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Showing posts from November, 2021

Les Corps Ouverts (French) [Open Bodies]

I am not very sure what really to make of this film. Clocking at just 45 minutes, this film came in 1998 and actually won a few awards. At the onset the film is trying to showcase the sexual fluidity of its main protagonist, but is also a slice of life at the same time. Is there a message, I don't know, but lets explore that. 18 year old Remi is half French and half Arab. His father is sick and he is taking care of him along with his sister. He studies management and commerce and works part time in a grocery store. Remi responds to an ad in school for a film audition where he meets an older guy Marc who videotapes him audition and before you know they two guys are in bed. While this is going on, we see Remi experimenting with multiple sexual encounters like a random guy in men's room and a girl who grabs him in the street. We also meet an obsessive older lover who wants Remi all to himself. All this is while Remi is being a dutiful son while doing the right thing for his family

Cam Boy (Canadian Series)

More than a mini series, this show actually felt like a tutorial for anyone who is looking to enter and make there mark in the world of came boy/girl. I didn't really enjoy it at all, except I found out sooo many things about the whole porn cam scene that I had absolutely zero knowledge of. So in a way you could say that this was educational but besides that there wasn't much going on. Aston, a young man, is struggling to pay his bills due to pandemic. He has lost his job and he is currently house sitting for his mother who just passed away. He has a boyfriend, who is now stuck in Europe somewhere because of quarantine requirements. To make ends meet, he thinks of getting into webcam porn. He meets a young Twink gay Jake on one of the websites, who agrees to teach him the ropes of this world, of course for money. From here on, we see many instances of how Aston has first few awkward encounters, how he tries to create his own "thing" that will increase his followers, h

Gay Short Films From Thailand

Boy Scouts (Thailand) Anirut and Ram are young boys who rarely talk to each other at school, and have come to join the Boy Scout camp together. Entering this camp makes them discover their identity upon which both of them must decide whether to keep this identity or let it pass over time. Simple story, stretched unnecessarily in 2 episode of total 45 minutes. The boys are cute and simple. The CEO (Thai Mini Series) Fanta and RC are two friends who own a shop together. Despite the hardships they have to face, they really want their business to be successful. This 6 episodic series of 5 minutes each is an easy watch. But remember that the duo are not a gay couple, but this is more about bromance and in one episode they kiss passionately to avoid an unfriendly situation. Romantic Station (Thailand) Jim is a location scout for a film production company and is at train station to scout for scene for a cliche love story. When Toy rests his head on Jim's shoulder, he comes to understand w

Hiacynt (Polish) [Operation Hyacinth]

Period pieces are always interesting. This film , set in the Poland of 80s takes its inspiration from an activity where Poland was trying to make a database of people who identified themselves as part of LGBT community. The operation lasted for over 2 years and saw the persecution of over 11,000 individuals. Hard to believe, isn't it? I think this story is fictional but uses the atmosphere of those times tome it very realistic. Robert is a young idealistic young detective who is out in charge of a high profile rich man's murder case. When they realize that this person was probably gay or at least slept with men, things take a turn. His partner, who rules with an iron fist, makes a guy confess for the murder who eventually is conveniently dead in the prison cell later, just so the case can be closed. Robert is supposed to get married to his beautiful girlfriend, a fellow militia. Meanwhile, his father, who holds a string position, is paving way for him to be a high ranking offic

Gay Short Films : 92

Sweet Curse (South Korea) Ha-jun is always popular with his friends for his handsome looks. Min-woo, a close friend who is jealous of Ha-jun, summons a devilish ghost, but the ghost who fell in love with Ha-jun spends a hot night with Ha-jun every day. Looking at Ha-jun who looks happy after all, Min-woo is planning another curse. Past Youth (China) Lin Qin Nian and Li Guang are classmates and, to many others, they're besties who share everything. However, only they themselves know the changes and undertow in their hearts. When Li Guang starts dating another schoolboy, Lin Qin Nian decides to distance from him despite still having strong feelings. As the college entrance exam approaches, are they one step closer to the young adult they dream to become? Weird and odd film. Johnny (France) Single gay guy meets Johnny at a bar who is a troubled, lonely, alcoholic, moody and tormented. An unusual friendship develops between the two, where the guy wants more from the friendship but clea

Bilmemek (Turkish) [Not Knowing]

Based on the story and summary of the film, I honestly would not have reviewed this as a gay film, but then I found that this film was actually screened at a lot of international LGBT film festivals. So< I guess, at some angle, the makers were trying to cache in on the queer angle, although just like everything else, this film is a lot about emotions, relations, family an individuality than anything else. Sinan & Selma are a couple, who are happy on surface. She is a doctor treating refugees and he works in a shipping industry undergoing major changes. Their son, teenage 17 year old Umut, is a intelligent and loves water polo hoping to get scholarship out of it to go to US for further studies. We are clearly not told but both parents are probably having affairs, they are both indifferent to one another but its their son Umut that keeps them together. One day Umut comes to help a young boy being bullied and beaten up. One of his teammate takes a photo of the moment compassionate

On The Fringe Of Wild (Canada)

What a royal mess this film was. I am really not sure what the makers were going for here. Was it a coming out story, a bullying story or just a myriad of scenes put together for audiences to watch a very cringeworthy story and its bad execution. The story is primarily about three teenage boys. Peter, is an artist, whose mother knows he is gay but his father refuses to accept this and wants him to become a man. Miles regularly bullies Peter caling him faggot, but he is himself closeted gay. At home he has a very hostile relationship with his mother who resorts to prostitution for drugs. It turns out Miles has been using Jack for his sexual pleasure, who suffers physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his alcoholic single dad. When Peter goes for a hunting weekend with his father, they end up in a cabin where nearby Jack lives and somehow Miles and his girlfriend are also either passing by or live there or something of that sorts. Somehow Jack and Peter both run away form their dad, m

Restart After Come Back Home (Japanese)

This is again one of those films where being gay (or bi) just happens to be there. That is no what the core plot of the film is. The film is about relationships, family, future and at the core, what I important to you as an individual and the people that come in your life tome it special. The film was Avery pleasant surprise in sense that it had my attention from the very get go with its beautiful laidback countryside charm and the chemistry that its two leads bring. Mitsuomi quits his job and Tokyo to come back to his hometown hoping to join his father's furniture business. But the father hasn't forgotten how 10 years back his son rejected the same job to do something on his own. Mitsuomi meets Yamato, who has a noticeably perky and bubbly personality. He is the adopted son of a family friend and same age as Mitsuomi. Eager to befriend the new arrival in town, Yamato invites Mitsuomi to work at his grandfather’s farm. Although Mitsuomi is reluctant at first, he starts helping

The Accompanist

This film can be a good case study of how a badly directed and an extremely badly edited movie can ruin whatever little spark a story idea has. The film hots one wrong note after the other with random scenes interlaced over one another at odd time, making you think why was this film ever made and what was the point. Jason, an aging pianist is lonely and playing music. He has a past and secret which we do not find until later, but apparently he has magical healing capabilities through his music. He works playing piano for a ballet company. A student Brandon, who somehow knows about his power, arm twists Jason into practicing with him every night to prepare for New York Ballet audition. The two men have sort of attraction, while Brandon is also dealing with a very abusive boyfriend Adam, who has cancer and also has some issues with his father from his past. Before you know Brandon moves in with Jason and they are having an affair, while Jasons kids disprove. Turns out his wife and kids d

Mood Indigo (Japanese Series)

This 6 part Japanese series was a very pleasant surprise. To be honest, I was expecting anything, but something about it was good. Very good. Just when all the teenage BL series were starting to get repetitive with there story arcs and setting, this series brings to us a very mature love story, that is more practical and real in the story and treatment both in a very novel and interesting setting.  Kijima is an award winning novelist, who has lost his mojo an dis now struggling for money. He gets reacquainted with his college classmate Kido, who is now an editor in publishing company. Kido was recently kicked out by his girlfriend, so Kijima invites him as roommate in return for expenses. At his work, Kido deals with erotica novels that Kijima looks down upon. Kido suggests that Kijima start writing erotica too to make money. Initially very reluctant, the growing debt on Kijima makes him accept this and hid stories to be published under a fake name. Meanwhile, Kido's company also p

Papa & Daddy (Taiwanese Series)

There are very handful of series/films in queer space that show gay parenting. They can easily be counted on hand. So, with a title like this, I was actually really looking forward to watching this series. Unfortunately, this mini series from Taiwan is less of a parenting drama but more about the couple who happen to be raising a child. I am not sure if it will make sense to you, unless you watch it, but from, I was expecting more about parenting issues, challenges, pros and cons about being gay parent, but the series actually was more about the couple as a unit, who also just happen to have a child. Jerry is a young, ex famous you-tuber, stay-at-home dad who has been taking care of his son Kai for the past three years. His husband Damian is a successful restauranteur and the primary breadwinner of their family. Now that Kai is growing, Jerry wants to revive his YouTuber career by sending Kai to kindergarden. Damian is initially reluctant but eventually gives in. The discussion of who