I chanced upon this movie while browsing through the BL list of MDL and it got me curious. This is the first time that I’ve watched a BL movie that had an explicit scene from the very beginning and it wasn’t even blurred. Get ready to be shocked. At this point, you’d have an idea that the director did not spare any details at all.

STORY: This, I think, is a rated NC-17 Adults only because of the extremely explicit sex scenes as well as a toxic ending. In the beginning, the plot was complex and a little hard to follow. First off, I didn’t understand why Yong-Joon was so mad with Jae-Sung. However, later in the movie, I found out that Jae-Sung got married. I guess that’s where the anger came from. The story is intriguing at the same time I felt that I wanted to scream at all of the characters and I’ll discuss why later on. The story talks about what Yong-Joon would do for Tae-Kyu. What extreme measures he took just to be able to take care of him. How in the middle of the movie Yong-Joon became conflicted when Jae-Sung suddenly appeared. I don’t like how the movie ended. The way Tae-Kyung blackmailed Yong-Joon by threatening him that he will end his life is something that I detest. As well as, how the half-blind student took matters into his hands resulting in an individual's death that caused another person's death. It was a succession of terrible events that stemmed from anger.

ACTING/CAST: The acting was so good. Kim Tae Hoon (Yong-Joon) was good in his portrayal. His emotions were out there. You would feel what he felt for every scene. The actor was so good that in a way I hated the character. How Yong-Joon was so inclined to do even the nastiest things just to make sure that Tae-Kyu will be okay. Shin Won-Ho (Tae-Kyu) also did a good job being the naughty, selfish kind of kid that he was. I didn’t like the character being so carefree that he didn’t even notice how troubled Yong-Joon was. That the only thing that he could think of was that he was a burden and would emotionally abuse Yong-Joon. If I were to analyze his personality, I would think that he has emotional and mental issues. Then there’s Choi Jae-Sung (Jae-Sung), the guy who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was trying so hard to make-up with Yong-Joon. I feel that he could have done a little bit more when it comes to facial expressions.

REWATCH VALUE: If you have been diagnosed with depression, I would suggest that you don’t. But if you can take the scenes, the emotional entanglement, then go ahead.

Read More

A Glimpse

This special was intended for all the UWMA fans. If you are a die-hard fan like me you would really want to watch this special because it gives you an idea of the characters, what they went through, their hardships, the fun that they had on the set. The things that they've learned. So much information.

You would appreciate all the actions that they've done. Not only that, the elders gave their opinion about relationships between same-sex which was very informative. An eye-opener for those who still question relationships such as this. They also gave their thoughts about love, family, the generation today. You'll see a glimpse of what you are hoping for in an elder. Someone who can accept the new society, one who can adjust to the new norm.

I commend all of the actors and actresses of UWMA.

Read More

What's meant to be is meant to be

I'm bawling my eyes out while writing this review. I've already watched the series about 2 weeks ago and this was the only time that I was able to watch the Director's Cut. I've already fallen in love with the series but watching this movie made me love it even more because of the extra scenes or minutes that were added to it. It's rare that a series or a movie would be able to make me cry but in this instance, there were similarities in this movie to my real life so I could feel every single emotion that these two characters were going through. So, here's my take on this movie.

STORY: It's 10/10! The best storyline that I was graced to watch. It's not the typical love story that you would often see in BL series or movies. The storyline was incredible due to the fact that it showed us how Akira and Yuuki grew throughout the years. Starting from being 17 all the way up until Yuuki turned 82 (loved how the name on the bed was shown as Itou Yuuki, I really enjoyed this small detail). The love that they had for each other even after being separated for 8 years was pretty strong. It's rare to see that nowadays. I loved how the director was able to seamlessly put into motion everything that happened to them throughout the years. There was no dull moment. And that ending, there are not enough words that would describe how happy I felt to see that ending. A marvelous way to end the movie.

ACTING/CAST: 10/10! Everyone was in their game. They were able to portray their characters really well. The chemistry between Shirasu Jin (Akira) and Raiku (Yuuki) was so on point from their actions, the way that they looked at each other, the way that the characters interacted was so astounding. I was carried away every time Yuuki cried. I wanted to strangle Akira for what he did to Yuuki. I kept on saying that he deserved the sadness and the pain that he was feeling when he started to realize that he made a mistake. I felt the anger that he had when he punched Akira in Alaska. I felt that Yuuki did the right thing and Akira deserved that punch. I'm gushing at this point because I really commend the actors in this movie. That smile on Raiku's face is unforgettable!

MUSIC: 10/10 as well. The music was on point. It matched the setting, the emotions, the character.

REWATCH: 10/10. I've watched the series and I loved it and I didn't hesitate to watch the Director's Cut either.

OVERALL: 10/10! This movie and the series deserve this rating. I enjoyed watching it. I plan to watch it again. I learned a lot from it. Cried over the pain and the anger. I loved how this movie showed what it's like being in love, being in pain, falling apart, and finding each other again. It gives me hope and I love that this movie makes me feel that way.

EXTRA: Did anyone notice that Hao Ting and Xi Gu (HIStory3: Make Our Days Account) was also in Alaska enjoying the Aurora? I was so surprised and I was laughing while crying.

Read More

Laudable Story

I've always loved watching Japanese films. They offer a variety of genres and so far I can't name any movie that failed my taste. I've got a long list of favorites and this movie happens to be one of them. This would be the 4th time I've watched it and it still gives me that same feeling, as if it's the first time I've seen it.

STORY: 10/10 I like how diverse this movie is. It talks about the hardships that gay couples go through, the relationship of a workaholic mother and her young child, an accepting society, the negative effects of divorce on a child, and acceptance of one's true sexuality. I like how this movie used the innocence of a child to show the right thing. The time when Sora told Shun that there's nothing wrong with a guy liking a guy and that moment when she asked Nagisa to apologize to her mother for being selfish on her behalf, how she assured Nagisa that if he apologizes it would be accepted and they can live happily again. HIS made you feel all the emotions that you can feel. The realistic nature of this movie is overwhelming and precise to what's happening in the world. I know how hard it was for Nagisa to decide on letting his wife take custody of Sora however his reason was admirable. No matter what happened though I was happy to see the ending. Divorced couples with extended families can still share the responsibilities of raising a child with love and proper guidance.

ACTORS/CAST: 10/10 The actors did a fine job in portraying their roles. Their acting was so good that even if there were no lines you could still feel their emotions based on the way they move and their facial expressions. Sotomura Sakura (Sora) stole my heart multiple times in this story. This little girl's acting is so good it can melt your heart in an instance. There are no awkward moments. The chemistry between Miyazawa Hio (Shun) and Fujiwara Kisetsu (Nagisa) is undeniable. A simple look, a simple nudge makes you feel that they are indeed a couple. I particularly love the scene where their foreheads were together. There were no words uttered but that moment was incredible. All of the actors in this movie are commendable from the small sweet girl to the old man who told them to be who they are. The cast did extremely well.

MUSIC: 10/10 The musical score of this movie is just right for the scenes where it was added to. Pleasant and soothing to the ears which adds to the magic of the movie.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 Whenever I'm at odds with my children's fathers and with my family, I watch this movie and it gives me peace. So, yeah, perfect rating and not to forget this is the 4th time I'm watching it and I'll watch it over and over again.

OVERALL: 10/10 This movie made me realize a lot of things as a single mother and as an individual, because of that I rated this movie 10/10. The fact that this movie made me reflect on my life as a mother is exceptional. How a young girl was able to make people change the way that they're thinking is praiseworthy. This girl at a young age was able to see the good instead of the bad. That there is still a society that wasn't "void of kindness". And as the old woman said we should live proudly. Be true to ourselves and accept who we are.

ON THE FUNNY SIDE: This movie has challenged me to break eggs using one hand only.

Read More

WBL: No. 1 For You is No. 1 for me.

WBL: No. 1 For You is No. 1 for me. I finished watching this episode just an hour ago. I'm sad that it ended, but I'm excited about the next season. That teaser at the ending makes me want to say, "February can you speed it up? I want March fast, please". Let's put that emotion aside for now, and let me share with you my ratings for this series.

STORY: 10/10 Unrequited love? Ok? Main characters butt heads with each other? Ok? Let's spark some jealousy so that he admits that he likes the guy too? Ok? BUT, the storyline is still fun to watch and not too cliche for my taste. There are no run-around, and yet pretty much straight forward for me. The romantic flair is there, the cuteness of other characters and how they are related to each other is perfect. I'm gushing at this point, but I love the storyline so much that I can't point out anything that I don't like. I love the look on Shu Yi's face when Shi De formally introduces Pei Shou Yi as his cousin. Epic!

CAST/ACTORS: 10/10 Sam Lin (Gao Shi De) and Yu (Zhou Shu Yi) are officially my second favorite ship for 2021 (after Heo Hyun Jun and Yoo Jun of Color Rush). Their chemistry is undeniable whether it's in the series or real life. The way they look at each other. The facial expressions or the body language makes you fall for them hard. Then there's Evan Lou (Liu Bing Wei) and Richard Lee (Shi Zhe Yu), who would have even dreamt that they would be together in this series. I had a tad bit hunch in the beginning. However, I didn't want my heart to get broken, so I didn't hope that much. Their ship looks promising too.

MUSIC: 10/10 Fits right to the tee. Will You Be My Love by Kelly Cheng is snappy that I'm getting LSS (Last Song Syndrome) vibes from it. Yu's voice in Aqua Blue? Please accept my heart.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 You won't get tired of watching this. The chemistry doesn't fade away that fast. Truth be told before this series ended, I had rewatched this series twice.

OVERALL: 10/10 I highly recommend this to all soft-hearted people who love romance and who believe that unrequited love can eventually be reciprocated. That there is a "happy ever after".

Read More

Reality

VERY LONG REVIEW

Before I watched this series, I read all of the reviews. Some of them I agree 100% and some not so much. It's a story of love at first sight, LGBTQ+ issues pertaining to family, cheating (which I hated the most), and acceptance (to what is and what's not).

Love at first sight: For Yan Fei and Hai Qing, the attraction that they had for each other the first time that they met was quite unbelievable, in a way because who would kiss someone like that when they barely knew each other and they just met. I understand though that this can happen, this is possible. What surprised me was the fact that even after 1 year they were not able to forget each other which made me believe that this is destiny.

LGBTQ+ Issues pertaining to the family: Although some would say that this is cliche, it's still very common. It happens, even today. There are families who still believe that it's wrong to love someone of the same sex, that it is taboo and is not accepted by society. We still have that percentage. Some would accept it thinking of the happiness of their children like Hai Qing's father but some wouldn't just accept it and would deny it even more like Yan Fei's mother.

Cheating: I personally wanted to strangle Yan Fei, Hai Qing, and Jimmy. Jimmy because his reasoning why he slept around was to grab Yan Fei's attention which for me would have been resolved with a sit-down. Something, that people in relationships tend to forget. Yan Fei, if he was no longer happy with the relationship and he finally found the person that he wanted to be with he should have been firm in his decision to break up with Jimmy. Hai Qing could have ended it first with Pin Jun before succumbing to his feelings for Yan Fei. The fact that the reason why he stayed with Pin Jun was something that I couldn't accept. However, it does happen in real life.

Acceptance: Hai Qing's father accepting his sexuality is praiseworthy for a father who had doubts. The most commendable person though in this drama is none other than Pin Jun. The acceptance is both stupid at the same time admirable just for Hai Qing's happiness.

Personally, I love the story. I love some of the characters but not all of them. The acting was good. I wasn't much into the music. The interaction between the characters was awesome. I hated the fact that Pin Jun didn't get what he deserves at the same time it was all for the better. This is not the typical BL series that some of us would want, at the same time this is reality. This is something that happens in the present. Not to everyone but definitely to some. But this is just my point of view.

Read More

"Sometimes the best ending is the one without one."

I chanced upon this movie through a list of BL movies that I can watch and what caught my attention are the comments of different individuals who have watched the movie and so I thought I'd check it out.

I am so pissed off with this movie that I don't even know where or how to begin this review. From start to finish, DEPRESSING... redeeming quality? There's none because even at the end of the story I was left with the lingering feeling of emptiness. The question of whether they ended up with each other or not.

Right off the bat, the story began with the cheating issue of Zhang Nan (John Wu) which after a few scenes eventually led up to their break up. When Zhang Zhe (Lee-Fong Huang) finally decided to move forward he was again, cheated on by Jiang Chao (Jiaxi Wang), and to make matters worst Chao was the love interest of Zhe's best friend Chunzi (Xinchen Gu). Now, you may have guessed that this is a story about cheating and the problems that queers go through in their lives. From coming out to their parents, getting married to their partners, fear of growing old alone. There's a lot that was seen in this movie. What was really irritating is the characters. How they dealt with the problem that they were encountering. Honestly, after the 1:33:09 mark, my pent up frustration for the previous situations just blew up. There were a lot of emotions that were shown in this movie from regrets, uncertainties, imperfections, and losses. What hit me the most is that of the love story between Chao and Chunzi. I can't even imagine what Chunzi felt when he had done everything for Chao and yet he was devastated in the end. Next to that would be the story of Zhang Zhe and Zhang Nan. They have now a chance to be finally together. But why? Why can't they be together? When they both knew deep inside that they were meant for each other? I know it's not about pride. I understand it's something else. But with everything that's happened to their friends. Can't they take that as a lesson and just be together? For the love of g!

Regardless of the frustration that I have for this movie. l still rated it 10/10. The story may be too much negativity and too depressing but in reality, this does happen. Queer couples are just the same as straight couples. They go through difficulties just the same except at different levels. I love the friendship that was shown in this movie. I appreciate all the actors. They acted extremely well. I simply detest Jimmy (Kyou Aung) for being the manipulative bijj that he is.

So, not all of us would like this movie. Some would even drop it halfway. The progression is quite slow and you would need tremendous patience. I did enjoy it though and I wish and pray that my queer friends would be spared from the heartaches that the characters in this movie went through.

"Sometimes the best ending is the one without one. There is forever in the uncertainty ahead, and with it, the infinite possibilities."

Read More

Love of Music

Here's another Korean romantic story that is packed with music and love that began with attraction at first sight. Whether it was the smile or the voice, who knows?

I've watched the series of this movie and it really left me hanging. I felt that there was something lacking in the story.

Attraction at first sight? With that smile and voice? who wouldn't?

STORY: 10/10 A romantic story that began when Yoon Sang Yi saw Kang In-Soo busking and being filmed. I don't know if it was because of the smile or the song. But clearly you will see that Sang Yi was enthralled by In Soo just by his facial expression. The storyline is average. It shows a glimpse of what a singer or an artist would go through before they are given a chance to debut and a fan who wants their idol to succeed. It also talks about what a parent can do to stop their child from doing what they think is out of the question.

ACTORS/CAST: 10/10 Chemistry between the two leads is there. The way that they look at each other is enough to show that there is something brewing within. Their acting skills may not be that strong but I think that they were able to act out their characters well.

MUSIC: 10/10 The music is so good. It's pleasant to the ears and hypes up your emotions. It's very fitting for the movie.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 I'm a sucker for this kind of movie. I've watched the series multiple times I'd probably watch the movie more because I didn't feel anything hanging.

OVERALL: 10/10 I love the movie version more than the series. I was not left hanging. I better understood what was going on between In-Soo and his father. The ending was complete and the storyline ended with In-Soo not giving up and asking Sang Yi to be with him for a long time. (This is my perception from the underlying meaning of his words in the last part)

Read More

Feel Good Movie

I've watched the series multiple times and I've never grown tired of watching it over and over again. This is not the typical "hating each other to later on become lovers" kind of story.

STORY: 10/10 For some people they may think that this isn't something special but a friendship that turned into love makes me feel good inside. I love how the story showed what they can do to protect each other. The 15 years of being together made it even stronger for Han Tae Joo and Kang Gook. A relationship that was built in friendship is worth taking care of.

ACTING/CAST: 10/10 Han Gi Chan (Han Tae Joo) and Jang Eui Soo (Kang Gook) did a splendid job portraying the characters. Each one of them was able to play their roles efficiently. Even facial expressions were on point. They were able to convey what they felt through their eyes and that's a big plus for me. Not saying anything but showing emotions just by action is WOW.

MUSIC: 10/10 The song choices were very apt for this movie. It adds emotions to what's going on.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 As I mentioned earlier I've already seen the series multiple times and I still look forward to watching it again. There are sad moments but at the end of the day, I see the happiness that they felt with each other. And this for me is a rewatchable series/movie.

OVERALL: 10/10 The story gives you a different kind of feel. How their friendship progressed to something beautiful. That even though they went through rough patches and got separated still their love for each other remained intact. A beautiful ending to a beautiful love story.

Read More

Average

Is it outstanding? Not really.
Is it bad? No.
It's decent.

STORY: 8/10. The series is pretty much average. Deals with issues about love, coming out to the public, parent's approval, and fear of marriage. It's something that commonly occurs with same-sex relationships. This is where the whole gist of the series is focused on. It's lacking in the development of the main lead characters which would be Yi Fan and Kane which was evident after a few episodes it focused on Soda and Noah's story. Although it brought additional flare to the series still I was hoping to see more of Yi Fan and Kane.

ACTING/CAST: 10/10 I know there are people who will not agree with me and I respect that. Initially, I couldn't see any chemistry between Yi Fan and Kane. However, later on, I could see that there was. I guess it was because they were finally comfortable with each other. If that had been set earlier it would have been awesome. The same goes for Soda and Noah.

MUSIC: 10/10 because I fell in love with the music.

REWATCH: I'd say 50/50. If you like these kind of series then, yeah, it's rewatchable but if you want more watching it once is enough.

OVERALL: I rated it 8.50 because I think there were things that could have been done to improve the storyline.

Read More

Enjoyable

I watched the movie first before checking the reviews. I did not want my judgment to be clouded or influenced by other factors. One of my favorite Chinese series is The Untamed, so when I found out that there was a separate movie that showcased one of my favorite Untamed characters, I excitedly went ahead and watched it. Here's my take on this movie:

STORY: 10/10 I loved the mystery feel to it. The way the whole story was unraveled, some would have said that it was predictable but, I think it's because we're already making our brains work too much. If we go with the flow and let the story divulge itself, you would feel the charm. The good versus evil and the acceptance of your true nature is what made me like this movie even more. The appearance of Wei Wu Xian gave the support that Wen Ning needed.

ACTING/CAST: 10/10 Although Wen Ning's innocence and funny side in The Untamed were not visible, you could see the character's growth that made it endearing. Paul Yu's acting is commendable. The facial expression, the actions, even the emotions are all on point for me. The rest of the cast did well. Lan Si Zhui is Lan Si Zhui. If there is one thing that I didn't like, it would be the little girl at the beginning of the movie. The actions were forced, which made it look awkward.

MUSIC: 10/10 Very familiar with the music, so it's a perfect score for me.

REWATCH VALUE: 10/10 I'd watch it over and over again because, simply put, I love Wen Ning.

Read More

Mixed Emotions

I just finished watching the last episode. When the trailer of this series came out I was so excited to watch it because it kinda gave the impression that it's a cute-sweet-romantic vibe plus the fact that I love and adore all the actors in this series. Now don't get me wrong, I still think that it is a cute-sweet-romantic vibe, it's just lacking something. I felt it was rushed to the point that the episodes were not seamless at all. Let me get down to why I rated this series as such.

STORY: So I rated this 7/10. I think the storyline was promising. Only if there weren't that many awkward cuts. It wasn't seamless. It's like grabbing bits and pieces from different storylines and putting them all together just to create a series. It would have been nice if they had a clear definition between a homophobe and someone who's not sure of his/her sexuality. It was my impression that Tonhon was a homophobe but in actuality, he wasn't. It just came out like he was. There were a lot of twists in this series some of which were in the last episode.

ACTING/CAST: Rated this 10/10. I loved all the actors in this series. I've seen them in different BL series that I have watched. I'm glad that Khaotung was given the main lead role. I first saw his acting in 2gether and I really thought that he deserved a main role so when I saw the trailer I was so excited for him. Pod's acting in Dark Blue Kiss was far better than in this series. The jealousy kind-a-thing doesn't work for him in this episode because it came out as though he's a homophobe, when in fact he was just jealous. My favorite BL couple Mike and Toptap are still adorable. I wish that they would have their own BL series. Their acting is very much at par being the supportive, naughty, mischievous kind of friend.

MUSIC: I love the OST that's why I rated it 10/10.

REWATCH VALUE: I was at a loss for this one but I rated it 5 because I think for some people it'll be rewatchable. We all have different opinions, different personalities, and different likes. For my taste though, I'd probably rewatch it when I'm bored or if I want to see Mike and Toptap's cuteness again. So it's 50/50.

OVERALL: I'd give this series 8/10 because there were lessons learned. Lessons intended not specifically just for the BL community but for all of us. Learning that whether you were just dared to do it or forced to do it. Cheating is still cheating. If you are in a relationship don't put yourself in a situation where you may be labeled as a cheater even if you had no intentions of doing so. Apologize, don't makeup excuses even if you were forced to do something. Man up to it and just apologize. We make our own choices. Regardless of the situation, know and understand that you made a mistake and apologize, it's not hard to do. As parents, we can't force our children to become who they're not. Parents should be their guide, yes, but it doesn't necessarily mean that parents are always right. Nowadays, producing an heir can be done in so many ways. Why are there some people who are so adamant about it?

This series has a lot of good things and a lot of not so good things as well. It could have been executed nicely. The story could have been refined even more. Overall, with the cast that this series had, the storyline could have been better.

Read More

While I was watching another BL series on YouTube, the trailer of this series popped up and I was mesmerized by those beautiful eyes that I decided to look it up and watch it. So, let's get to the nitty-gritty.

STORY: I rated the storyline 9 because I enjoyed the whole series, at the same time, I feel that there's something missing. There are a lot of open questions that could have been addressed however it wasn't. A side couple that I wish could have been elaborated even more, how they came about. This is a story of two imperfect boys finding each other in an imperfect world. Hello, can it be sweeter than that? There are scenes where it could be a trigger for some people, however, it was done artistically. I'd say this is somewhat a happy ever after if only some of the issues were addressed.

ACTING/CAST: The actors are awesome, Yeon Woo and Yoo Han were able to portray their roles beautifully. I like their interaction, their chemistry. I love how they were able to convey what they felt just through their eyes. The side couple has sweet chemistry as well, which I was hoping would have a story too however that's not the case.

MUSIC: The music is right to the tee and I enjoyed listening to it.

REWATCH VALUE: I won't be surprised if I keep on watching it. It's not boring, it keeps you wanting more. I enjoyed the scenes between Yeon Woo and Yoo Han. If by chance in the future they'd have another series I'd be watching that too.

OVERALL: Despite the rate that I gave for the story, I still rated this series 10 because it made me happy, it made me cry, it made me feel the emotions and the connection between Yeon Woo and Yoo Han. It's a feel-good movie at the same time there are lessons that you will learn.

Read More