I had been wanting to see this film for a few months, but only just got around to going--of course after the Oscars were announced and it was packed as hell. Oh well. The cell phone of the chick sitting next to me only rang once, so I guess I shouldn't be too offended.
This is by far the front-runner to win the big "O" at next month's ceremony. I have only seen one other film that was nominated ("Frost/Nixon") so I cannot say for sure that it should DEFINITELY win, however I can say with a certain gusto that I loved it. For the same reason Slumdog is a front-runner is the same reason that I have only seen one other of the nominated films.
We can ALL agree 2008 was a terrible year in our country's history, and it deserves to be forgotten or at least be written about in infamy to at least learn from our mistakes. Because of the circumstances surrounding us, the environment always reflects on our choices in pop culture pleasures. With it being such a shit year, NO ONE wants to see a depressing flick--I mean that is seriously the last thing I want to think about. The proof is in the pudding--the fact that "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" has been number one at the box office for two weeks straight...I mean I love Kevin James just as much as the next person, but seriously...? I had heard that Slumdog was rather uplifting, and that is exactly what I needed. Same with "Frost/Nixon"--entertaining, well-made, good acting--and I didn't leave wanting to kill myself.
Danny Boyle paints a rather bleak yet hopeful picture of Bombay/Mumbai in this film...I wonder if India will get a bump in tourism this year...just as I wondered if there will be a surge in blonde labs named Marley. This dichotomy of third world poverty with bustling economic and Western growth is exactly what creates the frame of this delightful story. What do you do when you have been beat down your whole life and the only way you think you are going to make something of yourself is to win 20 million rupees in the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." This is the sort of screwed up values that infest the uneducated all around the globe, but in this instance, it makes for some pretty amazing storytelling. You can't help but root for Jamal and Latika with curry-infused bated breath.
Would this Mumbai love-story be so popular in another year, another time? I do not know, but today, this is an amazing film and it definitely deserves 2 hours of your time, and your last $10.
This is by far the front-runner to win the big "O" at next month's ceremony. I have only seen one other film that was nominated ("Frost/Nixon") so I cannot say for sure that it should DEFINITELY win, however I can say with a certain gusto that I loved it. For the same reason Slumdog is a front-runner is the same reason that I have only seen one other of the nominated films.
We can ALL agree 2008 was a terrible year in our country's history, and it deserves to be forgotten or at least be written about in infamy to at least learn from our mistakes. Because of the circumstances surrounding us, the environment always reflects on our choices in pop culture pleasures. With it being such a shit year, NO ONE wants to see a depressing flick--I mean that is seriously the last thing I want to think about. The proof is in the pudding--the fact that "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" has been number one at the box office for two weeks straight...I mean I love Kevin James just as much as the next person, but seriously...? I had heard that Slumdog was rather uplifting, and that is exactly what I needed. Same with "Frost/Nixon"--entertaining, well-made, good acting--and I didn't leave wanting to kill myself.
Danny Boyle paints a rather bleak yet hopeful picture of Bombay/Mumbai in this film...I wonder if India will get a bump in tourism this year...just as I wondered if there will be a surge in blonde labs named Marley. This dichotomy of third world poverty with bustling economic and Western growth is exactly what creates the frame of this delightful story. What do you do when you have been beat down your whole life and the only way you think you are going to make something of yourself is to win 20 million rupees in the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." This is the sort of screwed up values that infest the uneducated all around the globe, but in this instance, it makes for some pretty amazing storytelling. You can't help but root for Jamal and Latika with curry-infused bated breath.
Would this Mumbai love-story be so popular in another year, another time? I do not know, but today, this is an amazing film and it definitely deserves 2 hours of your time, and your last $10.
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