You Are the Apple of My Eye (那些年，我們一起追的女孩)

I caught a midnight show (Apple of my Eye); wanted it partly because of social reasons and the huge influx of positive comments scattered across my FB wall by people who posted it on their status update, raving about how good the film is.

I watched and here are my thoughts: it was a funny-good show, though imho I don't think it was anything extraordinary (but hey, I guess it was intentional). The general theme is about flashback & regrets, portrayed in a simple way, which I reflected and thought that I would actually love the film if I was much younger. Categorically speaking, this film would likely to appeal to four kinds of people:

i) People who experienced regret in relationship and are now in the 'moving-on (or moved on) stage' already.

ii) People who are largely sentimental, apt to fall back on past memories or generally have a happier past relationship, which they now do not possess.

iii) People who are/were playing the script of the 'we-can't-be-together-but-I-wish-you-all-the-best-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart' role.

iv) Romantic fans who love all kinds of romance/love movies.

The show idolize the concept of 'waiting' with 'greater-good love'. Somehow the two condition could be artistically enmeshed without difficulty from a film's perspective, but in reality, such combination often reeks of misery for people suffering from such predicament. The subtle message is in fact more important (if anyone caught it): that we must eventually move on at some point in our life, even if there are regrets we cannot resolve completely. The male lead kissing the groom at the end was explained as part of his perceived quirky personality, which she knew since secondary school days. Though it was a projection of his hidden affection, he did nothing to her and there was space in between them talking - it symbolize mutual respect and boundary.

The film perspective centered largely from the male lead, which he had unfinished business and his female lead, seemingly sharing this unfinished business with him - albeit she has already agreed to marry the man who would take care of her for the rest of his life. In reality, the brides at their wedding would have no recollection of such past at the moment when they don their wedding dress. In fact, the fatigue of preparation would preoccupy most of their concern. Also, the female perspective is largely missing (since it is 九把刀 reflection of his teenage years, he would not know what is truly going on in the mind of his crush): juxtapose similar context in reality, any woman would have already moved a distance so far in her love life that this episode, no matter how poignant and dramatic, would have been cast aside into the depth of her subconscious, only to resurface briefly during random all girls' night and talks.

In reality, a woman/man would acknowledge the affection that she/he has in the past, but that is probably all about it.

No intense kisses. No meteor. No rainbow. No nothing.

My conclusion?

Find your own lead in life to begin writing chapters of your love life and not wasting it by indulging in relationship that was never meant to be yours in the first place. It may seemed glorious to revel in those 'unmeant' relationship, but it is meaningless when you become far too self absorbed in attaching meaning to something has already cease to exist.

Then it becomes an obsession and no longer possess the quality of love.