Weathering With You: Not Just a Love Story - A Review

Katatapos ko lang nito mapanood kanina at nako, sinasabi ko sa'yo, tumambay pa talaga ako sa sine nang matagal kanina para lang magpunas ng luha kasi grabe ang iyak ko rito. Jusko. Kung tutuusin, mas marami pa ang iniyak ko rito kaysa sa Your Name. Promise.

But enough of that. Let's get to my review, shall we?

The very first time I heard that Makoto Shinkai (Your Name's film director) would be creating a new animated film, of course, I was excited. Your Name tugged at my heartstrings and I actually memorized every scene it had by watching it a lot of times. Pero noong narinig ko ang title nito, Weathering with You? Duda ako. It wasn't catchy for me and it even sounded weird. Kahit ang synopsis nito? What's appealing ba with the main character's special ability? Nagpapatigil ng ulan? Oh, tapos?

Now I just wanna slap myself for thinking that.

It's a visual eye-candy. Kahit pa ang setting nito'y sa isang gloomy and rainy-version of Tokyo, the glum surrounding it is photorealistic, at parang gugustuhin mo na lang manirahan doon. Not only that, na-miss ko rin ang emotional resonance na hatid ng RADWIMPS. It's so nostalgic kahit pa ilang taon lang ang pagitan ng release ng Your Name at Weathering with You. Hearing their voice and their familiar musical arrangements added to the feels I felt. Takte rin 'yung timing ng pagsingit ng pagtugtog nila. Doon pa talaga ipinatong sa part na may nakakaiyak, lalo tuloy bumubuhos luha ko.

At the first act, I was busy wondering how in the hell this movie would touch me. Iyon talaga ang habol ko eh no? E kasi naman, usap-usapan ito sa twitter at sa kung anu-ano pang mga sites. Even friends I know said this movie made them bawl like a child. But the first 30 minutes, parang wala masyadong nangyayari. I get it. Of course, umpisa pa lang, pinapakilala pa lang ang mga characters at sini-setup pa lang ang plot. Pero c'mon! You have to do better than that. Impress me the way Your Name did!

Honestly, I was a bit bored at first--storywise; but aesthetically speaking, hindi. Parang iyon nga lang ang nagpapanatili sa akin nang gising eh, 'yung ganda nung ulan. Not even the time na nag-meet ang dalawang bidang sina Hokada at Hina at nagba-bond na sila. I enjoyed it a bit naman and was looking forward din sa next pa nilang encounters. Pero may hinahanap pa ako eh. I wanted to know who the antagonist was, dahil hindi naman pupwedeng puro okay lang ang mga nangyayari. A story won't move forward if there were no conflicts.

At iyon na nga. It's like a slap to my face.

And this was when I realized why people kept on mentioning na may pagkakahalintulad ang story structure nito sa Your Name. Wow. Gano'n lagi 'yun eh: Pangingitiin ka, pakikiligin ka, then BAAM! Suprise madafaka! Naghihintay lang pala ng perfect timing 'yung heartache. Buset. Lakas makanakit ng damdamin.

It wasn't a big of a plot twist like how Your Name did. The story's climax was already hinted somewhere at the 30 minute-part ng movie. Pero nung dumating iyon, grabe, it was handled so well na hindi nabawasan ang sakit ng aking damdamin. You know it was gonna happen, and when it did happen, shet friend! Buti na lang solo ko ang buong row kanina sa sine, feel na feel ko ang pag-iyak.

What you'll love about this movie was the main character's undying love for each other and the stakes they're going to take for the name of love. Hindi siya cheesy unlike most of the romance stories I've read and watched. The love I felt was genuine and true. And referring to the title of one of its OST: Is there still anything that love can do? After watching this, I'm gonna answer yes.

But above all that iyak and emotional shitstorm whirling in me, Weathering With You was not just a love story. It reflects on the issue of climate change and how we as humans, just like Hina, can affect the weather we are experiencing; not just by praying but by doing the right things. Weather almost felt like it's its own character in the movie, daring viewers to recognize it and understand its intention.

The tension that happened on the climax was choosing between what's best for everybody or what's best for them as a couple, and personally speaking, the path they didn't take was the wisest choice sana. Ang selfish kasi ng dating ng ending para sa akin. But I can't blame the characters from the choices they made. It's romantic. It's like a visual representation of how love can move mountains. At damang-dama ko iyon.

The ending will make you realize also how selflessness could help save the future sana. You'll understand once you've watched it. Nevertheless, the film's writer made a wise move on absolving the characters from the guilt they were feeling. It wasn't explained much verbally, but I think what the movie wanted to say was that: nature has its own way of fixing things. And that what happened on the ending was the right thing. Kaya ayun, hooray!

There are little issues lang akong napansin nang mapanood ko ito:

• First, kulang 'yung character background ni Hokada. We were never introduced to his family or his other friends. Sure, it won't help the plot, but it can make me relate to him even more sa umpisa pa lang hindi 'yung parang flat character lang siyang gustong manirahan sa Tokyo sa simula. Of course, I needed to be supplemented with the why's.

• Next was the convenience na hatid nung baril na natagpuan ni Hokada. When that little thing was introduced early on, akala ko may magiging malaking connect iyon sa story. Sadly, parang naging lazy plot device lang siya nung writer na kailangan lang para sa ilang scenes.

• And there are crossovers na sana'y pinatagal man lang nila ang exposure! Shems!

Overall, it was phenomenal. It will surely hold a special place in my heart. Mas maganda kapag sa sine siya pinanood kasi may mga karamay ka. Pare-parehas kayong magsisinghutan ng mga kapwa-viewers sa nakakaiyak na scenes nito. Jusko. HAHAHA!

So ano pang ginagawa mo? Stop whatever you're doing and head on to your nearest cinema! Panoorin mo na, dali! Hindi ka magsisisi. Pramis.