While you watch this breathtakingly evocative short film, it will be easy to see yourself in it. Those of us who struggle with the everyday maintenance of a relationship, perhaps more so with an individual of the same gender, understand that facing a slice-of-life right-of-passage we know is coming, but we do not want to face it, this elegy is even more prodigious. Particularly difficult for us, as we have no anchor, no cornerstone, to keep the relationship together except the allegiance to one another. That is especially true for the two protagonists in this story. Rohan (Ullas Samrat) is leaving for a yearlong sabbatical, which means leaving his beloved Akshay (Rohit Mehra) alone in India.
Category Archives: Movie Review
“The Paradise of Thorns” Movie Review
The greed, the death, the unforgiving law, the cruelty of survival, the penitence of sin, and the ultimate price to pay—the aftermath… that is called “The Paradise of Thorns”.
“Love in the Big City” Movie Review
“A man and a woman can be friends; they don’t necessarily have to be queer for that”
“A Balloon’s Landing” Movie Review
This is a particularly intricate and well-acted movie. Its cinematography is exceptional. Sometimes, using muted and pastel tones to reflect the mood of the scenes. The screenplay is also sophisticated, which allowed the actors to become immersed in their roles to the point that the audience could relate and feel what they were experiencing. Since so much of it was subtle, that took real acting challenges to pull off. The first half of the movie is intensely character driven while the second half, unfortunately, becomes an esoteric mess.
“The Blue Hour” Movie Review
This is a serendipitous find and what a find it is. Sometimes one needs to go back in order to proceed forward. Admittedly, this is a movie that goes way back and by today’s standards in the BL world might be considered ‘old’ and maybe thought of as remote. Its reviews were less than stellar, which is incredulous, and I think based on a misunderstanding of what this movie was all about. I hesitate to reference it as a BL, however. More aptly, it certainly is a gay film. A gay film highlighted by elucidations from the inner thoughts of a mind of a tortured young gay boy, struggling with his ‘coming out.’ If you see it as that, it will have more meaning.
“AM I OK?” Movie Review
“Am I OK?” is a late “coming of age” story about friendship and self-discovery and tackles the agonies of coming to terms with yourself at a later age. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a 32-year-old woman who has an unfulfilling work and personal life, and relies on her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) who provides some structure in her life, despite her being controlling. “Am I Ok?” tackles the reality of a lot of gay people, who only come to terms with their sexuality once they are older, and it seems like they cannot do much about it because they have run out of time. Despite being 32, Lucy had never fully considered that she was in fact gay and was dejected and at peace with having mediocre relationships with men despite not fully enjoying the experience.
“Spaceless” Movie Review
In essence, this 20-minute short film imparts more than most BLs do in 12 episodes. Ironically, it also goes deeper emotionally than most BLs ever go as well. Additionally, it is one of the best acted BLs from Thailand I have seen in a long time. So, in that sense, this film is genuinely a paragon. As much as this is a gem, I rejected its subtle underlying message ardently and found it quite demoralizing as a gay man. Allow me to explain.
“Challengers” Movie Review
The Challengers I watched and the Challengers that has swept the internet seem to be two completely different movies. The Challengers I watched was about Tashi and her feral need for control, her need for winning and how she viewed her life through the lense of the game of tennis, and how her own life was a microcosm of the game, instead of the other way round. The relationship between Tashi (Zendaya), Art (Mike Faise) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor), was to me less sexual than it was merely passion for the game that translated itself into this raw energy that none of them knew exactly how to deal with. In as much as there was excitement about the menage a trois, what I saw was Tashi playing with Art and Patrick the moment that she met with them, antagonizing them, making her ken dolls kiss, the way a child playing with her dolls would. Sure Art and Patrick in turn because very moldable in those roles, but it wasn’t sexual but a different kind of passion and tension that the oblivious onlooker has no choice but to wonder if they just need to f*ck to get it out of the way.
“Can I Buy Your Love From a Vending Machine” Movie Review
Courage can be as simple as taking that first step toward something you’ve longed for but were afraid to hope for.
Continue reading “Can I Buy Your Love From a Vending Machine” Movie Review
“Love Syndrome : The Beginning” Movie Review
“Love Syndrome : The Beginning” is the self-indulgent reimagining of the recently released “Love Syndrome 3”. Recently deceased director and writer F. Nontapat Sriwichai put his heart and soul into this hour and thirty minute feature film and it truly shows. Glistening well-made sets, close up shots of the men that pepper the film with unique, stand out acting (everyone besides Def Rattanan, whose Day was the worst part of the film in my opinion) do a phenomenal job.
Continue reading “Love Syndrome : The Beginning” Movie Review
The BL Xpress 