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'Mongolian Ping Pong' is an enjoyable film which tells the story of a young boy called Bilike, who finds a ping-pong ball in the river near his house. He lives on the Mongolian steppe, fairly secluded from industrial society, and his family and friends all have their own amusing opinions of what the ping-pong ball is or is used for.

As other viewers have mentioned, the film feels a lot like "The Gods Must Be Crazy" (and I would draw comparisons to the darker Icelandic film, "Noi the Albino") and contains the trademark flourishes of these documentary-ish steppe films. This means there are tons of drawn-out shots of the landscape, lots of time where nothing is happening or nothing is being said, and a lot of time traveling from location to location. This is interesting here because the elapsed time and expansive terrain lend the events of the story more gravity. Some of the drawn-out scenes are slightly monotonous, but without this lengthy pacing the same events would not be very significant.

Still, the characters and interactions prove to be endearing and this is one of the better "steppe films" I've seen (a haha, I've only seen three or so!). The themes involve the contrast of a nomadic life against a modern industrial one, materialism in the steppes, and the significance of family and hard work. There are some beautiful shots of the plains, mountains and deserts of Mongolia and we are treated to some charming segments with various locals. It is generally what some would call a "heart-warming family film" though the subtitles and slow pace would probably alienate most children.

This is one of the best ever art films from China (which I consider one of the two cinema superpowers of the last two decades together with Iran) and the best film I have seen so far this summer in Washington.

Its story is very sweet and continuously interesting, the characters are very realistic acted convincingly by amateurs (they practically play themselves in a very real way), has very fine humor, has magnificently photographed Mongolian landscapes, and is directed flawlessly. It could also be considered very interesting as a fiction-documentary of the Mongolian country life and culture displayed in detail.

Sets an excellent example of film-making with an honest heart and endless talent. Strongly recommended to all non-Hollywood film-goers.

This movie is a slice of life taken from the Chinese Mongolian steppes where people today are still following many of the basic patterns of making a living as herdsmen as they did during the time of Ghengis Khan. The tale focuses on a young boy who finds a ping prong ball floating in the river and doesn't know what to make of it. His grandmother tells him it's a pearl from the river spirits and he tries to get it to glow. After a lack of success in getting the spirits dwelling within this mysterious pearl and after trying to get the pearl to glow, he learns that it is a ping prong ball. From a hazy TV broadcast, he learns ping prong is the National Sport, so the little plastic ball must be repatriated to Beijing. His attempt, however, creates more problems than it solves and his precious ball winds up being destroyed. The final awakening is delightful and unexpected.

All of the comments in the facing review is astoundingly vacuous and completely specious. This film is rich in ethnographic images, wonderful vistas of the vast Mongolian steppes and uncluttered portraits of a people whose inner and outer beauty is simple, honest and breathtaking. I guess the uninformed reviewer was expecting something other than real art.

Charming, subtle, funny, evocative and interesting characters. No Hollywood here, just a simple, but touching, story told through they eyes of a people and a culture that are alien to most of us. No trite sentimentality, nor appeal to national pride, nor play on insecurities of good and evil. The film and the story progress at the right pace for the time and place they are supposed to convey. If Proust appeals to you then this film is worth watching. You don't get the sense that the actors are acting which add an authentic feel to the movie. Nothing is 'enhanced' by sound or music or special effects which perfectly fits the setting. I highly recommend this film.

I went to this movie with school today. But pff, what a piece of crap! I don't understand why this movie is rated a 6.5 !?! Way overrated!

No storyline, no action, no drama, no nothing. I think they don't even had a budget for this film.

The boy, finds a ball, floating down the river, but he never saw that before. After two hours the boy finds out that a ping-p0ng-ball isn't a holy egg. But before that; he licked the ball first and then he urinated on it. (?)

note: Strange thing is that the plot line says: the family has no electricity. But there is a part in the movie showing a TV. There is also a little boy on a scooter. (But how does he tank his gas?) The movie isn't correct.

Please don't waste your time!