You Are the Apple of My Eye

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.

There has been a clamour for this Taiwanese coming-of-age film among Chinese youth ever since it opened at the Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival in August this year. Indeed, Giddens Ko's directorial debut is based on his semi-autobiographical novel, "The Girl We Chased Together in Those Years" (its Mandarin title), which was a best-seller among online readers. Needless to say, "Apple" reigned at the Taiwan box office for more than a month, landing at second place on the nation's chart of all-time box office hits. For viewers young and old, it is a nostalgia trip to their carefree school days when hormones rage and hope abounds. The narration, by Ko Chen-Tung who plays Giddens (or Ching-Teng), starts off in 2005 when protagonist Ching-Teng is dressing up for a wedding. Next, it takes us back 10 years earlier (1995) to Ching-Teng's school days when he and his buddies, Boner (Yen Sheng-yu), Cock, Groin (Tsai Chang-hsien) and A-Ho (Steven Hao) are students of Ching-Cheng High, a backwater school in Changhua in central Taiwan. All these boys admire ace student Shen Chia-Yi (Michelle Chen) and many of them even have a crush on her. However, Chia-Yi is closest to Ching-Teng because she has been instructed by a teacher to tutor Ching-Teng in his studies and help him stay out of trouble. The two gradually fall in love but have to separate when they go to college. Staying apart, the couple face many challenges and temptations which threaten to tear them from each other... The school pranks and events are seen from Ching-Teng's point-of-view and he pulls no punches to show us what it is like during those heady and crazy days. We see the boys masturbating, disturbing girls and handling heartbreak and separation. One college scene explains why the boys jerk off with their left hand while watching online porn - the right is needed to move the mouse. We see how the girls have to put up with these pranks and crass jokes and somehow manage to hold their own. The best part of Giddens' direction is that we can easily identify with the protagonist and the lead cast. In any co-ed class, there will always be a beautiful bookworm like Chia-Yi whom all the boys will admire and even try to court; and there will be the resident sex maniac, the fat slob, and other weirdos. All these characters are credibly developed although there are some sequences, like Ching-Teng and his dad going naked in his house, that are not satisfactorily explained or rationalised. Another is Ching-Teng's refrain from intimacy with Chia-Yi even at intimate moments. And just as the boys have a crush on Michele Chen's Chia-Yi, we too are charmed by her. Chen is such a natural that her Chia-Yi reminds us of the girl-next-door, captivating our hearts especially in the scene where she is summarily punished with the boys for being disrespectful of the teacher. This is one movie from which you will leave the cineplex with a smile on your face and feeling warm in your heart.

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.

Watched this 10 years ago and cried, re-watched this again after 10 years and still cried. Will always be my favorite romance movie of all time.

I always like school-romance movie because of this movie. I've watched this movie over and over again, listened to the music over and over again, and still remember the feelings over and over again. I never knew what's so beautiful about this movie that makes it my favorite romance movie, I guess I just like the emotional roller coaster the movies takes me over and over again.

This movie might not be everyone, but if you are like me - someone that craves a realistic romance story during teenage times, go give it a try.

This is a very nice romantic movie but unfortunately was drag down by some unnecessary / offensive scenes like masturbation, guys walking around naked in front of family members, erections, porn, etc. The director must have thought these scenes were essential and funny but not everyone can appreciate these kind of humor especially in a youth oriented romance movie.

I was disappointed on the first half of this film and wondered why it got such high score on this site. After a week or so I decided to finish the movie and surprise, surprise I ended up liking it a lot. Guess I just wanted a clean romantic movie which I can proudly show to all the people in my household regardless of age.

I give this movie 7/10 rating. Sad because this could have been an easy 9+ for me.