Sunset with Happiness

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2013)

What an experiment. Nine literal years following the event(s) of Before Sunrise, inside and out of the fictional continuation, came the very well done follow-up, Before Sunset.
I adore original sequels. Especially since there are so few of them. Now, I might lose some credibility for this one, but Before Sunset and Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 share something in common with me. Both had probably thee most original concepts for a second chapter.
Now, granted, Blair Witch 2 wasn't an overall great film, and nowhere near it's predecessor, but the idea of a sequel based on the idea the first was a movie was truly original. (Sadly, it went nowhere near it could've gone with that initial premise.) Here, with Before Sunrise, we get to literally see where these characters AND actors changed in nine years.
Basically, this movie does take place almost a decade after the events of the first movie explaining a ton of what happened following that fateful day for our two lovebirds: Jesse and Celine. They meet again after some time has passed and it's like no time had passed. Again, the camera follows these two soul mates through, now, Paris, and they talk and walk and learn about each other's new lives and loves.
As if no time had passed (and it helps seeing these movies back to back,) these two feel just as comfortable with each other as they did when they first met. Only nowthere's tension because they did grow up, apart and with someone else.
While, I liked the movie as a whole and absolutely loved the concept of the 9-year gap of both fiction and nonfiction, it wasn't as fresh after awhile as the original. That doesn't take from the fun I did have with this; it was still very nice to follow these two around and how much they understand each other.
(Spoiler comingif you don't like those, just skip the next paragraph.)
The absolute best part of this movie, when you get past the premise, was the 100% ambiguous finale. The first movie, did give direction where the future was headed, and, yet, you still could draw your own conclusion. This one abruptly ended, which, while I was a little puzzled at first, made me fall in love with the decision of the filmmakers.
I did take a Sunday and watch the entire trilogy and I marveled on what it would've been like had I been a fan of this series and had to wait to see what happens next. I can't imagine what it was like for those who fell in love with these characters and had to wait yet another nine years to find out what the ending of this movie meant.
I guess I cheated, but nonetheless, I enormously loved this climax.
It's a bridge movie, but it's still definitely worth viewing.