Your Name Engraved Herein (2020)

Splendid...simple splendid

I did not expect that much....I got more...first love story... everyones story...
Great acting from both young and older actors.
Exelent music (that song is engraved in my soul) that you will learn to sing regardless your native language.
Story...yes about that story...I am always a little harsh when the basic idea is so common and obvious...BUT...this is a lesson of how you present the oldest love story of the world, the first-love story, as bright as the sun and as beautiful as the night.

"Your name engraved herein,
making time go by without a trace.
One lie was told, that determined the rest of my life."

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This movie broke my heart

This movie I watched today and my heart is still pounding. I cried three times overall during this movie. The actors really portrayed what they needed to well, and what broke my heart specifically was when BamBam said that she wish she knew that liking boys (being gay) was inate. It is normal and isn’t something that people should be afraid for or ridiculed for. And Birdy’s life was changed because he wasn’t comfortable. The priest was an amazing character, and I hadn’t expected him to have a male lover. It was interesting to see how he was protecting Jia-Han by telling him his feelings were wrong. I could really feel the tension between the leads through the whole story. And was left in tragedy when Birdy left Jia-Han for those many years. Although it was bittersweet that they met at the end, with Jia-Han saying how them being gay is accepted now. He is proud and isn’t scared of who he is. I am glad I watched this and am going to come back to it for sure.

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Engrave Your Way Into My Heart

I had to watch this film. I just had to, even though I knew it would break my heart watching it. Which I was correct, but it's still worth watching!

So the film takes place once martial law has officially ended in Taiwan. However, that doesn't mean that there weren't lasting impacts from the martial law. As well as some people wanting to maintain that way of living. That was interesting to see. We get our main character Jia-Han and Birdy, whom are both equally enjoyable to watch. Those characters are really well represented in their youth and I gotta give props to the actors!

We get to see an lgbtq persons first sexual experiences and first time falling in love. There's a scene early on where Jia-Han mentions when him and Birdy are cracking food that it sounds like heartbeats. Right there I was like, oh boy he got it BAD! The chemistry between these two actors was so freaking solid. They made me laugh and smile seeing their interactions. Theres a scene in the film where they go in a screening room and that whole interaction was so wholesome and lovely. Perfectly shows youth and wanting to just maintain innocence in such a rough time.

There's a brief showing of a man advocating for equal rights and gay marriage. Stating "homosexuality is not a sickness" that broke my heart. He gets taken away and Birdy actually tries sticking up for him, which isn't the first time he's seen standing up for an lgbtq person. That didn't necessarily mean he was gay himself, however those moments had me start to think he was. Birdy says "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" clearly referencing himself and Jia-Han.

So where this film shines the most is actually in the scenes between Jia-Han and the father. Those scenes had me tearing up all throughout. Jia-Han is trying so desperately to explain that he has love in his heart for Birdy, not just lust. Asing "is your love bigger than the one I give?" and what the difference is. Even saying maybe he'll be more understood in hell. Those are where the film feels the realest in a sense. Once him and Birdy do end up having some type of physical intimacy, its done so in a way of validation. Jia-Han wasn't forcing his affections onto Birdy, they were already there as shown when Birdy kisses him and then cries. Love is shown in many ways, not just the physical. Even when Jia-Han tries to take the blame for Birdy's "love affair" on campus. That's love. Or admits in front of his parents that he's gay and "what's wrong with being queer?" Powerful stuff dude.

Random side note. I saw Chris Wu in this for literally a second and KNEW it was him lol. I would know the side of his face anywhere!!! Moving on, let's get into the non-plot stuff. The use of red and green in this film was really nice, very striking in some scenes. The scene with the openly gay student talking to Jia-Han was really well shot, especially with the stained glass dove mural behind them. Dove's are used quite a bit in this film, probably as both a symbolic symbol but also for peace. It also just so happens that Birdy jumps from the balcony right after that scene. Like a dove. There's great use of rack focus in many scenes that I loved. The orchestral music with the brass instruments pulls at the heartstrings. Also later on when Jia-Han runs away to the beach, he screams into the void and then ends up swimming naked in the ocean with Birdy. This was great because it doesn't end up in anything sexual. It's just pure and free, they kiss and that's it. Still maintaining the theme of love and lust are seperate, and sometimes go hand-in-hand.

So...the ending. I'm conflicted. The scene with Jia-Han and Birdy on the phone was fantastic. Really well done. However, any scene with the older actors got iffy for me. The acting wasn't as good overall at the end. It felt too displaced from the rest of the film. I appreciate having it show how far the world has come in current day, but it didn't need to be that long. Jia-Han and Birdy are kinda implied to be given a second chance, which is nice but its up to interpretation. I'd like to think they remain friends, because the romance has died off. Also having the father ending up being gay himself felt kinda stretching it. It was the whole cliche of "not wanting the same for another person what he went through" thought process. I believe this movie is the directors real life story, so I can't really say it was unbelievable if that's the case. However, film-wise it would've been better to just have him become accepting overall towards Jia-Han. Because all he really needed was acceptance.

Overall, such an important movie. It's the first lgbtq film to be screened in Taiwanese theatres. Gained so much money and acclaim. Things keep changing for the better and I as a queer person always appreciate and feel strongly about films released like this. They hit me deeply and I will always support them. Watch this film and spread the word! Love isn't just one type of way

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A CLASSIC AND MUST WATCH!

To begin with, Your Name Engraved Herein is not your typical BL movie that's aimed to please a Fujin. Within the first five minutes, one is bound to figure out the essence of the story and the direction it is going in. What hooked me on since the beginning is that 'essence' and anticipation of what might happen next.

I absolutely loved the setting of the plot and the movie is nothing short of a 'masterpiece' in my opinion. Starting from the storyline which is heart-wrenchingly beautiful and sadly serene, to the music and acting which perfectly complimented the poignance of the movie, towards the end, one would be left feeling melancholic but also fulfilled in a way that cannot be explained.

The main leads were bewitching and I cannot praise the cast enough!

Your Name Engraved Herein is a must-watch LGBTQ+ movie! Despite not having a very heavy plot, it is enough to engage most people from the start.

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Perfectly Balanced & Stellar Quality

I yet again come to DramaList to rectify the misrepresentation being given by the negative reviewers. This movie is tears, explosions of those fiery butterflies us Y girls are constantly seeking and pure angst! It cannot be understated that this will be an emotional ride, but one worth taking. The ending is ambiguous and because of that I am sure it didn't get the 9.3 or higher that it deserved. But it does not make it any less quality as say our beloved "I Told Sunset About You". The actors are invested in their world and their acting is phenomenal. The chemistry is wild and the stares are fire. There is quite a bit of authenticity to the Taiwanese culture references, so that was a plus and it provided a more realistic ride through their struggles. I have said this before, don't let the 8 or lack of the perfect ending deter you. Give yourself a fantastic end to 2020 and watch what was one of my favorite BL productions in recent years. Do IT!

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“Liking Boys is Innate.”

That’s it. This is the explanation that most people fail to understand. I'd suggest this movie to anyone who has just begun to step into the world of BL as I've several people cheer over gay people portrayed in media, yet say that they are against LGBTQ+, which is inhumane.
I do not know how much Taiwan has changed in the past few years, but this one was brutal to watch. This is more of a slice-of-life-amidst-crisis kind of movie, so if you are expecting some "wholesome" story with a neat ending a strong plotline... let's just say gear up.

Narrated to the Priest of their school by a boy, A-Han, the love story between him and a delinquent student Birdy, is slowly revealed. However, in times when homosexuality is considered a sin, how will the two manage to prove that their love was worth it?
I’ve decided that “Bestfriends to lovers” trope is one that I hate, but still torture myself with cause these kind of stories if portrayed well, manages to convey emotions like a punch in the gut.

It was difficult to watch for a number of reasons. There is a point in the movie where we see the gradual shift in its tone as both the boys try to “normalize” their lives, then there are the frequent inner conflicts of the characters that we feel through the screen, particularly due to the outstanding performance by both the leading actors.
I think the final scene of them as teenagers was the nail on the coffin for me. There are questions raised and Morales challenged, which is necessary.
The main song “Your Name Engraved Herein” was beautiful to listen to.
There were intense "NC" scenes that were a bit difficult for me to watch. But, kudos to the actors for being able to depict such intense emotions seamlessly.
Definitely worthy of a watch, even if it hurts you.

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Painful coming-of-age with frustrating characters

I found this film to be effectively frustrating. Going into this film with the mindset that it's less of a BL and more of a tragic/wistful nostalgic exploration of young boyish teenhood and the rampant ways toxic masculinity and ideas of what is 'normal' and/or 'acceptable' have stifled generations upon generations of queer(?) or potentially bicurious young men will help the viewer understand more about what this movie attempts but it's not made clear from the get-go.

The dynamic between Birdy and Jia-Han is always changing and hard to pin down in any reasonable way. Jia-Han is introduced as the more stoic, less outwardly queer individual who, for the first half, is made to seem by his peers as being under the influence of Birdy and that Birdy would 'gay' Jia-Han. Then this dynamic flips when Birdy actually flips the script and finds a girlfriend in Banban and then becomes very cold, almost as if he's an entirely different character. All of this happens in a en media res narrative structure where Jia-Han is in a violent distress that we aren't sure what the cause of is until we get there in the movie. There are moments of sweetness layered between a lot of meandering and almost schizophrenic scenes of the two boys clashing. Even the shower scene, which should've been the peak of the tension between the two, felt incredibly muted and stifling, although if you stick out to the end I guess that might've been the point but it still feels very unsatisfactory. This ambiguity then gets funneled into a far neater ending where we presume they just went on with their lives and then confess to each other in a painless way but they've already lived their lives and there's nothing to be done. Did anything even need to be done?

What I needed from this film was more structure, more of a sense of belonging to a certain place and more worldbuilding. Everything felt very disparate and disconnected and in the few scenes of coherence we have two men who want to love each other but from circumstance and writing, they are destined to never be together. I enjoyed the ambiguity that it ends on and that there isn't a succinct answer to what happens next, even though they neatly say that they did love each other, albeit only after 30 years of having entire lived experiences apart from each other. This movie is very relatable in that aspect but as a story I also had a hard time enjoying it or seeing any kind of satisfaction from the conflicts.

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IT'S DARK but that doesn't mean it should be avoided

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if anyone has the chance to, I would recommend them to watch this. This movie is a masterpiece. It is so confronting and it may be hard to watch at times, but don't stop, take it seriously. This movie presents the dark parts of the world some of us miss out on. Watch it and absorb all the things and this and please choose to make a change. This movie can be wrapped up as "right person, wrong time" but instead of skipping it because this isn't a fantasy or the story will not unfold as you want it to. Face it, some shows will make love unrealistic to GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT, romance. But this movie will give you the harsh reality. DON'T AVOID IT BECAUSE OF THAT, FACE IT.

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What a moment!

Now THIS is what I want to see come out of Asia more frequently, as a Westerner (New Zealand/Australia) it is so refreshing to see an LGBTQI+ film so well done outside of Europe or the trashy crap that comes from the U.S..

And an LGBTQI+ film this certainly is because the normal BL series/film doesn't even come close!

I loved that the focus wasn't on sex or the characters being conventionally "hot" (even though they are very handsome). Gay culture revolves far too much around that rubbish. Even the one sex scene it did have was done so well you felt conflict between what felt wrong yet so right in their minds, instead of it just being steamy sex for the sake of it. They had great chemistry throughout.

Probably alot more I could say but I'm not a film critic, my heart broke for both of them and in the end to me it was a bitter sweet ending.

There's not a lot of gay films I would watch again but this is certainly added to the list.

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surely not one you would want to skip

I am time and time again blown away by this movie. I feel like calling this a BL would limit how much this movie has to offer. How much this movie has is not just BL it's more than that. The element is undoubtedly present but it's not what drew me to the movie.
STORY
just pure intense love. The kind of love that got you awake at 4 am in the morning scrolling over text messages. The movie is about love. Beautiful, selfish, careless, scary, sad love.
ACTING
every single moment is burned into my memory. I wanted to cry, scream, and laugh along with the characters. Pure raw emotions. No filter. It was like the cast was born to play these roles.
MUSIC
I loved it.
REWATCH VALUE/OVERALL
I would watch it again and again and again. It was like falling in love again. It was beautiful.

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