All posts by PPBongi

Filipino Reviews

“Papa, What is Love 2” Series Review (Ep.1 to 6)

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This is the continuing story from Season One but a bit tamer. By now, Greg (Anyhony Flores) and Tupe (Rex Lantano) are well into their relationship. They are firmly established as a couple, with Tupe now ardently wanting to become more productive in the relationship by going back to work. Greg’s father, Rich (Arnold Reyes), has now moved on from the anguish and embarrassment he must have experienced when Tupe also fell in love with his son. As trite as the saying might be, time does heal all wounds, and Rich has begun to realize that this was meant to be. And now he is back on the prowl. While he has encounters, Rich is still looking for his ‘Mr. Right’.

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Reviews

“The Star- Season One & Two” Series Review

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For the BL purist out there, this is undoubtedly not a series that will be high on your list of want-to-sees. And you will be making a big mistake if you let its foibles outweigh its content and message. And it does have a lot of flaws requiring patience, understanding, and a genuine love for BL to get through. But the payoff is so worth the effort.

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Vietnamese Reviews

“Vian” Series Review (Ep.1 to 12)

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This BL starts out rather non-descript and frankly, a bit boring. While the initial premise is interesting, it is only referenced once in the beginning mysteriously and then only tangentially afterwards, which made me wonder about the whole series. True to its Vietnamese roots, it has some powerful and poignant dramatic resplendence. However, its sustainability wears off rather quickly.

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Vietnamese Reviews

“Stupid Genius” Series Review (Ep.1 to 6)

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For pure entertainment and good, clean, fun peppered with a good dose of moral lessons thrown in for good measure, there is nothing like a good Vietnamese BL to do the job for you. To get there, however, you might have to sift through some unorthodox translations that may or may not make sense. But that doesn’t matter, because the overall story will. You will see at the end when the story is presented in full, how absolutely adorable the whole story is.

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Movie Review

“Stormy Honeymoon” Movie Review

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A sequel to “The Star Always Follow You”, “Stormy Honeymoon” is a ‘stand-alone’ production. I personally think the prequel was so much more powerful and dramatic. This epilogue to one of the love stories, however, took the main couple from where we saw them in the prequel to where they are now at such a galloping speed that I felt like a missed something in between. Besides, it went from a serious theme to a light-hearted and silly narrative. A somewhat big schism for me to jump.

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Movie Review

“Midnight Love” Movie Review

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This mini-movie appears to be more like an ‘after-school’ project and perhaps held together with chewing gum and glue. This is never going to win any awards nor be on any top 10 list. However, it did do something for me that so many BLs, especially Thai, do not do for me anymore. And that is, it made me smile. It made my eyes tear up. It also made me reflect. Further, it made me see how so, so many everyday ordinary gay relationships begin. This gem captured the heart and soul of a humanity that is not often portrayed. A humanity of individuals whose beauty lies within, not without, whose goodness is inherent, not extrinsic, and whose fortitude is who they are. It is a story of genuineness and strength of character. It is a story of life. And most importantly, it is a simple, basic story of love.

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Vietnamese Reviews

“To Do (Oh My God)” Series Review (Ep.1 to 5)

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To be honest, this comedic BL is uneven. The story at times got a bit pedestrian. But hidden in this series is another tale; one that is not so sweet and with hints of deep pain and sadness. It is simply confounding yet brilliant how this BL can tell two different stories bound to one character that, seemingly, are insignificant. But is he the key to this captivating series?

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Movie Review

“The Love Ring” Movie Review

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This soft, well-meaning and very short BL drama is obviously a labor of love coming from Myanmar. And it should be applauded for its courage, message, and commitment to equality and gay rights. No less important is its passion towards seeing love as all-encompassing. But be forewarned. This is not a series for all. If you want the fancy, drawn-out, splashy, big production, then move on. Because this is not it. The production is simple and basic; the acting, though a bit inconsistent. But I believe it is an early and very beautiful attempt to introduce BL into a culture not known for its openness to such a concept.

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Movie Review

“Bus Stop” Movie Review

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Perhaps merely a coincidence, but this short paragon of a production is the same name as a 1956 film starring the iconic Marilyn Monroe. (If you are unaware of who she is, Google her- I remember her vividly). While not necessarily the same plot, its underlying message is exactly the same. RESPECT. And respect is what gives this strikingly beautiful parable its own sense of worth and beauty.

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