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The long road to the destination we all knew
The first thing I want to say is that I deeply appreciate that they made the decision to make this a movie and not a second season, a few months ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that the world faced, the format of home series invaded us, some very good (like Gameboys or Hello Stranger) and others so bad, but so bad that I will not even mention them here because I refuse to give them even the slightest recognition.Obviating the production and acting, these series were a success mainly because of the proximity, around the globe as has rarely been seen before, we were all living a situation similar to those presented in these series, we all had to face the new model educational and work, loneliness, confinement, fear and uncertainty, we all feel for a moment that the world stopped, in that context is where these series are born that quickly conquered our hearts for their simplicity, but at the same time familiarity.
And although the situation continues to be complicated (unfortunately in some countries more than in others) the reality is also that in a certain way the return to "normality" has begun to occur gradually, so it seems to me a more than correct decision to place this film is that transition towards a normality more similar to the status quo, keeping the distance clearly.
Now leaving that point established, we walk itself to the history of the film, although I think it is a bit "unnecessary" it did not seem bad at all, but let me sink in on this point; the first season (let's hope only one, that the BL has already demonstrated with enthusiasm that the second seasons are not its strong suit) closed the plot that had been presented to us from the beginning, although they are not explicitly "boyfriends" it is more than clear that their feelings are mutual and the rest can be concluded by the spectator himself.
The film decides to go the lengthy way in search of that ending that we all knew they would have, please no one expected that they did not stay together, it would have been an intrepid decision (perhaps based on genuine moments of frenzy caused by the strange pandemic life) but That was never on the way to take and it shows in the second one, well, the point is that due to fate, the ex-girlfriend of one of the protagonists needs it and he sacrifices his true love for his sense of responsibility, so far nothing new the truth, the protagonists are forced to live together on a school trip and it is from this point that everything turns into a great check of all the tropes of any series or romantic movie, BL or not: same room, seeing themselves naked "casually", feeling jealous for a new subject (who has zero possibilities, even more so if his introduction happens in the middle of the film, the viewer would never forgive that, mainly because do not know this new character at all), a breakup, a new failed reboot attempt, a public confrontation, a character that very Obi Wan makes the character or characters reflect on their true feelings, a beautiful reconciliation and confession in the beach, a kiss, the end.
As I said, a great check of everything that has to be done in a film, the reality is that it does not contribute anything new, or innovative and many of the emotional and close resources of the series are lost here, however, the film does not It is bad, it is quite short so it is not annoying at any point.
Despite being a fairly common film, it has some elements that make it entertaining, to begin with, all the main and secondary characters are pleasant, none of them is a villain, nor are they intriguing people or anything like that, they are normal young adults and despite that there are some tensions between them, each and everyone acts like normal people, they are polite among themselves and their intentions for others are not negative, although they are selfish at times, but under the line of real people.
Let's see a bit of the party scene, I liked it a lot, the main reason I think is that despite them being the focus of the scene from the viewer's point of view, they are not the center of the action for the rest of the characters, they are one more, living their own affairs, this of course is personal taste, but something that in general bothers me about the teenage or college romance series is that: it seems that everyone cares too much about what they do, in life really things are not like that, maybe your friends care a bit, but let's not lose our minds, no one is going to found a fan club for you, least of all at university those people are only worried about surviving; so personally the montage the scene seemed like a pretty good decision.
Anyway, the film does not add anything new to its own history, nor to the world of cinema in general, but it is entertaining and the romance is sweet, the good thing is that you can also see the series and the film as separate products so the existence of neither of them ruins the other for you, which in general is a good creative decision in this type of production.
Finally, I don't want to leave without mentioning: What happened to JC Alcantara? What do you feed that boy? He grew like a lot, right? He is also beautiful, he realizes.
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Hello, Best PH BL Ever
First and foremost, This was an amazing sequel to the series. I loved the series but this blew it out of the water.I WILL always love Steph, I just think he is the cutest bean and he looked so good with Kookai. I wouldn't of minded a spin-off or something with these two.
JunJun is as cute as a button and I love that he's always there for his friends. Him in that last costume? Fire, he looked so good
Now onto my boys...
First, I commend Crystal for being mature and stepping away when she realized that Xavier truly loved Mico. In the past, she did manipulate Xavier so he wouldn't leave her but in the end, she knew that they weren't meant to be together and she gracefully walked away, she was also still friendly with them and supportive, so I can't dislike her for any reason
It also took Simon coming into the picture to make Mico and Xavier see that they are in love with each other
Speaking of Mico, his acting talent is perfection, his raw emotion when talking to Xavier was one of the best. I was in tears watching him crying, I could also feel the pain that he was feeling. I would 100% watch everything that he is in
Mico and Xavier's chemistry is one of the best, so natural that, that type of chemistry can't be taught. They are right underneath First and Khaotung (From Thailand) with amazing, natural chemistry. I need them to act in more BLs together because they are just stunning.
The last kiss was everything I knew I needed
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Hello, Love!
Remember, when reading reviews...That review is only good for the person who wrote it.
Please do not skip a series/movie simply because you saw a negative review.
That said, Hello Stranger: The Movie, is the BL quality I enjoy.
I binged watch the series and movie all in one evening without interruption.
And I'm happy I did. This was a beautiful story of Mico & Xavier.
Mico, adorable as adorable gets. His tears, you felt. His words, you heard!
He gave of himself to this role - as did co-star, Xavier. The acting was phenomenal.
JunJun/Seph...what great friends and support. JunJun, more than anyone was the rock.
JunJun was beyond necessary with his bits of logic & just sheer common sense.
It subtracts sex, lust, the need to be physical, love triangles, & confusion.
It simply addresses real life emotions & events. Tugs at the heart.
A story told...hmm...coherently. Actors with chemistry who were passionate.
This movie should be included in the every BL list as a mainstay.
We should rewatch/revisit this title often as a reminder....
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How the next relationship between Xavier (for me the irresistible Tony Labrusca) and Mica will turn out, you will find out in this film, which is not a typical BL. Acting at a high level, especially the main two characters. Predictable plot, it must be reckoned that it is an ASIAN movie. Those who know understand what I mean, Those who don't will spew venom and filth here.
The catchy theme song, which is sung by the actors Tony and JC themselves in slow motion towards the end (I added both clips to the Videos folder), I had to deduct a point because the guitar was out of tune in the last third (it's about the third Asian movie, do Asians have no musical ear at all?).
Some great shots of the Philippine seascape. Overall, a very nice lamp
Film navazuje na původní seriál a je to čerstvá únorová novinka (díky karcikarlovi za link). Xavier se rozešel s Micem a vrátil se ke své přítelkyni. Celá parta přátel odjíždí do prázdninového rezortu na literární soustředění.
Jak dopadne další vztah Xaviera (pro mě neodolatelný Tony Labrusca) a Mica se dozvíte z tohoto filmu, který není typickým BL. Herectví na vysoké úrovni, především hlavních dvou postav. Předvídatelný děj, je nutno počítat, že je to ASIJSKÝ film. Ti, kteří ví, chápou, co jsem tím chtěl říci, Ti, kteří ne, zde budou plivat jed a špínu.
Chytlavá ústřední píseň, kterou ke konci zpomalenou zpívají i samotní herci Tony a JC (oba klipy jsem přidal do složky Videa), bod jsem byl nucen ubrat za to, že v poslední třetině byla ta kytara rozladěná (je to už asi třetí asijský film, to nemají Asiaté vůbec žádný hudební sluch?).
Pár skvělých záběrů filipínské přímořské krajiny. Celkově moc fajn žážitek.
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A little Redemption
I am not from the Philippines. and I am new to Filipino culture. So there is no bias when I say I like the movie and it did a good job redeeming the series for me. I went on a now 10 day Pinoy BL binge. mostly based on suggestions from youtube and this site. The series was good but after watching other BL Dramas I can say the acting was stiff. Tony Labrcus does not emote well and sometimes the partner chemistry was off. The Characters were great and endearing and the story sweet. The movie was much more believable you can tell the actors were much more comfortable with each other. Tony did a good job expressing the insecurity of not knowing your sexual identity, but still wanting to own your truth. You are in love and you don't care who it's with. He comes out without knowing in order to be with the person he loves. He does good in the series hitting this note as well. The self-awareness of Mico is great as he admits the newborn babygay vibes. It's awesome to see him step into himself. Mico has a part of my heart because he is a brave charming character but fave character JunJun. He is just a smart intuitive and insightful sage character. He is the Yoda of the story. Yes. There were still awkward moments and scenes that should've been flushed out, but the actors really step up their game. It's worth seeing both the series and the movie just to see the growth. In my Top 10, but not Top 5. My Top three are In Between (Sa Pagitan ng Kamusta at Paalam), Gameboys, and Gaya Sa Pelikula..................
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Will they or won't they?
I don't know why I like this film so much. It completely lacks chemistry, essential for a love story, the actors seem to be on different sets, the music is meh, the story is cliché ridden...and still I have seen it about 5 or 6 times already! There is something about it that just draws me in....The story is rather basic: Mico and Xavier are not together anymore. Xavier went back to his girlfried who threatened to kill herself if he left her. They meet again when their class goes on a writing camp at a seaside hotel and, surprise surprise, Mico and Xavier get to share a room together. Finally realizing that Xavier is not in love with her anymore, his girlfriend breaks up with him at which he goes running back to Mico who turns him down.
Mico is the character I liked the most: he is a real mature adult dealing reasonably with the misfortunes of his love life. Xavier is a sweet kid who just does what he's told afraid to disappoint his loved ones, who lacks courage to stand up for himself letting other people make decisions for him. He finally grows up when Mico refuses to take him back!
There is a fun group of support characters: Mico's group of friends dealing with their love life and still there for him, a mix of students: machos mocking gays and ordinary students not accepting that attitude, their flamboyant teacher and of course a new love interest for Mico (who is tempted for about 30seconds!)!
This movie is mainly about Xavier and his character growth and that was treated well. I found his parents' reaction when he comes out to them one of the most realistic ones ever in a BL. They do not reject their son but they are not throwing a party either to celebrate: they are shocked, tell him they need the time to process it but that they love him. No matter how open and accepting one is, in our societies, when it is about your own kids coming out, it may be difficult to deal with it.
The film looks like the crew went for a holiday at a seaside resort, placed cameras all over the place and filmed what was going on while the actors improvised! There are not many people in the resort (COVID) so this seems very likely! I mean the scene where Mico is stung by a jellyfish and Xavier wants to help him...hilarious! Worth the watch just for that scene!
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A beautiful love story full of meaning and loaded with sensitivity.
'Hello Stranger: The Movie' is one of those feature films capable of crossing borders and penetrating the depths of the heart.Both a romantic comedy and a coming-of-age film, the film follows in the footsteps of the characters from the series of the same name, released in 2020.
On this occasion, Dwein Ruedas Baltazar, the Filipino actress, editor, screenwriter and director, known for telling stories focused on identity and sexual diversity, such as 'Sila-Sila' and 'KALEL, 15', takes a position behind the cameras, while Daniel S. Saniana and Patrick R. Valencia, writer of the script for the film 'The Third Party' and the series 'Hello Stranger', come together to write the film text that will cause a roller coaster of emotions in viewers.
Xavier and Mico's relationship deepens, while the well-known gang of Young Padawans, Kookai (Vivoree Esclito), Seph (Patricio Quiroz) and Junjun (Miguel Almendras), and a large group of University students, including Crystal (Gillian Vicencio), Xavier's girlfriend, go to a writing camp, taking the virtual kilig to the real world, just in the days around Valentine's Day.
The feature film, 101 minutes long, continues where the series left off and the story develops as the film progresses, adding new characters and a new, although familiar, conflict between the two male protagonists, in a post-pandemic environment.
The flashbacks of the intervening months clearly explain why the protagonists acted in this way and how they felt motivated to carry out the actions that led Xavier and Mico to distance themselves.
Following the premise of the series, the film defends the idea of honesty, and is revealing for those who hide their true identity. With just the right drama, it exposes only honest feelings waiting to be expressed from one towards the other, seen from Xavier's public confession, almost in one of the final scenes, of being in love with another man. He had already confessed it to his parents before.
It is never easy to confess deep emotions, but the protagonists, faced with the risk of losing the person they love, find the courage to express their feelings, and thus find the freedom that a patriarchal and heteronormative society denies them, which tells you that loving someone of your same sex is not correct.
The acting of the protagonists is great. The character of Mico, played by JC Alcantara, quite emotional as an actor, will bring tears to your eyes through his pain, and laughter due to his contagious joy and overwhelming joy, with his expressive eyes, sometimes tearful, sometimes smiling, and marked dimples that furrow his face.
There is something very special about this young actor. He has the ability to access the soul of his character and really moves the audience. I hope to see more of him in film and television.
For his part, Tony Labrusca, in the role of Xavier, surpasses himself this time, giving new nuances to his character.
Both actors, with amazing chemistry that exudes genuineness, convey love outside the heteronormative bubble with such reverence and authenticity.
If in the series they had already demonstrated their histrionic skills and the comfort of working together, they take the film to another level of brilliance, far exceeding our expectations. From his comic scenes to the big, dramatic speeches, his lines are full of intensity and realism.
This is a wonderful movie. The performances are simply incredible, highlighting the role of Tony Labrusca. This young actor gives a performance so tender and realistic that it makes my heart tighten every time I watch the film.
There is a dramatic scene after the tug of war that really shows off the great performance of the two actors. And the final scene is tender and charming and the filming with the beginning of the song makes it a classic.
Mico's inseparable friends are still here and once again give him their support in the search for happiness and love. Kookai, Jujun and Shep will make you wish you had them in your life and the movie never fails to emphasize that. The audience will be treated to one of my favorite scenes: the one in which the Young Padawans play "Shageddy Shapopo" near the end, such a strong symbolism of how close the friendship of the four young people is.
The new supporting cast are seasoned characters and add color to the film.
Another important point, like a good film by Dwein Ruedas Baltazar, is the soundtrack, with the musical direction of Glenn Barit, in which its main theme stands out, "Kahit Na Anong Sabihin Ng Iba", performed by the same actors, who since It already occupies an important place among my favorite music.
Some of the songs that help us understand the moods of the characters are "She", (performed by Sab), "Pangako" (Kyle Echarry), "Dahil Sa'yo" (Inigo Pascual and Gabriel Tagadtad, "Kung Akin Ang Mundo (Christian Martinez), and "Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako" (KZ Kandingan). This last song is about who has to choose between two people.
The movie may stand alone, but I would recommend you watch the series first.
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this is chalked full of clichés - and its not that u don't see them coming from a mile away - compared to the drama, this was a let down. and i seriously don't get anyone giving this more the 5 stars, and that's being generous - 10 is whack ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but to each their own... watching i cringed so hard i hurt my shoulders and rolled my eyes so hard - so many times, i saw my brain.the excuse Xavier used to distance himself from Mico was a copout (having said this, after the 1st season we needed Xavier's shine to dim cause it was Mico's turn to be mature, understanding and considerate... a 180 considering his personality in the drama, but it is what it is).
so Xavier became the type of guy that serves as a justifiable warning to everyone out there, that has a major problem with their bf/gf staying friends with their ex. with all due respect her parents getting a divorce didn't mean they leaving her - no one freakin abandoning this grown ass baby. hell of a way to make everything about her, as if her mother wasn't suffering or worried, she needed to put her feeling on the back-burner cause her daughter fragile ugh plz - and that not enough she having a panic attack cause her ex has moved on aish plz talk about being overly dramatic just cause things not going her way - like a kid sticking their fingers in their ears and shouting "i can't hear u..."(¬‿¬)(¬_¬ )
unlike the drama Mico's character had not only mellowed out, but matured and his reactions and attitude were on-point, even his not readily forgiving Xavier was logical - heck i though his "...i'm ok to be friends..." was whack - like plz, if it was me Xavier would be lucky if i didn't punch him in the throat the first time i saw him after him bailing on my b-day without a word - and the fact that he did that just to be with his ex psssh, that bit would just add fuel to a raging fire, that would never die... so him needing time to rage and then cool down enough to hear his friends out - then finding in himself the truth about his feelings, and following through was a good conclusion to the mess this started off from
the other plus points were Mico's friends - they a fun, loyal group of people that r great wing-men (but they were no different in the drama) - Mico lucked out. but this is far from a master piece that deserves a 10 - doubt i'ma rewatch this, not the case with the drama which is for-sure a rewatch - but its fine for a one off
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famoso clichê bom
Cara, o clichê perfeito! Eu pensava que ia ser igual a serie mas foi completamente tudo! foi incrível, foi clichê, foi maravilhoso, me senti extremamente bem assistindo, atuaram SUPER BEM, a historia foi boa, o roteiro não teve aqueles furos previsíveis, a ost maravilhosa também, a produção não deixou a desejar, os alívios cômicos foram FOFOS demais, eles serviram muito! espero vê-los em outras historias, em outras produções, porque realmente mostraram que tem química e que podemos sim esquecer a serie por que esse filme teve muita emoção!Was this review helpful to you?
Hai orang asing tapi season 2
Seperti yang kita tahu bahwa series Hello Stranger adalah series Corona alias... ya ceritanya gt, kebanyakan zoom-an aja di depan PC, tapi season satu berakhir dengan happy ending dimana Xavier dan Mico akhirnya bertemu di dunia nyata. Eh tapi tunggu, apakah kalian penasaran tentang kelanjutannya? jika ya kalian harus menonton film yang satu ini. Hello Stranger the movie adalah season 2 dari series Hello Stranger namun dalam bentuk movie, tidak lagi series. Menceritakan sebuah masalah yang dialami oleh Miko dan Xavier yang menurutku masalahnya bener-bener luar biasa parah sih ya, mereka datang ke sebuah acara alias event di sebuah pantai, disanalah Miko dan Xavier harus menyelesaikan masalah mereka. akankah mereka bisa menyelesaikannya dan membuat yang satu ini happy ending jga? saksikan film ini. Dari segi cerita memang sangat berbeda konsep dengan season 1 nya ya ; hal ini terjadi karena dalam cerita pandemi sudah berakhir, para aktor bermain secara face to face dan benar-benar ada di dunia nyata, kostum pantai yang dipakai oleh mereka menarik, cerita film ini juga menarik, mudah dimengerti, detail, dan berkesan. Tidak ada yang bisa saya katakan lagi selain jika kalian ingin menonton seri ke 2 dari Hello Stranger Miko x Xavier, saya rekomendasikan film yang satu iniWas this review helpful to you?
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Finalmente saiu!!!
Um ano depois da série, tive a honra de ver o filme. Confesso que imaginei que seria um compilado da série, mas graças a Deus não foi. Outra boa notícia, é que o filme só melhora a série, pois as Filipinas tem o hábito de fazerem segundas temporadas terríveis, que destroem a magia da primeira, mas definitivamente não é esse o caso.O roteiro é excelente. De início, somos meio que enganados para não perceber de imediato que o romance de Mico e Xavier acabou, e que bom que a série explica de forma muito detalhada como aconteceu isso. Na resenha da série eu falo que Xavier tinha um problema de confusão mental sobre sua sexualidade, enquanto Mico é bem resolvido, isso fica bem claro no filme.
Outro ponto que não foi abordado na série foram as famílias, e no filme eles mostram a família de Xavier. Claro que ficou meio confuso, ele simplesmente liga para seus pais e fala sobre seus desejos em relação ao esporte, que não sabíamos até então, fica subentendido que muito da personalidade e confusão dele está vinculada à pressão psicológica que ele sente pela imposição de coisas que seus pais querem para ele, em detrimento das vontades dele próprio. Poderia ser algo mais bem explicado, contextualizado, mas ele simplesmente pega o telefone e joga tudo no ventilador, esporte, carreira, sexualidade... se posso citar algo negativo em Xavier, é que ele, como disse Crystal, jamais terminaria com ela, mesmo amando Mico, isso pra mim é um sinal de fraqueza, pois uma situação assim deixa todos infelizes.
Outro ponto meio que sem lógica foi Kookai esconder o namorado da irmã, não fez sentido pra mim.
Mico é o melhor personagem do filme. Íntegro, honesto, compreensivo. Gostei dele não ter cedido para Xavier imediatamente.
No mais, o filme tem as mesmas características da série, roteiro suave, personagens super cativantes e um elenco que tem uma ótima química. A série é fofa, cômica, reflexiva, traz muitos sentimentos à tona.
Achei a atuação dos protagonistas muito boa, melhor que na série, inclusive, na hora da cena em que Xavier canta para Mico eu chorei igual uma condenada. O resto do elenco melhorou bastante, mas a química entre todos permanece incrível.
Os aspectos técnicos foram excelentes, tivemos uma boa continuidade, fotografia, filmografia, ost, além de uma locação perfeita.
Enfim, acho que eu poderia ver mil vezes sem cansar! Recomendo muito, amo essa série, e o filme também é ótimo, inclusive tenho resenha dele aqui no MDL.
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