2002, Japan
Director: Fumihiko Sori
Cast: Yosuke Kubozuka, Arata, Sam Lee

Peco and Smile are best friends that have been playing ping-pong since they were kids. While Peco loves to play the game, Smile only plays to kill time with his friend despite the fact that he is the most talented.

This film is based on Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga of the same title. I can’t say anything about the manga because I am not familiar with it, but the film explores and brings the world of ping-pong to the next level. One might expect Shaolin Soccer. This is much more than that. While Shaolin Soccer was mainly a whacked out soccer game film, this film interestingly deals with the spirituality of the game. Sure it is very surreal indeed but characters have certainly more determination, ambition and perhaps spirit in Ping Pong.

First-time director Fumihiko Sori uses CGI very subtly throughout the film, so that it never takes over the film. He really could have gone overboard with the ping-pong matches and thrown in tremendous amounts of CGI to enhance the game. But once again this film is not about the game of winning and losing. It is about what goes on behind it. And there is some comedy to be had, but Ping Pong is much more charming and insightful than a wacky comedy.

This film will absolutely satisfy and inspire everyone. You may not stand up and cheer, but you will have a big smile at the end of the film. And perhaps it will bring tears to your eyes at some point.