Am I Missing Something?

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

The "Gringo Trails" documentary overall deals with a topic that is appropriate for anyone and addresses issues that need to be exposed to everyone. However, the film does include content that would not be appropriate for certain viewers. The intended audience appears to be those who are capable and enthused to travel. It is clear the projected message is, when traveling, be respectful and considerate of the people and the culture. The change is to cut down on tourism in places that cannot handle it. Mass tourism can ruin a community or a location. Prior to viewing this documentary, I didn't know anything about the effects of mass tourism and honestly was not expecting to see any major repercussions of this occurrence. However, using interviews and beautiful raw footage of Bolivia, Thailand, and other locations, this film addresses real problems and inclines you to desire change. I was most impacted by the part of the film intended to inform how quickly destruction of an area can occur, and the facts shocked me.

Gringo trails is definitely a good movie. It's very eye opening. It shows you how word of mouth can really make people want to go to a destination whether, it is popular or not. It gives you that knowledge and it shows how somewhere can become a popular tourist spot. I would definitely watch this movie if you want to learn about how a destination gets popular. If you are looking for a good educational movie about how a destination becomes popular this is your movie.

Gringo TrailsWhen I watched Gringo Trails I thought it will be a long movie. The movie was really depressing. I almost fell asleep while watching it. I sort of felt bad for the people that lived in the areas where there was poverty. I didn't know they sold cold beer in Bolivia. Bolivia has a lot of snow and salt which is why they have the largest desert in the world. I learned that as the number of tourists grow, the more species will grow. Snakes can be very toxic and their bites can be very bad. During harvest season, which is in April or May, they collect cactus. Everyone brushes their teeth outside and they take their clothes off outside- which is really creepy. They had lot of camels in Africa. I would definitely go to the beaches, relax and not worry about people messing with me. The way the people talked over in the countries was kind of annoying. I don't even want to think about living in those countries. I'd probably would kill myself if I had stayed there for a couple of days. I think the movie shows you how to respect people's feelings and think of others than yourself.

Great documentary film about the effect of backpacker tourism on more remote areas of the globe. For the past 25 years, backpackers have flocked to far flung destinations like Thailand, the Amazon. etc. While these travelers' intentions may have been well-meaning, their impact on the native populations and environment has been harmful in many ways.Through archival footage, the filmmakers are able to visually show the detrimental effects of unchecked tourism. By interviewing both backpackers and residents of the communities affected, the audience is able to come to its own conclusions on a growing global issue. This documentary appears to have been years in the making, so the viewer is able to see the pace of change, too. I really enjoyed the look and use of animation in the story-telling. The documentary is particularly relevant as the world becomes more connected.This well-balanced look at a growing problem is alarming in a very understated way. Kudos to Pegi Vail and Melvin Estrella for their excellent presentation of this subject matter.