We often think that some shows deserve so many more episodes, but Jesus Christ the show is such a drag. It has so many filler/unnecessary scenes, I just wanted dig out my eyes. Very disappointed. What a mess. And here I always hear people raving about this series. So sad. :((
That was so cute and so depressing at the same time. Like, What the fûck. Everything was pretty hot and sweet until the mother had to vomit her Catholic nonsense. I really had high hopes for Toy, but it seemed so easy for him to abandon Nack when he needed him most. Left me wanting more. :((
How adorable and awkward! A lovely story about the budding realization of attraction and love. My only gripe was that they didn’t kiss, but at least they talked about it? Whatever the case, first loves can be so adorable and so awkward, specially when you realize you’re gay! 😙
Unfortunately, that genuinely felt like a waste of my money and time. It was basically a review class on the original series with a few clips from Still 2gether and an added graduation scene. Quite underwhelming and so disappointing, but really thinking about it, I’m ultimately not really surprised. This is from the company that gave us trauma over a high five. Still no real kiss, and of course, always a tease. So I guess true to form?
Really not much else to say. We’re really not working with much. If they only went the extra mile and actually made it more realistic, it really would have been a fantastic ending. But as expected, they’re still obviously straight actors intimidated with acting “real” gay. So sad.
P.S. if you want a BL movie experience that’s not disingenuous to its original series/fans, please, please check out Gameboys: The Movie(and Gameboys the series as well). That’s a BL movie done right. 😙
WELL. It was made in 2009. The BL industry was far from being realized, specially in the Philippines. So I don't…
So let's cover all the bases.
The Philippines only ever really had “BLs” from 2020 onward. As such, we can categorically say that all Filipino gay media before 2020 was not “BL.” With that in mind, you saying Campus Crush is a BL is not fair, because “BLs” have an expected nuance which before 2020, no Filipino LGBTQIA+ media really subscribed to.
So why are BLs “coming out of the Philippines in 2022 horrible?”
Answer: Cheap studios riding the Filipino BL boom of 2020 brought on by Gameboys, Hello Stranger and Gaya Sa Pelikula et al. without any real regard for quality or proper LGBTQIA+ representation. Concise enough?
And since you are categorizing older films like Campus Crush (2009) and Antonio’s secret (2008) with Gameboys and Hello Stranger, I’ll have to explain:
The Philippines is a predominantly Roman Catholic country. That in itself is already a major factor why the LGBTQIA+ in Philippine media, specially before 2020, tend to have been heavily stereotyped and very heteronormative. As such, most of the Filipino LGBTQIA+ films are of low budget and mostly represent the Filipino gay experiences at the time, a time where we were still made to feel ashamed of being who we are. Major film studios didn’t really give time for proper LGBTQIA+ representation in film, why the rampant toxic stereotyping or über cheap productions.
As you may have seen in older Filipino media, they tend to focus on the poverty, the stigma and the carnality of “being” gay. (It’s still something to watch, and is a commentary on how during that time being gay was shown in media and on how times have really changed in the Philippines.) They “suck,” because they are mostly films in the indie category of film. In the Philippines, indie is commonly equated to little to no budget. This is in retrospect to films from major film studios. Add to this the prejudice, specially before; these films tend to tackle the more dramatic and depressing aspects of being gay in the Philippines at the time. It wasn’t like today where we live in a world where we are celebrating and empowering the LGBTQIA+. Gameboys and Hello Stranger are standing on the shoulders of those “bad” Filipino LGBTQIA+ films that came before them. Yes, I agree that most of them leave much to be desired, but we have to take them as what they are. A product of their time. Don’t get me wrong. Many Filipino BLs still have some prejudice for the other LGBTQIA+ members, but today is far from where we were around the time of Antonio’s Secret (2008) and The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (2005).
I get that you may not have appreciated Gaya Sa Pelikula et al., but we’ve never had a film or series that actually tackles a lot of LGBTQIA+ issues like that. It was so profound as Gaya Sa Pelikula was part of the Filipino BL boom of 2020. Us here appreciate Gaya Sa Peikula, among others, so much, because, though you may have found it preachy, it’s very important to us, specially if you consider Philippine history. Compared to the time before let’s say Gameboys came out, most of the LGBTQIA+ films always centered about the fact that the character is gay and in a problematic way.
Though, I can say, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ in the Philippines, that we have come a long way in just 10 years. We’re getting a Drag Race Philippines! We would have never even gave that type of a show a thought during the time The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (2005), Antonio’s Secret (2008) or Campus Crush (2009) came out.
P.S. I agree. Of the plethora of BLs being pooped out by Thai film studios, most of them are terrible specially regarding proper LGBTQIA+ representation.
P.P.S. thank you with bearing with me. That is my little essay on why most of them are categorically “bad.” 😮💨
WELL. It was made in 2009. The BL industry was far from being realized, specially in the Philippines. So I don't…
The Philippines had a strong BL boom in 2020 with Gaya Sa Pelikula, Gameboys, Hello Stranger and Boy’s Lockdown, among others, so the Philippines can make quality BLs. Unfortunately the Philippines is not like Thailand that churns out BLs like a factory. I believe a lot of small studios are trying to bank on the 2020 BL boom in the Philippines, as such their quality leaves much to be desired.
AND non sequitur much? What does a film from 2009 have any relation to BLs in 2022? Notwithstanding that 2022 is literally less than 2 months old, don’t condemn a country’s BL industry, which on its own is still very niche, based off a film over a decade older. It’s not a fair argument.
They really skimmed over a lot of the story. Like what on earth was Jonathan studying for? Is it for another entrance exam? Did he not pass? But wasn’t he a smart kid growing up? Was Jonathan meeting Shane the reason he started doing bad? A lot of implications happening. What was that with Shane getting hit by a car? SO Shane slept with Jonathan, but to what end!?
Main take, for me, is this: Gays. GAYS! Have some self respect. We don’t pine over “straight people.” We deserve better! But to be honest, this film is still a far cry from older films that treat the gay experience as always totally tragic. I applaud that the girl wasn’t made into a cliché girl in gay films where she’s selfish and makes the characters being gay somehow about her. But still. I really am tired of the cliché girl-coming-between-two-boys-trying-to-explore-their-sexuality trope.
P.S. lovely seing Ray Chang in his earlier years. 😙
I was just blown away. It’s a different take on the cliché sad gay or trans story we’re familiar with, because as she transformed 7 times in death, she also left above the situation she was born in. We have the power to choose our family. We also have to power to die beautiful.
Oh, my god. I totally regret never really finishing this around the time it was being airing years back. It’s so good! As the OG Filipino BL, mad respect; otally strays away from the cliché BL tropes. It’s like a real life look into the real and actual gay experience of being a gay millennial in Manila. Filipino BL fans have to pay their respects to this one. 🙇🏼♂️
The last straw was how they forgave that Moira bîtch. Only highlight is miss Becky. Ugh. I takes a certain patience to like this series, but that ending with that girl ruined it all for me. Ugh.
This whole thing really doesn't make sense, but hey, I respect his carnal needs. RESPECT!
Really not much else to say. We’re really not working with much. If they only went the extra mile and actually made it more realistic, it really would have been a fantastic ending. But as expected, they’re still obviously straight actors intimidated with acting “real” gay. So sad.
P.S. if you want a BL movie experience that’s not disingenuous to its original series/fans, please, please check out Gameboys: The Movie(and Gameboys the series as well). That’s a BL movie done right. 😙
The Philippines only ever really had “BLs” from 2020 onward. As such, we can categorically say that all Filipino gay media before 2020 was not “BL.” With that in mind, you saying Campus Crush is a BL is not fair, because “BLs” have an expected nuance which before 2020, no Filipino LGBTQIA+ media really subscribed to.
So why are BLs “coming out of the Philippines in 2022 horrible?”
Answer: Cheap studios riding the Filipino BL boom of 2020 brought on by Gameboys, Hello Stranger and Gaya Sa Pelikula et al. without any real regard for quality or proper LGBTQIA+ representation. Concise enough?
And since you are categorizing older films like Campus Crush (2009) and Antonio’s secret (2008) with Gameboys and Hello Stranger, I’ll have to explain:
The Philippines is a predominantly Roman Catholic country. That in itself is already a major factor why the LGBTQIA+ in Philippine media, specially before 2020, tend to have been heavily stereotyped and very heteronormative. As such, most of the Filipino LGBTQIA+ films are of low budget and mostly represent the Filipino gay experiences at the time, a time where we were still made to feel ashamed of being who we are. Major film studios didn’t really give time for proper LGBTQIA+ representation in film, why the rampant toxic stereotyping or über cheap productions.
As you may have seen in older Filipino media, they tend to focus on the poverty, the stigma and the carnality of “being” gay. (It’s still something to watch, and is a commentary on how during that time being gay was shown in media and on how times have really changed in the Philippines.) They “suck,” because they are mostly films in the indie category of film. In the Philippines, indie is commonly equated to little to no budget. This is in retrospect to films from major film studios. Add to this the prejudice, specially before; these films tend to tackle the more dramatic and depressing aspects of being gay in the Philippines at the time. It wasn’t like today where we live in a world where we are celebrating and empowering the LGBTQIA+. Gameboys and Hello Stranger are standing on the shoulders of those “bad” Filipino LGBTQIA+ films that came before them. Yes, I agree that most of them leave much to be desired, but we have to take them as what they are. A product of their time. Don’t get me wrong. Many Filipino BLs still have some prejudice for the other LGBTQIA+ members, but today is far from where we were around the time of Antonio’s Secret (2008) and The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (2005).
I get that you may not have appreciated Gaya Sa Pelikula et al., but we’ve never had a film or series that actually tackles a lot of LGBTQIA+ issues like that. It was so profound as Gaya Sa Pelikula was part of the Filipino BL boom of 2020. Us here appreciate Gaya Sa Peikula, among others, so much, because, though you may have found it preachy, it’s very important to us, specially if you consider Philippine history. Compared to the time before let’s say Gameboys came out, most of the LGBTQIA+ films always centered about the fact that the character is gay and in a problematic way.
Though, I can say, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ in the Philippines, that we have come a long way in just 10 years. We’re getting a Drag Race Philippines! We would have never even gave that type of a show a thought during the time The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (2005), Antonio’s Secret (2008) or Campus Crush (2009) came out.
P.S. I agree. Of the plethora of BLs being pooped out by Thai film studios, most of them are terrible specially regarding proper LGBTQIA+ representation.
P.P.S. thank you with bearing with me. That is my little essay on why most of them are categorically “bad.” 😮💨
AND non sequitur much? What does a film from 2009 have any relation to BLs in 2022? Notwithstanding that 2022 is literally less than 2 months old, don’t condemn a country’s BL industry, which on its own is still very niche, based off a film over a decade older. It’s not a fair argument.
Never be ashamed of your love, people! 😙
Main take, for me, is this: Gays. GAYS! Have some self respect. We don’t pine over “straight people.” We deserve better! But to be honest, this film is still a far cry from older films that treat the gay experience as always totally tragic. I applaud that the girl wasn’t made into a cliché girl in gay films where she’s selfish and makes the characters being gay somehow about her. But still. I really am tired of the cliché girl-coming-between-two-boys-trying-to-explore-their-sexuality trope.
P.S. lovely seing Ray Chang in his earlier years. 😙
Ugh. I takes a certain patience to like this series, but that ending with that girl ruined it all for me. Ugh.