Long Time No See (2017)

Hands down, this is the best movie I've watched in a long time. In fact, the only issue I have with it is that it's too short, so sit back and enjoy my verbal spew of compliments. Oh, and before I begin: THIS IS *NOT* A TRAGEDY. I repeat, less obnoxiously, Long Time No See has a happy ending.

Story:
The story is well developed but a bit rushed since this is quite short for a movie. There are several things I could see being fleshed out better with more time, but they use the time they have well. I'd give a summary, but I probably would end up spoiling something.

Acting/Cast:
Alright, this is my favorite part. There were three scenes I watched maybe thirty times each because of how raw and real the acting was. The cast knows what they're doing. The gang boss we see the most of frequently over acts and it threw me off at first until, after a few more interactions, I realized his personality was extra, not his acting. Chisoo, our protagonist, almost pushed me to the brink of tears and I have literally never cried over a movie. The combo of Chisoo and Gitae and all the emotion the shoved into every scene didn't bother pushing me; it punted me past the sun and directly into a galaxy of ugly sobbing. And I was damn glad for it. Okay, let me not get to into this, the short version is simple: the acting is amazing. The cast is amazing.

Music:
If you watch this movie and happen to notice the music, I don't think you're watching hard enough. It took a couple run-throughs before my brain could focus on anything but the immediate action. The music that I did hear and process was good, more so because it fit and blended into scenes instead of snatching me out of them.

Rewatch Value:
I rewatch no movies. Ever. I just don't have the attention span, especially if I already know what happens. That said, I have watched this movie three times in as many days and I'm not bored yet.  In fact, every time I watch it again, I have a bit more fun (and bemoan how short it is a little harder).

Overall:
Watch this movie. Watch this movie because there is absolutely something in it that will make it a favorite of yours. I was wary at first, but it was 100% worth my money and I'd pay for it again even. The happy ending is just a bonus, because this would be my review even if it was a tragedy.

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What can I say other than I adored this? How often do you find LGBT media with functional, real relationships that don’t end in tragedy? Long Time, No See absolutely blew away all my expectations. Absolutely a long-time favorite movie.

Story: The story was cliche, but I live for cliches, especially mob-related so basically I adored it. Due to the length, certain very small scenes were a tad confusing if only because the cut into them seemed random, but they soon became clear. By the end of each chapter (which are usually ~15 min. segments), I had a very clear understanding of what was going on, so the confusion wasn’t long-lasting.

Acting/Cast: I’m not gonna lie, for a small studio film, I wasn’t expecting much re: the acting, but I was absolutely blown away. The actors are incredible and create such dynamic characters through facial expressions alone. They were an amazing cast that I would love to see in future dramas.

Music: So cute! The reoccurring song that played every time Gitae and Chisoo had a moment was sweet, gentle, and just downright adorable. It encapsulated that fuzzy feeling of butterflies in your stomach. The music for the action scenes were perfect for creating a high intensity environment, as well.

Rewatch Value: The only reason I am not immediately rewatching this movie is because I have to go to class in the morning. Needless to say, I will be watching this movie many more times in the future.

TL;DR: If you’re looking for a good LGBT movie with great acting, a fun plot, and a happy ending, then Long Time, No See is the choice for you. Please support this movie and the studio STRONGBERRY by buying the chapters ($12) so we can hopefully see more wonderful content like this in the future!

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