Lan Yu (2001)

I thought the story dragged on like i feel the whole thing was just confusing to understand really even if I had English subs to back me on what they are saying. There's better Asian films then this tbh, it just didn't click with me on this one. I did want to like it since it seemed to have such positive reviews but I'm not one of them I'm afraid!

I was so very disappointed by this movie. There was absolutely no sex at all. Sure, they show you every little thing up until the act that I was waiting for the whole 86 minutes, and then they disappoint you. This movie is the biggest tease ever, in the history if things that tease. Also, why are all movies about gay Chinese men so depressing? They need to get their act together and just be happy like the Thai boys in Formula 17. Other than the great lack of getting it on, this movie did have good qualities. It does a really good job of portraying the growth of a relationship and the mistakes people make. However, the ending was completely unnecessary and seemed as though it was simply a way to make the movie even more depressing. The ending left me feeling the way one feels when the main character wakes up in a great movie and it was all a dream, as though the writers were out of ideas and just slapped something together in an effort to try to mess with the audience.

I enjoyed this film. I thought the two lead actors had great chemistry and gave their character's relationship a lot of empathy and made the audience stay with them through the ups and downs of their relationship.There is a bit of time travel in this film and at times it seems disjointed, but then you figure out you are going back and forth between present and past time.The best aspect of this film is the dialog between the two leads, especially when they break up on the eve of Handong's wedding. Handong had problems coming to terms with who he was, while Lan Yu understood his and Handong's nature and accepted it. Lan yu seemed the more wiser soul between the two, despite his lack of wealth and worldly sophistication.This film also incorporated the importance of friendship, historical political events, and class differences.There has been a lot of speculation about Lan yu's boyfriend. I think he didn't exist, and his description of him, sounded a lot like Lan yu. A lot of people make up imaginary loves to ex loves, just from a sense of pride or to arouse jealousy.All in all, this film is an examination of a history of a relationship, that stands the trials of what time, life, and the lovers do to it.

I found this particular film very moving. Regardless of the the way the two characters meet for the first time it is about relationship, not sex. (despite Handong, struggling to perceive it the other way around). Nice and subtle, seem bereft of any cheap cinema tricks. I guess that goes back to the Asian culture towards homosexuality and is the reason why I prefer Asian gay-themed movies to European or north American main stream production. I wish there was more of this kind of movies portraying man to man relationship as based on feelings rather than sex. Stanley Kwan joins Ang Lee in leading the way... In my opinion, along 'Farewell My Concubine' the best gay-themed Chinese movie.