Fridae

Some arty tarts rave that Lan Yu is the "best Chinese film
about gay life ever ever ever". If you ask us, we'd say that Lee
Ang's The Wedding Banquet holds that title. But Lan Yu
certainly ranks up there in Top 10.

Unlike Formula 17 or Bishonen, Lan Yu doesn't
boast a scintillating flesh parade to please the eyes and warm the
loins. Rather, its beauty lies in its realistic depiction of a love
that dares not speak its name.

The setting is Beijing in the 1980s. Chen Handong (Hu Jun) is a
wealthy businessman who has flings with boys but ultimately wants
to settle down with a woman. He meets Lan Yu (Liu Ye), a breathtaking
waif of a boy who exudes more mystique than a bottle of expensive
cologne. They immediately fall for each other, and their tumultuous
on-off affair lasts for several years.

Directed by gay Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan, the film is soaked
in old-fashioned melodrama. But what keep it watchable are the stellar
performances by the lead actors. Hu Jun, as the materialist businessman,
has a grave and dignified presence that anchors the movie. While
Liu Ye, as the luscious toyboy, delivers a smouldering performance
that is at once restrained and potently sexual.

Lan Yu was shot secretly in Beijing without the approval of the
Chinese government. But the look of the film itself — with
its alternately harsh documentary look and luminous romantic glow
— seems to place the story beyond any real time or place.
The film has won several awards, including four Golden Horse trophies
as well as a few international awards.

Without a doubt, this is the must-see of the month.