#the last act of the series is so.....

[unstill]

kinnporsche is a touchy subject for me but like. no character (in a bl) has been as impactful for me as kinn theerapanyakul. no scene has been as impactful on all fronts as the last scene in episode seven. from the acting to direction music etc etc. god what a time that was

[maybe-boys-do-love]

Mix Sahaphap gets to perform (and has the performance chops to perform) in a style that I’ve never seen any other male actor get to embody. Mix gets to unironically play the #strongfemalecharacter. The Beatrice, the Elizabeth Bennett, the Jo March. Strong-willed, emotional, kind-hearted.

Not only do the plot points line up, but Mix, more than any BL actor I’ve seen, fully leans into the embodiment of this archetype. In his roles, he rolls his eyes, pouts, banters flirtatiously, softens his posture and expression at small details. He doesn’t over-exaggerate and imposition other characters but his face also doesn’t hold back his character’s thoughts and judgments. And when the moments arrive, he lets all the hurt and anguish pour out in shatters of tears and visible heartbreak—the star-counting scene, anyone????—in a way that harkens to the operatic emotionality of well-done melodramas, soap-operas, and their contemporary Thai equivalent of Lakorn. It’s only that these have never been men’s roles in those.

It’s no surprise that one of Mix’s roles—Cupid’s Last Wish—is explicitly a gender body-swap, and Tian in A Tale of Thousand Stars is (albeit explicitly denied within the show) heavily connected to gender body-swapping. What Mix specializes in as an actor, and does exceptionally well, has been defined as feminine. To depict a kind of queer expression in this style is novel because it’s not camp, it’s not okama, it’s not a soft or femboy, it’s not a BL twink (Mix has been mostly excluded from the schoolyards and quads of the BL universe except for a role as a senior crush in Fish Upon the Sky). It’s too sincere and too adult for any of that.

In Moonlight Chicken we get to see, without the pretense of gendered mysticism, this performance style’s seduction, warmth, wit, and explosiveness within the framework of a general gay form of expression. It says that this kind of femininity might just be a gay thing. Not all gay men exhibit it, obviously—queer men aren’t a monolith. Still, it gives us something to consider about how we observe performance of queerness on screen, especially in front of an audience that puts so much more emphasis on ships, heat, and pairing chemistry to assess how well they perform a BL role. Could we look for other features to judge performance of queerness instead of how well they kiss?

Seme and uke roles would be the major performance style categories loyal BL fans assess actors with, yet even within the archetype his character’s fill within BL narratives, Mix’s performances differ from the typical uke depiction in BL because he really doesn’t perform them as passive. Rather, Mix’s characters and his portrayal of them are dynamic and demanding. It certainly fits certain stereotypes of ukes (Gilbert!) and their gay stereotype equivalent of bottoms as pillow princesses and brats. Mix’s characters, though, have more drive, agency, and compassion than that, and he plays them with all of those currents running underneath.

We certainly have openly gay writer/director Aof Noppharnach to thank for writing this kind of queer character for Mix to play in Tian and Wen. But for Mix’s specific commitment to the performance starting off with his (debut!?) role in ATOTS, we first have Earth to thank for believing in Mix’s ability and recommending him to portray the role of Tian, and then Aof’s acceptance despite his differing initial expectations for the character. Mix, Earth, and Aof have all been open about how Mix in his personal life and nature holds a lot of similarities to both his role as Tian in ATOTS and Wen in Moonlight Chicken. Some people might knock points off his performances because he’s like them. But his relationship to the characters, rather than dampening my enthusiasm for Mix’s performances, helps me appreciate his willingness to give an authentic performance in a style that hasn’t been encouraged on screens previously. It’s made more impactful that he chose to risk vulnerability to bring something personal that had previously been excluded from screens because of its gender deviance (and in broader society explicitly condemned). This doesn’t make a claim on Mix’s actual identity, but simply shows his willingness to understand and perform the expressions of his queer characters with an effort at empathy that many other actors would feel challenged to bring.

Some actors are chameleons, but some actors have a gift of a type within which they can explore depths and range that no one else can best. For me, that’s what Mix does in his work when directors and casting understands his talent. There’s a BTS video of Mix actually fainting during a scene while in Earth/Phupa’s embrace on the mountain that immediately brought to mind the wildly famous final scene in the film Camille where Greta Garbo as Marguerite dies in her lover’s arms.

For Mix, it was a serious incident due to regrettably extreme conditions and requiring the on-set paramedics, but these levels of theatrics, for me, are emblematic of what Mix is capable of as a performer, as well. After all, he had to faint in Phupa’s arms multiple times on purpose. It’s the kinds of Old Hollywood and heightened sentimental romance realms Mix takes his performances to! Then he can turn around and make it look easy to take that same character into grounded quips or dedicated everyday tasks. It only takes writers, directors, and audiences willing to see that men can feel this way and act this way. Mix has paved the way.

[moonkhao]

WE ARE | EP16

[somewhereincairparavel]

the abuse Annabeth faced at home was severely downplayed imo. Her stepmother acted all nice and caring to Percy in TTC, but it heavily contradicts what Annabeth has said about her. I mean, it could've easily been that Mrs chase was just putting on an act in front of her stepdaughter's friends right? Her neglectfullness must've been pretty bad if it caused a literal seven year old to run away. Her stepmom practically yelled at annabeth simply because the poor kid was afraid of spiders just like any other kid would be. A part of me feels like she did a lot worse, considering that Annabeth doesn't seem to have a relationship with either of her step siblings. Maybe mrs chase deliberately kept them away from her? Idk. I just don't see how she would randomly start caring for annabeth after all these years. The facts just don't add up.

And Annabeth isn't exactly one to lie about things for pity points. I just kinda wished her abuse wasn't so watered down and the books made it seem like she was exaggerating for sympathy. I needed closure for that tbh. I wanted an apology for annabeth from both her dad and her step mom. That's like the bare minimum she didn't even recieve. I don't really know what rick was going for here.

[dogzcats]

A million times he needed me and the one time I needed hi– oh come on, this is a funeral

[muninnhuginn]

Still weird seeing Twilight be so honest with Yor about struggling to turn his brain off and just *be*. A good kind of weird, of course. I could never imagine volume one Twilight being so open with her (or anyone, really). This chapter was so nice with its references to all the way back then and showing how far they've come since. Still some sneaky Project Apple seeds being laid, of course, but overall, this was a pleasant checkpoint. A little calm before the next storm, which was sorely needed after the last arc

[larrylimericks]

12Jun24

A soul made of plastic and hollowed, In missed exploitation, Si wallowed: If he owned 1D’s name He’d cash in on their fame ... It’s a no from our Lou, who unfollowed.

[panncakes]

Phi. Hmm? Why can't I see you?

LAST TWILIGHT (2023)

[demadogs]

the mlvn breakup has the potential to be one of the best scenes in the entire show if it coincides with mikes first time coming out to someone and im SICK of people wanting a meaningless breakup in episode one just so you can skip to byler. does heartwarming platonic love and comfort MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?????!!!!

[essektheylyss]

Honestly, it is so funny remembering that Annabeth Chase's literal, stated, canonical fatal flaw is hubris.

Rick Riordan was like, "This clever, neurodivergent preteen girl believes that she is smarter than the gods, and she will get the chance to prove herself right," and he was correct. 😌

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

I can't screenshot all the little details I loved about this week's Last Twilight because it would be pretty much the entire episode.

But special mention to Mhok trying to hide his smile the first time Day called him a friend

and then utterly failing to hide it the second time.

The hand stroking going from cute to erotic in about .5 seconds

largely due to how Mhok was watching Day's face.

And Day's face here when Mhok asks if he needs anything else

where you can tell it's a mix of "stay with me my whole life please" and "stick your tongue down my throat right now".

[oyeixcher]

Every SandRay Scene (62 ¦ ??) 

S: "Alright, I heard it. Damn it. Don't knock so hard. You're going to destroy my door. Damn you. You are ruining my door. What the heck. What's wrong now? Why are you so frustrated? Is it a withdrawal symptom?" R: "You pushed me to go to rehab because my dad hired you to, right? Tell me. Did he hire you? How much did he pay you? Was it a big pay? Tell me. Say it! Well, say it!" S: "Ray, will you calm down?" R: "Calm down, my ass! Did he pay you? Tell me! Just tell me! Just f*cking tell me!!" S: "Yes! He hired me." R: "When?" S: "The day you crashed your car." R: "So you've been deceiving me. All these times we've been happy together. Everything was a lie, right? Actually, you just want my dad's money." S: "It has nothing to do with the money. Everything I've done is because I care about you." R: "That's bullshit!! You do anything for money." S: "Seriously, Ray? Do you really think so? Do you think I'm a man with no dignity?" R: "Damn right, you are. You duped me into trusting you. You tricked me into believing you. You slept with me. You did all that because you wanted my dad's money." S: "Ray. Is that what you think, go ahead. But I want you to know that I did everything because I truly care about you." R: "You care about me? You care about me? Are you crying? Really? Are you crying? You don't have the right to cry. I'm the one who should cry. I'm the one who should be upset! Not you. You care about me, huh? Those are the liquor you make. You want me to quit drinking but you are selling liquor. Do you think my life is going to be better if I'm with you? No. It's f*cking going down to hell!"

[somewhereincairparavel]

The funniest thing about Jason slander, for me, is that it's so fucking contradictory, people would hate on Jason for being "too perfect" "too flawless" "too gary stu-esque" and that he's too boringly good and then will proceed to hate on him by nitpicking his already existing flaws that they claimed he never had (like being mistrustful towards Nico, "leading Reyna on by dating Piper", being too "serious and cold" )

Like mf, didn't you just say you wished Jason was flawed?? So now why r you yapping about what a "terrible sadistic egomaniac" person he is for thinking he can defeat Percy in a silly duel??? Lmao

[gunsatthaphan]

zero hinge.

[likeabxrdinflight]

tired of early 20-somethings acting like harry potter was never good or had no value in its day like shut the fuck up half of you weren't even there when it peaked

[lurkingshan]

Last Twilight Episode 10

Okay…okay. I have had some concerns about this show on a low simmer for weeks and unfortunately, the direction this episode took has brought them all roaring to the surface.

First let me just say there was a lot about this episode I really loved (anything to do with Night especially). But there are also a few things that did not work for me so well, so let’s take them one at a time.

Mhok’s Story

Mhok’s financial struggles, the prejudice he faces as a formerly incarcerated person, and his deep grief for his sister have been back-burnered for weeks while he and the story focused on Day. I chatted with @my-rose-tinted-glasses about this last week and said that I was reserving judgment and hoped this was an intentional part of the narrative that would come to the fore—Mhok was subsuming his own problems by making Day his entire life, and when he inevitably left the caretaker job he would have to face them again.

Welp, this episode was the moment for that to happen, if it was ever going to, and the show didn’t do it. Instead, they quickly glossed over Mhok’s struggles with two short scenes and a couple lines of dialogue, stuck him in a new job, and went right back to focusing on Day. Will I ever get a Thai bl that sets up class conflict and financial struggles and then actually takes it seriously?? Apparently not today.

This choice to gloss over Mhok’s money problems is also making the romance feel pretty imbalanced, and I’m really mourning the opportunity to see Day be a supportive partner to Mhok like he has been for him. I want Mhok to be a whole person, not an improbably perfect love interest. The lack of reciprocity in their dynamic is not great and it’s holding this romance back from reaching its full potential.

Day’s Mom

Let’s be very clear: Day’s mom’s behavior in this episode was abusive. She was within her rights to fire Mhok, which he knew and that’s why he resigned before she took action. But her choice to intentionally isolate Day and lock him up in his room with no access to the outside world was cruel and selfish. And it doesn’t seem like the show really gets that, given how they presented her and Day through the rest of the episode.

That family holiday scene was really missing the underlying edge it should have had given she was playing the loving mom while doing these things to Day, and other than one brief line from Night that got interrupted, we didn’t see any acknowledgement in the story of how wrong she was, or even get a good sense of how much she was harming Day.

I would have liked to see Day actually seem affected by his isolation rather than focusing on more cute date moments. Bad Buddy was really adept at delivering excellent couple moments while never letting you forget about the underlying trauma and melancholy of the story, but this show is not quite managing to do the same. Moonlight Chicken also has some glorious moments where bad and abusive parenting was called out very directly, so the lack of it here is really jarring. It all feels curiously light for the subject matter and I expected more from Aof.

Day’s Vision

Obviously after the end of the episode this will be the worry on everyone’s mind heading into next week. We know Aof previews can’t be trusted, but it seems clear the surgery is going to happen. Thematically, I do not think it makes any sense for the show to restore Day’s vision. I wish they weren’t going here with the eye donation surgery at all, but if they’re going to do it I hope its purpose is for the procedure to fail as a mechanism to force Day and his family to finally accept that his disability will not be fixed. But given the above noted poor execution on some of the story’s other themes, I am not currently feeling super confident that the show won’t do something very silly here. Fingers crossed!