards of Catholics (mostly young men) angrily stom...

Probably inspired by a play or something (since it has only two actors and no one else), I am really not sure behind the purpose of this film. The premise is interesting but man, does the film drag on forever and forever. Even with a duration of less than 90 minutes, the film feels such a drag to watch, despite two good looking actors who do their job well. The screenplay here is a big later and just very unclear on what the message it really is trying to give. A handsome middle aged man David is preparing dinner for two. His hot younger date Justin, a latin boy, arrives soon. David lives in a huge waterfront house, is a painter and a bit mysterious. The duo seem to have chemistry but Justin stats to feel some warning flags with a raccoon kill and David trying to have Justin pose topless for a portrait. Justin tries to make excuse and leave immediately after dinner but David explicitly forbids that, locks the door, takes Justin's phone and and forces Justin to stay the night in the...

After dilly dallying for a few weeks now, I finally managed to se this film on Prime Video, which has been on my list even before it was released. A poignant tale of love triangle and unrequited love set in 50s is something I was really looking forward to, especially because of Harry Styles. Set in the times of British postwar guilt and repression, you may think the film doesn't really have anything new to offer when it comes to storyline, but its the setting both in terms of location and time and the tragic consequences of jealousy, unsatisfaction and oppression that this love has for everyone involved in it that makes it worth watching, in my opinion. The film starts in 90s setting where Marion and Tom are a couple in Brighton. Marion has invited an old friend, an ailing Patrick, who is recovering from stroke to take care of him. It’s been many years since the trio were together, and tensions are high. Tom doesn't want to even see Patrick but Marion is in no mod to listen. Sh...

Is it weird that I am finding myself enjoying all these OTT characters in Japanese BL shows, where they are loud, their inner thoughts are told to us in voice overs and their reactions are something that people normally won't do in real fun? Somehow, in a weird way, all these things make it funny, but only in Japanese context. They have a way of doing it right without making to annoying, which I would guess that many other regions will do. This show is no different. A quirky comedy of 8 episodes, 20-22 minutes each, where an accidental encounter between a very unlucky guy and a very lucky guy changes things for both of them. Kouta is a college student who has bad luck that causes problems everywhere he goes involving him in misadventures, accidents and hardships. He has tried to overcome this by using a chirpy attitude. He also maintains shallow friendships to avoid afflicting others with his misfortune. One day he meets another student Naoya, who has a reputation for being the mos...

What was I thinking! I wish I knew that the film is by Todd Verow, a director , clearly, whose films are meant for something thats not my cuppa tea. Sure there is a basic story idea but the execution is of a fun on sex display (nothing wrong with that), but in all the process , the basic plot gets lost somewhere and this film is no different. This story is the maker's interpretation of drug and sex in the gay community. Once you reach the sky, there is only downfall from there when it involves sex and drugs. We see multiple characters and their stories which eventually connect. After having. Lived a life of illicit drug use and unprotected sex in Manhattan, Dale has now moved to a small quaint town trying to keep his mind away from excitement of NYC. Mistress DaTina runs a sex and drug den. She opens up her place for gay sex and drug usage but only for as long as the guys strip down when they arrive and stay naked while there. Rob is homeless, gay and young and uses sex and drugs t...

I have enjoyed a documentary after a long time, where the story of the whole thing was so fascinating and incredible. Of course, Dustin Lance Black is a name that a lot of us are familiar with. Having seen his husband Tom Daley's documentary few months back, it was only fitting to know a bit more about the man now. Centering around the upbringing of this Academy Award-winning screenwriter and how his close relationship with his mother led to and inspired his activism, even though the narrative style feels monotonous and a bit self-indulgent to be honest but its the story here that has gravitas and an ode to one's mother. This is the story of Anne, Dustin's mother, a phenomenal lady by all means. Immobile from the chest down after a childhood battle with polio, she spent her life defying the odds. She was told she couldn't get married or have children, she met a Mormon man, got married and ended up having three boys (dustin being the middle child). We see how the father ...

This series is sooooo different from the usual BL dramas that we are used to seeing. Accompanied by some sensational dramatic performances and a profound message towards the end, the story is about loss, grief, trauma, love and an interesting homoeroticism. The story reminded me a lot of an Indian film that came almost 30 years back. That aside, as much as I loved the show, I have two big issues with it. The subject and message would have been a lot more impactful, had this been a 2 hour film rather than an 8 episode, 45 minute format. A lot of scenes go on forever and there is a whole lot of talking, almost giving it a play like vibe, especially since there are inly three main characters and 90% of it happens inside a house.  Wang's 20th birthday is approaching and he lives with his single mother Mol, who happens to be a famous series director. His father died years ago in a drunken accident. Wang idolized his dad and the loss is unbearable. Unfortunately the mother doesn't li...

This pretend gay plot has been done quite a few times and used to be quite popular genre almost 5-10 years back. Of course, things are much different now, so watching this film from 7-8 years back, it was hard to connect with it. Regardless, I am trying to be objective about the whole premise. The story is simple. Toey has just moved to Bangkok and in a new school and class where he meets Aek and they become good friends which actually happens in a funny way. Aek always asks to stay back at Toey's place, only so that every morning he could walk with the girl he has a crush on. But these constant night outs make their classmates think they are a gay couple. So one day when Aek is practicing proposing to the girl with Toey, someone records it and the video spreads like wildfire in school. Suddenly their popularity increases. So one of their friend recommends them to continue to pretend to Begay couple and make money. The trio actually works and they become popular till one day Toey...

I am not familiar with the name Jean Cocteau. He was apparently a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. This musical film focuses on his love life with a. Much younger man Raymond Radiguet in the early 1920s and also his addiction to Opium. In the early 1920s, Jean Cocteau fell in love with the writer Raymond Radiguet. Cocteau was 30, Radiguet 10 years younger. It was an unhappy, addictive love affair. When Radiguet died of typhoid in 1923, Cocteau sought solace in opium, plunging from one addiction into another. The film tells this fascinating story as if narrated by Cocteau: associatively, surreally, fantastically. Besides the lovers, the third main character is the music, which as a sounding board reflects a feverish epoch. The film shows Jean checking into rehab and then into flashbacks on how the things unfold with on musical number after another. In my opinion, this musical is so lubricious and poorly made, that it fails to hold any att...

Cherry Magic is one of those dramas that was unanimously liked. I didn't read a single bad review, probably because the premise was in general a very positive one and it didn't have an unnecessary drama. With its two charming leads, we all rooted for them. The film is a logical extension to the love story of Adachi and Kurosawa and just shows us how naturally their relationship is progressing over the years. The film might be simple and probably cliched for some in its story but it still has all the tenderness, charm and purity that one expects based on the show. Adachi and Kurosawa are a couple now (but unknown to everyone around them) and they enjoy each other's company. Adachi can still hear Kurosawa's inner thoughts. One day Adachi gets an opportunity to move to a different city for 8 months as a work promotion. He is excited about the prospect but also worried since Kurosawa had made so many plans of them spending time together. But when Kurosawa mentions that he i...

This show is backed by a very innovative and intriguing premise and plot. That combined with some genuine performances and a few sentimental moments, this series touches you at various points without going overboard. Sure, the pure science wizards would find all kinds of loopholes in this time travel story, and question the incoherently developed sudden romance, but despite that you won't be able to deny that the show touches you at a certain point with its honesty and wanting to do something new and different. Back in 2007, a ten year old Jae Woo was walking back alone when a kidnapper tries to attack him. He is saved by a law student Ji Hoon, but gets stabbed by the kidnapper and dies. Fifteen years later, Jae Woo is now a university student in Seoul and has returned home on his break. He visits the cemetery to pay his respects to Ji Hoon, the hero who died saving his life. Jae Woo is visibly upset. He remains traumatized by the murder and still has nightmares about what happened...

It is official now. These amateur Filipino 'made by me fo ray friends' kind of BL series are some of the worst out there. Horrible and atrocious acting, terrible actors and dialogues, some of the worst sound systems, a story that has nothing to speak of. The list goes and on and this title certainly adds to the list of some of the most torturous shows I have seen, that want you to think that they have philosophy personified and are here to change your life, but in reality, the words will fall short to explain anyone how bad the show really is. I can't even tell you what an ordeal it was to sit through this 7 episode show, despite each episode being only 15 minutes. A desperate boy is about to commit suicide, calls a number he finds on the railing of a bridge he's going to jump down from, and the boy who answers persuades him to stay alive. 6 months later, there are now a few groups of friends out there in a resort for holiday during covid. The boy who was about the comm...

This film can best be described as a soft porn (don't ask me how and why I ended up watching this). Showing us 5 episodes of men from different walks of life, the main of the film is to show some wold gay fantasies that these 5 men have in the situations they are in and interestingly they all involve men and boys in some sort of uniform. Biyahe - A taxi driver who has just been dumped by his girlfriend, picks up a fare from a student, who is in tears because a female student that he is keen on has gone off with another man.  The driver consoling the passenger morphs into the two of them having sex in the cab.  Linya - A young man working from watching straight porn cannot get a modem dial on phone. Two handsome linen appear to repair the phone, get turned on by the phone and a threesome follows. Laro - A gay player watches scratch game in a local park, then sneaks into the locker room to watch four players take shower and jerk off. After they leave, the gay player sticks up a ...