MAI

Ah, okay, well that clears up the confusion! Thanks! I ended up watching the initial version and I totally see why they wanted to change it--that color grading was really not it. But the greatest plot twist about this whole scenario is Disney + buying the rights to this show tho. 😂

So I basically speed-ran through this entire show and, while it was by no means bad, I'm sad to say it wasted so much of its potential. The first episodes are so slow and mainly revolve around Win moping and refusing to eat (I get that road trip episodes don't allow for very creative settings but did we really have to watch Win stuff his face with prawns after he got over his temper tantrum 5 times in a row?) and then the show ends with a nonsensical plot twist and an equally hurried wrap up. I'd say things only start picking up steam 6 or 7 episodes in-- which is way too late for a show that only has 10 episodes. What I did enjoy, however, was the ever so great acting of Earth and Mix (their chemistry salvaged much of the bad writing) and the underlying Buddhist message, as well as the peek into traditional Thai culture that this offered. If I'd be hypercritical, then I'd say that I would have loved seeing more social commentary about gender roles--since body swapping stories just lend themselves so well for these kinda things-- but I understand that that is not the main objective for romantic comedies. A fun watch, but don't expect A Tale of Thousand Stars quality.

I see, thanks for explaining! I initially thought they'd edited the thing for international audiences so they could better grasp certain cultural nuances, but it just seems like they improved the color grading and edited out some dumb jokes, lol. Slightly weird (especially since the initial release seemed to have English subs already) but okay.

LMAO, thanks, turns out I just had to refresh my page to get my answer!

So, can someone enlighten me? Why are there 2 versions of this? Does the first one have fan subs?

Wait what? It got added anyway? Wasn't there a consensus about this being an American production?

Based on the trailer I thought the main character would either be intersex or transgender but... I certainly didn't expect this lol. Bring on the social commentary, tho, can't wait!

The first episode does: https://pinoymovieshub.su/episodes/bola-bola-1x1
Might take a while for the other episodes to be uploaded, tho.

Just a friendly reminder that critique doesn't equal malice! 😊 Maybe I've missed it but I've personally seen no malicious comments in this comment section whatsoever. There are plenty of people critiquing the storyline-- a valid criticism you yourself have also pointed out-- but I've yet to see people slander the actors or one another. People are watching this show for different reasons, even if many of them are highly critical of it (maybe they hope the characters will change or maybe simply because they've already invested so much time into this--who knows) but they have all the right to do so. People should never be forced to drop a series simply because others can't handle reading their negative comments.

LMAO I like my sanity, okay! I can only handle so much cringe before my nervous system shrivels up and dies 😂 But thanks for the warning; it's probably a good thing I hadn't heard of that series before then.

This is the first series ever that has the ability to make me physically cringe, lol. I swear, that is an accomplishment in itself. 😂

I actually really enjoyed this: each of these stories has enough depth and intrigue that they could easily exist (or be expanded on) in separate full-length films. The plot revolves around 3 different main characters (who, according to societies standards, are considered different levels of scum) as they go about their daily lives. And while their connection initially seems random and arbitrary, it becomes clear that the existence of pornography ties them together. In their lives, sex seems one of the only things during which the main characters can temporarily (and literally) strip themselves of their pretense and let their guards down. In a way, this film thus subverts the negative stigma attached to pornography, a message that was probably more controversial in 2013 than it is now, roughly 10 years later.

This was probably meant to be a disturbing and heartbreaking account of a young boy dealing with homophobia but I just couldn't get over the unnatural, stiff dialogue and the overtly dramatic plot twists (which were supplemented with some snappy editing and happy sound effects). I swear, I almost had a laughing fit halfway through the movie (during a pretty emotional scene nonetheless). The acting was similarly questionable but I'll give the whole thing a pass simply because I can see where the director wanted to go with this story; the vision was there. This got a solid 5.5/10 for trying.

Check out this one for better quality: https://suzihaza.com/v/1ex7rhj8502n7-k

This is the first BL I've encountered that has the quintessential lakorn/soap opera look. Not entirely sure why they went for this-- maybe because it is meant to be more mature than the average university BL-- but I'm weirdly intrigued. It was definitely not the strongest first episode but, for some reason, I am still curious to see where they'll take it.

This went into a completely different direction from what I'd expected but I liked every single minute of it! The first half of the movie is pretty generic (albeit well-executed) as it follows the typical plot progression that is seen in so many other art house films about the Korean military system, but the movie distinguishes itself during its second half, when the story takes a more surrealist and symbolic approach (oddly reminiscent of the work of Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethaku if I may say so). An overall good production: the symbolism is blunt and brash (trash, trash, trash!) but the story also leaves us with an unexpected glimmer of hope.

Absolute shite. I was willing to try it out at first, given the directing style and the gothic music are inspired by either the 1920 or the 1931 Dracula movie, but this movie simply revels in mindless violence and gore. Besides a few lines of monologue an actual plot is nowhere to be found. There is probably some type of commentary on dehumanization and sexual assault somewhere if you want to look for it but, if it is there, the torture porn obscures much of that message.

Has anyone found the subs for this yet?

I don't know how to feel about this one. As a slasher film it is remarkably effective (since it delivers pretty explicit, gory deaths and manages to keep suspense throughout the entire story) but the ending feels like a cop-out. Maybe it fits the zeitgeist of the early 2000s (e.g. the obsession with new media technologies and the spectacle) but now, more than 15 years later, the plot resolve strikes me as odd at best. Still an enjoyable ride if you enjoy creative fictional deaths, tho.

An occasionally interesting but ultimately unsuccessful murder-thriller about two priests trying to solve a serial killer case whilst also having to endure (and make sense of) the corruption and injustice that is present in all spheres of Filipino society. While the overarching message is commendable and and its symbolism is tasteful, the plot itself is too predicable and and lacks some serious suspense.