However, even for audiences who are “outsiders” to either the 90s or Chang should still find themselves relatively entertained by the film. It may not be a masterpiece by any measure, but as far as Taiwanese mainstream movies go, it’s a decent effort.
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It almost seems like there’s a splinter Taiwanese film industry focused solely on churning out nostalgia-inducing coming of age movies set in the 80s and 90s, and Take Me to the Moon is the latest addition to the stable. For those born in the correct era, the movie will definitely evoke a strong sense of nostalgia (probably even more so for Taiwanese audiences, since some of the nuances - for example the 90s Taiwan setting - would be lost on a Singaporean audience), but otherwise Take Me to the Moon does not break any new ground in the genre. Its time-travelling element is also rather problematic, and while such flights of fantasy would never stand up to close scrutiny, it can get a little frustrating for any audience that demands at least a sound internal logic within the film’s universe.
Vivian Sung continues to prove her acting chops in Take me to the Moon, and while the ostensible lead character is Jasper Liu’s time-travelling protagonist, she manages to command the screen every time she shows up, and Jasper really does pale in comparison (although it’s still a passable performance). It’s a bit unfortunate that Sung seems to be typecast into similar roles already, but she is definitely an actress I hope to see more of in the future. Her singing is actually quite decent as well, and what I had thought to be a proxy singing voice turned out to be her own.
Ultimately, Take Me to the Moon also functions as a loving tribute to singer Tom Chang, who met an untimely accidental death in 1997. Anyone who’s listened to Mandopop in that era would be pretty familiar with his songs, and much of the film’s soundtrack are variants of some of his more iconic hits. Even his final concert is given a recreation in the film, and it may be surprising to note that it wasn’t culled from existing concert footage but reshot with a stand-in who bears some resemblance to the passed singer. However, even for audiences who are “outsiders” to either the 90s or Chang should still find themselves relatively entertained by the film. It may not be a masterpiece by any measure, but as far as Taiwanese mainstream movies go, it’s a decent effort.
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