cowboy and peril
So I finally caught up with the rest of the world and watched 2015's The Man From U.N.C.L.E., because it's been rough and I needed something actiony and fun and something I got the vibe my fellow fanpeople enjoyed. Oh my. Somehow. I. was. unprepared. for how hard this film hit the m/m innuendo. Knocked me sideways. Which is a lovely surprise when you're not expecting it.
I didn't quite catch on until EIGHTEEN MINUTES IN, spy Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) follows his superior, played by Jared Harris, into a public men's room for a tense meeting. JH, heading over to the urinals, says, "What I'm about to feed you, Solo, might taste a little bitter; nevertheless you're gonna have to swallow it." (Spoiler: not talking about a blowjob.) JARED FRANCIS HARRIS. YOU KNOW YOU TOOK THAT ROLE BECAUSE THAT LINE MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD.
If, like me, you managed to miss this film thus far and any information about it, you'll be delighted to know the whole movie is shot through with pretty solid veins of in-your-face m/m innuendo. Which is delightful on one level. And on another level, a bit sad when you have such attractive and good actors whose characters are never going to commit to the act. (Or rather, the movie isn't even going to throw you a, er, bone and make with the sly innuendo that these two guys totally did it at some off-screen point. Maybe they're saving it for the sequel.) For me it doesn't quite feel like it crosses the line into queerbaiting because (a) it's hilariously broad comedy and (b) the characters don't have a whiff of being anything but intensely and unquestioningly straight, what with their female love and/or boink interests, their surface vibe of 60s television-style sexual conservatism, their flawless comedy-straight-man performances, and their mutual antagonism that somehow never quiiiiite seems to cross over into headier sexual tension (which for some reason makes me less angry at the lack of m/m, yet also doesn't stop me from slash thoughts). It's such a close thing, though. Upon a rewatch I'll probably be angrier and more frustrated. XD
And you can tell the more worldly Solo is ttly thinking about it. Nascent but persistent thoughts.
A sequel is apparently not beyond reach. I'd hit it. Especially if director Guy Ritchie finally COMMITS and stops dancing around the bromance in his films and just fucking goes for the m/m romance. (Jesus, Guy, it's not hard. So to speak.) If your backers are terrified of box office horrors because your film goes gay, remind them it's 2017 and it would actually send people in delighted droves to see your saucy little film. Promise.
Anyway, I have some fanfic to seek out. Hit me up if you have some recommendations and I'll love you forever.
pee ess. if you're not following the weissvsaiyuki comm and you're interested in the 20th anniversary autumn battle, there have been some new posts/updates.
Crossposted from my Dreamwidth account: http://indelicateink.dreamwidth.org/68898.html--please comment there instead. Comments:
. Find me on tumblr as indelicateink.
I didn't quite catch on until EIGHTEEN MINUTES IN, spy Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) follows his superior, played by Jared Harris, into a public men's room for a tense meeting. JH, heading over to the urinals, says, "What I'm about to feed you, Solo, might taste a little bitter; nevertheless you're gonna have to swallow it." (Spoiler: not talking about a blowjob.) JARED FRANCIS HARRIS. YOU KNOW YOU TOOK THAT ROLE BECAUSE THAT LINE MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD.
If, like me, you managed to miss this film thus far and any information about it, you'll be delighted to know the whole movie is shot through with pretty solid veins of in-your-face m/m innuendo. Which is delightful on one level. And on another level, a bit sad when you have such attractive and good actors whose characters are never going to commit to the act. (Or rather, the movie isn't even going to throw you a, er, bone and make with the sly innuendo that these two guys totally did it at some off-screen point. Maybe they're saving it for the sequel.) For me it doesn't quite feel like it crosses the line into queerbaiting because (a) it's hilariously broad comedy and (b) the characters don't have a whiff of being anything but intensely and unquestioningly straight, what with their female love and/or boink interests, their surface vibe of 60s television-style sexual conservatism, their flawless comedy-straight-man performances, and their mutual antagonism that somehow never quiiiiite seems to cross over into headier sexual tension (which for some reason makes me less angry at the lack of m/m, yet also doesn't stop me from slash thoughts). It's such a close thing, though. Upon a rewatch I'll probably be angrier and more frustrated. XD
And you can tell the more worldly Solo is ttly thinking about it. Nascent but persistent thoughts.
A sequel is apparently not beyond reach. I'd hit it. Especially if director Guy Ritchie finally COMMITS and stops dancing around the bromance in his films and just fucking goes for the m/m romance. (Jesus, Guy, it's not hard. So to speak.) If your backers are terrified of box office horrors because your film goes gay, remind them it's 2017 and it would actually send people in delighted droves to see your saucy little film. Promise.
Anyway, I have some fanfic to seek out. Hit me up if you have some recommendations and I'll love you forever.
pee ess. if you're not following the weissvsaiyuki comm and you're interested in the 20th anniversary autumn battle, there have been some new posts/updates.
Crossposted from my Dreamwidth account: http://indelicateink.dreamwidth.org/68898.html--please comment there instead. Comments:
. Find me on tumblr as indelicateink.