#2023 awards season

[frankchurchillsaysrelax]

brendan fraser telling ke huy quan “we’re still here” while congratulating each other backstage at the oscars has my heart in a vice grip. these two men who have come so far and who have fought their own battles to get their careers back. they’re still here. we see them and we love them.

[thedroneranger]

A reminder that TopGun: Maverick is up for two Grammys:

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media (TGM Soundtrack)

Best Song Written For Visual Media (Hold My Hand)

Both categories also include Encanto, so let's wish 'em luck, besties 🖤

[filipinosamflynn]

Do you ever just think about how Disney fucked over the development of Nimona, only for it to get the most Annie Award nominations amidst the 2024 selection, while all Wish got was a consolation prize

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Neil at St. Louis Literary Award 2023 (Jon was supposed to visit but couldn't so he recorded a video message for Neil :))

Neil: There are things that I have done to Jon Hamm or had other people do or that have happened to Jon Hamm in the Second Season of Good Omens that while I am not at liberty to actually reveal what they are I will say that I'm in many ways glad he's not sitting opposite me getting his own back.

[jsmithcameronx]

Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis ‘pose’ in the press room at the 95th Annual Academy Awards.

[local-space-gay]

There’s just something so vindicating about the fact that Nimona got an Oscar nomination and Wish didn’t. Disney refused to finish the movie only for it to get picked back up and completely outperform the movie they released in the same year. Something something something we win.

[absolutebl]

Hi!!! I'm a big fan of BLs, I really love all types, but I stopped watching and keeping up with the news ones around the summer of 2023. Do you have any recommendations of BLs that I should start with again that have come out since spring 2023. Or like a best of 2024 list? It's a bit overwhelming trying to jump back in and I'm not sure where to start again! Thanks :)

My top 2 BLs of 2023 both got 10/10s from me and they were:

I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan Netflix?

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen. Full review here.

Our Dating Sim

Korea Viki

This is a perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy. I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. Full review here.

Here are the rest of my best of 2023 round ups:

Best of 2024?

I haven't started any 2024 round ups yet but here's my current working top BLs of 2024. These are the ones I gave a 9/10 (no 10/10s from me this year, sadly):

Century of Love

Thai Gaga

This is a very pretty drama about a young man who fell in love with a nice girl 100 years ago, and when she died in his arms, he was cursed to live until he could meet her reborn self. Only this time around, she’s reborn into the body of a man. Or is she?

 Cherry Magic (Thai remake)

Thai grey

A soft charming warm hug of a show about crushes and mind reading and self worth that really worked for me. With no-fuss execution from a consummate team (at GMMTV) and an OG lead pair (proving why they remain eternal and deserve to grow up). Look, here’s the thing, Cherry Magic is a great Thai BL in its own right - not comparing it to any other iteration.

Cosmetic Playlover

Japan Gaga

I love this little show more than most. It's a classic office BL about the older workaholic who loves his job and the younger upstart who unexpectedly loves his boss.

Love For Love's Sake

Korea iQIYI

KBL isekai about a man who must win a game by convincing a reserved teen outcast to fall in love with him. Of course, that teen represents himself and his own unhappiness.

Sugar Dog Life

Japan grey

This is a phenomenally charming and adorable little romance about a forlorn university kid and the police officer who adopts him. They are relentlessly kind to each other, in fact it’s an extremely kindly show over all (everyone in it is so nice to everyone else including us) so there’s very little tension. But what it lacks in drive and complexity it makes up for in earnest acts of service and simple affection.

The Rebound

Thai iQIYI

Actually no one liked this as much as me. This was a sports romance Thai BL pulp with everything I could have asked for given this sub genre. More, actually, since MeenPing are both great basketball players and the team component really did form part of the connective tissue of the show (vital in a sports romance). Meen has his shirt off within the first two minutes which is all I needed but he's still pretty great as the sullen secret keeper against Ping's cheerful survivor - childhood sweethearts torn asunder and now reunited.

The Sign

Thai YouTube

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it.

Unknown

Taiwan YouTube & elsewhere

Unknown is a wonderful BL with a pitch perfect portrayal of long term pining, age gap, and the stepbrothers trope. The acting and chemistry are ON POINT (especially from the leads) which made the resulting characters very believable.

Wandee Goodday

Thai YouTube

A charming quintessentially modern Thai BL about a doctor and a boxer who start as a one night stand and then fall in love. Great rep for everything from Muay Thai, to safe sex, to FUN sex, to ace, to bisexuality, to smiley kisses, to the first legal gay wedding in a Thai BL.

For me this was GMMTV's best of the year.

We Are

Thai iQIYI

I unabashedly loved show. It was slow to find its stride (I didn’t get into it until ep 6) but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. It’s a soft ensemble piece with multiple couples and very little plot, but I didn’t care because it’s not trying to be anything more substantial.

There you go. Hope these hold you over until the end of year round ups.

Welcome back!

And HAVE FUN!!!

It's been a good year for BL.

[wejustvibing]

a cultural reset.

[©Doug Peters, ©Cover Images]

[k-wame]

COLMAN DOMINGO ⋮ 14 Jan 2024 🎭 ⋮ 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards

[gretacelestegerwig]

Greta Gerwig, America Ferrera and Margot Robbie at the AFI Awards Luncheon.

[frankchurchillsaysrelax]

i’m just gonna say “hey brad pitt” at random times throughout the day and see who gets it

[umlewis]

lewis hamilton attends the british fashion awards in london - december 4, 2023 📷 rune hellestad / alamy

[multifxndomedits]

✧ AWARD SEASON PART 2 (2024) - headers ✧ PART 1 here

- like/reblog if you save/use

(requests are closed: sorry! at the moment my routine is hard to deal with! i'll do my best!)

[editfandom]

Junior - Foe, 2023

[helloliriels]

The next winner has always counted ...

Torn between awarding for brilliant writing or for heartwarming art ... I choose BOTH!

And the Award goes to the one and only ...

@kitten-kin 🐈

The Science of Affection

See the comic critics are raving over: "So much humour, mood, and emotion with such a minimalist style!", "Kitten-Kin just keeps adding more goodies!", "This brings me so much JOY!", "I am LIVING for this!", "Laughed so hard I cried!", "OMG ... *giggle snorts*", "The science of AMAZING!"

Not only skilled at making me want to read a list of literally anything numbered (see Thirty-Nine Rules) and (Doctor in the House rules 1-83, 84-120, and recipe box) and (Drabble Prompt Fills) but also a genius at comics and humour! Amaze!!!

Been drafting this one for a week! much love!! 💋 @johnlocky @marta-bee @missdeliadili @a-different-equation @amyreadsandstresses @kettykika78 @topsyturvy-turtely @anyawen @chriscalledmesweetie @221b-alovestory @totallysilvergirl @dissolvinggirl @mrb488 @ithinkthereforeiamaswell @meetinginsamarra @musingsofmyown @scrub456 @sarahthecoat @bluebellofbakerstreet @calaisreno @khorazir @raina-at @jobooksncoffee @fluffbyday-smutbynight @peanitbear @peageetibbs @hasenkind687 @whatnext2020 @keirgreeneyes @ohlooktheresabee @dangeles @im-erin @estrella-creek @bisexualmindcabin @gregorovitchworld @impalaparkedat221b @shouldertallabyss @aquilea-of-the-lonely-mountain @ninasnakie @johnlockismyreligion @iwlyanmw @nottoolateforthegame @john-smiths-jawline @yorkiepug @arwamachine @discordantwords @dragonnan @sgam76 @janetm74

[jsmithcameronx]

Michelle Yeoh walks off stage with Halle Berry and Jessica Chastain after accepting the award for Actress in a Leading Role at the 95th Annual Academy Awards.