Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Derrick Gibbons An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

FilmCriticLalitRao There is no point discussing bad films but to save other innocent viewers from the agony of senseless torture it is better if some enterprising reviews are written.This is a righteous attempt in that direction.Travellers and Magicians is a very bad film for many reasons. In Buddhism it is taught that lust for sexual relationships is a very bad sin but in Travellers and Magicians there are steamy scenes of lust.So the filmmaker is not practicing what he has been preaching to his followers.Khyntse Norbu worked with Bertolucci on his film "The Last Emperorer".It is only on that basis and nothing else that he is seeking fame.What a selfish act of pretentiousness.The worst thing about this film is that it is unable to stand on its own save for the crutches of exoticism.If we remove these scenes from this film than it would be nothing more than a visual story book.This film can only be liked by people who are fed up of their own lives, own circumstances and own religion.

Howard Schumann In Travellers and Magicians, Tibetan Buddhist director Khyentse Norbu spins two parallel stories that deliver one message -- happiness can be discovered simply by being in the present moment. Picking up from his internationally acclaimed feature, The Cup, Norbu's second film is filled with gentle humor, gorgeous scenery and music, and astute observations of the foibles of human nature. Shot entirely in Dzongkha, Bhutan, a tiny country of 700,000 people in Central Asia, Norbu assembled a cast of non-actors including a monk, a banking executive, and a government researcher, and all perform with distinction. In the first story, a young university graduate working in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan longs for a more exciting life in America but discovers the quiet places in his mind when he misses the bus to his first destination. The second tale is about a young student of magic who also seeks to escape his mundane life in his rural village but must confront passion and jealousy when he loses his way in a forest.Dondup, a government officer, played by former Bhutan producer Tshewang Dendup, wears Nikes, sports a T-shirt that says I love New York, listens to rock music on his portable stereo, and has walls cluttered with pictures of scantily clad Caucasian women. He says he would rather pick apples in America than continue to live in his isolated village. When Dondup receives the letter he had been waiting for, he packs his suitcases and sets off for greener pastures but misses the bus and is forced to hitch a ride on the mountain road. There he meets other travelers: an aged apple peddler (Apo Dochu), a Buddhist monk (Sonam Kingu), a rice paper seller and his lovely nineteen-year old daughter Sonam (Sonam Lhamo). As they wait for the next vehicle to arrive, they listen to a story serenely told by the Buddhist monk.In the fable, the restless Tashi (Lhakpa Dorji) is tricked by his brother to enter a world of magic and illusion. Leaving his village on a magic horse, he becomes lost in the woods but is rescued by an old farmer. When he discovers his passion for the farmer's seductive young wife Deki (Deki Yangzom), however, he must deal with dark emotions beyond his experience. Travellers and Magicians has a natural beauty and charm and tells an important message - that we can be very happy just by being aware of and handling what is in front of us. As the poet Shakyamuni put it, "One who…clearly grasps the present deepens his state of life". If you are not fond of spiritual messages, however, you can simply enjoy the stories and the natural wonders of a pristine land before, as Norbu says, "there are 200 McDonalds, 100 Burger Kings, 100 Starbucks, 50 KFCs, polluted water, and deforestation".

christopher_m_k I felt as though I had been hoodwinked about fifteen minutes into this movie. The trailer made it look like it might be funny and charming, which it was not. Men dancing in a silly way and men wearing silly hats are highly suggestive of comedy, warmth, and charm. That and nice scenery (inherent in Asain cinema) were what I was expecting. Instead I got a sermon told through the stories of completely flat characters. When I used to work at Cheddar's, I was the world's worst waiter for about two weeks, but it wasn't entirely my fault. One of the things I got in trouble for was constantly spilling Margaritas. However, the management at Cheddar's had selected Margarita glasses that were much more like plates with stems than anything meant to hold a beverage. I would come to the bar with wet sleeves and ask for more over and over again. The customers got angrier, my sleeves got drunker, and eventually I quit, preempting being fired. These characters were like those Margarita glasses. This was a shabby, preachy fable, which could have been told more artfully with my nipple hair directing and my toenail clippings as actors. Shame on everyone for giving this a high rating. I fear I have fallen victim to the because it's foreign and independent it must be good and I'm a filthy commoner if I don't enjoy it crowd. Don't do the same.

Barbara Gershenson Love versus Lust... All of the actors were chosen from local Bhutanese people. The inner stories are the most fascinating. An inspiration to all. To young people hoping and dreaming for the material world's "gifts". To Westerners who have never imagined or seen the beauty and rich culture of Bhutan. Just be patient, for this movie will lead you on a journey which you could never imagine..... I learned new perspectives about Hope and Love. The stories don't follow the Hollywood model of the acts. But, for me this storytelling method is more like that of the fable, fairytale or morality tale like Eric Roehmer's Morality Tales. For me, this is a much more enriching art form. It's not your typical Hollywood movie, thanks.