In this current age of uncertainty, what is not only evident but crystal clear is everyone’s wish to relive our happy pre-pandemic chaotic lives.
This longing for normalcy led the majority to be curious about the Boys Love drama universe especially its rainbow-colored themes and characters.
The Philippines’ premier contribution to the genre is Gameboys, produced by The IdeaFirst Company, written by Ash Malanum, and directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal.
Currently, thelocal and international followers of the phenomenal Filipino BL drama are all delirious with the showing of Gameboys the Movie. As to why it gets the distinction of being the motion picture with the most number of tickets sold on its opening weekend, no one is baffled and puzzled.
The viewership, as the days go by, increases exponentially. The no spoiler word-of-mouth campaign about the Payawal helmed pink romantic drama that has Kokoy de Santos and Elijah Canlas as its leads further increases its box-office strength.
Thus, to those who cannot help but wonder, what makes the movie incarnation a special viewing treat, let me enumerate the ways.
The movie gives you all the reasons that make you kilig, cry copious tears with the complications and entanglement, feel the courage and be hopeful of the fact that people who share a different kind of love need a lot of commitment.
The actors who not only gave their hearts, but their truths and souls to the characters they portray come as another movie strength. De Santos and Canlas as Gavreel and Cairo, plus Kyle Velino, Miggy Jimenez, Kych Minemoto, and Adriana So were all emotionally committed and forthright in being Terrence, Wesley, Achilles, and Pearl. They are all Philippine show business’s new acting hopes.
Aside from delivering their lines with conviction, these young actors speak in volumes with their eyes, in the many quiet scenes that they enacted and shared on screen.
Plus factor still is how Ash Malanum weaved his narrative — complete with all the sugar and spice and all those nice ingredients peppered with hell — is other people's complications plus the movie’s resolve. As a spectator, one can immediately deduce that director Ivan Andrew Payawal loves the on-the-level script that is why as one views it, you cannot help but surrender to all the giddiness, flashes of anger, moments of juvenile lust, and youthful romance.
Also, I truly appreciated the representation of the traditional values system that character actress Angie Castrence gave life splendidly. As Tita Sun, she gives a new meaning to the words BL thorn.
More than its quest for love is love and that a different kind of love wins, the movie makes us realize how much we miss these little big things – congenial smiles, tighter than tight hugs, cordial beso-beso, the look of love in one’s eyes and that quiet stare of acceptance and forgiveness, the ecstasy and magic of true love’s kiss and that special bond shared by kindred spirits and souls that is stronger than romantic love and friendship.
Indeed, Gameboys the movie affirms that there is more to life than bitterness and lies, there is hope, joy, and above all, love.
More great news about the second season, it now has international co-producers namely 108JAPAN Co., Ltd, Aeon Entertainment Co., Ltd., and Hakuhodo DY music & pictures Inc.
108 JAPAN will lead International Sales and Distribution outside the Philippines. Co-producers Aeon Entertainment Co., Ltd., and Hakuhodo DY music & pictures Inc. are the key team in Theatrical Distribution and Digital & Home Entertainment Distribution in Japan, respectively.
Gameboys the Movie, still showing in ktx.ph and ticket2me, is slated to have a theatrical run in Japan by December 2021