Slumdog Millionaire

[Velorath]

I'm a big fan of Danny Boyle's work (even when he misses the mark as he did with Sunshine).  Haven't gotten to see much on this one yet, but there's been some pretty positive buzz surrounding it lately.  Trailer here.

[Velorath]

Just got done watching this.  I don't know that it's the best movie this year as NBR names it but I thought it was a great movie.  Some people might not like the film because they won't be able to get past the destiny/coincidences  (depending on how you choose to look at it) that is the focal point of the story.

For those who don't know what this movie is about, here is a quick summary:

The story of Jamal Malik (Patel), an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Pinto), the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions. Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out. At the heart of its exuberant storytelling lies the intriguing question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love.

[Ookii]

I thought it was great, but not the best movie of the year.

[Ironwood]

Sounds like an interesting premise.

[Arthur_Parker]

I enjoyed that a lot.

[Broughden]

I thought it was great, but not the best movie of the year.

Ditto. Really liked it. The scene where he gets the movie stars autograph is hilarious!

[lamaros]

I saw this the other night. I thought it was pretty average. Not bad, but not something I would really consider one of the better films of the year.

[Ookii]

Really? This, Milk, Gran Torino, The Wrestler, and In Bruges were the best films of the year.

[Murgos]

Saw this Saturday.  I liked all but the ending.

[ahoythematey]

Been a catchup day for me, just saw it.  Loved every bit, including the ending. 
Next up: The Wrestler.

[Hoax]

It was fun and different but sure as hell wasn't great or amazing.  Actually a very good movie to take a girl to, very cute love story that doesn't suck total ass as a movie.

[Ironwood]

Watched it at the weekend and loved it.  Extremely well done and clever movie.

[Abagadro]

Went and saw it tonight. I liked it. It isn't a fancy story narrative-wise but the energy of its direction (Boyle always pulls this aspect off well), the world it takes you into, and the acting really made it a good movie in my opinion.

[Surlyboi]

It just won best picture.

I dug the shit out of it. (Not literally, you know what I mean if you saw it.  )

[Velorath]

Even after seeing the movie a few times, I'm still not sure if it really deserves all the awards it got.  Then again, looking back through 2008's releases maybe it does. 

Still, I can't help but be happy for Danny Boyle.  I think it was back in October, I was sitting though a boring meeting of "these studio reps are each going to show you a bunch of trailers, and give you some free crap so they can get you to order promotionial material from them", when Fox whipped out a rough cut of Slumdog Millionaire's trailer.  Mind you this was 2 or 3 weeks before the movie would first open in limited release and little under 2 months since it was first shown at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals, and they didn't even have the trailer completed, let alone advertised the movie anywhere.  They hooked me just with the words Danny Boyle, but the trailer was still in such a rough state that I couldn't tell what the fuck the movie was about until I went home and googled it that night.  With their inability to secure much of a marketing budget, they were pretty fortunate to get the early buzz around this film.

[stray]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise. Heh. Never saw Life is Beautiful either. Give me the Pianist and be done with it. Want to make a movie about India? Film sewage in bleeding oranges and yellows ... Like curry. Perhaps I'll cry my eyes out then.

[Velorath]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise.

Stray's volunteer work with the Make a Wish Foundation was short lived...

[schild]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise. Heh. Never saw Life is Beautiful either. Give me the Pianist and be done with it. Want to make a movie about India? Film sewage in bleeding oranges and yellows ... Like curry. Perhaps I'll cry my eyes out then.

You should see Legend of 1900.

Everyone should see Legend of 1900.

[stray]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise.

Stray's volunteer work with the Make a Wish Foundation was short lived...

See, I did work at a homeless shelter actually. And it really was short-lived. Displaced families, cool. Otherwise, I was a ticking timebomb with some folks. I tried, but failed.

Scrooged is one of my favorite movies though (not just favorite Christmas movies). I suppose that's uplifting.

[DraconianOne]

Read the screenplay on Saturday and it is one of the best I've read. Should probably go and see the damn film as well.

[shiznitz]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise. Heh. Never saw Life is Beautiful either. Give me the Pianist and be done with it. Want to make a movie about India? Film sewage in bleeding oranges and yellows ... Like curry. Perhaps I'll cry my eyes out then.

You should see Legend of 1900.

Everyone should see Legend of 1900.

From Netflix:

From the director of Cinema Paradiso comes a compelling drama of a virtuoso piano player who lives his entire life aboard an ocean liner. Born and raised on the ship, 1900 (Tim Roth) learned about the outside world through interactions with passengers, never setting foot on land, even for the love of his life. Years later, the ship may be destroyed, and a former band member fears that 1900 may still be aboard, willing to go down with the ship.

No fucking way am I seeing that.

[schild]

No fucking way am I seeing that.

Your loss.

Tim Roth is fucking superb in it.

[Hindenburg]

No fucking way am I seeing that.

And you are a worse human being for it.

[ahoythematey]

I'm not a particularly mean person, but I never really cared for optimism much, movies or otherwise. Heh. Never saw Life is Beautiful either. Give me the Pianist and be done with it. Want to make a movie about India? Film sewage in bleeding oranges and yellows ... Like curry. Perhaps I'll cry my eyes out then.

You should see Legend of 1900.

Everyone should see Legend of 1900.

From Netflix:

From the director of Cinema Paradiso comes a compelling drama of a virtuoso piano player who lives his entire life aboard an ocean liner. Born and raised on the ship, 1900 (Tim Roth) learned about the outside world through interactions with passengers, never setting foot on land, even for the love of his life. Years later, the ship may be destroyed, and a former band member fears that 1900 may still be aboard, willing to go down with the ship.

No fucking way am I seeing that.

Dude.  It's a really good movie.  You'd be retarded for not giving it a try.

[shiznitz]

Ok. I cave. I bet the wife will like it at least.

[Nebu]

Watched this last night.  For me, it was easily the best movie of the year.  I have yet to see the Wrestler, so that may win out. 

I didn't mind the coincidences and it left me feeling fortunate for my own situation.  I also am a huge sap for happy endings.

I also watched Austrailia last night... Ouch.  I want those 3 hours of my life back. 

[Broughden]

Hey did you like the movie? Well now own your very own piece of the movie....its famous female child star! Thats right! For a limited time only we will be offering the female child start for the low low price of 7 million rupees ($400k USD). Call now! Operators standing by!


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/21/rafiq-qureshi-slumdog-sta_n_189373.html

[naum]

Finally saw this.

It was OK. Not amazing or award worthy IMO though I really dig the soundtrack…

[Amarr HM]

Wow was this film overhyped, it's a little bit middle of the road but still some good sequences and ideas thrown in there, I lked the parts with the kids in it the most after they grew up it went a little flat.

[Brogarn]

Finally saw this last night. Great movie and even though it was flashback heavy, they did a really good job of keeping it all flowing and not confusing the shit out of you. Acting was all good including the kids. Definitely recommended if you haven't seen it yet. Good movie for couples, too.