Na xie nian, wo men yi qi zhui de nu hai

if you're around 15-23, maybe you can relate to this kind of movie. to me, this movie relates to my real love life. this movie is a wake up call for those who are related, and by watching this movie you realize that there's someone forever remarkable in you, your significant other, but that "someone" isn't destined to be with you. maybe, after several tries and efforts, you realize that this person will always be "the apple of my eye". someone who is remarkable enough and has changed you to be the better person you are today.

the person you want to be happy, if it's with someone else, and you're happy for them after all those years.

I went to watch this movie without an good or bad expectation...never hear of it, didn't know actors, director, plot...nothing,A friend wanted to see it so tools me with her.

The result was simply amazing. You just want the movie to never end and wish knowing more about the next. Actually for those who read Chinese, you can find out lot of info about the outcome of the really person (as this is a true story).

In any case, you come our of the theater Happy, touched, enriched and isn't that what movie is for?

I hope the movie will have a descent channel if distribution to open it to the largest audience possible!

Nostalgia's a bitch, and this columnist is pretty sure each and every one of you reading this review is guilty of indulging in memories – as much as you know it's the present that really matters. How else would you explain the sudden emergence of movies (Smurfs and Transformers come to mind) which remind us of the good ol' days? (Ed's note: Michael Bay's pompous 'bots simply serves as a stark reminder of how good things from the past should be left alone.) Closer to home, Taiwanese novelist Giddens Ko capitalises on this innate human nature and turns his creative talent into box-office gold by directing his first feature film. The prolific and popular author has translated one of his well loved works into an accessible movie you will find no problems falling in love with. How else would you explain the phenomenal success of the 110 minute production back in Taiwan, where it beat Monga (2010) and Cape No. 7 (2008) to become the local film with the biggest ever opening day and weekend box office earnings? The story may have been a chapter of your younger days: The school prankster and the perfect student become the most unlikely friends. A relationship blossoms between the two, and before one realises it, years past and what's left are bittersweet memories of what could have been. Along the way, you also get introduced to the protagonists' friends who are familiar characters from your past – the loyal sidekick, the overweight but studious goodie two shoes and the goofy and unassuming dude amongst others. We are also introduced to thematic memories which seem to have flown past us during these hurried years of growing up. Be it the pursuit of the perfect future, the hopelessly romantic crush on a fellow classmate, or the steadfast allegiance between friends, there will be many sequences in the movie that will strike a chord with you. Producer Angie Chai sure knows her audiences well – the experiences on successful TV series like 2001's Meteor Garden (the show that launched boyband F4's career) and 2003's Love Storm have made this movie an unabashedly likable idol drama. It has all the ingredients of a crowd pleaser: Besides the nostalgic storyline, the stars are pleasing and charismatic. Good lookers Ko Chen Tung and Michelle Chen take on the lead roles in this adolescent tale, and relatively unknown artistes are now stars in their own rights. Other unfamiliar but pleasant stars like Ao Chuan, Steven Hao (you may recognise him as the butt baring kid in many infamous Kung Fu slapstick movies from the yesteryears), Tsai Chang Hsien, Wan Wan and Yen Sheng Yu make up the ensemble cast. Complement the young actors' decent performances with a refreshing touch of humour (watch out for a hilarious scene which involves synchronised masturbation), eye pleasing cinematography, a soothing piano score and some recognisably retro songs. The emotionally fulfilling theme song "Na Xie Nian" (literal translation: "Those Years) performed by Hu Xia deserves a place in your music device. The film has earned several nominations at the 48thGolden Horse Awards, and this is further proof that viewers are lapping this shamelessly nostalgic movie up. Yes, this increasingly cynical columnist is a fan of this affectingly moving movie as well – simply because nostalgia's a feeling no one can shake off.

You Are the Apple of My Eye had successfully reached out and grabbed me by the throat with its many identifiable, similar moments mirroring personal experiences, at a time where school and education played a big part, and what more with co-ed schools, having friends and facing competition in going after the girl of our dreams then, who almost always turns out to be the popular school flower. Sad but true facts of life, and with game theory, anyone would have been better off with the friends of the object of our affection such as Hu Chia-Wei (Wan Wan) who turned out really well despite her less than stellar looks and knowledge (though things always change in the future for the better, like fine wine), rather than the primary, unattainable target herself, whose bookish behaviour came off very prim and proper with an unrelenting focus on school results.

But Fate always possess a hand at springing up surprises, and in Gidden's chief protagonist Ko Ching-Teng (Ko Chen-Tung) who of course is his avatar in the film, this comes in the form of the popular schoolgirl Shen Jia-Yi (Michelle Chan from Hear Me) who inexplicably takes a strong liking for someone she initially detests for being too childish, but an episode of standing up for her became a catalyst for a budding relationship to grow, stemming from the desire to help Ching-Teng improve his grades, as well as the implicit result of having a studying companion to spur her on, friendly competition and a protector of sorts in her late nights spent in school. Then there is the keen competition from Ching-Teng's own clique of likable, though one-dimensional buddies, from the nerd Boner (Yen Sheng-Yu), the obligatory fatty A-Ho (Steven Hao), the bragger (Owodog) and the weirdo Groin (Tsai Chang- Hsien) with his repertoire of strange tricks up his sleeves, who each have their own way at courtship, to varying degrees of failure, trying as hard as they can to try and win her affections.

Broadly split into three areas in a young adult's life with the time spent in school between two friends who share an unwritten and unsaid declaration of their mutual affection, to post high school graduation into higher learning and the long distance put between them as the test of their relationship, and the period of the present, Giddens firmly helmed all aspects of the film and orchestrated a flowing and slick ensemble, successfully merging many different genres together, from wacky comedy to romance, and having the natural flair to pull off some of the most absurd (though not far fetched in real life) of situations especially those involving body parts and those containing plenty of innuendos to bring out the laughs (seriously, the soap bar is not an urban myth it seems), and at times presenting them for the keen eyed viewer whose eyes wander to the background of a scene, and being rewarded with sight gags.

Since the narrative unravels itself during the 90s, those like me who grew up during the era will find a lot of strong nostalgia from the production design right down to a walk down memory lane given a backdrop of historical events, or in a period of time where the mobile phone hardly has the proliferation and pervasiveness of today. Those long, snaking queues of people waiting for a payphone, bring back fond memories in really sweating it out to want to speak to a loved one until being goaded to let go or when the coins run out, and of course with advancement in phone technology being able to butt in just to hear a loved one at the end of the line post-disaster, is nothing more than comforting, though only when there is adequate signal strength.

Being a Taiwanese film, language plays a key role here especially when Hokkien gets into play, with the very colourful, familiar swear words used that will undoubtedly provide a certain kick to movie audiences here. The rich use of the language also helps to flavour the film especially with the very authentic, natural lines of dialogue, making the characters believable. Also, the rating for the film at NC16 is something of an indication of a loosening up of classification perhaps, where once sustained use of vulgarities, male on male lip locks regardless of context, and the many scenes of sex and masturbation (stylized for comedy) will likely get nothing less than an M18, but I suppose given the context of the film's setting dealing with hot blooded male characters, as well as the film being so well received in its home country, that it will be silly to try and artificially restrict its pool of audience from enjoying what is essentially a simple, yet effect story being translated for the big screen.

In some ways Giddeon's film is like Ah Niu's directorial debut effort Ice Kacang Puppy Love which is also a story about first love and peppered with quirky characters, but if the story comes from a sincere heart recounting one's own experience despite a very universal theme, I truly believe everyone's first love story will be something worth recounting given its bittersweet moments, and the lessons to be learn from it. You Are the Apple of My Eye will warm your heart and wring it with regret at the same time especially if you're able to identify with the story. It made me ponder over my own similar What If scenario, in the way parallel universes worked itself into the story, and its reconciliatory tone was something cutting very close to home, of how people change, and when we look back we're probably seeing very different persons from that point in time, when compared with who we are today.

Highly recommended and it goes into my shortlist as one of the best this year has to offer.

You Are the Apple of My Eye based on director Giddens Ko's autobiographical novel, is a coming of age story.The film starts with Ko Ching-Teng (Giddens) remembering his old school day when he and all his friends had a crush on Shen Chia-Yi, a honour student from their class and how they all chased her for years.Shen develops a deep friendship with Ko-Teng as she helps him study through his final year in school.Shen, Ko-Teng and all his friends then go their different ways to attend college.The story follows Ko-Teng as he tries to win over Shen.

The film has all the makings of a cult.The director shows us a crude and strangely accurate picture of our youth, sometimes going a little overboard but never failing to capture our sensitive side.See how Ko- Teng picks a fight just to bring his love a little closer or how all the boys can jerk off all day long but don't have the heart to face rejection of their love.All the performances are light and carefree,which works very well with the theme of the film.You never sense that something is out place as the film flows freely with a pace of its own from start to finish.Shen Chia-Yi will remains in your memory as the girl we all come across sometime,somewhere and you smile with her smile and cry as she weeps.

I loved this emotional roller-coaster of a film and will surely come back to it in time.The films is nostalgia for the old and reminiscence for the young.This is a special movie.Don't miss this instant classic.

P.S. : Last time i enjoyed a film about love this much was when I watched The Classic directed by Kwak Jae-young.