One of the best films i have seen

Lack of good storyline.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

"Ocean Heaven" is about JetLi (Wang Xincheng), who plays the role of a forty-seven years terminally ill father, Wang works at the aquarium while struggle to look after his twenty-one years old son Dafu, who suffers autism from childhood. He live in his own world and impaired social interaction and communication, he cannot take care of himself in daily life. Dafu's mother killed in an accident when he was young, but believed she was suicides, because she could not bear to combat his son is autism. Wang single-handedly brought up Dafu and trying to teach him basic necessary life skills in order to survive on his own and take care for himself after he found out he is terminally ill and only has 3 to 4 months to live. As well as teaching him how to wear clothes, how to cook, how to ride the bus, he struggles to look for a home for his son before he passes away. Finally they found a newly opened institution with helps from the principal of the school for intellectual disabilities children that Dafu attended as a child.In order to let his son live comfortably, Wang made the layout of his son's room exactly the same as his usual one.The film has an opening scene of Wang trying to kill himself and his son by tied themselves to a big rock and jumped into the ocean,because Wang do not know what to do with his son and do not want him to suffer on his own after Wang die. However, Dafu loves water, he is an expert swimmer, which saved their lives. Everyday, swimming at the aquarium that his father works for are the happiest time of his life, where he meet Lingling, Lingling plays the role of a clown who is part of a traveling circus that perform in the aquarium for a short period of time, they get well together as Lingling is a orphan, they become friends and Lingling has taught Dafu how to answer the phone in the aquarium when he hears it, because she know she will be leaving soon with her circus. Eventually, Wang passed away without regrets, Dafu also learned everything his father has taught him and works at the aquarium, at the end, Dafu lying on the back of the turtle, swim with peace of mind and happiness. Just like lying on his father's back.A father who is terminally ill and single-handedly brought up his son. A son who suffers autism that cannot take care of himself in daily life, when we see such film like this, we cannot help but thought where is the Ocean that makes people happy and delightful? Where is the desirable to feel the happiness of heaven? Ocean heaven is a movie that can touch something deep in people's heart. The director aims to raise public's concern on the struggling and desperate status of autistic people in the society in a very impressive way. The director has well knowledge with autism, which is one of the key elements to makes such amazing touched film. This film is a masterpiece of Xiaolu Xue,whose own personal experience from working as a volunteer at an autism school for ten years. This movie is about sincerity. It shows that in this day and age those filmmakers are willing to do something for society. It is trying to express gratitude to all the parents in the world through the film. At the beginning of the movie, father jumps into the ocean with the son and tries to end their life in the heart of the ocean. This is a very impressive scene. The ocean is beautiful and peaceful, sky is blue, all of these lead people to think about the positive things of life. However, this father, attempted to kill themselves in the heart of the ocean. Xue has successfully sets a question mark in audience's mind. The trembling of Dafu's fingers was the major element used in the film, showing the characteristic of autism patients, the compulsive behavior of Dafu appears to follow rules and arranging objects in stacks or lines. Restricted behavior of Dafu preoccupation with a single toy, all of these,which makes the film more reality and touched. Dafu's daily life is totally dependent on father due to his autism. When the father tries to find a shelter for Dafu after he knows he would die within few months, it is sad that there is no government organizations is able to help them, including hospital, insurance, welfare, disabled school. But fortunately, Dafu is taken by a group of people who are eager to help voluntary groups of people in society. This contrast reflects the problem and the instant need of improvement of china health care system. The thing that goes into the deepest of people's heart is the father's selfless love to Dafu. He accomplished an impossible task, which is to teach Dafu the necessary life skills to take out his daily activities, such as taking a bus, cooking, getting across the road and working at the aquarium. In order to prevent Dafu feel lonely, He dressed as a turtle and swim with his son, he told Dafu, he will become a turtle,he will always by his side.This is a very emotionally charged family drama showing a father's tireless, selfless love for his autistic son. This film has strong Social significance.Director Xue has well knowledge with autism and shows that in this day and age those filmmakers are willing to do something for society. Xue has successfully raise public's concern on the struggling and desperate status of autistic people in the society in a very impressive way and express gratitude to all the parents in the world through the film. Although,Wang and Dafu will never see each other again, but the eternal between them will always exist, because, Love, will always exist.Dafu will live happily in the heaven that his father created.

I read the plot outline on the box. A man with an autistic son, who is terminally ill tries to figure out a way to ensure his son will be cared for after he dies. That is quite a punch right there. The movie really grabbed me emotionally with repeated small acts of kindness, not just from the father but from everyone in his community. You will need a box of Kleenex. The father has totally dedicated his life to his son's well being. His gentle kindness transforms everyone around him and brings out the best in them.The movie completely worked until the very end when Dad tried to create a simple religious myth to explain his impending death to his son. It was bathos. It spoiled the end of the movie for me. The movie suddenly went Disney on me. It was just too goofy. I suppose I could reframe it as insane last ditch desperation.It has an intense bitter-sweet ending.

I'm a father of an autistic child, and I Can see my self and my son in this movie all the time. This is a great history that don't use stereotypes as genius children that can break complex codes or make complex mathematics operations in seconds for impress the audience, it is the story of a dying father making the impossible to give his son the possibility of independence before the cancer take his life. The performance of Jet Li as the father is remarkable, he lost him self in the character, and show us that he is an incredible actor. Wen Zhang makes an incredible job as the autistic son of Li, in some moments he makes my believe that he really was autistic. An incredible peace of art that must be running to an Oscar.

While this has been billed as Jet Li's detour from his martial arts filmography, "Ocean Heaven" should really be known for more than that. This is an intimate and deeply moving portrait of a terminally ill father's (Jet Li's Wang Xuechang) attempt to teach his autistic son the necessary life skills to survive on his own before he passes away. It is also a poignant tribute to the infinite love that parents have for their children and their unending desire to take care and look after them to their best abilities, no matter the struggle, no matter the effort.Beginning on a somewhat ominous note, Wang is first seen with his son, Da Fu (Wen Zhang), out at sea with the intention of drowning them both using a large weight tied to their legs. He doesn't succeed- his son the excellent swimmer unties them both and saves them from certain death. The deed may seem appalling but his motive is in fact humane- a single father since his wife's death 14 years ago, Wang thinks it may be better off for Da Fu to join him in death than for him suffer on his own when Wang dies.After the failed suicide attempt, Wang takes it as a sign that Da Fu is meant to live and so sets out to train Da Fu to be as independent as he can be, while looking for an institutional home willing to accept persons with autism. Both these missions turn out equally moving, for they bring to light certain truths that we are either ignorant of or choose to ignore. Though almost at the age of 21, Da Fu knows not simple tasks like taking off his clothes, boiling an egg or riding a bus that younger kids without disabilities would probably have mastered effortlessly.Watching Wang patiently teach Da Fu the steps of these daily tasks is in itself a testament to the perseverance and love that parents of children with special needs have for their kids, a love so pure and boundless it deserves to be celebrated. Just as you will be led to feel vicariously the patience and determination of these parents like Wang, you'll also experience an indescribable joy when Da Fu finally picks up these skills- think of these tasks like mini-Everests, and the completion of any one of them equivalent to the sweet triumph of conquering the summit.On the other hand, Wang's search for an institutional home for his son highlights a societal gap that deserves attention. As Wang sums up aptly, there is often support for the young and the old in special schools and aged homes respectively, but little services offered for adults with special needs between these ages. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of their parents to look after them, and it is a real concern when these parents ask who is to help them take care of their children when they are too old or frail to do so. Indeed, local viewers may draw a parallel with a recent article in the Straits Times that also similarly highlighted a gap in our special-needs welfare system in catering to adults with autism.Unlike lesser directors who would have tried explaining the workings of Da Fu's mind to their audiences, writer/director Xue Xiaolu instead wisely uses his affinity for the world underwater- swimming with the turtles and dolphins- as a motif of his state of mind, different and yet beautiful in its own way. These scenes of Da Fu's graceful diving in the aquarium, where both he and Wang works, are captured in a ravishingly lush blue palette by Christopher Doyle's cinematography, set evocatively against Joe Hisaishi's score and Yee Chung Man's production design.Perhaps the only missed opportunity here is Xue's subplot involving Kwai Lun-Mei's circus clown turned friend to Da Fu. Not enough time is spent delineating the friendship that develops between the two and the result lacks credibility, especially since Kwai's character seems too ready to accept Da Fu's quirks and idiosyncrasies. Nevertheless, the film's focus is really on the father-son duo of Wang and Da Fu- and in this regard, succeeds tremendously thanks in no small part to Jet Li and Zhang Wen's sublime yet powerfully convincing performances.Yes, you should know that even without his fists or kicks, Jet Li still proves to be a magnetic actor with his unassuming portrayal of an ordinary man looking out for his son while looking death in the eye. But really, this film is more important and more significant than just being Jet Li's first non-action role- it is an extremely moving story of a father's tireless love for his son, no matter the odds, no matter the challenge. Especially to the parents of children with special needs who have given themselves continuously to the care of their kids, this is a tribute to the depth of your love, the depth of your heart.