Today I review the #1 movie in my Oscar Review. And there should be no surprise as to what it is. Let's review the future Best Picture winner, deservingly so.
Slumdog Millionaire
The Players: Directed by Danny Boyle, Starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto
Also Nominated For: Best Director (Boyle), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song (Twice), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing.
Plot: A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.
Review: What can I say about Slumdog that hasn't already been said? From the opening sequences to the final dance number, Slumdog is vibrant and alive. Every story within the story is heartwarming and tragic. M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes' seems like it was made for this movie and the music that was is an amazing musical achievement for a movie. The decision to get kids from the actual slums for the child roles made the movie that much better. However, what bothers me about Slumdog, is that it's hardly a "feel-good story." It's a tragedy until the very end. And even though the ending's predictable, who could have it any other way. This kid is screwed over and every point, by everybody but all those times he was screwed, lead him one step closer to his ultimate prize: love. This isn't a story about money, it's about destiny. Of course it's far-fetched. Is it any less far-fetched than Crash or Rocky? And if it is far-fetched, who really cares? The movie is alive. The story goes back and forth through time, but there is no beginning or end, there is only the flow of life. It's hard to review a movie like Slumdog because of the way it makes you feel. Can you look objectively beyond your feelings for the movie and point out the flaws? It's very hard to do so when a movie can be so emotional, an up and down roller coaster of joy and shock. But when you experience a movie like this, who really cares if its flawed at all? Throughout the film Jamal almost gets his eyes scooped out, loses his girl 3 different times, is tortured by police, gets an invaluable autography taken away, watches his mother die, and is severely betrayed by his own brother. Even if the ending is predictable, Jamal deserves a happy ending. Director Danny Boyle puts together his best movie, hires Indian musical genius AR Rahman to compose a brilliant score that almost certainly will win, along with Best Song. I don't feel like I can do Slumdog justice by reviewing it here. There is no way to expect what you eventually see on screen. It is something that must be experienced to appreciate. So, if you haven't had the pleasure, go see Slumdog. It is a cinematic gem. And don't worry about all the haters out there. Even Mother Theresa had haters (NOT COMPARING SLUMDOG TO A CHRISTIAN SAINT).
Grade: A
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment