Films/DVD Asylum

Although Dicken woulda loved it - don't underestimate the artistry this film represents.

68.30.126.133

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In Reply to: RE: "Slumdog Millionaire," if it be anything remotely posted by tinear on December 28, 2008 at 22:43:10

Yup - I enjoyed it a bunch. Boyle's best film since Trainspotting. The energy, swooshing camera work, jump cuts, startling contrasts all melded into a fluid narrative backed by a pounding (Bollywood) soundtrack was irresistable to me. Slumdog partakes of the energy, color, contradictions ans aspirations of its setting (India). Is Slumdog unabashedly sentimental? You betcha, and none the worse for that. Is the ending predictable? Of course it is, and Boyle (and his screenwriter) wouldn't be true to the Bollywood spirit of the thing if they kept the lovers apart.
It's not perfect, but it's the kind of bold, entertaining film Hollywood wishes it could still make but can't. The studios don't seem to make smart pop movies that don't cloy or beat their subjects to death.

Besides, what exactly led you to believe this film was meaning to be "realistic" or "intellectual"? Go see the excellent A Christmas Tale, which is something else altogether and may be more to your liking.
Slumdog is a "movie" movie. Yes, the tropes are familiar - rags to riches, hardscrapple orphans, fantasy, epic love story, social commentary, road movie, etc etc. But I think the filmmakers turned these familiar elements into something startling in its contrasts, touching and exhilerating.
I thought Patel was charming, although he didn't look a thing like the fellow playing his brother as an older teen.
Pather Panchali it's not. But Slumdog Millionaire is good and it's fun. A rare combo these days.

Edits: 12/29/08

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