Pinpon

This was one of those movies that I really had to force myself to watch and ended up loving.

It's a story more about the nature of friendship than the actual sport of ping pong.

As with a lot of Japanese cinema, the movie takes a while to get moving, but don't let this deter you. The special effects are fantastic. Basically, I didn't even know there were special effects until I'd finished watching it.

There are a few laugh out loud moments, although some of the humour requires a knowledge of Japan. My favourite moment is the boy who doesn't want to play in the tournament because his opponent is Chinese.

While I should have found the ending schmaltzy, I actually found it quite touching. I have no hesitation in recommending this movie to anyone.