Ep 4 starts with Migo shirtless. What's not to like? But after that it does kinda wander into some strange turf, with odd personal interactions. (Even Gino at one point thinks/says: "Why is he suddenly being so nice to me?" Nobody knows.) At the end, new character Derrick is introduced, and the upcoming highlights for Ep 5 makes it clear that everybody's shirts are gonna come off. This definitely qualifies as light entertainment, but I have to say that I now have a Pavlovian response, and as soon as I hear the theme music plucking away, I start smiling. Nothin' wrong with that.....
Ah, that's what you meant by belt....... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Yah. That's what I meant. I have to say that I've never felt any personal interest whatsoever in such lovemaking tactics.......but if Miko ever approached me while removing his belt, I'd surrender.
In Filipino, chinito is usually used positively. It refers to attractive or cute Filipino-Chinese (or Chinese…
I looked that up when I started watching this series…..and I’m still waiting for a Chinese looking young man to show up. Neither LJ nor Prince looks Chinese-y to me. Do you guys think he does? (Which is not to take anything away from his good looks, but it’s too much of a stretch for me to think he looks Chinese. Of course, I live in China so maybe that influences my point of view……)
Yeah, we are all tired of COVID. But lockdowns are still a depressing reality in much of SE Asia and specifically in the Philippines. What I want to know is -- after seeing several Pinoy BL series where the protagonists find themselves locked in because of sudden restriction orders for their neighborhood or their building -- does THAT really happen? People trapped together without any warning? Of course, it provides fertile ground for scriptwriters (and our imaginations) but I cannot believe that is very true to life -- is it?
As to the initial episode, I quite liked it. Iyo Canlas did a fabulous job in conveying the different aspects of Reb's personality -- from flighty gay boy to vulnerable, inexperienced human being. When he broke down I was so shocked, but it was so well done. And while JM "alt.media" is much more emotionally restrained and cooler, he won my heart when he admitted he knew how to handle panic attacks because he'd had them.
Also....the lead actors kept their masks on for most of the ep. Well that plays right into the COVID fetish I've developed in the past year. Many Asian guys look really HOT with surgical masks on. They focus one's attention totally on the eyes, and when those eyes crinkle in smiles or widen in surprise or apprehension they are truly truly beautiful. (I find myself staring into strangers' eyes, on the MTR.....) Has anybody else noticed this? I bet the director of ep 1 has..........
I would like to get back the time I invested in watching this. (Not to mention the time fruitlessly seeking versions with subtitles, etc etc.) It had some nice scenery and the theme music was enjoyable. But the acting was mostly wooden and the script had about as much energy as a three-toed sloth.
Finished watching the series. I felt it was uneven, largely because it tried to mix up too many things. The BL romance was good, and relatable, although I felt it was rather rushed and didn't develop at a natural pace. The sardonic humor of the first episode wasn't really sustained. On the other hand, the sexy scenes were.....pretty hot! But then the sub-issues in the background included: COVID lockdowns and fatalities, torture under the regime of Ferdinand Marcos, the struggles and ill-treatment of trans people, and of course girlfriend issues. Each of those could have formed the basis for a lengthy sub-story but with limited time in the series they all had to be dealt with in a rather brief fashion. I'm not sorry I invested the time to watch this, though, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Season 2 holds.
The third ep was a letdown - Migo did have the requisite 2 shirtless scenes, (VJ had one two, which was surprisingly…
But here's a really innocent question: what is the story behind the character named "Louise?" At first I thought the subtitlist mean to say "Luis", but apparently the name really is Louise. Or is it Tomas? If this is a trans character, they are being very discreetly and subtly played (which would really set this series apart from other Pinoy trans characters!!)
The third ep was a letdown - Migo did have the requisite 2 shirtless scenes, (VJ had one two, which was surprisingly…
I agree that Ep. 3 kinda went sideways....not much happened. But I did feel that the Alex character somewhat more filled out (and became more sympathetic) as we got a bit more info about his background. (I'm really quite intrigued about the religious angle....) As to everyone speaking 3 times louder than necessary -- that's an absolute requirement when the sound engineering is so weak!
We agree about the music....I would just stipulate that your broad-brush description of "top-end Thai productions" clearly doesn't apply to Nadao's recent work. The music in ITSAY was absolutely fantastic! (That's the only Thai production to give the Pinoys a run for the money, in 'best music' terms.)
And yes, VJ Mendoza looked surprisingly good with his shirt off! :-) He's playing such a dork of a character that it was a shock to think of him as rather sexy!
Somebody please do a MV of ATOTS scenes, with this acoustic version of Ben Platt's "Imagine" in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH2ntYe0KWg It is such a GREAT fit.
BTW, for those interested: Season 2 will premiere on July 3. Here's the blurb from Philstagers: "While Season 1 introduced us to the characters of Benjo, Emil, Kelly and Pads and their struggles in a world turned upside down by social issues and the stigma of a pandemic, it also ended in with a bittersweet glance at what might just be a happy ending. Half a year since the airing of the Bonus Episode and fueled by the moving commentaries of fans and critics alike, Philstager's Films has taken all the inputs and broadened the reach to not just a story of two young men trapped by circumstances but to include all the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ colors in a smorgasbord of conflicting but relatable characters in a journey spanning more than 10 locations, all new characters and the passion that only a production willing to listen and learn can bring you. Witness the official TRAILER of #WhyLoveWhyS2 8PM, let the drumroll begin towards the release of Episone 1 this JULY 3,2021"
So, I've just started watching this, and I have to say it is VERY Pinoy BL. Starting with the satirical nature at its heart, moving on to the prize beefcake on display right from the beginning, and concluding with a slightly sappy but very listenable theme song ("Is this right?"). I'm sure not everybody will appreciate all aspects of this.....but I loved that in the first five minutes there were several guys sporting (barely hidden) erections, one sitting on his toilet (naked) while texting -- fortunately on a laptop so it covered all the essentials -- and one guy who rummages around looking for a pen and pulls a sex toy (suitably pink colored) out of a drawer. And then it launches into some very evident social/class comparisons which are going to be a key theme of the plot.
I thought it was technically well above many of the "indie" Pinoy BLs, and some of the acting was quite good (Emil's mother; the guy who greets news of his impending fatherhood with a huge and adorable grin). Looking forward to what comes later.
For a first-time project this is really good!! Very cute and funny, even if some of the humor is a little too over-the-top. (The smarmy chambermaid who wants to get into Alex's pants....I mean, really!) Oh, and then there are the moments when Migo goes shirtless (and even pantsless)! They are great, and he is gorgeous.....but I know he's got more than just a beautiful bod! I'm enjoying watching his performance -- he's got a lot more scope in this role to show us some different emotions than he did in Cheat, and I hope the script can deliver a framework for him to really interact with VJ. (According to the description, Alex is supposed to show "vulnerability" but so far no sign of that......) Yes, I think there are likely to be some of the usual tropes (enemies-to-friends; coming-out traumas) but there's enough originality in the setting and the acting to create a lot of interest.
Clearly, this is a product of Pinoy culture, so there is going to be a moral to the story. (The resort is, after all, named "Accept Us".) But it's a valuable message: " you don’t need to change who you are in order to count as human."
Oh, and another Pinoy characteristic -- they clearly have some talented musicians and composers working on this. (I love the pizzicato theme that plays at several points as background music.) Hope they have more than just a couple of melodies, as the series progresses.
Based on the 2 episodes so far, this is well worth watching.
As to the initial episode, I quite liked it. Iyo Canlas did a fabulous job in conveying the different aspects of Reb's personality -- from flighty gay boy to vulnerable, inexperienced human being. When he broke down I was so shocked, but it was so well done. And while JM "alt.media" is much more emotionally restrained and cooler, he won my heart when he admitted he knew how to handle panic attacks because he'd had them.
Also....the lead actors kept their masks on for most of the ep. Well that plays right into the COVID fetish I've developed in the past year. Many Asian guys look really HOT with surgical masks on. They focus one's attention totally on the eyes, and when those eyes crinkle in smiles or widen in surprise or apprehension they are truly truly beautiful. (I find myself staring into strangers' eyes, on the MTR.....) Has anybody else noticed this? I bet the director of ep 1 has..........
We agree about the music....I would just stipulate that your broad-brush description of "top-end Thai productions" clearly doesn't apply to Nadao's recent work. The music in ITSAY was absolutely fantastic! (That's the only Thai production to give the Pinoys a run for the money, in 'best music' terms.)
And yes, VJ Mendoza looked surprisingly good with his shirt off! :-) He's playing such a dork of a character that it was a shock to think of him as rather sexy!
"While Season 1 introduced us to the characters of Benjo, Emil, Kelly and Pads and their struggles in a world turned upside down by social issues and the stigma of a pandemic, it also ended in with a bittersweet glance at what might just be a happy ending. Half a year since the airing of the Bonus Episode and fueled by the moving commentaries of fans and critics alike, Philstager's Films has taken all the inputs and broadened the reach to not just a story of two young men trapped by circumstances but to include all the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ colors in a smorgasbord of conflicting but relatable characters in a journey spanning more than 10 locations, all new characters and the passion that only a production willing to listen and learn can bring you. Witness the official TRAILER of #WhyLoveWhyS2 8PM, let the drumroll begin towards the release of Episone 1 this JULY 3,2021"
I trust you're all rolling your drums.......
I thought it was technically well above many of the "indie" Pinoy BLs, and some of the acting was quite good (Emil's mother; the guy who greets news of his impending fatherhood with a huge and adorable grin). Looking forward to what comes later.
Clearly, this is a product of Pinoy culture, so there is going to be a moral to the story. (The resort is, after all, named "Accept Us".) But it's a valuable message: " you don’t need to change who you are in order to count as human."
Oh, and another Pinoy characteristic -- they clearly have some talented musicians and composers working on this. (I love the pizzicato theme that plays at several points as background music.) Hope they have more than just a couple of melodies, as the series progresses.
Based on the 2 episodes so far, this is well worth watching.