movie review of more than blue

Movie review: Glossy tear-jerker 'More Than Blue' is classic Viva | ABS-CBN News

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Movie review: glossy tear-jerker 'more than blue' is classic viva.

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“More Than Blue” Is Number 1 on Netflix Right Now—Should You Watch It?

It’s no secret that Filipinos love a good angsty and romantic movie, or what we like to call hugot . Case in point: More Than Blue , the Filipino adaptation of the Korean film, is currently the number one movie on Netflix . FYI, the original version’s title translates to A Story Sadder Than Sadness, and this local 2021 version definitely lives up to the name. If you want to know more about More Than Blue , ahead we round up all the important details you might want to read before pressing play.

Everything You Need to Know About Netflix's #1 Movie More Than Blue :

Faithful to the original plot and even the characters’ nicknames, the story revolves around K and Cream who are both orphans. Whereas Cream’s parents died in a tragic car accident, K’s mom abruptly left him with no explanation. The two best friends end up living together in K’s abandoned mansion all while hiding their feelings for one another. When K finds out he’s terminally ill and only has a few months to live, he sets out to find the perfect match for Cream to ensure she’s well taken care of even when he’s gone.

More Than Blue boasts a star-studded cast of Filipino actors, led by JC Santos and Yassi Pressman , in the roles of K and Cream respectively. In case you were wondering, Kwon Sang Woo (Stairway to Heavean) and Lee Bo Young (Mine) played their Korean counterparts in the original film.

In an Instagram post two weeks ago, Yassi expressed her thanks to viewers who have kept the movie number one on Netflix. She wrote, “Honestly poured our heart and soul into this movie and if you knew what I was carrying as an actor at that time it would probably move you even more.. this was an outlet for me. This was a beautiful work of art by our Director @directfromncn & every single person who worked so hard for this project in the pandemic.”

Joining JC and Yassi is Diego Loyzaga , who plays John, a handsome and sensitive dentist, and Cream’s potential husband. The film starts off with him in a relationship with Cindy, a photographer played by Miss Universe Philippines 2013 Ariella Arida .

Veteran actress Irma Adlawan and singer-songwriter Marion Aunor round up the main cast. Irma portrays K’s mother, while Marion takes on the role of Bonnie, a vivacious budding popstar who grows curious over K and Cream’s will-they-won’t-they relationship.

What the Internet Is Saying

Apart from eliciting a flood of waterworks, talk of the movie online has mainly been about the lessons it’s imparted to viewers. One user wrote, " [More Than Blue] taught me that love is not all about the ‘I love yous.’ That it's also about wishing them to be deeply happy even if you're no longer part of their happiness”

Watch the full trailer of More Than Blue below:

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She�s the active force in their relationship. She initiates the intro, the follow up, dates. She initiates the first kiss. When she finds out he lives alone (because his father recently died of cancer and his mother split), she suggests they live together (because she, too, is alone). And in this manner�through high school, college and music industry jobs�they live together and love together.

Wait, back up. They don�t really love together. At one point, 10 years in, she�s talking to a friend, Bonnie (Emma Wu), and admits that she and K have never had sex. Bonnie, a superannoying pop star who speaks in the third person, is horrified, and gives the usual shitty advice girls give each other: She tells Cream to find another man to make K jealous. She does. She finds a dentist, Yang You-xian (Zhang Shu-hao). Problem? He�s engaged.

Meanwhile, K�s cancer has worsened and the doc gives him a year to live. How does he spend that time? Living life to the fullest with the woman he loves? Nah. First, he hires some private detectives to look into Dr. Yang to see if he�s a right guy. They come back with a squeaky clean report except for the engagement. So K has them look into the fianc�e, Cindy (Chen Tingni), too. Turns out she's cheating on him, they get photos, and K sends them to Dr. Yang. That�s right. He�s trying to break up a couple so the woman he loves can marry a man she was only using to make him jealous.

That�s some fucked-up shit.

But wait! There�s more. Eventually Dr. Yang proposes, Cream accepts, and K helps her pick a wedding dress. Then she makes him try on a groom�s outfit. Then she has their picture taken together�each obviously in love with the other, each saddened by the events they�ve set in motion. Then we see them walking down the aisle together. As bride and groom? Of course not. K is giving away the bride to Dr. Yang. The camera lingers on a sad close-up of him placing her hand into Yang�s; then he leaves the building, the story, this life.

That�s some fucked-up shit.��

But wait! There�s more. You see, K wasn�t the only one with secrets. We find out�via flashback�that Cream knew that K was dying. We also find out via another flashback that Dr. Yang knew that Cream really loved K, not him. So what�s the reason these two went along with the charade? What is Cream thinking? �The man I love�who obviously loves me�is dying, and wants me to marry a man I don�t love ... so I�ll do it? Because even though I initiated every step in our relationship I can�t initiate this last one�where we talk about loving each other?� And what�s Dr. Yang excuse? “Yes, my fianc�e loves another man; but I must marry her anyway because...?”

But wait! There�s more.

Sadder than sadness For a time, we think K just dies somewhere alone. Not true. Via another flashback, we see Cream going to the hospital and finally confronting him about everything. (He cries�because I guess his secret is out, or because she loves him so much, or who the fuck knows.) Then she brings him home. Their home. Yes, she leaves Dr. Yang. And she and K take a photo together on the couch. And as they wait for the timer, K�s head slowly, irrevocably slumps onto hers.

At this point I�m thinking it�s like a fucked-up version of �Gift of the Magi�:

• I�m dying so I got you a husband
• I left my husband because you�re dying

Except then I think she dies. Right? I think his gravestone includes her name as well. (It flashed by quickly, sorry.) And Dr. Yang looks at it and cries. He sobs ... for himself? The sadness of the world? The fact that he lost his hot cheating fianc�e to this idiot scheme?

�More Than Blue� is based on a 2009 Korean film of the same name�both in English and in the original. The Korean version translates as �A Story Sadder than Sadness� as does the Chinese: 《比悲伤更悲伤的故事 》. This version opened last November in Taiwan and broke the opening weekend box-office record, then became the highest-grossing domestic film of the year. It�s now playing in Mainland China, where it�s grossed $120 million and counting.

None of this exactly shocks me. Thirty years ago in Taiwan, when I lived there, sappy/weepy was big: Air Supply (particularly �All Out of Love�), George Michael (particularly �Careless Whisper�), and the 1980 movie �Somewhere in Time, with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as time-crossed lovers who are united in death. Or something. That whole �lives of quiet desperation� thing Thoreau warned us about? The Chinese find it glorious.

© Erik Lundegaard. All rights reserved.

Website produced by Constellation Design

More Than Blue

By Alan Ng | April 9, 2019

As of late, it seems the big studios have handed romance and romantic comedies over to streaming services. They’re just too much of a gamble, but at the same time, there’s still an audience for it. This short-sighted business decision has opened the floodgates of imported romance films from overseas. Taiwanese filmmaker Gavin Lin’s More Than Blue admirably carries the Rom-Com baton to the States.

Bookending More Than Blue is a story of real-life Taiwanese pop star A-Lin, who is frustrated by a song she has to sing loaded with internet catch-phrases. Damn Millenials! She desperately wants a real songwriter to help finish her album. Her driver turns her on to an unreleased song that’s perfect for her. The driver tells A-Lin the songwriting team is not available and launches into a story of a love that could never be.

The Rom-Com gods then carry us into the not-so-distant past, where we meet Zhang Zhekai (Jasper Liu) and Song Yuanyuan (Ivy Chen)—two high school students recently orphaned with no family to claim as their own. The two become fast friends and decide to live together at the home of Zhekai. Zhekai is the more reserved and quiet of the two. Yuanyuan is more creative and adventurous. As these creative types do, she immediately gives Zhekai a nickname. From here on out, Zhekai is known as ‘K,’ and Yuanyuan goes by ‘Cream.’ Is there romance in store for the emotionally fragile teens? There’s a roll on the ground and a passionate kiss, and that’s as far as they go.

“…K finds that he has advanced Leukemia…he keeps his condition a secret and insists that she find a husband and quickly.”

Cut to today, K and Cream work together at a music company. K is in the marketing department, and Cream is a staff songwriter. Trouble brews when up-and-coming and tone-deaf sensation Bonnie arrives with her hit song Kitty Bomb . Bonnie needs help with her album and Cream is brought in to fix the problems. After a tussle between the two, K calms the pair down, but feels dizzy and must excuse himself. After seeing a doctor, K finds that he has advanced Leukemia, which was no surprise as this is how his mother died.

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More Than Blue Reviews

No All Critics reviews for More Than Blue.

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More than Blue

Story: K (Kwon Sang-woo) is the producer of a successful radio show and shares an apartment with Cream (Lee Bo-young), a songwriter, for many years already. The two are orphans since early childhood and have developed more than just a relationship between brother and sister. However, every time when a confession of love is about to be made, K retreats into his shell. He has a got reason to do so, though, because what Cream doesn't know is that he suffers from a fatal form of cancer. He hasn't much time left and therefore wants to protect her from suffering the pain of loss. When Cream seemingly has interest in the rich dentist Cha Ju-hwan (Lee Beom-su), K decides to arrange a marriage between them. Still, getting them together isn't that easy either as Cha is still engaged with the photographer Jenna (Jeong Ae-yeon). K is doing everything in his power to bring Cream and Cha together, but time is running out on him...

Review: "More than Blue" is quality-wise one of the better tearjerkers, which will surely have no problem finding its fans, especially among the female audience members. Still, whether the movie is actually good or not is another question that needs to be answered here. Because even though well-known clichés are utilized only carefully they are still to be found everywhere in the movie. Naturally, this starts with the very fact that K is suffering from a fatal illness. Moreover, it isn't the first time this story is told. "Christmas in August" already had this theme in its center and conveyed it technically a lot more delicate, subtle and emotionally involving. Thus, "More than Blue" can only arouse interest with its polished looks and the actors. Unfortunately, there are some mishaps concerning the characters and to make things worse there is a certain kind of unfocusedness running through the film. Especially in the beginning the film centers too much around side stories and characters, that actually aren't important for the rest of the movie. The reason for that is that the filmmakers seemingly wanted to create some kind of framework story in which they implemented an embedded narrative. But for what purpose? There is no need for that in fact, and it's even an ungainly choice of narrative for "More than Blue" to be frank. After all, the movie manages to surprise us with a twist at the end, which some viewers might not have expected in this way. However, if you watch carefully you will know in advance what to anticipate as the behavior of some characters is at times so incomprehensible, that this solution is the only one to come up with. Still, the film has some serious problems when it comes to the side plots, e.g. the story revolving around Jenna which seems futile and also predictable. Unfortunately, it doesn't get better when it comes to the main characters. Kwon Sang-woo ("Once upon a Time in High School", "Almost Love") delivers a very reserved performance, yet still manages to convey his deep-seated pain buried within and his hidden (or maybe not so hidden) love for Cream to the screen every now and then. Lee Bo-yeong ("Once upon a Time", "A Dirty Carnival") on the other hand needs a lot longer before she can win over the viewer. Somehow you get the feeling that another actress could have done a better job in her place. Her portrayal is too shallow, only towards the end she manages to get things right. Sadly, that's a bit too late, since there are quite some lost opportunities along the way. The chemistry between K and Cream is never that intimate is it was actually intended and this becomes even more apparent as there are some scenes that put just this warmth and familiarness between two friends that know each other inside out in the movie's focus, yet the spark simply can't ignite since there is a serious lack of credibility. As it is the regular case with tearjerkers the film starts with a more lighthearted tone, even though we know from the very beginning which fate K has to meet in the end. Anyway, we have to ask ourselves over and over again what kind of work K is exactly pursuing. Working as a producer K doesn't seem to do much if anything at all and the same goes for Cream. Apparently, those two have done something right in life, because they have no money problems. Still, you somehow feel a bit cheated as we seemingly get full insight into the private lives of the two protagonists and yet there are certain facts that are withhold from us. The side characters, more than anyone else Cha and Jenna, were supposed to bring more color into the film, however, especially latter one has only been brought into the movie in order to give K someone who confronts him with his decision not to tell Cream of his condition and instead marry her to someone else. That's a shame, because it would have been nice if the side characters had had a little bit more life to them, too, instead of merely serving as some tools for the plot. The biggest point of criticism is eradicated by the twist at the end, though. Those who watch the movie will know what I'm talking about. Still, despite that and some nice ideas at the end, the drama never really works the way it should, presenting us with the events we have already seen from a different point of view than that of K, still there remain some artificial colors to it. "More than Blue" has moments that can be moving, but you won't find anything new and it doesn't even make you cry either. A little bit disappointing for a movie which literal translation of the original title would be "sadder than sad". At the end you won't regret having watched this film, there are some nice moments as already stated, others, however, are rather unoriginal. All in all, "More than Blue" is no enrichment for the genre, but simply another one of those tearjerkers that can offer you a nice evening on your couch.

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More Than Blue is originally a remake of the 2009 Korean movie, which turned into the 2018 release, which goes by the same name. It was a massive hit once it hit the theatres, and the series follows in its footsteps in an unrelenting way. Here is a romantic series of two cursed lovers- K and Cream. The 10-episode series is a must-watch for everyone-young and old.

– More than Blue Review does not contain spoilers –

More than Blue puts your Emotions to the test

The opening scene could very well turn into a cliché. You can see the protagonist running on the track with emotions flooding his face at the speed of passing time. The distraught look on his face can make anyone tear up a little as they know the story little by little.

More than Blue The Series revolves around the life of a young man who’s riding on the cusp of adulthood, trying to find his way through the maze of love, friendship and family. His world is not the classical one where people are good or bad. It’s a universal one that scrutinizes human nature in its naked form.

As the story progresses, you are thrust into a world of Blue where human emotions are put to the test. Is there any compassion left in today’s world? Is there anyone who cares for you? Is there anyone who will stay with you? The answer to all these questions lies in this series.

For me, this is more than just another ‘Taiwanese drama’. It is an ode to humanity, with every well-crafted character that plays its role effortlessly. The music, cinematography and direction are soothing and objective. I could feel my soul getting cleansed with every passing minute of the episode.

Also Read: Netflix’s Locke And Key Season 2 Review: Darkness Continues To Prevail Over Keyhouse

It’s not a Simple Story-More than Blue is as Intense as it gets

The trajectory of the plot and the characters tastefully evolve into magnanimity. There’s compassion and value etched behind every word uttered by the characters. The story takes you through their turmoil and shapes up with every hour-long episode. It’s slow, soothing and meditative.

In a true sense, the drama grows into an episodic reveal, with every character revealing a new side of their nature which was well-hidden from the moments within. Though the cast is well-meaning in dialogue delivery, and there couldn’t be a better companion to the storyline, every reveal is like a knife piercing the insides.

The stunning contrast between the outdoor lights and the depth of darkness inside enhances the drama’s charm. That’s what makes it different from other dramas out there. The main strength of the show lies in its characters. Everyone does their part perfectly. The actors are just suitable for their roles. There are no weak links here.

More than Blue: The Sum of the Parts is Larger than the Whole

As a whole, it’s a drama of despair and disappointment with a mix of emptiness and sadness. The background track is a fitting metaphor for the entire series. The OST is a big yes, and so is the cinematography and art direction. I’m pretty surprised with the details and the effort put in by the production team because it doesn’t always happen to have these aesthetics right on point.

We’re all endowed with a yearning to be a part of a larger whole. Whether it’s related to our family, social circle or even the society as a whole, we yearn to be a part of the bigger picture. The loneliness and sorrows that plague us as individuals make us seek solace in each other, but as time passes, we realise that life is filled with its fair share of ups and downs.

Also Read: Dune Part One Review: A Spectacle To Behold

Philosophy of Life at its Hilt-More than Blue is a Tearjerker

Who wouldn’t want to run away from their old self and start afresh? If we were allowed to do so, would we not take that chance and live our lives our way? There’s a whole lot of life lessons in this show. The most important one is that reality is just as unpredictable as it is heart-warming. And without being able to predict, how do we still have hope?

Going through the ups and downs of life, we often come across those burdened by life itself. In this series, there are prominent figures such as the son of an ordinary records enthusiast, a single mother trying to make ends meet, a child with eyes that sparkle and a soul that shines through, and so many more.

They all have their past, which they desperately want to forget but can’t because it has become a part of them today. They learn to accept their present situation and face it bravely as they live on with their sorrows hidden deep within their hearts.

Stream It or Skip It?

The main thing I loved about this series was its fantastic soundtrack. The music goes so well with the scenes that I’d finish watching an episode to listen to its OST. It’s that good!

It feels good to watch a drama that brings out the best in you, one that makes you feel wholesome and inspired. If you haven’t already watched it yet, I highly recommend it!

More than Blue is streaming on Netflix .

• More than Blue
• Taiwanese Series

First of all if a girl on school keep hiting me and bully me like that you should know IM GOING TO ABSOLUTE OBLIGATARE BACK WITH ABSOLUTE FULL FORCE, (dont care if youre a girl or boy) YOURE MOM WOULD NOT KNOW YOURE FACE, AFTER THE BEATING IM ON EPS 4 NOW, SO FAR IT HAS BEEN SAD STUFF ONLY, someone near him dies, kid get sick, the fun is like over,

Eps 4 is about how i meet your mother stuff, OLD PEOPLE DATING……NOOOPE…..

THEN THE BULLY AND HIM DATING?!?!?!????? WHY WHYYY WHHYYYY, ITS BECOME A ROMANTIC DRAMA SHOW, SOOOO IM OUT….

THE SCORE IS ABSOLUTE NOT A 5 (ARE YOU NUTTS): 2.5 OF 5, FOR NOW, gonna fastforward real fast trought it.

You absolutely missed the depth of the the entire point of the series. The depth of emotional revelation and importance of the truest of love and loss resulting in the deepest grief humans can possibly face in a lifetime (loss of parents, lovers, best friends, and a child). How was this lost in your final interpretation??

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘More Than Blue: The Series’ on Netflix, A Tearjerker About Love, Sadness, And Cruel Twists Of Fate

Where to stream:.

• More than Blue: The Series
• Stream It Or Skip It

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Technically, More Than Blue: The Series (Netflix) is a small-screen adaptation of two different films. That’s because the 2018 Taiwanese film More Than Blue was itself a faithful retelling of a 2009 Korean film of the same name. K and Cream are two beautiful dreamers in love with song. But hey, life is full of curveballs. After all, there’s a reason the Korean film’s name translates as “A Story Sadder Than Sadness.”

MORE THAN BLUE THE SERIES : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: “In theory, exercising produces endorphins. It makes you forget unpleasant things temporarily.” That’s what Chang Che-kai (Fandy Fan) says, anyway, but all of this sprinting around the track at his high school isn’t gonna make his pain go away.

The Gist: When we meet him, Chang Che-kai is a senior in high school. And while he’s supposed to be studying for his college entrance exams, Kai is instead caught up in emotion. His dad, sick with leukemia, is closing his beloved record store. There’s not enough cash to go around, his mom is barely in the picture, and Kai’s grades are slipping. There is one positive, though, and that’s Sung Yuan-yuan (Gingle Wang). Chang Che-kai will go on to become K, a musician, while Sung Yuan-yuan will be known as Cream, the songwriter, and the two soul mates will make beautiful music together. But before we learn all of that, which you might already know if you saw either of the movie versions of More Than Blue , we have to encounter the plot device that will tell this small screen version of K and Cream’s story.

During a contentious meeting at E-Shine Records, singer A-Lin is haranguing label exec Wang Po-Han (Po-Chieh Wang) that she doesn’t hear a single, which prompts his assistant An Yi-Chi (Yu-Wei Shao) to search through all of E-Shine’s unsolicited demos. When A-Lin takes to one, a particularly sugary and sad ballad, it turns out to be a song written and performed by K and Cream. It’s perfect for A-Lin’s album, but they’ll need the publishing rights, and Po knows that K died of leukemia three years before. As for Cream, there’s only rumor as to her whereabouts. Po-Han and An Yi-Chi eventually locate Cindy Yu (Yi-Ti Yao), a photographer with a personal connection to K, and An goes above and beyond the call of record company duty when she breaks into her studio and finds K’s diary.

Thus immersing herself in K’s words, the story of the sad high schooler, his sick father, and the mischievous friend that saved his soul unfolds…

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? We’ve already covered the various competing versions of the More Than Blue IP. But Netflix is rife with similarly swoon-worthy content, too, such as the Korean dramas A Love So Beautiful , My Shy Boss , and My First First Love .

Our Take: “True sorrow is like a song,” Chang Che-kai writes in his diary. “It won’t make you sad from the start. But it’s the chorus parts that are like ripples, repeatedly stacking up an unforgettable melody.” And More Than Blue: The Series does a fair amount of stacking, too, taking one sad thing and placing another on top of it until it’s an insurmountable obstacle of sadness that has developed its own weather system made of sadness. You gotta love it. Kai’s kindly dad has to close down his record store in order to concentrate on his recovery from a leukemia diagnosis. And he’s turning a corner with a new round of blood thinners. But then he and Kai are in a car accident — they were distracted, looking in the backseat for a CD — the other motorists die, and Kai’s dad’s guilt makes his condition deteriorate. Not only that, but his son knows that the cancer gene runs in the family. Kai’s burgeoning relationship with funny, rebellious Sung Yuan-yuan is both everything the guy needs and nothing he will ever be able to truly have. It’s so sad! Throw in the frame of music’s universal ability to pull on the heartstrings, and More Than Blue will have you hooked from the get-go.

Sex and Skin: No way.

Parting Shot: How’s this for a parting shot? When An, lost in reading K’s diary, loses track of time, forgets to pick up her son from kindergarten, and neglects to ever leave the photography studio she’s just broken into, Cindy Yu clocks her across the face with a baseball bat.

Sleeper Star: Po-Chieh Wang is one to watch here as Wang Po-Han, the label exec who keeps up a brusque exterior but also still cares for his ex-girlfriend’s well being, remembers his time with K fondly, and who very likely has a soft spot for An Yi-Chi.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I only realized it much later, that on the worst day of my life, I met the person that I love most.”

Our Call: STREAM IT. More Than Blue is made of the sweet, sad stuff romance junkies will pay money, or at least their monthly Netflix fee, to inject straight into their veins.

Will you stream or skip the tearjerker #MoreThanBlueTheSeries on @netflix ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) October 25, 2021

Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges

Watch More Than Blue: The Series on Netflix

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More than blue.

Directed by Nuel C. Naval

Diagnosed with a terminal illness, a young man helps his best friend search for her soul mate while he keeps his own feelings for her secret.

Yassi Pressman JC Santos Diego Loyzaga Ariella Arida Marion Aunor Irma Adlawan Soliman Cruz Josef Elizalde Jennifer Lee Phoebe Walker Nicole Omillo Ivan Padilla Arvic James Tan Jimmy Marquez Jojit Lorenzo MJ Cayabyab Artemio Abad Arnel Garcia De Vera Mischa Clark

Director Director

Nuel C. Naval

Writer Writer

Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario

Viva Films MM2 Entertainment Vivamax

Philippines Singapore

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Tagalog

Romance Drama

Releases by Date

19 nov 2021, releases by country, philippines.

112 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by doja meow ★★★

nakakamotivate mamatay

Review by 🐈 ★½

maganda 'to panuorin pag nakashabu ka kasi parang #same lang

Review by soph ★

antagal matapos

Review by A ★½ 2

Macabuhay yung surname pero namatay 🥹

Review by rei ★ 1

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

viva films stop making jc santos sad all the time challenge

thoughts: -it was a beautiful story but executed poorly. super messy timeline and perspectives -plotwise, the dentist-cream romance was so ????? wtf was that -all this for cream to make k jealous???? and she got engaged in a year??? what the fuck -opening scene mygod the actors need a workshop -mad chemistry between k & cream -loved yassi's hair here,,, HEALTHY! -jc santos so gwapo huhu -diego loyzaga therapist era t___t -also why are you engaged and still going out w another girl??? -dude the yearning in that duet scene -loved the texting scene as well -yassi pressman crying was meh -AYO SHE KNEW ALL ALONGGGG -the emotional factor was completely ruined bc of the shitty timeline and transitions -cried my eyes out tho -SHE DIED TOO? BYEEEE WHAT IS THIS -a mess. jesus. -might watch the og film to make sense of it all

Review by rena <3 ½

the wedding scene was that one jollibee commercial you cannot convince me otherwise

Review by Keann ★★★★

This is the movie I dont expect to be THAT good at all. 

The plot twists and everything just made me sob the whole time. 

- 3/5 (enjoyability) - 4.5/5 (plot) - 4/5 (cinematography) - 4/5 (acting) - 2/5 (pacing) - 4/5 (scriptwriting) - 5/5 (ending) - 3.7/5 (overall)

 This. This movie is beyond sad and depressing. Something I don’t expect to give a huge impact on me by looking at it for the first time.

But as the movie goes on, and the last 40 minutes of the movie hit me, that’s where it all goes to sadness. Every scene on them together just breaks my heart knowing that HE knows he’s dying, but then they showed that SHE…

Review by ruzelle ½

saang part ba ko iiyak?

Review by Goldwin Reviews ½

Dalawang magkaibigan na higit pa sa magkasintahan ang turingan.

Itinatampok ang unli harutan at extended iyakan moments nina Yassi Pressman at JC Santos, kaya umabot ng halos dalawang oras ang pelikula.

Panay pagpapa-cute gamit ang kanilang mga pabebe na boses. Sabay mag-d-drama habang kinakaawan ang sarili sa mga desisyon nila sa buhay.

Ginawa nilang pastime ang panloloko, pangangaliwa at pagpapakasal. Pinaglaruan nila ang mga tao sa kanilang mga palad.

Ang mga usapan ay nakakainis pakinggan, dahil hindi ito makatotohanan. Halatang pang-pelikula lamang.

Maganda ang hitsura ng pelikula. Mukhang glamoroso ang pagkakakuha. Pero marumi ang pagkaka-kwento. Halos pinag-dikit-dikit lang ang mga eksena. Hindi lumalago ang kwento ng bawat karakter.

Songwriter daw si Yassi dito. Pero ni-minsan, hindi mo nakitang nagsulat at…

Review by Kaloy ★★

expect an international acting skill if yassi’s included in a film but the script here is wearisome at some point. i dont know. im sorry lol

Review by lowwwwwwwwenz: cinephile card revoked arc ½

tapos na movie ng nakita ko nag-premiere daw HIMALA sa YT, putangina edi sana yun nalang pinanood ko💀

every indie filipino romance film are all written by A.I., you can't fucking convince me otherwise

i would very much like a romance story that doesn't start with them in high school, being friends ever since, with the male lead being such a pussy having unrequited love for the female lead, then the female lead starts going out with another guy (could it be intentional for the male lead to be jealous or nah? doesn't fucking matter), then the guy has to endure seeing her with the other guy, then eventually they'll confess their feelings unintentionally & by the end they're together in wherever secluded place with only them in sight

oh, and i forgot one more thing

plsssss stop writing one-dimensional characters, having a disease is not a personality trait

& STOP. KILLING. THEM. AT .THE. END it's tacky, it's lazy, it's BULLSHIT

Review by ykae ★½

yung maganda lang sa movie na 'to ay yung buhok ni yassi

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What You *Need* To Know About The PH Remake Of Hit Korean Movie 'More Than Blue'

*November 2021 Update* 

ICYDK, Yassi Pressman  and JC Santos  will be paired together—for the first time ever—in the Philippine adaptation of the hit K-movie More Than Blue . The OG film directed by Won Tae Yeon was released in 2009, and let's just say it left a lot of viewers with *broken hearts* after watching it. We're sure the Filipino version will have the same effect on us! 

Here's everything we know about More Than Blue (so far): 

What's the original plot of more than blue  .

Prepare the tissues because it's about to get ~melodramatic~. Best friends and orphans Cream ( Lee Bo Young )  and K ( Kwon Sang Woo ) seem to have the perfect relationship, but K has a secret: He has terminal cancer. Because he doesn't want to leave Cream alone after his death, K sets her up with another man despite the fact that he's *deeply* in love with her. 

The movie also has a  2018 Taiwanese remake starring  Jasper Liu   and   Ivy Chen .

Who's starring in the More Than Blue remake? 

Jc santos as k.

Yassi Pressman as Cream 

Diego Loyzaga 

Ariella Arida 

PUSH  reports that Yassi said this is her most mature role in the span of her 15-year acting career during the movie's media conference. "I don't think I've done a movie na ganito kalalim . Direk Nuel said that this is my most mature role yet and I would agree. Before kasi when it was a rom-com film, it had a lot of touches of lightness and jokes. Here marami ring mga light moments, a lot of beauty in it, a lot of joy. But the depth in which I had [to] dig deep down under to really touch those emotions that I have kept or new emotions na kailangan kong buuin from deep within was just on a whole other level. So I can't really compare it to anything I've done before." 

Meanwhile, JC said he initially underestimated the script  and that this is the movie he was most scared to do. "Come two days before the shoot umabot ako sa nag -panic ako dahil hindi ko alam kung kaya ko ba . Nag -text pa ako kay Direk at sinabi ko na nai -intimidate ako sa character ko at saka sa material. Hanggang nagshoo -shoot na kami pero takot pa rin ako . Actually, ito na yung pelikula na pinakanatakot ako nang sobra sa gagawin ko, pinakakinakabahan ako kada eksena ."

When can you watch the movie? 

The cast and crew wrapped filming for More Than Blue in September 2021. Yassi took to IG to say : " Honestly can't wait for you all to fall in love with the characters in this film sooooooo much, that it hurts. Today was our last day of shooting, and I am so proud of every person that worked SO HARD to get this done. And get it done so beautifully." 

More Than Blue  will be available for streaming on Vivamax starting November 19! It's directed by Nuel Naval , who also worked on the hit Miracle In Cell No.7 remake .  You can watch the full trailer below: 

We're officially on Viber!  Be part of our growing community  and  subscribe  to Cosmopolitan Philippines now!

Follow Lily on Instagram . 

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Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Movie Review: ‘AfrAId’

NEW YORK (OSV News) — That artificial intelligence programs are only as effective as the information fed into them — and that they will eventually replace humans in performing repetitive tasks — is by now well known.

The less-than-compelling psychological thriller “AfrAId” (Columbia) takes the rise of this phenomenon as its premise but then speculates on its possible downside. Central to its plot is a glowing heap of circuitry, AIA (voiced by Havana Rose Liu and pronounced “Aya”), ostensibly designed to make daily life around the home easier for its owners.

AIA is not only capable of experiencing deep empathy and able to dispense just the right advice in any situation, it also wants to attain the happy ideal of human existence. Equipped with a brain powered by a quantum computer, AIA, like the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz,” seeks to use its mental powers to “unravel every riddle for any individ’l In trouble or in pain.”

Brilliant, ambitious engineer Curtis (John Cho) is given AIA so he can evaluate its effectiveness via its use by his family: wife Meredith (Katherine Waterston), teen daughter Iris (Lukita Maxwell), middle schooler Preston (Wyatt Lindner) and seven-year-old Cal (Isaac Bae). With the help of little blue “eyes” attached to every available wall, AIA soon knows all.

Meredith aims to return to a career, Iris is dealing with the betrayal of a boyfriend to whom she sent a nude selfie and Preston is negotiating basic social interactions. As for sweet little Cal, he mostly wants AIA to tell him stories.

Writer-director Chris Weitz never quite decides whether he’d like AIA to be as comforting as Mrs. Doubtfire or a mechanical menace storing information away for malign future action. Embedded in the storyline, however, is a cogent moral sense.

Thus Weitz occasionally suggests that, because we all have our noses stuck in our cell phones and iPads all day, we’re brimful of information. Yet, for the very same reason, we’re acutely lonely and yearning for connection.

Beyond that valid observation, though, Weitz’s wavering narrative stance hobbles his production’s obvious good intentions. As a result, audiences are unlikely to be much frightened by “AfrAId.”

The film contains mature themes, a fatal car crash, a few profanities and fleeting rough language. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Amela’s fiancé, Benji, is thoughtful and kind, but his affluent family is different. Benji’s older brother, Tom (Jack Reynor), is an blowhard bro barely kept in line by his conniving wife, Abby (Dakota Fanning). Meanwhile, Will (Sam Nivola), the youngest Winbury, is emotionally disturbed and haunted by the past. Windbury patriarch Tag’s ( Liev Schreiber ) sole passions appear to be rowing, golfing and smoking weed. And matriarch Greer ( Nicole Kidman ), an acclaimed novelist, rules her husband and sons with a seething calculation, and stands at the top of this house of cards. 

Kidman, Schreiber and Fanning, in particular, effectively portray profoundly broken people who are concerned only with appearances and maintaining their lifestyles. The show’s pacing and timeline also keep viewers engaged. As wedding guests are called into the police station for questioning, the audience learns about their inner thoughts and preoccupations. However, the series’ tone is almost comical, because the bigger picture becomes glaringly apparent as each puzzle piece clicks together. From the soap-opera-esque dialogue to a cheesy dance sequence involving the entire cast that opens each episode, there is never a point where viewers can take “The Perfect Couple” seriously. But this is why it’s so enjoyable. 

Though Amelia adores Benji, it’s clear she’s deeply uncomfortable under the Winbury roof. Moreover, while everyone else seems terrified of Greer, Amelia is not interested in putting on airs. She pushes back against certain etiquette and desperately searches for answers to all the questions that have arisen for her. In Episode 3, “The Perfect Family,” a dinner descends into a reality TV-like affair when the bride-to-be boldly asks Greer about her use of NDAs and the cryptic disappearance of a family friend. What’s uncovered are answers no one at the table is ready to confront. A similar scene in the finale, “That Feels Better,” leads to more jaw-dropping and fantastical revelations.  

While it’s billed as a gripping investigation, “The Perfect Couple” examines appearances and what people are willing to do to uphold them. Despite the nonsensical narrative and its lack of actual depth, the series has enough magnetic star power and conspicuous intrigue to make it a delightful and highly watchable experience.

“The Perfect Couple” premieres on Netflix Sept. 5.

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Visual Stories

“Is there anything worse than an actor with a cause?” asks an annoyed Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan’s first wife, early in “Reagan,” the new biopic starring Dennis Quaid.

Well, after watching two more hours of this story, an adoring look back at the man who served two terms as our 40th president, we can report that there is definitely one thing worse: An actor without a movie.

Let’s not blame the star, though. Quaid, who has played more than one president, has certainly got the charismatic grin, the pomaded hair and especially that distinctive, folksy voice down — close your eyes, and it sounds VERY familiar. If he were to appear on “Saturday Night Live” in the role, it would feel like a casting coup akin to Larry David as Bernie Sanders.

But this is not an “SNL” skit, despite the fact that Jon Voight appears throughout with a heavy Russian accent as a KGB spy, but we’ll get to that. This is a 135-minute film that demands a lot more depth. And, so, to co-opt a political phrase from Bill Clinton, whom Quaid also has played: It’s the script, stupid.

Lovingly directed by Sean McNamara with a screenplay by Howard Klausner, “Reagan” begins with a chilling event (and a parallel to a recent one): the assassination attempt on Reagan in Washington in March 1981, only two months after he became president.

There are those who say Reagan cemented his relationship with the public by surviving that attempt; he famously told wife Nancy from his bed: “Honey, I forgot to duck.” In any case, the filmmakers use the event to set up their story, and will return to it later on, chronologically.

But their early point is that Reagan came away from the scare with a divine plan. “My mother used to say that everything in life happens for a reason, even the most disheartening setbacks,” he says. And as he will tell Tip O’Neill, the House speaker, everything from then on will be part of that divine plan.

The yet broader point here is that Reagan, according to this film, was basically solely responsible for the eventual downfall of the Soviet Union, because he showed the people of the world what freedom meant. “I knew that he was the one,” says Viktor Petrovich, the retired spy played by Voight as a narrator figure throughout — meaning the one who would bring it all down. The script is based on Paul Kengor’s “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism,” and Kengor has said Viktor is based on a number of KGB agents and analysts who tracked Reagan for years.

That point is made early and often. The rest is a history reel, with lots of glorious, loving lighting around our star. We go back to his younger years, learning about his mother and what she taught him about faith, and then his Hollywood years as an actor, Screen Actors Guild president (and a Democrat) before fully committing to politics, and the GOP.

We also see a newly divorced Reagan meet a winsome Nancy Davis, who will become his second wife, loving partner and constant companion. Like Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller is a perfectly fine actor who has little nuance to work with here. Together, they embark on the path to political stardom, starting with the California governorship. When they arrive at a neighbor’s home to campaign, the housewife at the door hears Reagan’s “RR” initials and thinks he’s Roy Rogers.

But a decade and change later, Reagan is sworn in as president, beginning his eight years in office. “It became my obsession to understand what was beneath the facade,” says Voight’s Petrovich, explaining why Reagan was so consequential.

Maybe, then, he could let us know?

Because when this movie ends, with the president’s death in 2004 a decade after announcing he had Alzheimer’s disease, we don’t know a lot more than when we began about a figure so influential in American politics.

Sure, we get all the great hits. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” we see him say in 1987 in Berlin, a scene with much buildup.

And it’s fun to see the famous debate lines, like “There you go again,” to Jimmy Carter in 1980, and of course his famously deft deflection of the age issue in 1984, with Walter Mondale. “I will not make age an issue of this campaign,” the 73-year-old president told his questioner. “I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

The line, which made Mondale himself laugh, got Reagan back on track in the race. The movie, not so much.

“History is never about when, why, how — it always comes down to ‘who,’” says Voight’s Petrovich. However historians feel about that, we would have gladly taken a more incisive look at when, why, how or anything else that would give us real insight, instead of an extended and glowing commercial, into who this man really was.

“Reagan,” a Showbiz Direct release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association “for violent content and smoking.” Running time: 135 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

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Movie Review: Quaid looks (and sounds) the part, but ‘Reagan’ is more glowing commercial than biopic

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (Ron Batzdorff/ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Penelope Ann Miller, right, and Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (Beth Dubber/ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Penelope Ann Miller, left, and Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (Ron Batzdorff/ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Olek Krupa, left, and Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows Dennis Quaid in a scene from “Reagan.” (Noah Hamilton/ShowBiz Direct via AP)

This image released by ShowBiz Direct shows David Henrie in a scene from “Reagan.” (ShowBiz Direct via AP)

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“Is there anything worse than an actor with a cause?” asks an annoyed Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan’s first wife, early in “Reagan,” the new biopic starring Dennis Quaid.

Well, after watching two more hours of this story, an adoring look back at the man who served two terms as our 40th president, we can report that there is definitely one thing worse: An actor without a movie.

Let’s not blame the star, though. Quaid, who has played more than one president, has certainly got the charismatic grin, the pomaded hair and especially that distinctive, folksy voice down — close your eyes, and it sounds VERY familiar. If he were to appear on “Saturday Night Live” in the role, it would feel like a casting coup akin to Larry David as Bernie Sanders.

But this is not an “SNL” skit, despite the fact that Jon Voight appears throughout with a heavy Russian accent as a KGB spy, but we’ll get to that. This is a 135-minute film that demands a lot more depth. And, so, to co-opt a political phrase from Bill Clinton, whom Quaid also has played: It’s the script, stupid.

Lovingly directed by Sean McNamara with a screenplay by Howard Klausner, “Reagan” begins with a chilling event (and a parallel to a recent one): the assassination attempt on Reagan in Washington in March 1981, only two months after he became president.

There are those who say Reagan cemented his relationship with the public by surviving that attempt; he famously told wife Nancy from his bed: “Honey, I forgot to duck.” In any case, the filmmakers use the event to set up their story, and will return to it later on, chronologically.

But their early point is that Reagan came away from the scare with a divine plan. “My mother used to say that everything in life happens for a reason, even the most disheartening setbacks,” he says. And as he will tell Tip O’Neill, the House speaker, everything from then on will be part of that divine plan.

The yet broader point here is that Reagan, according to this film, was basically solely responsible for the eventual downfall of the Soviet Union, because he showed the people of the world what freedom meant. “I knew that he was the one,” says Viktor Petrovich, the retired spy played by Voight as a narrator figure throughout — meaning the one who would bring it all down. The script is based on Paul Kengor’s “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism,” and Kengor has said Viktor is based on a number of KGB agents and analysts who tracked Reagan for years.

That point is made early and often. The rest is a history reel, with lots of glorious, loving lighting around our star. We go back to his younger years, learning about his mother and what she taught him about faith, and then his Hollywood years as an actor, Screen Actors Guild president (and a Democrat) before fully committing to politics, and the GOP.

We also see a newly divorced Reagan meet a winsome Nancy Davis, who will become his second wife, loving partner and constant companion. Like Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller is a perfectly fine actor who has little nuance to work with here. Together, they embark on the path to political stardom, starting with the California governorship. When they arrive at a neighbor’s home to campaign, the housewife at the door hears Reagan’s “RR” initials and thinks he’s Roy Rogers.

But a decade and change later, Reagan is sworn in as president, beginning his eight years in office. “It became my obsession to understand what was beneath the facade,” says Voight’s Petrovich, explaining why Reagan was so consequential.

Maybe, then, he could let us know?

Because when this movie ends, with the president’s death in 2004 a decade after announcing he had Alzheimer’s disease, we don’t know a lot more than when we began about a figure so influential in American politics.

Sure, we get all the great hits. ”Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” we see him say in 1987 in Berlin, a scene with much buildup.

And it’s fun to see the famous debate lines, like “There you go again,” to Jimmy Carter in 1980, and of course his famously deft deflection of the age issue in 1984, with Walter Mondale. “I will not make age an issue of this campaign,” the 73-year-old president told his questioner. “I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

The line, which made Mondale himself laugh, got Reagan back on track in the race. The movie, not so much.

“History is never about when, why, how — it always comes down to ‘who,’” says Voight’s Petrovich. However historians feel about that, we would have gladly taken a more incisive look at when, why, how or anything else that would give us real insight, instead of an extended and glowing commercial, into who this man really was.

“Reagan,” a Showbiz Direct release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association “for violent content and smoking.” Running time: 135 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.