Slumdog Millionaire

[Machiavelli]

Has anyone seen this movie? I just watched it yesterday, and man is it ever great. I had no expectations going into it, had no idea what it was about, and came out blown away. The depictions of Mumbai/Bombay and the storyline was very well done. The actors, especially the ones playing the very young children were great as well.

I recommend everyone to see what I think was the best movie of the year. Yes, even better than The Dark Knight.

[SportsJunky]

I've heard nothing but good things about this film and look forward to seeing it.

[BlackEleven]

I enjoyed it too. I wouldn't say its the best film of the year, I can think of quite a few I enjoyed more, but it certainly kept me entertained. Bonus points too for a very original concept.

[Got Miikka?]

I just watched this last night. I hadn't really heard anything about it - it won the Audience Award at the TIFF this year - but then I found out Danny Boyle (a fave of mine) was the director so I felt compelled to look into it.

As of yet I haven't fully decided how I feel about it. Minor spoilers:

In many ways it was inspiring and thought-provoking; I thought that the dynamic between Jamal and the Millionaire host was especially fascinating, and I loved the way the story ruminates on luck and destiny, but some of the devices the film employs are IMO tragically tacky and cliche (the story is intentionally told in sort of a traditional, fable style, but nonetheless) and I was hoping for a more creative ending - from the opening script with the Millionaire-style A/B/C/D set-up it is obvious how things will run their course, but the story spends so much time oscillating between the conceit that everything has its place, and how it is actually possible to rise above and make what you want of life... why default to the expectation you create at the outset when you could REALLY blow people away? Which isn't to say the fact that the story does default makes it irrelevant or unmoving - I'm just saying, I was hoping it might really transcend. (Of course, the politics of movie studios and their own restrictions and agendas may have played a role - who knows what the story structure may have looked like initially... but that's baseless speculation and total digression)

This will undoubtedly become the most hyped film of the Awards Season.

I'd give it 3.5 or 4 out of 5.

(FWIW I thought Boyle's Sunshine last year might have more going for it, despite its own cliched shortcomings - but I will likely be in the microscopic minority in that opinion)

[Machiavelli]

Possible spoilers

One shortcoming I thought of was the "romance" between Jamal and Latika as grown-ups was pretty forced. Sure, they were friends when they were little and he never over her getting left with the "orphanage," but his obsession with her was a little ridiculous. I doubt she really cared for him either, surely after all that time she would have forgotten him, if not the other way around.

[Clarkey]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I enjoyed it too. I wouldn't say its the best film of the year, I can think of quite a few I enjoyed more, but it certainly kept me entertained. Bonus points too for a very original concept.

Which ones did you enjoy more? I'm looking for good movies to watch over the rest of my holidays.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Which ones did you enjoy more? I'm looking for good movies to watch over the rest of my holidays.

I thought Milk was fantastic, mostly because of the performance of Sean Penn. If that doesn't win him an Oscar, I'd be seriously surprised. Hard to say if its the best film of the year though because its hard to remember all the way back to January.

I enjoyed Blindness a lot too. I know a lot of people hated it, but I was the opposite. I went in expecting to hate it, but ended up loving it. Julianne Moore at her finest.

The Counterfeiters (Die Falscher) was another one I really liked.

Frost/Nixon was a decent flick as well, but I'm not sure its worthy of all the hype its getting. Definitely worth watching though.

For comedies I enjoyed Ghost Town, Burn After Reading, and In Bruges.

That's all the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I'll come back and edit my post if I think of some more.

[Got Miikka?]

^ Good list.

I just got through with the new Will Smith movie Seven Pounds and personally noticed a lot of parallels between it and the movie for which this thread was created. Starting to see a theme among what will likely be the big awards contenders for the year... I will actually go ahead and give Seven Pounds my seal of approval as a serviceable Hollywood 'inspirational melodrama.'

Woody Allen's latest Vicky Cristina Barcelona is another movie I watched recently and thought was fantastic - Allen's in top form for writing on this one and despite Scarlet Johansson bringing the movie down at points the film is carried by two outstanding perfromances by Javier Bardem (from No Country; he really is a terrific actor) and the other female lead - whose character is so steeped in Allen-isms it really is a treat to watch; Penelope Cruz is also quite good here. This may in fact be my top choice for the year (in what IMO has been a rather lean year).

I also recommend the Neil Labute movie Lakeview Terrace that came and went rather quietly earlier this fall. It is a supercharged pseudo-thriller that benefits from strong turns by Sam Jackson and his counterpart Patrick Wilson (who has been very good in similar fare like Little Children); Labute ramps up the tension and manages to make a thought-provoking dynamic of some contrasting socio-political themes (that in my esteem are a little heavier than one would expect in a film like this, which may be part of the reason why people stayed away).

From earlier in the year I thoroughly enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which is hindered in some ways by a rather preposterous premise (relatively unattractive dude goes from dating one superhot girl to finding love with another babe while he's still mourning in the aftermath of being dumped by the last one), but is saved by great, funny performances by all, some creative running jokes, and a realistic approach to character dynamics to make up for any absurdity in the premise.

As far as summer blockbusters go I rather liked the latest take on The Incredible Hulk (as a counterpoint to the deservedly well-received Iron Man) which was a lot easier to swallow than the overwrought Ang Lee version of a few years back. The movie employs a simple storytelling approach and doesn't bog you down with too much detail; also, any movie featuring Tim Roth as a bad guy is going to have at least some saving grace.

I'm working on my usual end-of-year list but I have a few more movies to get through yet. I may start a thread for it at some point in the near future...

[kootenayguy9]

Slumdog Millionaire was probably my second favorite film of 2008 with the Dark Knight being my favorite. Watching Slumdog Millionaire sure puts life in perspective with the poverty and suffering that is still going on in India. It is sad to see the distinct division between classes and the caste system that still is in place.

[liamenator]

I thought Slumdog was good... But all the hype kind of wrecked it for me. I went in hearing how this was THE slam-dunk frontrunner for the Oscar this year, and came out decidedly underwhelmed. I don't know that it's even in my own top-3 for Danny Boyle's work (which would be: Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine).

But once I started thinking about it, it probably will win the Oscar. It's exactly the type of safe-disguised-as-edgy pick they typically jump on: "young, up-and-coming" director (in the sense that he's never gotten a sniff from the Academy) directing a feel-good, "exotic" (i.e non-US/UK) rags-to-riches film complete with a love story and overarching message of hope.

I really like Danny Boyle and feel like he is overdue for some awards attention... But I just think the overwhelming oscar campaign the studio is pumping out for Slumdog is hampering the film's ability to strike the chord all the critics are talking about with the audience. At least that's what happened to me.

[Clarkey]

I thought 'Seven Pounds' was a steaming coil. It failed in so many ways, and could have been decent if done right. It was going for a shocking twist but you could see it from a mile away. The movie turned into a romantic comedy halfway through. It got 20% on rotten tomatoes for a reason. I have heard a bunch of people saying it's a good movie which doesn't make any sense to me.

I watched 'My Winnipeg' last night and really enjoyed it, check it out.

[Human Torch]

Watched it today. The journey from beginning to the end was a real fun ride and the payoff is satisfying. I really liked the soundtrack as well. Also I've never been to a movie where the audience clapped at the end. Must've been the credits haha.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Human Torch

I really liked the soundtrack as well.

From what I could tell, most if not all of it, was done by MIA.

Another movie I should add to my list above is Young @ Heart. Great documentary.

[nik-]

I just got finished watching it and I loved it.

[kootenayguy9]

Bump...............Must be Oscar favorite now after Golden Globes tonight/

[rockstar]

Why what happened?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by rockstar

Why what happened?

It won the Golden Globe for best drama.

[Ronald Pagan]

Good movie but hardly the best movie of the year.

Although the Oscar winner and Golden Globe winner never usually is.

[JohnnyFlame]

Originally Posted by Ronald Pagan

Good movie but hardly the best movie of the year.

Although the Oscar winner and Golden Globe winner never usually is.

I inevitably seem to find that out of the movies that are nominated I've seen maybe two and liked one. With that one maybe in my top five but not even that a for sure. Probably because I judge films on whether I was entertained!!!

[Staypuft]

Danny Boyle is awesome.
Loved this movie.
I also have to shamelessly plug "Sunshine" because even with a couple shortcomings, I thought it was one of the best sci-fi movies I've ever watched.