等一個人咖啡 - Cafe. Waiting. Love.

等一個人咖啡 (Cafe. Waiting. Love.) is an 2014 film out of Taiwan. The film stars Vivian Sung, Marcus Chang, and Bruce Hung. The supporting cast include Vivian Chow, Megan Lai, Lee Luo, and Paulien Lan. The movie was released on the same weekend in both Taipei and Hong Kong. The follow up of Jiubadao's (九把刀/Nine Knives) You Are the Apple of My Eye (那些年,我們一起追的女孩). Targeted as the next blockbuster, it didn't even take number one at the Taiwan box office. There was even a joke in the movie about Nine Knives being a box office king.

The story of a gal who tries to find love at a Cafe with a standoff-ish boy. Throw in some melancholy baristas at the cafe. The gal, Siying, is played by Vivian Sung as a frumpy and bossy (八婆) senior in high school that happens in the Café of a boy she's infatuated with after a chance encounter. The Abusi of the café mistake her a applicant for the waitress job and the boss lady hires her. Now she can eavesdrop on him all the time. Enter A-Tuo, a seventh year senior that's not very smart academically, but full of life working multiple odd part time jobs. A-Tuo and Siying end up spending a lot of time together. Who will Siying choose?

I've been watching a bit of Zhong Guo films recent, a string of them in a row. Just by chance, I watch four Taiwanese films in a row right after. This is the last of the fourth. There is a distinct difference in the feeling of the films of Zhong Guo and Taiwan. To those that may not have ever been to Taiwan or even Taipei, you may think the movies are just another town in Zhong Guo. But there is distinct feel of the buildings in Taiwan. This film is no different. You see it in the classroom, the café, the city streets, the restaurant. All very unique to Taiwan.

The movie was decent, I wasn't enamored with the Siying's character. If anything, she bordered on annoying. But what kept me in going was A-Tuo. They build a distinct, unique, and unapologetic character. How do you figure that the most unsuccessful student is the one that has the most genuine outlook on life? You don't, and I don't know if the filmmakers even know what they had in A-Tuo. Bruce played him to a tee with the wide eyed smile that went for miles.

If you like Taiwanese cinema, this is a must watch as it is a slick production and features Taiwan in the movie.

等一個人咖啡 - Cafe. Waiting. Love. - Upcoming

等一個人咖啡 (Cafe. Waiting. Love.) was released last weekend in both Taipei and Hong Kong. The follow up of Jiubadao's (九把刀/Nine Knives) You Are the Apple of My Eye (那些年,我們一起追的女孩). Targeted as the next blockbuster, it didn't even take number one at the Taiwan box office. Reviews have also been lackluster.

The story of a gal who tries to find love at a Cafe with a standoff-ish boy. Throw in some melancholy baristas at the cafe. The two combine together seem like an interesting enough movie for me to look forward to.

你是否依然愛我 - Will You Still Love Me - Upcoming

你是否依然愛我 (Will You Still Love Me) is set for release in Taipei on June 24th. The movie stars Megen Lai and Shaun Tam. I cannot find his English name of the third star, 金佳.

The movie seems to be set in Taipei with a maybe a love triangle between the female star and two male stars. I like Megen and will try to catch this film on DVD when it reaches LA.

深情密碼 - Silence

深情密碼 (Silence) is a 2006 drama out of Taiwan. It stars Vic Zhou and Park Eun Hye. It also has Andy Hui, Megen Lai, and Kingone Wang in supporting character roles.

Vic Zhou plays the head executive of a successful real estate company in Taiwan. Vic is a workaholic with a troubled family life and engaged to his college sweet heart. However, as you find out, Vic shows very little emotions towards those that seem to extend their love to him. Vic's Wei Yi character is presented as a cold and heartless man.

Park Eun Hye as Shen Shen is the total opposite. Someone that lives life to the fullest and show loves to all those around her. Shen Shen is special though. Shen Shen's mother was from Korea, so Shen Shen is of mixed blood descent. An accident in her early teens caused her to lose her voice.

How does, Shen Shen and Wei Yi's path collide? It's a total use of drama magic. You know the story can't move on without them meeting, so it happens over and over again.

Wei Yi is cold and heartless until he finds out that he has life ending cancer. As he gets worst and worst, Wei Yi's outlook on life changes and Shen Shen becomes his focus.

The drama was really hard to watch in the beginning. Because I had rented the whole set at a time, I decided I had to watch it. I am glad I stuck around as the second half of the drama was pure drama magic.

愛到底 - L-O-V-E (Love) - Upcoming

愛到底 (L-O-V-E / Love) is being released this Friday in Taiwan.

I am looking forward to it. Seems to be a episodic movie about 4 different love stories.

It has a star studded cast from past and present. I wish it the best of luck in Taiwan and aboard in the Asia region. I also hope for a version on the US shores by the end of the month that's in good quality.