Mei shao nian zhi lian

This movie isn't easy to understand because it's a FLASHBACK type-movie. I had to watch it three times before I understand the story completely. This movie totally impressed me. Before watching the movie, I hesitated very much to watch it. Partly because I feel disgusted by the 'gay' 'lesbian' stuff... But after I watched it, I changed my mind and my way of thinking. That movie really helped me understand gay people's life, that there can be true love between boys, that it's not easy for gay people to accept themselves as being gay, and most of all, how to face their family and parents. This movie is absolutely amazing. It's a very very sweet love story, and a very touching drama. The ending is so sad that it rip off my heart. Anyway, I NOW accept homosexual people as Humans, not more as Aliens (like I did before)...

I picked "Bishonen" up on DVD a few months ago when I was in Hong Kong and just finally got around to watching it last night. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but it exceeded whatever those expectations were.

More than anything else, I was very moved by the story insomuch as how it unfolded and how the actors carried the film in both their physical motions (basically how they carried themselves) and simple raw emotions (love, lust, revulsion).

The film was not glossy, but rather chose an almost realistic if not surreal background which complimented it incredibly. Much of it flowed quite smoothly and served to captivate the audience as much as the actors themselves.

Those of you wondering about the plot now that I've got all that out of the way, a male prostitute is roaming the streets of Hong Kong one day and exchanges looks with another young man who is shopping with someone who might be his girlfriend. For the next hour and 40 minutes, the relationship between the two men develop, expand to include other characters (another male prostitute, a Pop singer, a rather unusual photographer) and ultimately explore how are ultimately involved with each other.

This film doesn't exploit gay sex by showing needless amounts of it nor does it reduce it along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The DVD comes with Director's Commentary (of which I unfortunately don't understand a word of), Cast Information, Production Information, an interview with the director, some post card still shots, a photo collage and a couple of short films. The Video CD (if anyone is interested) also contains a film cell.

My Rating is an 8

The look of the film is glossy and polished as are the stars of the film. The story unfolds and follows the life of a young Hong Kong police officer as he gets involved with another young and cute guy. The ending line in the story is quite profound regarding love; knowing that you have found it, but not knowing where it will lead you. This is one I would like in my DVD collection.

Straight model actors are certainly far removed from the typical gay man. I found as did many the actors to be beautiful, but that was the main attraction for the film. I found the substance of the film to be disappointing. Any character who was not beautiful was generally portrayed as one who prayed on those who were. A gay film that represents the diversity of gay people would have been much more to my liking.

Are you tired of seeing films with pretty gay boys wandering through a Freshmen magazine glossy world who are constantly given the opportunity to take off their shirts? Well, I am and therefore this film was a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious eye-candy but the boy-meets-boy boy-gets-boy boy-loses-boy storyline is tired and the characters are flat and dull. Will some film maker (other than the brilliant John Greyson) realize that the gay film-going audience wants more, needs more, and deserves more?