Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

KissEnglishPasto ............................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA and ORLANDO, FL ****There Is a Phrase In This Review That Might Be Considered a SPOILER!*****Deciding to watch a film like ELEPHANT KING is always a gamble. Ellen Burstyn was the only easily recognizable name. DVD artwork Layout and IMDb synopsis looked interesting; shot mostly in Thailand by an international crew. I took a chance! Lucky me! This is one gamble that paid off nicely-In The End-BOTH literally and figuratively! Here's a direct quote from IMDb: "...won Best Picture/Best Score at Sacramento International Film Festival. Jonno Roberts was Nominated for Best Actor." It's a rather sad commentary on the realities of film marketing/distribution that an unpretentious little wonder like this, made in 2006, only received Limited 2008 theater release, and took another year to be released on DVD! The first half of the Blurb is erroneous. The author either didn't: A) Actually see ELEPHANT, or B) Missed the opening minutes, orC) Didn't pay the slightest attention to the opening.Perhaps the TITLE may conjure up grandiose expectations of regal splendor and sumptuous royalty. There is certainly none of that here. There is a baby elephant, which besides offering detached moments of poignancy, also serves a pivotal symbolic and metaphoric purpose, at least before the film ends. Incidentally, the ensemble performance was remarkable.Seth Grossman (Butterfly Effect 3) must be complimented on his understated, evenhanded direction, which, when coupled with the outstanding acting; spot on depiction of the vapid, high-energy emptiness of Thailand's nightlife and its minions; the highly nuanced very late-bloomer coming-of-age transformation and self-discovery of the younger brother central character; as he finally manages to free himself from the gravitational pull of his slacker older brother; Plus the low-key ever-so-slightly surreal Buddhist/Zen spin that is imparted via a bittersweet finale that manages to neatly "THAI" together most of ELEPHANT's loose ends, make it a solid 9* experience! Before viewing ELEPHANT, I recommend you contemplate this THAI proverb: Patience and Forbearance are always rewarded with Happiness!.....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome! KissEnglishPasto@Yahoo.com

jotix100 Oliver Hunt is a young New Yorker who is a secret writer, still living at home. When we first meet him, he is working as a dishwasher in a restaurant. He has a brother, Jake, who has been living in Thailand. Jake has left New York under the pretext of studying Thai culture, but he is really a piece of work, whoring around, indulging in drugs, Thai boxing; he is living a life of excesses. His worrying parents relent in letting their son Oliver travel to Thailand in order to bring his debouched brother back home where he is supposed to face the music.Alas, poor Oliver is charmed by the sights around Chiang Mai, where Jake introduces him to the bar scene. Jake is a nasty sort who hasn't exactly endeared himself to the locals. They see in him a detestable person who has overstayed his welcome among the easy going locals. Oliver falls hard for the beautiful Lek, a bar hostess that introduces the naive man into pleasures he hasn't known. Lek, who is loved by a local musician, who will come between her and Jake, a situation that will be fatal in the end."The Elephant King", written and directed by Seth Grossman, was a rare find. It examines the lives of the brothers in an unfamiliar locale. Mr. Grossman presents a credible story about the siblings that are so different, yet so much alike. By taking the action to Thailand, he introduces another layer of cultural differences that plays well in what he is trying to say.Tate Ellington appears as the shy Oliver in an understated performance. The more flamboyant Jonno Roberts' Jake shows a young man who has gone beyond his capabilities and has stepped in too many toes. Mr. Roberts is also an asset. The lovely Florence Faivre is the object of both brothers desires. Ellen Burstyn is seen briefly in her usual fine style as the Hunt brothers' mother. Josef Sommer doesn't have much to do.Mr. Grossman promises to be a director with talent and who, no doubt, will be around for quite a while, judging by what he was able to create in this film.

smartypantsfosho I saw this film on the festival circuit and was blown away, particularly when I heard it was this director's first feature. This film is simply stunning. The direction and cinematography are exceptional. The story and location showcase the excitement--and potential underbelly--of living abroad in an exotic locale, and the convincing portrayal of the brothers' relationship is moving. I can understand how it won so many awards at festivals. This is one of those movies that I hope doesn't languish in the festival circuit and then peter out. This is a beautifully crafted film from a young filmmaker and cast, and deserves major backing and distribution. I'm eager to see it again and bring my friends who now have heard all about it.

Maria Mangiameli I saw this film at the Tribeca Film Festival on its opening night and I was quite impressed. The cinematography was amazing, the soundtrack was awesome, not only the music used but the sound editing choices. But the thing that impressed me the most was the acting. Acting can make or break a film before anything else. Ellen Burstyn delivered a breathtaking performance (as she always does). Newcomer Tate Ellington was absolutely amazing, more than capable of holding his own in scenes where he had to perform head to head with Burstyn (as his mother), he left a memorable impression that makes me want to see him in a lot more films in the future. Jonno Roberts was also quite good, full of energy and emotion.