Reflection: Mongolian Ping Pong

Mogolian Ping Pong was much like the Weeping Camel, in the fact that they were both simple but showed a completely different way of living. Mogolian Ping Pong was centered on 3 boys and their way of living. One day, one of the boys come across a ping pong ball thats floating down the river. The ping pong sticks out like a sore thumb as it slowly makes its way down stream. Curiousity gets the best of the young boy and as he rushes to catch it. He's never seen anything like it before and takes it home to show is family. His family doesn't show much interest in the ball but his grandmother says its a 'glowing pearl.' After days of treating the ping pong ball like a treasure they hear on the television that the ping pong ball is their nation's national ball. They are convinced that their nation needs their ball back, so they go out for a quick hike to Beijing, only to stop and turn back home; realizing that Beijing is way to far. Eventually the 3 boys begin to fight over who can keep the ball, and one day a boy trades the ping pong ball for another toy. The boy who found the ball was furious, but eventually the two overcame their disagreements and were friends again. In the end, the boy who had originally found the ping pong ball goes into town to watch a performance. He gets up to go to the bathroom and gets distracted by a noise he hears, he opens the door to the unfamiliar sound and see's ping pongs everywhere.

I enjoyed this movie because it really embraced the simplicity of the lives of these people. They were so fasicinated by a ping pong ball - something that many of us in America wouldn't even stop to look at. This film also shows the importance of friendship and family. I personally would not care to view this film again, only because it was a little too slow for my taste. I can tolerate movies that are quieter than usual, but this one in particular seemed a bit repetitive. After awhile I lost interest in the ping pong and would've like to see more of their culture and where they live.

Movie 4 - Mongolian Ping Pong

Mongolian Ping Pong was made in 2005. According to the New York Times, they gave this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars. After reading various blogs, summaries and critques I get the sense that this film will be very similar to The Weeping Camel. It's about a family living in Mongolia just outside of the Gobi desert. I chose to not read farther because I don't enjoy going into a movie knowing the outcome. However I did get a good sense as to what the movie is about. It's based off a boy who clearly knows very little about the world outside of his farm. One day he comes across a ball. He is amused by his findings and believes he had found a "glowing pearl." This movie will probably emphasize the world that many of us are unaware even exists. It will show the simpler sides of life.

Reflection: Flirting

Flirting, was a great film. I found myself waiting until my next class so I could finish watching this movie. It's a cute film, if you will, about the love of two adolescents and their struggle to see eachother.

One thing I enjoyed about this film, was that you were able to see the other side of Australia. In the Rabbit Proof Fence, you see the poverty stricken, unfortunate side of Australia. Here you able to see the wealthy, succesful side of Australia. In this film, you see kids who come from wealthy families all with a bright futures in store. It's just interesting to watch a movie, that is placed within the same continent, but showing completely different cultures.

However, to my disappointment Nicole Kidman did not have as a big of a role as I would've liked her to have. I thought the main characters did well in playing their roles, I was just confused at the fact that Nicole Kidman was constantly mentioned in critques but she did not play as huge as a role as many people had said. I thought the character that Nicole Kidman played was a great character. She played a mysterious, confident teenager who understood the struggles that the two main characters in love were going through. From the critques I could only assume that she were to play a big role, instead she goes on to play supporting character.

In summary I would recommend this movie to a friend. I really enjoyed how they ended the movie. They left their audience with a sense of curiousity. Did fate bring the two together? What happened? It's a 'cliff hanger' type of ending, which are endings I have found to always enjoy. The plot and the simplicity of the film caught my attention and is what I believe made this movie enjoyable.

Movie 3 - Flirting

Flirting, is another Australian based film that was released in 1991. Based off my research this film focuses mainly on the romance between two teenagers. Starring Noah Taylor and Nicole Kidman, before her fame in Hollywood. Flirting won the, Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film, it was featured on Robert Ebert's (an American film critic) top 10 best movie list for 1992 and also ranked 46 on Entertainment's Weekly 50 Best High School Movies. Based off the accomplishments and awards that this film has been given I am convinced that this movie will be good. Even though Flirting was made before Nicole Kidman's Hollywood fame, I think she is a great actress and will truly bring a lot to this film. I voluntarily chose not to read to in depth on the plot because I would like for it to be a surprise. However, in summary this is a movie based on two teenagers coming of age and falling in love. Nicole Kidman, according to various critiques and reviews, did a remarkable job in playing her character. Noah Taylor, the other leading actor, is described to have performed at his greatest potential. Few people describe this movie as a 'chick flick' but many describe it has a movie of learning and growing up.

Reflection: The Rabbit Proof Fence

The Rabbit Proof Fence was very moving and inspirational film. It has given me a greater understanding of Australia's history and the unfortunate happenings that occurred for over 30 years there. This film was centered on 3 Aboriginal sisters, each whom did an amazing job in capturing the hardships during their time. This film was able to show the power of love and how it can bring a family together again - even if it means walking thousands of miles in the Australian desert. As you can see in the picture below, there are 3 rabbit proof fences on the western half of Australia. In The Rabbit Proof Fence, the three sisters followed the red fence on the map below for nearly 2000 miles to Jigalong, their home. Not only did this movie do a great job in showing the continent's crucial past, but it was able to show the clash between the two cultures and how things were during that time. It showed the average life of an Aboriginal family as well as the average Caucasian who lived in Australia.

I would recommend this movie to a friend. It's a very moving film that emphasizes an unknown past of Australia that so many of us know little about. It also gives us an insight on a culture that many of us in America don't know a lot about as well. I enjoyed viewing this film and would definitely watch it again.

Movie 2 - The Weeping Camel

Before beginning 'the Rabbit Proof Fence,' we watched a Mongolian based film called the 'Weeping Camel.' It was a simple movie. It was based on a family living in the Gobi desert. Its title, 'the Weeping Camel' is literally about a camel the family was raising. In summary, the family this documentary is based on owns a farm in Mongolia. There, they raised camels and sheep. In the beginning of the film, one of their camels gave birth; throughout the movie the family works to get the mother camel to accept her young one. Here you get to see their way of life and how important family is. This documentary does a great job is showing the clash between the Mongolian way of life, to the American way of living. It shows how the people are greatful for things that many of us in America take for granted. It was a truly an interesting film that gave me appreciation for the things I have. It was able to show me a whole different kind of living that I was so unaware existed.

Movie 1 - Rabbit Proof Fence

For my first film I will be watching 'Rabbit Proof Fence'. It's an Austrailian film that is originally based on the book Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Garimara. According to various critiques this movie has recieved impressive reviews and up to 4.5 to 5 stars. I look forward to viewing this film not only because of the positive critiques, but also because it's a movie that tackles an unheard of issue in the Austrialian history. In summary, this is a story about family, love, and hardships. It seems like a very moving film and I look forward to watching it.


During the 1930's in Austrailia, aborigian children were frequently taken away from their homelands to indentured servitude. This was because many people during this time believed that the aborigian people's way of life was wrong. Therefore, sending the children off to indentured servitude was a way for them to 'save them from themselves'. This process continued for nearly 30 years. Even with various laws and petitions passed during this time period, the aborigian people stilled continued to have little rights over their way life. 'Rabbit Proof Fence' is a movie based souly on these reoccuring issues during the mid 20th century in Austrailia. It is about 3 aborigian siblings who escape from the Austrailian government to avoid their potential new life they are suppose live. It is a story about their hardships and how important family is, as they follow a rabbit proof fence across eastern Austrailia.

Welcome to my blog!

For my blog, I will be posting my thoughts on various foreign films. Enjoy.