Lol. Thank you! After I did the one for KBL, I've had a few requests to do Taiwan and Thailand. Taiwan, I can do. But Thailand will take 100 commandments, one for each trope. :)
OKAY WHOA, WHOA, WHOOOOAAA... Mix is adorable. Earth is very nice to look at too. Outside of that, I fully trust…
Lol. I know the cheese stands alone, and I have put myself on the firing line by saying this. But Mix looks like he's been Re-Mixed quite a few times, and Earth, true to his name, is where electric sparks go to die. (Somebody stop me!)
The original Ossan's Love is not for everyone, and I myself resisted it for a long time. So, no points deducted there. I won't hold it against anyone if they don't want to watch it, or didn't like it. But, if viewed on its own terms, it is brilliant. But I can't say the same for this one, alas.
Maggi, as I'm in no small part British -- a condition for which there is no known cure (I've checked) -- I'm hiding…
Lol. There is an amazing episode in an early season of The Simpsons where a mean dentist shows Lisa what would happen if she didn't take care of her teeth. What does he show? A book called "The Big Book of British Smiles." Can you imagine how happy I was when we moved to the US and I got dental insurance? British people think dental work is the same as cosmetic surgery, and so, it's not even covered by the NHS. Oh well, more ammunition for me!
On Chungking Express, I didn't like it at all! You quite mistake me there. I saw that you disliked it, so I was curious whether you had seen any other Wong Kar Wai films. I really like Happy Together, and in no small part because I got to see Tony Leung kiss another man. But, if you haven't seen In The Mood For Love, I can't recommend it enough. It's an absolute masterpiece. Hence my question.
That said, I don't like Wes Anderson at all, I'm afraid. Nor do I care for The Coen Brother or Quentin Tarantino. And most of all, I loathe Christopher Nolan, a straight-man's wet dream. It's like having a very hot guy sit next to you in a plane, and he says he loves books & reading, and then takes out a copy of Jordan Peterson. Sigh. Talk about phraseology, and proclamations infinite from Tech Bros who think Nolan is the greatest thing to happen to cinema.
Look forward to watching 'Made in Hong Kong' soon! Meanwhile, I recently finished watching a relatively unknown JBL called Kamisama no Ekohiiki. Don't know if you have seen it. I've just put up a review. But I do recommend it!
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donāt know whether I like it because…
Oh my god, you could have taken so many of your words right out of my own foul mouth.
I actually watched the whole of Japanese Cherry Magic, and the last scene -- the definition of 'queer-baiting' -- made me so infuriated that I threw my computer across the room and screamed "homophobes!" ('What did I do now?' asked my husband, running in.) If I had known, as you did, that there wasn't a kiss coming, I shouldn't have bothered. I also share your disinterest in Spare Me Your Mercy, less because of the kiss, than because of the plot, and, I don't know -- perhaps it's just me -- but I just couldn't quite trust the sensitive, subtle medium that is Thai BL to do justice to a topic as unserious and unimporant as euthanasia.
I have often asked myself if a bad kiss is better than a no kiss, and to be honest, I'm not sure. I may have cringed at the kisses in Miseinen, but their lack would have made the show unbelievable. On the other hand, the Heart-Li Ming storyline in Moonlight Chicken -- the only part worth watching -- had no visible kisses, and yet brimmed with erotic sweetness. So it is possible.
On one thing, we absolutely concur. Where sexual longing, and lack of sexual intimacy, is the driving force of the drama, we better see the leads in the throes of passion. (And this has nothing whatsoever to do with my long-term plan to marry Muto. None whatsoever.) Otherwise, I might have to take a very long break from JBL. And I say this as someone who absolutely loves JBL.
Thanks for this! As ever, your reviews are witty without being snarky, and fun without being facile. But what…
Maggi, as I'm in no small part British -- a condition for which there is no known cure (I've checked) -- I'm hiding under the duvet in darkness while reading your praise, because I don't have the wherewithal to handle it . Thank you: and I really mean that.
On Takara no Vidro: lol. The only reason that review is as long as it is is that there is a minimum word count for the review. Otherwise, my review should have ended at the point where I say: "Nothing happens. Ten times."
It is indeed easier to make fun of bad shows than it is of good ones. I quite like this show, and I very much liked Smells Like Green Spirit, and they have unexpectedly lent themselves to writing amusing reviews. It would be very hard to do that with Kamisama no Ekohiiki, which I watched recently, and loved.
By contrast, you're so eloquent when you describe shows you love. I remember still how beautifully you wrote about the confession scene in HOTE, and how such a confession was only possible from two thoroughly wounded people: only a professor of literature could have penned such an astute observation.
The same eloquence is evident in your description of "Made in Hong Kong", which is on my watchlist now. However, I wanted to quickly say that I did watch Silent Spark this evening, and really liked it. The film was really well-shot, and the direction was superb. I liked the actors too. The story wasn't new for me: having seen every gay film I can get my hands on, I could see the plot coming, not least because it could only end in one of three ways. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the journey. Thank you for the recommendation!
By the way, I took a quick look at your page, and noticed that you didn't like Chungking Express. Did you ever watch In The Mood For Love? If so, what did you think?
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donāt know whether I like it because…
Lol. Some unpopular opinions coming. Beware!
On Cherry Magic Japan, I'm one of them! I'm sorry, but you cannot call a show "Cherry Magic", and not pop that cherry. That's the definition of queer-baiting. ;) I then read somewhere that the older actor in it wrote into his contract that he won't kiss another man on screen -- in which case, of course, he had no business being in a BL (if you ask me).
Anyway, yes, Rei's kiss in HOTE was indeed quite good, but the covering up of the sex scenes -- literally, using the blanket -- felt awkward at best. I would understand that decision in the early episodes, when sex between the protagonists was almost transactional. But, given its readiness to show brutal physical violence, and to tread so many taboo subjects, HOTE's reluctance to show sexual intimacies alone, in the context of falling in love, was very noticeable. (I mean, Rei's character is finally able to show his wounds. Isn't it a stupid decision to then cover him up with a blanket in the very next scene?) I didn't know what to attribute it to at that time, but I feared it was because Rei was an idol. (I write about this in my review at greater length.)
Kenshin in Miseinen was better, and it was heartening that he was willing to kiss his co-star. But the kisses, to me, felt quite unnatural, and at points, I confess, I cringed. I would have found it more sexy if they had just bitten each other's faces -- quite literally -- rather than press their teeth against each other, which is how it seemed at times. I intuitively felt that Kenshin was uncomfortable, but perhaps I was just projecting.
I suppose I'm a spoilt brat. The first JBLs I saw were Mood Indigo, The Pornographer, and Dangerous Drugs of Sex. So, I know JBL is capable of showing true intimacy, and beyond. But you're absolutely right. In a show where the abiding theme is sexual longing, it would be an act of criminal omission not to have an intimate scene between the leads. Of course, the fact that I'm in love with Muto Jun has nothing to do with this whatsoever!
Yeah, I don't know what's going on. I feel like something's wrong with me for not liking this show, but the whole…
Mani and Pedi got too bored and pissed off by it. Mani said she needed āto touch grassā, whatever that means. Pedi said, āget that thing off my televisionā.
Iāll check out Bad to Bed! Someone else recommended it to me as well.
I'm really enjoying it too. I said this to Maggi on a different thread:"I donāt know whether I like it because…
Yes, that's my theory! Also, can I say, I like the nicknames we have given the characters so far: The Beauty, The Hot Dish, and... what shall we call Sei? "The Beast"? That sounds cruel. Maybe "The Po-Faced"?
I don't find Sei that attractive either. But, as a plainer, more insecure person, I can't have enough beautiful men in my life. Incidentally, have I told you that I've installed a revolving door to my bedroom? :)
But, having been confused on the e-mail question myself, I have come to the reluctant conclusion that it is either (a) really sloppy writing, or (b) that they were trying to go for something more subtle, which the translations miss. The case for (b) is that both Fujisawa (the roommate) and Hagiwara (the hot dish) share the same first name, Kazuaki. However, Nakarai Sei's e-mail address in fact begins Kazuaki09..., an indication of his lifelong love for his roommate. So, when Hagiwara emails himself in the opening scene, he uses the wrong (non-office) domain name, and accidentally sends it to our other hero, Sei. The case for (a) is that, even with a good translation, the show does not make it easy on the viewer to understand any of this.
The problem is, both Kazuakis are hot. I'd rather the actors playing Sei and his roommate had switched roles, but then, Muto Jun is an idol, and I harbour grave doubts he'd bare his chest or lash his tongue against another man's, so perhaps he's the one who ought to have played the (asexual?) roommate. Mind you, if Nakarai Sei and Hagiwara do get together in order to escape their sexless relationships, and then they don't have sex in the end, I'm going to go to Tokyo to riot and/or quit JBL for good. I can't do this anymore. :)
OMG! Loved. Loved. Loved this. Please tell me you're a writer. If not it would seriously be a travesty. I'm a…
Awwwā¦ Thanks Golly! (I wonāt use your real name in public without your permission.)
Iām glad to say I am indeed a writer, and it is always flattering when people conclude I am. But more than that, it heartens me when my words can make people laugh.
10 
4 
3 
1 
Also, I'm very curious to see what you think of the KBL commandments!
https://kisskh.at/profile/sasameyuki1950/reviews/424582
The original Ossan's Love is not for everyone, and I myself resisted it for a long time. So, no points deducted there. I won't hold it against anyone if they don't want to watch it, or didn't like it. But, if viewed on its own terms, it is brilliant. But I can't say the same for this one, alas.
I mainly wrote this down now so that I didnāt forget the format that was brewing in my head, and what I wanted to make fun of. ;)
But yes, avoid this one. Avoid this one like an envelope full of white powder.
On Chungking Express, I didn't like it at all! You quite mistake me there. I saw that you disliked it, so I was curious whether you had seen any other Wong Kar Wai films. I really like Happy Together, and in no small part because I got to see Tony Leung kiss another man. But, if you haven't seen In The Mood For Love, I can't recommend it enough. It's an absolute masterpiece. Hence my question.
That said, I don't like Wes Anderson at all, I'm afraid. Nor do I care for The Coen Brother or Quentin Tarantino. And most of all, I loathe Christopher Nolan, a straight-man's wet dream. It's like having a very hot guy sit next to you in a plane, and he says he loves books & reading, and then takes out a copy of Jordan Peterson. Sigh. Talk about phraseology, and proclamations infinite from Tech Bros who think Nolan is the greatest thing to happen to cinema.
Look forward to watching 'Made in Hong Kong' soon! Meanwhile, I recently finished watching a relatively unknown JBL called Kamisama no Ekohiiki. Don't know if you have seen it. I've just put up a review. But I do recommend it!
I actually watched the whole of Japanese Cherry Magic, and the last scene -- the definition of 'queer-baiting' -- made me so infuriated that I threw my computer across the room and screamed "homophobes!" ('What did I do now?' asked my husband, running in.) If I had known, as you did, that there wasn't a kiss coming, I shouldn't have bothered. I also share your disinterest in Spare Me Your Mercy, less because of the kiss, than because of the plot, and, I don't know -- perhaps it's just me -- but I just couldn't quite trust the sensitive, subtle medium that is Thai BL to do justice to a topic as unserious and unimporant as euthanasia.
I have often asked myself if a bad kiss is better than a no kiss, and to be honest, I'm not sure. I may have cringed at the kisses in Miseinen, but their lack would have made the show unbelievable. On the other hand, the Heart-Li Ming storyline in Moonlight Chicken -- the only part worth watching -- had no visible kisses, and yet brimmed with erotic sweetness. So it is possible.
On one thing, we absolutely concur. Where sexual longing, and lack of sexual intimacy, is the driving force of the drama, we better see the leads in the throes of passion. (And this has nothing whatsoever to do with my long-term plan to marry Muto. None whatsoever.) Otherwise, I might have to take a very long break from JBL. And I say this as someone who absolutely loves JBL.
On Takara no Vidro: lol. The only reason that review is as long as it is is that there is a minimum word count for the review. Otherwise, my review should have ended at the point where I say: "Nothing happens. Ten times."
It is indeed easier to make fun of bad shows than it is of good ones. I quite like this show, and I very much liked Smells Like Green Spirit, and they have unexpectedly lent themselves to writing amusing reviews. It would be very hard to do that with Kamisama no Ekohiiki, which I watched recently, and loved.
By contrast, you're so eloquent when you describe shows you love. I remember still how beautifully you wrote about the confession scene in HOTE, and how such a confession was only possible from two thoroughly wounded people: only a professor of literature could have penned such an astute observation.
The same eloquence is evident in your description of "Made in Hong Kong", which is on my watchlist now. However, I wanted to quickly say that I did watch Silent Spark this evening, and really liked it. The film was really well-shot, and the direction was superb. I liked the actors too. The story wasn't new for me: having seen every gay film I can get my hands on, I could see the plot coming, not least because it could only end in one of three ways. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the journey. Thank you for the recommendation!
By the way, I took a quick look at your page, and noticed that you didn't like Chungking Express. Did you ever watch In The Mood For Love? If so, what did you think?
On Cherry Magic Japan, I'm one of them! I'm sorry, but you cannot call a show "Cherry Magic", and not pop that cherry. That's the definition of queer-baiting. ;) I then read somewhere that the older actor in it wrote into his contract that he won't kiss another man on screen -- in which case, of course, he had no business being in a BL (if you ask me).
Anyway, yes, Rei's kiss in HOTE was indeed quite good, but the covering up of the sex scenes -- literally, using the blanket -- felt awkward at best. I would understand that decision in the early episodes, when sex between the protagonists was almost transactional. But, given its readiness to show brutal physical violence, and to tread so many taboo subjects, HOTE's reluctance to show sexual intimacies alone, in the context of falling in love, was very noticeable. (I mean, Rei's character is finally able to show his wounds. Isn't it a stupid decision to then cover him up with a blanket in the very next scene?) I didn't know what to attribute it to at that time, but I feared it was because Rei was an idol. (I write about this in my review at greater length.)
Kenshin in Miseinen was better, and it was heartening that he was willing to kiss his co-star. But the kisses, to me, felt quite unnatural, and at points, I confess, I cringed. I would have found it more sexy if they had just bitten each other's faces -- quite literally -- rather than press their teeth against each other, which is how it seemed at times. I intuitively felt that Kenshin was uncomfortable, but perhaps I was just projecting.
I suppose I'm a spoilt brat. The first JBLs I saw were Mood Indigo, The Pornographer, and Dangerous Drugs of Sex. So, I know JBL is capable of showing true intimacy, and beyond. But you're absolutely right. In a show where the abiding theme is sexual longing, it would be an act of criminal omission not to have an intimate scene between the leads. Of course, the fact that I'm in love with Muto Jun has nothing to do with this whatsoever!
Iāll check out Bad to Bed! Someone else recommended it to me as well.
I don't find Sei that attractive either. But, as a plainer, more insecure person, I can't have enough beautiful men in my life. Incidentally, have I told you that I've installed a revolving door to my bedroom? :)
https://kisskh.at/profile/sasameyuki1950/review/423112
But, having been confused on the e-mail question myself, I have come to the reluctant conclusion that it is either (a) really sloppy writing, or (b) that they were trying to go for something more subtle, which the translations miss. The case for (b) is that both Fujisawa (the roommate) and Hagiwara (the hot dish) share the same first name, Kazuaki. However, Nakarai Sei's e-mail address in fact begins Kazuaki09..., an indication of his lifelong love for his roommate. So, when Hagiwara emails himself in the opening scene, he uses the wrong (non-office) domain name, and accidentally sends it to our other hero, Sei. The case for (a) is that, even with a good translation, the show does not make it easy on the viewer to understand any of this.
The problem is, both Kazuakis are hot. I'd rather the actors playing Sei and his roommate had switched roles, but then, Muto Jun is an idol, and I harbour grave doubts he'd bare his chest or lash his tongue against another man's, so perhaps he's the one who ought to have played the (asexual?) roommate. Mind you, if Nakarai Sei and Hagiwara do get together in order to escape their sexless relationships, and then they don't have sex in the end, I'm going to go to Tokyo to riot and/or quit JBL for good. I can't do this anymore. :)
Iām glad to say I am indeed a writer, and it is always flattering when people conclude I am. But more than that, it heartens me when my words can make people laugh.
Iām dedicating this review to you, by the way.