Movie Reviews -
Gay Themed

A heartwarming tale of dreams, identity and acceptance, set in a small community in the picturesque Westfjords of Iceland, this film was quite alright. I wouldn't call this film a gay film per say, but stories of self acceptance and being true to yourself and such themes are integral part of the film, so it does make sense to review it here. We meet two childhood friends Hjalti and Bjorn who run a fish restaurant in a fishing village they both grew up. Hjalti's wife and son moved to Reykjavik, after the son came out gay and was constantly bullied in school, so things between him and wife are not ok. Also he cannot accept that his son is gay. When Bjorn's father dies, he decides he has had enough and decides to come out as trans to his friend and the entire community. This is the same time when the dup also are getting an opportunity to keep their restaurant open throughout the year with a. New tour group starting northern light tours. When Bjorn comes out, suddenly Hjalti...

This beautiful film started off really well and I was quite into it, but somehow the second half felt quite disconnected, almost as if two different film makers had made the film. An honest depiction of teenage sexuality, the film is about coming out story of a 17-year old, overcoming bullying and a hate crime to find happiness and self-acceptance. The film doesn't specify the time period, but lack of phones and chat style on computer suggest that this was likely set in the 90s when the times were very different. Leo, a handsome Greek-Italian teenager lives with his parents and younger brother. His best mate is Boof and they are quite close doing all silly things together. Leo is sort of rushed into dating Monique, a girl from the class who really likes him and whose best friend is also Boof's girlfriend. But Leo can’t stop himself from stealing glances at red-headed Tom, a buddy of his younger brother. At a house party, when Leo is unable to have sex with Mo, he just goes out ...

This series is the Japanese remake of Thai series of the same name. I wasn't sure of what to think of this remake, but as I started watching it, the memories of original Thai show kept coming. The premise and everything is same but with the Japanese flavor. The show has 8 episodes plus 2 special episodes and each varies between 24-30 minutes of run time. I am so glad that they reduced the runtime of this show drastically compared to the original Thai version (maybe something that Thai shows need to learn). The series follows the chaotic, steamy romantic lives of architecture students Rei and his best friend Kai, both architecture students. The show doesn't run them parallels, rather divides 4 episodes each to focus on their love life. Rei's meeting with his college alumni Arashi doesn't start on a good note. Arashi likes cars and bikes and works in a mechanic shop but also participates in illegal races. Although starting on the wrong foot, their romance eventually grows...

There is a scene in this film where the film maker takes his script to show to a producer (?) and he remarks saying, 'I don't understand what this film is about' and that is exactly what I felt having watching the film. I just wasn't sure what the film is about. Online reviews call it a self-reflective fiction that muses on what we find comic about the human condition, and what can reduce us to tears. Made for festival circuits and arthouse cinema, there was absolutely nothing that I liked about this film. Joseph is a gay man and a film maker who has a 3 year old son Pino with his best friend Sonya. He broke up with his boyfriend more than 3 years ago and is now planing to make a passionate comedy film. Sonya returned prematurely from the clinic dealing with depression and she needs to go back there. His meetings with the producer who keeps asking for what he wants to make next creating another weird scenario especially when producer chews dog treats and gives it to t...

Tadaima, Okaeri, translated to "Welcome Home" follows the home life of house husbands Masaki and  Hiromu, as they raise their children together and the series is delightfully gay. I have learnt new concept having seen this about Omegaverse. It is a fictional world where people have different reproductive and sexual biology. Alphas are those who impregnate others and cannot give birth, Omegas are those who can bear children, even if they look otherwise male. Betas are basically normal humans. The main prejudice in Omegaverse stories is against Omegas, where they suffer discrimination, violence, or sexual violence due to their type. This specific series was 12 episodes each of 24 minutes. Masaki is an Omega who married an Alpha named Hiromu. They now raise their young children together, with Masaki as the househusband and Hiromu as the breadwinner. They start with one son named Hikari. The series is about everyday stuff of them raising their kid with many other people showing u...

Full marks for novelty to set a BL romance in a Thai prison. This gritty environment allows the series to explore meaningful themes. Sadly the screenplay and the execution is so jarring and random and sudden that half the time it doesn't make any sense. Apparently this was released as a 20 episode series , but the version I saw was 5 episodes where first 4 were 30-40 minutes each and the last one was 80 minutes. Jed owes a lot of money to people (we are later told he borrowed money for making a film), so he gets arrested. Even though he spends just one night in jail, it's his first time in such an environment. He's crammed into a tiny cell with numerous other inmates. Bible, a young prisoner on volunteer duty, is tasked with guiding new inmates. He somehow takes a liking for Jed and protects that first night from getting bullied. Jed gets bail next morning and Bible asks him to never come back again. Three months later his cheque fraud eventually lands him in a longer priso...

This one is yet another campy cheesy horror comedy films, this time with drag queens chasing and fighting vampire bikers and rednecks. Yes, it is low budget, yes it has questionable acting, is cheap, stupid, predictable; the lovers of this genre may actually end up enjoying the film. I will be honest and upfront that these kind of films do not do it for me, so I didn't think much of it, but I can totally see if this fit was released in gay film festivals, it would have been lapped up by the audiences. Slay begins on the road with a performing troupe of drag queens on their way to a gig. The 4 of them believe that the venue is legendary gay bar in middle of nowhere, only to realize they misunderstood and are actually performing at a dive bar. This dive bar is run by an old guy called Dusty, despite most of his clientele being big buffy homophobic bikers. Swallowing their pride and their need for money , they decide to perform. Just as the show starts, the bar is descended upon by a ...

Part of a trilogy, one of which I have already reviewed in my blog, this film is about two colleagues with very different approaches to sex and romance. Honest, thoughtful, and daringly talky as it observes modern dating customs in the age of apps, this may test your patience because it is heavily dialogue focused and a lot of time it also feels like the film maker wants to give an ode to city of Oslo, just like his previous film 'Sex' was. I wouldn't call this specifically a gay themed film, but one of the characters is gay and we do get an insight on gay perspective around sex, love, relationships through his perspective which is interesting. The film starts with Marianne, a physician specializing in urology, giving a patient the news about prostate cancer. The make nurse Tor spots that the patient may not have understood and absorbed what has just been told to him, and makes sure to seek him out to get further clarifications. The subtle scene tells us that Marianne may u...

A very interesting perspective on the sex underbelly life of Manila sex-workers, this film tackles the grittier realities of queer life, where survival often means turning to sex work and petty crime. Manila is almost a character in the film which takes no time to hurl you into its immersive world, an incredibly vibrant and chaotic cityscape with a darker underbelly. Neon lights, street food vendors and frisky rent boys. The sights and sounds of Manila are more than enough to make this engrossing tale of life on the streets worth seeing. The queer road drama, in some ways, could be considered a ‘post-tragedy’: rather than the stories we’ve seen over and over that end in queer sadness. We are introduced to a young sex worker Uno, working on the streets alongside his group of 3 other friends. He is confident, knows what he is doing and he meets a new guy Zion, who seems to have been beaten up. As the night progresses and each of the 4 guys continue to look for tricks to pay their rents, ...

Biographies are tricky, because they may work for the country where the main character is based on, but maybe not in other places. This film is the biography on the life of Peruvian actor and drag queen Ernesto Pimentel 'Chola Chabuca' and a very famous TV show host. As it happens most of the times, I had no idea who this person was. But that did not stop me from throughly enjoying this film. It is one of those well made biographies and is a story that will resonate with most folks irrespective of what you have known this personality or not.  The film starts with Ernesto Pimentel, dressed as 'La Chola Chabuca', about to enter the air to host his first television program, and he faints. Using this scene a few times, we are then taken through the journey and rise of Ernesto. As a very young boy, Ernesto loses his mother and is raised by his grandmother. He also needs some economic stability, so he starts taking random theatre jobs here and there, but is always hard workin...

n00b is a New Zealand coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama television series. Set in the town of Gore, it is primarily about Nikau, a high school student who becomes a social outcast after being outed. He becomes a social outcast and along with a group of "freakish friends and foes" traverses the complicated world of high school, and the internet, in search of the confidence to be his true self. The show is 6 episodes of about 20-23 minutes each. The series is set in 2005 with bad fashion choices, emo music and flip phones, which also serves as a love-letter to the internet. Nikau is a popular high school student and a star rugby player and captain. Secretly he has been writing gay fan fiction stories on the internet. In real life he has a girlfriend Lauren, who dreams of making it big in LA. She is pretty but also like a bitch putting herself always before anyone else. Nikau is finding it difficult to lead double life and Lauren is  getting increasingly frustrated at the lack...

A queer themed time loop story is definitely novel idea. I have seen a few time travel stories so far (primarily in the Asian BL market), but time loop is definitely different. There is a certain appeal to the idea of a protagonist reliving their lives in a loop while trying to figure their way out of it and Spark fits well into this category. It is a thriller love story that makes for a decent watch, but somewhere remains short in keeping viewers engaged for a long time.  Aaron, is the careless, in-love twenty-something caught in an annoying time loop. Every afternoon, Aaron wakes up to their roommate Dani, offering them a glass of wine that has gone horribly off. Dani reminds them her habit to refuse to see red flags in guys and Aaron promises to do better. All that starts to change once he meets Trevor, an intriguing stranger he’s paired up with for a birthday party scavenger hunt. While Trevor at first seems fairly distant and aloof, there is a hint of interest, which is enough...

Set in 2006 in West Yorkshire, this is your simple boy-meets-boy teenage gay love story touching on nostalgia, teenage angst and indie pop with a gentle hand. We have seen many films in the same genre, so I was hoping for something different, but sadly the film follows a very predictable narrative approach. It's not bad at all, but how I wish there was something more. The film works only thanks to the charm of its two leading actors.  George is 16 year old teenager, navigating the difficult road of social and academic failure in a small town. George, who’s certain of his own talent even though no one else seems to share that belief, dreams of becoming a famous musician. He is not good at studies ether and his father and school teachers are very worried about his future. Enter Max, a handsome student, the son of a mega-famous musical duo, who much to surprise of George, takes interest in George and his music. Their budding friendship both excites and confuses George, leading him to ...

This is an American BL that was released in vertical format (suitable to view on phones) on DramaBox. Though the show was released as multiple episodes of 1-2 minutes each, I saw them as a whole series of 2 parts, totaling to almost a 3 hour program. The makers claimed that it was the first American vertical series. I guess I will take their word for it. Season 1 came out in 2024, while Season 2 debuted in 2025 taking the story forward. Since this was released more like a reel format, you have to literally leave your brain behind and watch this show just for entertainment and not for logic and only then you would be able to enjoy the show.  Season 1 introduces us to Lucas, a young heir to an influential crypto company. His father wants Lucas to marry Sophia, daughter of an influential politician (who wants this so that he can embezzle all his black money). Lucas fake announces he is gay and that he cannot marry a woman. In parallel, a man named Michael Wyatt had just infiltrated th...

Trust BBC and UK to come up with these heartwarming stories that touch you to the core in the gay genre. This loving and heartbreaking three part (one hour each) series about a gay couple trying to adopt a kid feels like an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you are laughing, the other minute you are enjoying the music and suddenly then you find yourself looking for tissues to wipe your tears. It’s a story about when people collide with each other and try to build a family out of all of their various parts. A beautiful and honest portrayal of queer adoption that takes viewers through the highs and lows of the process.  We meet a Welsh gay couple Andy and Gabe, who have been together for 8 years, meeting a social worker Jackie to start the adoption process. Andy appears easy-going and comfortable whilst Gabe is defensive, with an assurance that suppresses a very dark backstory. Jackie becomes there guid min the whole process. Beyond facing personal doubts and disagreements on what ...

“I’ll never stop loving you”—can anyone keep this promise? A romantic love story of two young boys, when the two meet by chance, their instant chemistry ignites a passionate affair that challenges them both to confront their desires and aspirations. An interesting premise, but I felt a lot of context was missing in the film and let's talk about that a bit later. Orlando is a dance student working part time as a go-go dancer in a popular gay bar, and Marco is a nursing student working part time in a hotel. They meet by chance on the street one day and they both have this instant crackling chemistry that they can't keep their hands off each other. Orlando is also applying to a reality dance completion in hopes to make it bug. Marco in the meantime, wants to be a good nurse as has been his dream. They duo start a passionate love story and before you know they move in, loving each other and supporting each other's career. But somewhere along the path, they start growing apart. ...

A down to earth BL series set in the rural country side where the realization to stop the pain, a self-sacrifice had to be made which is the price of love. Continuing the trend, this is also a low production series from Vietnam, but at least here, the was not as bad. Acting and story had some depth and thought was given through. One of the shows where things don't end on a happy ending, but probably more reality. And in this case, the choice was made, deliberately, not to have one. This mini-series was 4 episodes of 30 minutes each. For some this show may feel genuine and real, which it likely is, but it could still use a lot of polishing. In rural village, we meet Bach and Han, two brothers. Bach is the older one who odd job jobs and work in a wood factory to take care of him and his younger brother. One of the neighbors nephew Tung comes to stay with her leaving's home since his family cannot accept that he is gay. Tung is employed at the same location where Bach works. Befor...

This Dekkoo series of 9 episodes and 10 minutes each, recounts the title character’s misadventures dating in New York City. Danny is a 40-ish gay man who has a series of horrifically amusing bad dates that make him wonder if he will be single forever.  Addressing the viewers directly by breaking the fourth wall, Danny recounts his experiences as they happen, endearing himself as a gay everyman who seeks sex if not love.  Danny makes no bones about being an irritated, promiscuous bottom who has seemingly insatiable sexual needs. He is an "elder millennial," which, he contends, is the reason for his frequent erotic trysts. "I need a steady stream of sexual attention in order to feel any amount of self-esteem," he says in one episode. Every date has some sort of problem with the other person, whether it be clinginess, fetishes, or political stances. Over the course of 9 episodes we see how Danny meets a different man and is in a different situation and how nothing seem...

Even though this show had a soap opera like feel to it, but My god! What a fantastic series. The show is 6 episodes of about 45 minutes each, but the twists and turns and surprises that are thrown at you in every episode is fantastic. The storyline is genuinely intriguing and I genuinely could not guess the perpetrator. A suspenseful mystery about a man trying to understand how his husband of many years died in a car crash, the secrets he kept; especially his family members that were always kept a secret. A fatal car crash happens in rural France. Back in Paris, we see cops come to famous author's Manuel Ortega's home to inform him that his husband of six years had a fatal accident in rural France. Manuel is baffled because his husband Aymeric was supposedly on a business trip to Brussels. We soon learn that Aymeric is the son of a wealthy marquis who’d inherited the title and responsibility for running the family business and properties, of which Manuel knew nothing. As we beg...

Set in a rural village in the South of Italy, this post world war 2 film is about two main characters: a single mother Martha attempting to cast off the burden of shame that surrounds her unmarried status and finding out what it means to be an independent woman, and Lorenzo, the village’s openly gay “wedding planner", who helps Martha find her voice and courage. Even though this is not a gay film, Lorenzo is absolutely critical for the journey that Martha goes through. In the first year of women’s suffrage in Italy, Marta navigates her evolving role as a woman, breaking barriers and finding her place in a changing world. This is story about Martha, a young woman who was impregnated the day before her betrothed goes off to war, she finds herself alone with a small child on her hands, as her fiancé never returns from the front. She now lives with her parents, her 3 year old son and a younger sister and the parents do not leave any opportunity to remind her, what disgrace she brought...