morality tale of pranks/cyberbulling

Overall: it was a decent morality tale though it could have been less soap opera style and more realistic. 8 episodes about 30 minutes each https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwPOcpjobYWXlLOVMc845oyIYC4i31tda&si=RpHtrwDD000GLBvQ

Content Warnings: murders, suicide, blood, cyberbullying, harassment

BL Couple Timings
episode 1 part 1 at 9:45, part 2 at 2 min
episode 2 part 1 at 5 min, part 2 beginning
episode 3 part 1 at 9 min, part 2 beginning and 6 min
episode 5 part 1 at 4 min
episode 8 part 2 at 3:15-5:50 min

What I Liked
- avoided a cliche with the queer couple
- cinematography/island setting

Room For Improvement
- a doctor drank water and then said it's clean
- too many deaths/soap opera stuff
- a character still doing pranks at the end

Leia Mais

more of the same

Overall: I found this 23 minute lacking in showing relationship progression between the two protagonists. It was at least 6 months to a year into dating and that was a lackluster response to having a boyfriend return from a long trip. They felt more like roommates to me. The addition of the stalkery woman writer was cringey. If you want to watch it I'd suggest 6:50-9:42, 12:10-15:28, 16:45 to the end. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4520/takaras-treasure-2024-e11 Here is my review of the series https://mydramalist.com/profile/blcompilations/review/371693

Leia Mais

very NSFW with a messier plot

Overall: the title on GagaOOLala is "Sex Drifter" which is pretty appropriate. This is more of a messy plot and less idealized romance. It is a Japanese pink film which is about an hour long and very heavy on the explicit NSFW scenes. I wish they would have not opened with alternating NSFW scenes because I wasn't sure what the relationships were between the characters. I also wanted more pleasure instead of pained expressions and I will ignore the lube that magically fell from the ceiling. The messier/realistic plot didn't bother me in particular and I was fine with the way it ended. I watched it here https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4465/sex-drifter-2024

Content Warnings: coercion, beginning assault

Leia Mais

pandemic slice of life/BL

Overall: this is one of the slew of BL series (I.e. Gameboys, Quaranthings, See You After Quarantine, Boys' Lockdown) set during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to others, it has an angstier more realistic vibe. First watched with an iWantTFC subscription and re-watched when it released on GagaOOLala in 2024 https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4287/my-lockdown-romance-2020

What I Liked
- the supportive friend who was not a cliche female character
- supportive parents and how the dad said to not promise him grandkids but that the lead character would be safe and happy
- tech integrated fairly well

Room For Improvement
- why did he do the sales pitch, his character actions confused me at times
- odd that he didn't delete the post right away
- maybe because the actors weren't in person with each other, but the ending felt anti climactic

Leia Mais

artsy/realistic vibe

Overall: watched this 20 minute short movie on YouTube https://youtu.be/6wj77bybP_Y?si=IDX9OzVAx1rqmYmh According to MDL it was inspired by the song Rerun, the music video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaBrj275co&ab_channel=PPKritEntertainment

What I Liked
- hooked me with the beginning conversation
- how the painting was titled open-ended
- the vibe

Room For Improvement
- the timeline of the first 2 scenes after the voice over in the intro wasn't clear until later
- the romance was an undercurrent/spoken but not really shown
- open endings aren't my favorite

Leia Mais

messy characters (watch suggestions for BL)

Overall: although I think they did a good job telling the story they wanted to tell, that story was not interesting to me with the amount of cheating and terrible decision-making. Note that every 4 episodes the story re-sets from other characters' perspectives (the middle 4 were my favorite episodes and I did like some plot lines in the ending 4). 12 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on Viu.

Content Warnings: near rape, sexual assault, minor?/non-minor, pregnancy loss, blood, manipulation, blackmail, addiction, vomiting, gaslighting

Watch Suggestions for BL Scenes
- episode 5, 24:40-25:40 & 32-33:40
- episode 6, 22:15-22:30 & 38:55-41
- episode 7, 28:10-33:05

What I Liked
- a trans character that felt like a real person instead of a stereotype
- diversity in sexual orientation
- I hated the beginning of episode 8 but I did like that they showed a 'freeze' response because most people just think of 'fight' or 'flight'
- showcased complicated emotions around pregnancy and pregnancy loss
- touched on struggles of being trans and also being in a relationship with a trans person
- production value (music, start was in gray scale, ending credits changed)

Room For Improvement
- there were 22 characters and it was impossible to remember who was married to who, exes with who, cheating with who, related to who, etc.
- I had no interest in a whole bunch of characters/their plots

Leia Mais

the one that started it all

Overall: there are parts that I liked more and parts that I liked less from the Ossan's Love 2018 series. 47 minute special/pilot. Watched on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3892/ossans-love-2016

Content Warning: non con touching

What I Liked
- his female friend was more supportive and less of a love rival in the pilot
- that a character was already divorced
- some funny parts like outside the shower scene

Room For Improvement
- the fight scene wasn't as epic/hilarious as some of the other ones
- that confession left a lot to be desired
- the almost non con kiss and the non con touching
- missed Maki's sass

Ossan's Love Franchise
Ossan's Love special/pilot, Japan, 2016 - don't really need to watch as the 2018 series is the same story
Ossan's Love, Japan, 2018 - full series
Ossan's Love, Hong Kong, 2021 - a remake of the 2018 series
Ossan's Love: In The Sky, Japan, 2019 - this has some of the same characters and kind of a similar overall plot, an alternate setting
Ossan's Love: In The Sky special, Japan, 2019 - goes along with In The Sky series
Ossan's Love: Love or Dead movie, Japan, 2019 - follows the 2018 Japanese series
Ossan's Love Return's, Japan, 2024 - follows the movie
Ossan's Love Returns Telasa Spin Off: Forbidden Gout/Temps Nouveau, Japan, 2024 - these are additional scenes that go along with the 2024 series
Ossan's Love Returns Spin-off Drama: Haruta to Maki no Shinkon Shoya, Japan, 2024 - this is a scene that goes along with the 2024 series
Ossan's Love, Thailand, 2024 - a remake of the 2018 series

Leia Mais

delightful characters but not delightful plot

Overall: we've seen this plot device in numerous specials but I enjoyed seeing the characters again. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3342/our-dining-table-spin-off-2023 My review of the series https://mydramalist.com/profile/blcompilations/reviews/268835

What I Liked
- the supportive dad and that he gave them space in the hot spring
- Tane
- a couple sweet moments

Room For Improvement
- the premise/poor communication is a tired cliche in special episodes, wanted to see them growing more as a couple and a bunch of fluff

Leia Mais

too much of an unlikable character

Overall: I'm generally more lenient on indie productions; however, Wayufilm has been making short movies for several years and they have had some that I enjoyed so I know what they are capable of. However, in this "The Star" they spent the first 20 minutes with a character who was such a jerk to another character that was a complete doormat. Then in the second part, there was a very fast mostly off screen redemption arc. We didn't get to really see their relationship develop/sweet moments. I did appreciate their frank conversation and the condom in the second part. And I understand why the NSFW scenes needed to be cut on YouTube though it made the second part feel choppy.

Aired in 2 parts for a total of about 45 minutes on Wayufilm's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOA6_oQmuXGBm-k0qjRmKX3mZLev2M7do&si=ldSLP6IMp8PTcYJf

Content Warnings: bullying, manhandling, threats

Leia Mais

an enjoyable special

Overall: if you liked the series, then you'll enjoy this 40 minute special episode as well. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/city-of-stars-dehsu9gh8g?lang=en_us Here is my review of the series https://mydramalist.com/profile/blcompilations/reviews/336795/

What I Liked
- ongoing physical affection
- cute/sweet moments
- supportive friends
- laughed a couple of times (like when a character hid behind another character/pillar)

Room For Improvement
- again with the excessive comedy sound effects that often made things less funny for me
- voice over
- a main plot point is one we've seen countless times in specials and it annoys me every time, wish they had done something different
- (neutral), I enjoy GL rep but the way they explained it wasn't great

Leia Mais