Gray Boom

I have to admit that I was a bit sceptic when I first saw the cartoon-y writing pop-up, and thought that this was going to be another mind-numbing attempt at some obscure British comedy that I wasted my time watching. The cynic in me was squashed, however, as I was caught up in the experiences of the main character. While I think some parts were overplayed (I suppose to help get a point across to the viewer), overall this was a good film and did make some great points and have some touching moments. If you're willing to not take it, or yourself, too seriously, you may enjoy this.

I'm not sure where this movie fell apart. It has a decent storyline, but the telling was so choppy that the film almost became a chore to finish watching. For those who enjoy a short story made long and complicated (and left unfinished), this is a tale of love, loss, and sacrifice, with some good scenic shots and an excellent replication of a preserved bog body, for everyone else, I'd skip this one.

While not a cinematic breakthrough, this film is a somewhat lighthearted take on some serious issues. With humor, sincerity, and a bit of understanding, there are several lessons to be learned from this film, and many laughs to be had throughout. Highly recommended!

I try to read reviews and watch trailers before watching a film to see if I might like it; but I also usually disagree with the "professional" critics. While many of the reviews shown here are what I would consider extreme (1 star or 5, with few in between), one reviewer agreed that it was flawed, but said to give it a chance, and I am glad I did. Keeping in mind that I am emotionally sensitive (I cry a lot over books and film) I did end up almost crying toward the end, and yet, when I thought it would have ended, there was more! And yes, if you want to be philosophical, there were a few good questions brought up that could make for a good, and possibly heated, discussion after watching this, but if you want something to just watch and enjoy, this fits that bill also. Having said all that, I agree: Give it a chance, you might just be surprised! (btw, thanks to A W, whoever you are!) Brief overview with comparisons: While possibly a vague spoiler, consider somewhat the format of a documentary combined with the storytelling outline from the film version of "Starship Troopers", then imagine if a documentary had been made of the early days of the program featured in "Avatar".

Chinese movies, to me, often seem to be acted out in a silly way, bordering on ridiculous, but usually with a good moral underlining the story. By those standandards, this one was almost sober. I am very sensitive, and was crying the entire second half of the film. The meaning is still important, the aesthetics are amazing, most of the special effects are wonderful, and even though the translations are a little off, the closed captioning/subtitles were easy to understand. If you enjoy Chinese films, or if you have never watched one and would like to see how they are, I highly recommend this.