Best PH BL movie by far
I dont want to spoil everyone. But i just wanted to say that every cent that you pay for the ticket for this movie is so WORTH IT!! It’s by far the best ph bl movie by far. I just cant get enough that i had to buy another ticket for tomorrow’s stream. ❤️ A chef’s kiss. ??When I saw the trailer, I thought it was that recycled plot where there’s an outing in the beach and all and that’s where they develop their feelings. But when i watched it, i was amazed by how good it was done. The build up and character development is so good, it will make you engrossed to your screen. Hope you guys will watch it. Support them by buying tickets via ktx.ph so that they will reconsider season 2 if it will be that successful... hopefully... ❤️
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I'm in a state of bliss right now.
I will admit, my friend had to work hard to convince me to watch this after the disappointment that was the series. But OMG THAT WAS SO WORTH IT!!!!!!! Maybe it was because I had low expectations, but that movie was really good. As a gay man, watching that felt so cathartic and I was 100% on Mico's side the whole time.I love Mico's character so much because he fights for himself and doesn't put up with anyone's shit. And JC Alacantra did such a stellar acting job!!!
The production was great. The directing was great. The story was great. Even the ad placements were really smooth and well done!! Love it love it love it.
Also, I was not expecting that ending. DAMN THAT ENDING. Absolute perfection <3
Thank you so much to the cast and crew. I wish you all success and I hope you will bring more wonderful stories to my romantic queer soul. <3
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This review may contain spoilers
This movie has a special place in my heart.
I adore this movie. I knew it would be fun when the teaser and trailer came out but wow... I was not fully prepared for how beautiful it would be. It has a simple plot that has been done in LGBT dramas over and over again, but this feels fresh. It feels unique for Mico and Xavier and all of their friends. It feels like it was made for LGBT people like myself, and I think that is ultimately why I love the show and the movie so much.The plot is simple, but the writers really took it beyond the simple "beach trip" trope. In "Hello Stranger the Movie," we see a tale of self-acceptance, patience, love, support, and community. Xavier accepts that he is not straight, and while he doesn't know what label he is comfortable with, that is okay. It is a beautiful message to LGBT people figuring themselves out that you don't need to rush to find a label. Loving yourself a little every day is enough. Mico learns that he cannot rush or pre-plan some things. He wants to be open about his love for Xavier which is totally fine, but he could not rush Xavier's coming out experience. He learns that loving Xavier is also an act of learning patience. Their friends also provide support and love that show that romantic love isn't the only form of love. Their community nurtures them as they figure out their own relationship.
Another thing I especially love is the avoidance of the "girl gets in the way" trope. Instead of making a woman the villain, we see Crystal as a brave person. While she loved Xavier, she knew that he could not love her anymore. Instead of trying to hold on to the idea of love, she loves Xavier in a new way. She sees the pain and offers him support as he comes to terms with his sexuality. The development of her character is beautiful, and the writers nailed it!
Even if we don't get further episodes or special content, I am happy with the way this story wraps up the plot. There are so many reasons to watch and love this movie, but I end this review with this: loving someone is an act of bravery. Opening your heart to people romantically and platonically is hard to do. However, loving someone and supporting your friends, family, or partners is a beautiful experience. "Hello Stranger the Movie" captures all of this and more in a 100-minute movie. Please support it and the cast and crew.
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Outstanding Performances From an Amazing Cast !
I'm not the one to watch movies, but as soon as I had heard that Hello Stranger was getting a sequel, I just HAD to tune in. What started on some rocky shores ended up being a really nice story about acceptance and love. As much as I did enjoy this movie, I still loved the series better, since it just had certain aspects that shows can do that movies can't. But still, a stellar cast that did a stellar job on this movie, and I'm excited to see them in future projects!let's Dive In
The first 50 minutes of the movie were a bit slow and felt weirdly comedic. I was going into this thinking that I was already not going to like it, but I still gave it a chance. I was put off a little bit by us being introduced to Xavier and Cytstal and seeing that they're in a relationship since the series left off on Xavier and Mico. Some of the situations that happen felt a bit too cliche, like Xavier and Mico picking the same number and living in the same room. But, this is a BL, so I wasn't too shocked. There were so many circumstances that I felt a little put off by, one being the fact that Xavier pees on Mico to help him with his jellyfish sting. Very disturbing. They were trying to make it look like Mico and Xavier were having an intimate moment when Kookai went looking for them, but this just came off as weird and unnecessary since it didn't do anything to drive the plot. I think the only thing that I genuinely thought was funny was Xavier walking in on Mico after he had just gotten out of the shower. Anything else felt like they were trying to be too humorous and it came off as trying too hard.
The latter half of the movie was the best. I loved the way they connected the flashback scenes to the present, and it looked beautiful. Mico's What if" scene was beyond spectacular. Talking about Mico, JC did a spot-on job at betraying Mico's grief and hurt. I was left almost in tears at his performance. The same goes with Tony. His performance in the confession scene in front of everybody did leave me in tears since confessions and coming outs are the two things that are a definite tear-jerker for me. I loved how we were hit with the truth, and I could see where Mico was coming from in having a hard time trusting Xavier again. This is why I wasn't too excited about them getting back together so quickly, but again, it's a movie, so they have to give us our happy ending. However, I would've loved it if they took some time to regroup and kind of reestablish their relationship, and then maybe a few weeks later, they could've gotten together. But, the best line in the entire movie was "Hello, boyfriend" a def tear-jerker. I also loved Xavier and Crystal's talk on the beach. I liked that Crystal came to terms with the fact that he just had to move on from her. Parents splitting up isn't easy, but she was too old in my opinion to be acting the way she did. Basically holding Xavier hostage and making him love you is not real love. but in the end, I'm glad she understood. Mico and Xavier's kiss was fantabulous. It had meaning behind it, it was gentle and soft, and I will forever have a love for Mico and Xavier.
Simon's character was a nice touch to the series, but he still felt too coincidental. Mico's favorite author happens to be coming to this small little group camp trip and he happens to be hot and also likes Mico? Again, it's BL, so I get it, but it's too foreseen. However, he does help Mico in understanding his feelings, so I'm not too mad. JunJun once again had my heart. He is such a good friend and I liked that we see something underlying that might happen between him and Crystal. Again, I still wanted to see more of him and see him have his own story besides being the friend that helps everybody but himself.
Kookai and Seph were nice too. I think their situation was a bit frivolous, but I can see where Seph is coming from in feeling bad that Kookai won't be open about their relationship. Speaking of Kookai, her wardrobe in this movie was amazing. Each outfit she had on matched her so well, and I was dying to have every single fit that she did. Their problem was easily solved by the end, but I wish we could've still seen a kiss between the two.
Those two jerks that were Xavier's friend had that punch coming for them. Glad he put them in their place. The other gay couple was cute, even though they served no real purpose to the plot.
Overall, this movie was good, the ending was sweet, and I'm glad that they got to be open with each other in their relationship. I would've rather they made this into a series so we could've gone more in-depth, but at least we got what we could.
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Ready.....set.....rewind
I enjoyed the movie much as I enjoyed Happy Together The Series -- it was sweet and entertaining but not fully satisfactory.Pros:
-- The actors were much more comfortable, and did a very good job in the movie of making their characters relatable. (No doubt because they actually were relating to one another, instead of to a screen.....) JC is such a sweetie...... Tony came across very well as the more sensitive and loving version of Xavier.
-- The movie developed the stories of some of the subsidiary characters well. JunJun and Chrystal, in particular.
-- The setting in a nice resort made for visually attractive photography.
Cons:
-- I really felt like this was just the end of the Series, re-imagined. We rewound the tape, replayed it a bit differently, and didn't end up anyplace different.
-- Several story aspects were left hanging in strange ways. Tony came out to his parents ON THE PHONE? And after that nobody fleshed out the reaction of his father the wanna-be jock? And Mico was hit by a car???? What happened?
All in all, this is worth watching (especially if you're a fan of the two stars), but don't have high expectations. Maybe the franchise will continue and we'll get more character/story development.
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No spoilers in my review (hopefully)
Well! Here I am to give a review after watching the movie, binge re-watching the series AND then rewatching the movie (yes- it was that good to me!) I'm gonna try to not give any spoilers, cause I am putting myself in the shoes of those who didn't see this movie due to financial situtions but are dying to see it!Story-10/10
I see some people saying that the storyline is generic and I get that as we have been told this story a hundred times already. But, for me, I felt that they were able to take a simple storyline and retell it with a uniqueness that the actors were able to portray. Which made me just...fall in love with this movie!
Acting/Cast-10/10
Good thing about rewatching the series made me see just how much the MC's acting abilities improved- especially JC Alcantara. I liked his acting in the series but he really blew me away in the movie. Hopefully he will be able to get more roles in shows, cause he honestly deserves it! Besides the MC, I adore the (majority) of the supporting characters.
Music-10/10
New songs were introduced that were indeed delightful to my ears. However, the OST was still used and had me grinning like a fool from when I heard it start playing. Totally loved that song! And they had Xavier and Mico singing it at the end of the movie! Squeal!!!
Rewatch Valu-10/10
You did see that I said that I rewatched this movie already, right?
Overall-10/10
If you can, I suggest that you rent this movie as it was that good! I totally recommend this to everyone! A really feel good, cute and beautiful movie wraping up an awesome series!
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Salty and Sweet but Ultimately Empty Calories.
HS the Movie is easily digestible without challenging either the cast or the viewer in any way.Entertaining...sure, Cute...yes, Watchable..
Ya betcha....
But is it going to be remembered, does it end with any resonance, and does it accomplish anything at all that hasn't been done a million times over (BL or Not), or even better does it accomplish anything or move beyond the Hello Stranger Series that came before it....
That is a strong no.
Ultimately the story is simply a rewind of the series with a more satisfying final moment.
While the production is a step up from the series, and overall strong, the directing still has stilted moments. Instances where the actors and action are unnatural, as if you can imagine the director shouting action and the scene beginning instead of it being organic as if this and these people are a world that exists even if we aren't watching . While it is sparse and sprinkled through the running time, the fact that some scenes and transitions work so well makes these moments the more glaring.
The story is the weakest point of the film. It is a workhorse trying to tell what is happening currently and what happened over the time the series ended until now. While this back and forth narrative isn't a bad storytelling choice, it's execution is subpar. When the past rears its head, it is normally in significant interactions of "now" where the characters are sharing intimate moments. This destroys the ability for the viewer to watch these characters breathe in their current state and kills any butterfly, heart stuttering, they must be together inducing moments. Even worse, the past scenes are clunky and long winded freezing the present, crashing in with exposition filled drama that needed to be whittled down so we could get back to the current story as soon as possible.
This leads to really odd sudden changes to characters and jumps in plot. Abruptly people want to part ways, suddenly emotions are overwhelming, and with neck breaking speed tables turn, and before you know it someone is standing in front of the entire cast teary eyed monologue-ing their entire story and feelings. Thus, the issues these characters are trying to overcome are made insignificant, remain underdeveloped, and resolve just because the plot wills it so.
At its best, the film is an easy romp when one just wants to see an overall attractive cast play at the beach and play at love while staying in a good mood without the need to think.
At its worst, it is masturbatory tale of its own series leaving the viewer, and cast, in the same exact spot that we all were a year ago. A love story that is trite, candy coated, simple, with characters that can't be developed beyond the will they or won't they world they seem forever trapped.
For 4 bucks American, it's perfectly serviceable and easily one of the highest Pinoy BL productions around...I don't feel shorted in any way.
But, I will say it left me craving it's closest competitor Gameboys Season 2. I'm anxious to see if that story is capable of moving beyond it's predecessor now that the computer screens are left behind.
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Good Script, Likable Characters
The original series was good enough to watch twice, but only because JC Alcantara (as Mico Ramos) stepped up to sell his part so well. Tony Labrusca (in the first billed role as Xavier) seemed ill at ease with the whole affair. In this sequel, Tony finally seems comfortable in the role and the chemistry between the two leads is sensational. I have to give a special mention to Miguel Almendras (June Sandico) who has a small but featured role n both films. He takes on the difficult role of "the voice of reason" and handles it like a pro. The literature camp is a refreshing new storyline. The final scene delivers on what we've been waiting for, though its not clear why it took so long. The only minor complaint I have is the gay love triangle gets introduced quite late in the story and I think it would have been more interesting to have a few more scenes of Xavier's jealousy emerge in contrast to Mico's jealousy of Crystal (Xavier's girlfriend). Overall, it hits all the right notes.Was this review helpful to you?
#HelloStrangerTheMovie
Ang masasabi ko Lang WORTH IT siya panoorin, napakaganda, iba yung feeling while watching this movie , andyan yung matatawa ka, tas bigla ka na Lang maluluha tas tatawa ka ulit, kikiligin, iiyak halohalong emosyon. Syempre yung mensahe ng pelikula ang pinaka importante. Sa acting walang tapon JC and TONY? Ang galing nila PROMISE. Kaya watch na kayo guys sulit ang 200 pesos niyo. Kung sa series na sobra yung kilig natin triple sa movie guys, yung iyak natin sa series? Triple din dito, yung tawa natin sa series? Triple din dito. Ang sarap Lang makanood ng ganitong klase ng pelikula lalo nat first bl movie na valentine offering Pa ng Star Cinema and Black Sheep. Spread this movie guys para mas malawak yung mabigyan natin ng awareness about sa LGBTQIA+.Was this review helpful to you?
decent follow up to the series
Overall: this was not the follow up plot that I wanted but I think they executed it fairly well. I originally bought/watched on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, re-watched on GagaOOLala in 2024 https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4290/hello-stranger-the-movie-2021Content Warning: homophobia, vomiting, punch, manhandling
What I Liked
- supportive friend group
- maybe I read too much into it, but I liked how Mico took the top bunk and said he was used to being on top and Xavier said that was okay and he'd adjust
- non cliche female love rival
- character mentioned having 2 moms
- Mico had self respect
Room For Improvement
- very confusing start based on where the season left off, and the timeline took some time to figure out
- we didn't get nearly enough time with them as a happy couple for me to want to really root for their relationship to succeed
- wanted Xavier to do a bit more groveling for what he put Mico through
- the guy love rival was unnecessary and I kind of wanted them to be end game
- cliche thing that happened to Mico
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SPECTACULAR PINOY BL MOVIE
Today, February 12th, my birthday , just happened to be the same day the movie streamed on iWantTFC. The renting price was only $3.99, (which is extremely cheap in my opinion). And let me tell you...the movie was TOP. NOTCH. Was worth every cent.Story:
I absolutely love what they did with the story and how they continued it from the series. I adored how they did a time skip in the beginning of the movie; saying it was six months later but while also going back to what happened between Mico and Xavier little by little. There weren't to many characters and the new characters that were introduced played an important role to the story.
Acting/Cast:
GOD. TIER. The acting was amazing as always! For some reason many filipino actors are able to cry in the most realistic way possible. Along with moments in the movie that made me laugh hysterically. They're all extremely good looking. Adorable, gorgeous/handsome all at the same time.
Music:
Amazing and soothing music to my ears! Loved how they even had different versions for some of them. The singing from the actors was just so beautiful too. It fit very well with the mood.
Rewatch Value:
Most definitely. That movie was way too good. I'm planning to watch it again tomorrow afternoon. That shows how good this bl movie was.
Overall:
I highly suggest this BL. It's very heartwarming and it's very realistic too, in the sense of touching on certain problems in society that involve relationships, break ups, coming out of the closet, trust, etc. There's no over doing it with kissing scenes. There's no overly dramatic moments that make you wanna cringe. It's just a fantastic BL movie.
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An Honest, Deserving Love Story
This RomCom film was absolutely great. It had the perfect formula balanced well with all the laughs, the pain, the love and of course, the kilig moments! Everyone can find something to relate to in this movie.The sheer honesty displayed in this movie was really nice to witness. It’s one thing to produce a BL production, but it’s another to execute a genuine job well done. Black Sheep did just that and as well as JC Alcantara & Tony Labrusca with the rest of the cast. The chemistry they share together is outstanding, especially coming from the web series that was mostly filmed remotely online.
I’m so glad that the Philippines welcomed the BL genre with open arms; to even have ABS-CBN premiere a BL movie as their Valentine’s Day special release, is just amazing to finally see in this day of age.
I cannot wait to see what more can come from this production. There’s so much to explore and develop, so many characters and their relationships to delve into like KaiSeph & JunTal! Salamat again to Black Sheep and the Hello Stranger cast for giving us this movie during this time of the pandemic. You’ve all brought joy, laughter and tears in our households. Takits!
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