Comments on: ATTENTION NEW YORK: PING PONG OPENS TODAY

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 04:02:56 +0000

ok! so thanks for posting this, because it indeed reminded me about this showing that i had meant to remember some weeks back.

movie was AWESOME and i actually found myself really getting into the ping pong matches by the end.

i was a huge fan of the smart, natural character stuff. just really well put together. also very stoked that the chinese player was none other than SAM LEE!

By: Mike M.

Mike M. — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 03:32:55 +0000

Where is the english adaptation of the manga?

By: Huff

Huff — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 03:12:26 +0000

Oh shit, Viz is releasing Taste of Tea?!? This is required viewing for everyone.

By: Jason Marcy

Jason Marcy — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:13:26 +0000

AAAGHH!!!
No shipping list?
(Goes into corner to suck overused thumb…)

By: Tom Spurgeon

Tom Spurgeon — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 23:25:16 +0000

You get extra points for dismissing Oldboy with a tongue reference.

By: Kelly Sue

Kelly Sue — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 22:18:33 +0000

I love, love, love PING PONG. Might be in my top ten movies, period.

I would rather swallow my tongue than watch OLD BOY, however, so I might be partial to sweetness and light.

By: Tom Spurgeon

Tom Spurgeon — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 21:50:11 +0000

Well, we only get to do the movie marathon thing twice a year, and watching 15 movies in two days does tend to fuck with your standards. I have a terrible memory for film, too. Like Survive Style 5, all I remember without being prompted is 1) I liked it, and 2) one of the characters drove the same station wagon my dad did.

To answer your question, I think I’m remembering the character-types and the final outcome were recognizable for their sports drama antecedents and the exaggerated action stuff was reasonably familiar from other recent movies, too. Even the deadpan stuff was a lot like some recent Korean comedies.

I liked it, though! It’s one I’d watch again, for sure.

And now I’m mad at Fraction because in checking IMDB for a paragraph I erased I just saw they’re making an English-language version of Oldboy. Yecch!

By: fraction.

fraction. — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:03:05 +0000

Tom, they play ping pong against one another in PING PONG HEAVEN, awash in the holy light of Perfect Game! The linear narrative is fractured in pieces! Characters can HEAR the ball spin! What the FUCK does straightforward mean at your brother’s house?

By: Tom Spurgeon

Tom Spurgeon — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:41:43 +0000

Yeah, my brother has it. He’s a big fan of asian cinema and buys in big chunks from places like DDDHOUSE.com.

It’s clever and entertaining, but very much a kids film in a way. We were kind of surprised how straightforward it was.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:38:05 +0000

Well, it was released in 2002 in Japan, and it’s screened at a bunch of film festivals internationally, but it looks to have just picked up official distribution from Viz. Have you seen it?

By: Tom Spurgeon

Tom Spurgeon — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:29:54 +0000

This is the same movie that’s been out for a few years, right?