Slumdog Millionaire

So Who Wants to be a Millionaire?? Certainly everyone but a Billionaire. But maybe more so if you're a kid from the slums that grew up having to scrape for food and the meeting of your most basic needs... or not. When you're young and pursue love, you figure, as some do, that it is more important to find your better half than to strike riches..., or is it? considering a very impoverished background? well if it doesn't create a conflict, but, au contraire, it creates a solution for both your interests, so much the better. 

This story takes us through places around India that make us realize how impoverished millions of children are (and perhaps even a billion or so).  It is a good eye opener to the conditions outside our western capsule, and it shows how harsh our world is, but without the loss of hope and optimism... in such sense I'd say it strikes a good balance. This movie is beautiful to watch as it has stunning photography that takes us into exotic places, full of color and movement and chaos and music. The music itself which I always consider plays an important role in keeping the overall rhythm of the story line, keeps you at an upbeat and always on the edge of your seat.

On the dramatic sense, as the main character has to overcome obstacle over obstacle to achieve his goal, it seems to me that after having gone through much tougher hurdles, it reaches a point where things seem to be solved "Deus ex machina" in a very optimistic and happy tone. Although this will be popular with the crowds, I think it could cost it an Oscar. 

This movie is a little more mainstream than some previous Danny Bollywood's, excuse me, Danny Boyle's  work, I certainly recommend you watch Trainspotting (buy it*) if you haven't done so already; and if you come to like Slumdog, (which I command you to do),  I also recommend Millions (rent it)... = Danny Boyle + Kids + Millions.

In the end, I think it's a shame that Boyle had to become more formulaic and mainstream in order for the academy to notice him. Though some of his movies seem kind of somber or exotic, this one seems to have all those elements but at the same time upbeat and dynamic. 

I think Slumdog should be a strong contender in some Academy Awards like Cinematography, Music Score, Song, Editing... As for Best Picture... I don't know, It has a strong contender in Benjamin Button.

So, while I'm into formulas here are some recipes through which you might concoct this dynamic festival of sound and color (which makes it very good, because, remember, movies are "Show don't Tell").

Slumdog Millionaire = Born into Brothels (buy it) + It Could Happen to You (rent it) - Rosie Perez

 

or

Slumdog Millionaire = City of God (steal it) + A Passage to India (buy it) + Alejandro Camacho**

By pure mathematical combination of these formulas, (Average of 1 steal it, 2 buy its and 1 rent it) I'll have to rate Slumdog with a Buy it but remember, do go watch it before Oscar night, this will be among the two big favorites. Or should I say favourites...?

*For ratings guidelines refer to "Rating Guideline" also in this Blog.

** Yes... the Mexican Soap Opera Actor.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Curious indeed.  I went into the theater thinking there might be a slight chance I would come out of it three hours before I had entered. Not having had that literally happen to me, I did feel rejuvenated and with an optimistic outlook in life, as if to say, I can make my life go back in time, recover the good things, forego of whatever is no longer needed, (shed those extra pounds, etc., etc.). So in a sense, I did come out of the movie theater feeling younger than at the point I entered, so for that....Kudos to mister Fincher (and F. Scott Fitzgerald who wrote the original story upon which the film is based). 

Now, I don't know weather making me feel good was the intention of the movie, making me shed a tear here and there but overall giving me a positive attitude; certainly this is a good quality in a film, for which I understand 13 Oscar nominations. Brad Pitt is delightful in that he really confers the image of a man that does characterize a broad range of ages accurately or really believable.. a man of few emotions though, but a lot of years (Brad Pitt's ship will sink, not unlike DiCaprio's, but the story floats on... i.e. No Oscar for Mr. Pitt this time). 

The Story beautifully conveys the idea that love transcends age... (although just to a certain extent, as some hormonal balances might, or rather, do come into play), and we are all suckers for a good love story. Beware though, if you're in a hurry or tired, this one's a little long (very enjoyable non-the-less) 

The character, slightly different than the rest of us, has to struggle against his own diverse nature, but more so, his main struggle is how this affects his relationship to his loved one (Cate Blanchett). In a sense, it reminds me of Forrest Gump (Steal it)... They both have a slight handicap of sorts that could make them ostracized, but they play along and this doesn't become the issue... The issue though is that they meet their childhood "sweethearts" somewhere along their lives and this changes their outlook on things. I could enlist some other similarities like... they both live through wars, they're both southerner, they're sailors, at one point in their life they use a walking device, they befriend a black man... amongst many other similarities... the story line is of epic proportions taking us through different important events throughout the twentieth century and beyond.... Also, the accompanying music is well balanced but does not take center stage.

You might find this movie interesting if: you grew amongst elderly, you have a crush on someone from your childhood, you liked James Dean, you enjoyed The Motorcycle Diaries, you don't know about prostitute etiquette, you're wondering when did tattoos make their latest debut,  you loved it when Forrest Gump took the oscar 14 years ago, you hated it and felt Pulp Fiction was robbed from its Oscar, you feel like the previous discussion is futile as it was The Shawshank Redemption which deserved the coveted statuette, you liked the old lady from Titanic.

And so, I can say this is a strong contender this Oscar season, and diverting a little from the original line of my blog, which is for rental movies, once it's Oscar season I like to watch most of what is nominated so I can at least root for someone a month for now. Will I root for Benjamin? I don't know, I haven't watched any of the other nominated films, (looking forward to watching Slumdog Millionaire and the talent of Danny Boyle) but I can tell you again... Benjamin Button will be a strong contender! For now, I will rate it Buy it.  (But do go watch it before it comes out on video though).  Have a good one y'all!