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Reviews
Glitter & Doom (2023)
When your eye catches your future
In a similar vein as the movie "Were the World Mine" (2008) by the same director, this musical fantasy brings together a poor and child of prison class, hapless songwriter/performer (Doom) and the ever hopeful, never-to-follow-through playboy son (Glitter) of a wealthy, highly successful Asian mom (Ivy). Glitter's latest compulsion is to become a clown and, the movie opens with him wooing people on the street with his juggling act while Doom is trying one more time to obtain a slot on stage in a night club.
Their chance encounter after a failed audition and failed street performance first lights a fire in Glitter, only to be rebuffed by Doom. But Fate forces them to meet unwittingly again through a second chance encounter. And, although still not making himself available, Doom is touched by Glitter's disarming charm.
The plot then develops as their relationship does as well. The music being intimately woven into the development of both. So too is fantasy and camping escapes from reality.
Eventually, Doom saves Glitter while he's in clown school, and an (initially rejected) gift from Glitter does the same for Doom. And, the two are reunited while Doom performs in yet another fantastic performance at the night club.
While I like the overall storyline, I feel the last 30 minutes ("Act 4" & 5) are rushed. Act 4: The missed weekend camping trip, Glitters response to Doom's revelations about the dark night he's lived for years are skimmed over. And, a lot happens while Glitter is away at Clown School, leaving me want more across this section of the movie.
As for the acting and singing, I enjoyed all of the performances, especially Alex Diaz (Glitter) and Alan Cammish (Doom). Both were even keeled in their delivery (being believable as people) which is not always achieved within this genre. And, neither over sung.
Well done! & thank you!!
Heartstopper (2022)
Warm as the Autumn Light
This series is just as delightful as the movie, "We're the Wold Mine." They are emotional kith if not kin. And, this TV series is feel-good without being fantasy, campy or schmaltzy. It tackles the coming of age problems of questioning and unabashedly self-aware LGBTQ+ youth.
It also has such potential to explore each of its characters. Well acted, it's characters are quite believable. Both Nick and Charlie are beautiful if not also quite human souls - warts and all. Not only are its protagonists, Charlie & Nick, very three dimensional but so too are most of Charlie's inner circle satellite ones. Elle is so strongly played whether portrayed being shy or endearing, or just plain silly. I especially loved the depth of Tori and the utterness (if not also blind) Tao, and loved to loathe the disturbing antagonism of Ben's bedeviled soul. I was surprised to learn that so many of the cast are "newbies."
I look forward to seeing more revelation and discovery of the individuals of Charlie's entire inner circle. They have such potential within the scope of the series. Hopefully the fullness of the rest of the characters - e.g., Nick's mom, Issac, Charlie's parents, Harry and Imogene, mr. Ajayi, et alia - all also get explored and are made manifest more in future seasons. I also look forward to seeing Nick and Charlie grow as BFF, as individuals and as a couple.
In fact, I look forward to many more seasons of such a well crafted series.