Poignant gay film with BL elements

As I live in Taiwan, I eagerly awaited the release of this film, and watched it the day it was released. Because there aren't too many LGBT films released in theaters (especially in Asia), my expectations weren't that high; I was just excited to be able to see a gay (BL?) movie on the big screen. But this movie did not disappoint at all. The story invites you to the time when martial law has just been lifted, and times are clearly changing. After living in Taiwan for over two years, this was a welcome glimpse into a fascinating part of Taiwanese history.
The pacing of the relationship was a little different than your typical BL, and the acting was on point. There are a few different reasons why I wouldn't consider this a BL, the most prominent being the absence of clear seme/uke (masculine/feminine) roles. The two lead characters are well-crafted, and the emotional complexity of their relationship far transcends most BL story lines. I would even consider going back to the theater just for one particular scene; which, although technically a sex scene, accomplishes everything without showing anything. I've been thinking about the passion and emotion of that scene all day.
I feel like this film includes all the great elements of a BL series, but removes the saccharine and adds a plaintive historical setting. The music includes a classic Taiwanese pop song as well as a new song, which includes the film's title. The inclusion of both neatly represents the time jump of the story. This film is a must-watch, and I hope it gets the international attention that it deserves. Both BL and cinema fans alike will enjoy it.

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Artsy gay film with somber vibe

I watched this film yesterday at a special Q&A screening in Taipei. I was pretty stoked, since LGBT+ films, especially in Asia, are few and far between. I'm writing this review from the perspective of a gay guy who watches way too much BL, and not an indie film enthusiast, so if you are looking for an in-depth critique of the film, look elsewhere. I'd just like to give a short overview of what I watched to see if you would be interested in giving it a try.

As the first major gay film released in Taiwan since Your Name Engraved, I couldn't help myself from wanting to compare the films. However, they couldn't be more different. Moneyboys is a character study, not a narrative-driven romantic film. Ko does an excellent job as the reserved, emotionally suppressed Fei.

The cinematography was beautiful, and a lot of thought went into the techniques and style of the film. The movie was set in southern China, but filmed in Taiwan, which might be jarring if you have been to Taiwan and recognize some of the filming locations. Additionally, some actors are Chinese, while others are Taiwanese; if you are familiar with Mandarin, you may notice the different dialects of Mandarin between the characters. Some of the mainland accents are faked, while others are real.

Should you watch the film? If you are a BL fan who just wants a cookie-cutter romantic film, then stay away. But if you enjoy artsy films, then I would definitely recommend it. I'm guessing people's opinions of this film will be pretty polarized. But it's worth giving it a shot. Personally, I felt like something was missing from the film, as many of the themes (rural vs urban life, Chinese family values, guilt and shame) are trite. But the lead actor's performance and his ability to make me sympathize with his character were enough to leave a positive opinion in my mind the next day.

I'm not sure if and when this will be released in other countries, but I think because it's a co-production with Austria, it should at least be shown in some European countries. Maybe it'll even appear on Netflix eventually. If you have any other questions about the film feel free to ask.

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AMAZING

As if I wasn't excited for Part 2 enough, Nadao decides to surprise us all on 520 with this stunning short film. I don't really know what else to say. Stop reading this and watch it NOW. You will thank me. :) But MDL requires at least 500 characters... so, just trust me that everything in this short film is perfect... it makes me want to immediately watch part 1 again or better yet, teleport right now to Phuket old town. Once the pandemic ends, the Phuket government should definitely use this film in an advertising campaign! It almost seems it was sponsored by them.

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The movie lost some magic

I saw the film in Taiwan, with Chinese subtitles. Disclaimer: I am a non-native speaker of Chinese, so often times I couldn't read the subtitles fast enough. However, I still understood most of the film, and tbh you don't need to understand the dialogue to get the gist.

The story is a bit cliche, with the main conflict dealing with Adachi's work transfer. I felt it was pretty slow at times, and the pacing was a bit weird.

There are definitely enough sweet moments, but not enough of the second couple, imo. Also, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would have liked to see more of the girl (and Rokkaku). There were also some touching moments which made me almost tear up.

The music and acting were fine, but I didn't really pay close attention to them.

Overall, if you are a fan of the series, you can't really not watch it, but if you haven't seen the series, I think I would pass on it. My friend who I watched it with hadn't seen the series, and said he enjoyed it, but mostly because of the attractiveness of the main leads XP

Anyways, I hope you got a general idea of what to expect from the film.

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Cute and Refreshing Taiwanese Drama

This show is kind of like a sampler of a lot of different genres. It skirts between typical Asian romance, elite university drama, sci-fi , BL... every few episodes it changes its tone. The story kind of loses focus towards the end, but the characters are likeable enough to keep watching. The total run time is probably around 2 or 2.5 hours, so you can easily watch it in one sitting.

Acting and music are decent. I wish Wayne (from History 3: MODC) appeared more. Also, I wish there was more of a focus on the relationships towards the end... hopefully they make a season 2, which could tie up some loose ends.

Given its length, I recommend that you give this show a chance.

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