情人眼里出西施

one of the best movies i've ever seen. if only it were as appreciated as parasite is. there has not been a day since i watched the handmaiden that i have not thought about this fantastic movie.

this beautiful movie about breaking through cycles of ab**e through unadulterated queer love is a transformative piece of visual media. tbc

this has spoilers. although it’s not my favorite drama of all time, it is the best one i’ve ever watched. i thought the pacing was engaging, but sometimes a little too fast like i didn’t get enough time to process the deaths of some of my favorite characters. the story was beautiful and painful and tragic and compelling. the plot wasnt that hard to follow and i think the combination of action, romance, violence, and emotion made for a turbulent but fantastic ride. the characters were all so multifaceted and interesting especially the villains and antagonists i mean zhan junbai may be one of the most confusing and infuriating and interesting bad guys i’ve ever seen. this was definitely kill your gays but i don’t blame them because 1) they really said if the gays die everyone dies 2) they had to for censorship purposes 3) I LOVE PAIN!!!  i think for a censored queer drama that didn’t have a novel to go off of this was amazing like props to the screenwriters. anyway jiang yuelou and chen yuzhi forever and chu ran as their baddie bff my perfect trio.

rest in peace cql's #1 spot :'(

i blame the five major sects for me docking a half a star off of my word of honor rating i could not stand their stupid gatherings except for maybe the heroes conference or some ish but honestly that was mostly interesting because of how it made wen kexing actually realize that he might‘ve been wrong. UPDATE: i was stupid and wrong when i wrote this because the more i watch shl the more i discover and realize that it truly is a masterpiece. the politics are simpler and sloppier than priest's, but they're done in a way that allows benbens like me to understand them and also they set up for some good plot and character development. like, the silly righteousness seemed like a de-characterization of our fav male lesbians but you know what, i now consider the book and web series to be two separate canons. so, good for sappy, less morally gray, less badman zhou zishu and wen kexing. i'm still docking half a star off because the events become weird and rushed at the end and frankly a little stupid, but whatever as long as wenzhou can achieve immortality together on a cold mountain, i'm happy.

my main reason for this being higher than farewell my concubine is because i’m not smart enough to understand and appreciate farewell my concubine to the max (though i appreciate it a heck of a lot) but i don’t want to just put it up high to look intelligent without having my own founding opinions and understanding. also winter begonia stunning visuals i cry and i swear the soundtrack is the same as arsenal military but that’s fine this drama is special. i know people argue that it’s “too inspired” by farewell my concubine and that it’s a “copy” or whatever but i have to disagree. sure, it’s inspired, but the plot is quite different and the relationship between shang xirui and cheng fengtai is very very different from any of the relationships in farewell my concubine. chen renxiang‘s…moment…was probably heavily influenced by farewell my concubine, but his character and story were completely different and i think tan jianci really separated him from the too-absorbed-in-his-art chen dieyi. shang xirui is a person very absorbed in his art, but ultimately it doesn’t completely take him from reality. his love for the people in his life may be inspired by the operas he performs, but it is realistic and displayed in different ways unlike chen dieyi’s unbending, idealistic love that dehumanized him. i think shang xirui is very human and whatever other viewers and even characters in the show say about him, i love him so much. 

more like the untamed wangxian prolonged stares edition 

i had no idea leung chiu-wai was the lead of this movie so i was very excited to see the chemistry between him and cheung kwok-wing. their acting blew me away like damn this is what happens when you put two legendary ging kong actors together. the cinematography and strategic shots and use of movement/stillness was incredible and really made for a beautiful film. i think the plot was very back and forth which is obviously reflective of their relationship, but sometimes that made it lose meaning. the use of slo-mo and incredibly long, unchanging shots was interesting at first, but became superfluous as the movie progressed. like that one really long shot of iguazu falls where they went around literally the entire waterfall. overall it was a great film though i think everyone should watch it at least once, especially film students and queer people 

s.c.i. made me so happy. the arcs were so interesting and engaging and i love forensic psychology so this was super fun for me to watch. you don't get bored watching s.c.i. the scenes between the second main couple are so bad but they're just so hilarious that it's kind of fun to watch them. baizhan is the perfect bickering childhood friends to lovers couple and i love the combination of their skills in the criminal investigation field. although the characters are slightly different than they are in the  book, a lot of the dialogue is word-for-word, so i'm not upset there. also, i tend to view book characters vs tv characters as different entities of the same mold, so i think both portrayals of most of the main characters are great. i'm not mad about the fact that a lot of the male characters in the book are female in the drama because the plot isn't different, most personalities aren't different, and ma han and bai jin/qintang as female are just so badass and my gay little heart collapses at the mere sight of them (especially ma han with [her] precision rifle). ma han is definitely a win for the bisexuals >:) s.c.i. does have some flaws such as a rushed progression of events making processing major things difficult, introduction of characters that feel a little irrelevant to the plot and/or make it more confusing, and wonky transitions. despite these, s.c.i. is a great combination of mystery, fun, romance, action, and is a very interesting look into the psychological aspects of criminal investigation and violence. it's a lot like hannibal the tv show in theory, just more lighthearted, romantic, funny, and less intense. would definitely recommend.

i don’t even know how to talk about farewell my concubine. i have mixed emotions but also many emotions. it kind of feels like i’ve been drowned by paint and i don’t know if that’s a bad thing

women breaking out of cycles of mistreatment from men by falling in love with each other is so important. my favorite thing, however, is that while youyi and weiwei are totally and absolutely in perfect love, they are not the sole reason for the other's character development. youyi ultimately breaks out of her dangerous marriage and manipulative relationships on her own volition and simply uses the protection weiwei has given her as assurance of support so that she can do what she needs to do. and while weiwei certainly comes out of her shell after she meets youyi, it is not necessarily because of youyi. youyi just helps her to do so and with the kindness, friendship, and love youyi provides her, weiwei is able to find herself. they are absolutely a power couple who work incredibly well together, but do not rely solely on each other. having said this, they are still the most important people to each other and the way they destroy men together is so badass.

all the other HIStory-s are ouch and are clearly danmei only for the purpose of being danmei which is okay but not my style sorry. keep reading to see what i mean. despite its upsetting predecessors, trapped manages to restore so much of the faith lost from watching these shows for multiple reasons. firstly, i think the plot is really good and not only in comparison to the other HIStory-s. the gangster-cop plotline is well done in my opinion and it doesn't really villainize one or the other or establish "black vs white", giving the story a lot of nuance and making the viewer feel things. also, the side characters and secondary relationships are interesting and cute and not detestable, so that's a plus! and on to the main couple... i really like tang yi and meng shaofei. i think their relationship is very sweet and beautiful and genuine. i get why people would not like shaofei, but i just love him. the pacing of the show is good, the acting is pretty good, and the characters and plot are good although sometimes a little much? but it's okay and you should watch

this is one of those series that i'd talk up so much that when people actually watch it, they'd be confused. 

i. loved. yun. qian. i'm in love with their love. also...BADDIE WUXIA GAY GIRLS?? i think yes.

because the world is lesbophobic (and because chinese censorship is terrifying), the budget for this show was probably very minimal and the runtime is about 60 minutes total. not one episode, but the entire series. however, i am still so impressed with what they were able to put together.

the stunning visuals, good acting, surprisingly decent sfx, and chemistry between the leads make up for the forced absence of adequate development. the plot had the potential to be good as it was witty, cute, funny, sad at the right times, and had a bit to offer to everyone, but because of the lack of resources, it ended up being rushed and overly campy. overuse of on-screen text and comical editing (present in every light-hearted chinese interview ever) normally annoys me, but i think it added to the cuteness of the production. 

although it was more like a compilation of clips put together, the fact that this show contained an actual storyline with charming (and really pretty) characters makes it impressive and definitely worth a watch. it made me soooo happy to see queer girls in my favorite asian drama genre and i really hope that we can get shows like yun qian in the future but with more time, money, plot, and other resources. i know that they will be amazing :)

actually please make more of these i love these little mini lesbian wuxia series 

this actor wang laoji is too much for me to handle like please don’t stop 

again, the world is lesbophobic so wuxia gay girls were yet again reduced to a rushed story, but that doesn't make it bad. although this special was more like a music video/very short film, there was still a cohesive plot. from the dialogue, music, and acting, they were able to put together a nice story with four and a half minutes. it's like a trailer but with closure which i love, but am also angered by because it would be so good if they had a bit more time. but rela is really the g for blessing us with the lesbian content we are lacking. 

in addition to the surprisingly well-developed plot, the chemistry between the "red devil and heroine su" is beautiful because the two characters are portrayed by an actual couple. the buildup of sexual tension is off the charts and their dynamic is really great which adds to the story. also, the costumes, makeup, hair, and props are so aesthetic and beautiful pls. 

tl;dr it's short af but you should watch it at least five times :)

originally, i thought this show was going to be like a taiwanese friends, but i  don't think that so much anymore. the show is adorable and funny and clever, but it's also honest and painful and thought-provoking. it takes every day happenstances and weaves them into the different, but connected plots that the story encompasses. the production isn't the best, but that's probably 1) because it's a low-budget show and 2) because it's not meant to be. the acting can be a bit wooden at times (uh...Alex), but the story is nice albeit a little confusing. i haven't finished it bc i'm struggling to find versions that aren't just BL clips, but there are quite a few inconsistencies/things left unaddressed. still, it captures reality well. also......................spoiler???





going into the show i was like OHMIGOD LESBIANS, but then i started watching it and it was more like ohmigod lesbians? and i kept watching and became very distraught because it was feeling a lot like ohnonolesbians:( but then you get far in and you're back to OHMIGOD LESBIANS!!! the yearning and touch starving and best friends-to-lovers.... yesss! i  greatly appreciate. 

update: i’m confused as heck 1) i dont think i actually finished the show bc i couldn’t find a valid place to watch it although it seemed to be the whole thing? 2) the ending i saw left me withoutlesbians and i do not greatly appreciate

i liked it. nice cinematography, good story, sorta realistic love story, interesting progression of events, not the best pacing, pretty colors though. 

the dancing and the cuteness and the confusion and the bad pacing and the pining and the conflict and the stuff made for a show that i actually really want to watch again right now so i’m gonna go do that instead of writing for  myself publicly

this adorable miniseries was exactly what i needed during quarantine. tbc

so originally i rated this a six because i remember it being bad for some reason but after rewatching i realize that it’s actually quite good. the found family dynamic in this show is just so beautiful. i normally am not a big fan of big age gaps (especially when it’s sexualized and done wrong), but i thought they did this quite well. like before dating his student, shi yijie goes to fei shengzhe’s mama and asks if she gives her consent and then he honours his promise to her about waiting to have sex with xiao fei until he’s 20. it’s a nice pair of two people who help each other to heal from their trauma and hurt. as i already mentioned, the family dynamic is great. it’s natural, adorable, positive, and honestly very inspiring. the messages it gives about what family means is very sweet and simplistic as it is expressed as explanations to a young child, but has hidden layers that i think keep it real. maybe the HIStory’s aren’t as bad as i remember them being...

i don’t normally like school dramas but i think i’m a sucker for long-term unrequited love and also the pain of characters portrayed by actors i like (sammy hehe sorry). also it was university so not like  high school love stories which are great sometimes not most of the time

i actually liked the second season just as much as the first tbh. maybe because i love yu zhenxuan so much  ♡  butalso because they’re more developed adults and so they’re gonna deal with their emotions differently. and again, i enjoy pain and hell there’s a lot of that especially in the first few episodes and that episode 6.5 yeah no i was a wreck. mental illinois 

good cinematography and solid screenwriting i think. i enjoyed thestory of all three of them and not just shouheng and chengxing because carrie is a well done character and i appreciate that she wasn’t just the “jealous girlfriend” or the “one that gets in the way”. overall i liked it except for that moment towards the end that was really confusing like what even happened?? actually though i need to talk about it with someone because i’m still confused. 

i’m scared to watch this

update: i watched it and wow it was actually really good i wish it wasn’t only 12 episodes because it was so cute and interesting and sad at times. the ending ????

an interesting portrayal of artistic and sexual exploration and longing. it was really cinematic i will say that.

7.5 because of its portrayal of queer families. the ending was frustrating though like if the second season is good i will be so surprised

this show is like an actually queer bromance (愛上哥們). if you haven’t seen it, watch bromance.

it’s not the best--uh bad--because the storyline is all over the place, it’s largely comprised of fanservice (though they poke fun), the side couples and characters aren't great, there is some internalized homophobia, stalker stuff, and probably criminal actions that are brushed off, and the ending sucks; however, if you overlook that, it’s a nice slice-of-life romance with bonus comedy and action. the chemistry between the leads is nice (gong jun is so cute in this role and though xu feng’s character comes off strong, he does a good job bringing a tenderness and likability to him distinct from the novel's character (who i strongly dislike :))) and the relationship of their roles is cute once the stalker stuff passes. 

the show is also very brave in its portrayal of the main couple which is def what leads to its ultimate self-sabotage (tragedy). it was released a bit after addicted heroin (上瘾) was taken down, so they were probably walking on eggshells with what they could depict, but somehow a lot was included.  i won’t spoil much, but let’s say you’ll become a living surprised pikachu face. you might even scream a couple of times out of incredulity...or horror.

tl;dr i would recommend it because it’s cute, but action-packed and will make you laugh and smile and feel sad at times. if you are willing to overlook some--many--problematic/bad elements, you might be in for a fun time.

while i've watched very little of this show, i know that it's better than all the ones ranked below it because i have watched those. also, so far, seonam is very quirky, witty, and it tackles quite a bit of issues in a dramatic, yet comedic way. i think the acting is quite good and the investigator girls are very enjoyable. it is campy at times, but i think it makes sense.

just remembered that my former chinese teacher recommended shangyin to me ?

 i really admire their bravery in creating, releasing, and handling the reception of this drama like that must’ve been so scary. but i just don’t get the appeal of the show itself. i think it’s my personal opinion because i’m sort of selective about what i let slide, but the kidnapping, lack of consent, lowkey r*pe references, etc. was not fun. but that’s chai jidan for you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ also you know i’ve seen worse so that wasn’t really the problem. i think the show was pretty to look at, well acted, and that it had some nice romantic moments and stuff, but overall i just thought it was kind of boring. also gu hai made me so uncomfortable like people be simping for him and i’m like :S i would not feel safe at all around him. but maybe that’s just me. xu weizhou though bestie bai luoyin ♡

so this wasn’t that good but there was a reason i gave it adecent rating i forgot why

i barely remember it but i know that i thought that the connection between pornographer and mood indigo was well done. like kijima’s character differences are so interesting

TW: mentions of h***ssment and ab*se

this show had potential. after reading the plot summary, i was interested to see how it would look, because often queer relationships and workplace h***ssment aren’t portrayed well. while the show was cute at times and interesting at others, it’s portrayal of issues such as s*xual h***ssment, ab*se, homophobia, etc. were more comical than serious. i get wanting to keep it lighthearted, but if we gonna talk about serious things, they shouldn’t be funny too? however, i did appreciate the fact that those issues weren’t romanticized and were kept realistic.

let’s talk about the main relationship now...

so, they were very cutesy and lovey-dovey at first and i kind of appreciated that because sometimes it’s just nice to see girls in love. however, as the show progressed, their relationship started to annoy me a bit. like, the miscommunication and partial one-sidedness wasnt that helpful to the plot progression; it just made the story more confusing. also the ambiguity of the ending was frustrating?? i need my closure? huang peijia and wang shu xuan did a good job of playing a silly, stereotypical u-haul lesbian couple though. and i really appreciate the general idea of the story and the fact that xiaohe was willing to stand up for herself and her colleagues especially since her situation was the truth (big shoutout and respect to those in the service industry).

i’ve learned i only like volleyball if it’s haikyuu ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

big disappointment this movie was. the conceptof two women who’d just killed a domestic ab**er re-falling in love is so powerful to me!! like it could’ve been so good!! buttttt because there was obviously a male director, it fell far short. another movie with initial potential that disappointed me. why does this world not respect lesbians?

boring??  but i'm obsessed with both rainie and sandrine so >:) i do love the fact that the main character created her own ending and found happiness that was truly hers though

it could be worse. way worse.  

the fact that i fully forgot that i watched this show probably says something. i do remember a swimming pool though so that’s something. 

the acting was so wooden and the story was just dumb. 

no comment (derogatory) 

ok one comment: i know the opening scene is like sad and the guy dies or whatever but i could not stop laughing and i feel like that’s says more about the show than me

even more scared to watch this

this is exciting

zhan yao evil arc im so excited 

now this i’m really scared to watch

tell me this wasn’t on netflix at one point and then they took it off just when i wanted to watch it

this show is hilarious im enjoying it but also am super confused bc i’m pretty sure the brothers in this one are lovers in the novel like are they biological brothers or sworn brothers because you know there can be a difference…

i want to watch it so badly but i cannot motivate myself to do so because i’m so tired of the men and also i want both of them to be friends already.  like we’re not there yet i get it but still. also this isn’t even queer i don’t think but have you seen the damn pictures of shen cuixi in the rose bath having a “nice conversation” with zeng baoqin yeah nice try you’re not fooling me. but also mao zijun’s character is going to come and go and i’m going to root for them why do you do this 

is this going to be good who knows

yeah lol i’ve given up hope it’s not happening in my lifetime

ok but this one better happen i’ll throw a fit 

I WANT THIS NOW

is this happening or did someone just put it in because they want it to happen? i love dhfsl so much waiting every week for a translated manhua chapter to be released has been worth it because it gives me something to look forward to it’s so much fun