Film: Slumdog Millionaire

[JoeTheStoner]

There are no surprises in this movie, and most people will be able to predict, within the first ten minutes, roughly how the last ten will pan out.

It was fine, but definitely not great. Overall, I was pretty disappointed, but only because it was so over-hyped.

I can't for the life of me understand why a movie as prototypical as this is being lauded like some groundbreaking triumph.

 

[L O V E L I F E]

There are several excellent movies such as "Carlito's Way" in which the director flat-out SHOWS the audience, in the opening scene, EXACTLY how the ending will pan out.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is NOT a thriller, it's NOT a who-done-it, and it's NOT a suspense.

It's fucking beautiful story, told extremely well.

I'm absolutely POSITIVE as to how my next masturbatory session is going to end, and yet I'm very very much looking forward to it and, now that I think of it, I'm even more excited about it than I was before I typed this sentence.

Surprises are nice sometimes, but they are certainly NOT the be-all end-all of something being GREAT.

In.

My.

Opinion.

 

[JoeTheStoner]

yes, this movie is very much like masturbating.

 

[dshock]

^hahahha

 

[L O V E L I F E]

yes, this movie is very much like masturbating.

So you loved it, then?

 

[dshock]

Yeah, that could go either way

Some people cry and masturbate

 

[alasdairm]

I can't for the life of me understand...

indeed.

i watched this last night. it's a simple, resonant tale told beautifully. was it predictable? sure - i guessed how it would end. does that mean one can't enjoy it? absolutely not - it is one of the most wonderfully uplifting movies i've ever seen.

alasdair

 

[The Liberal Media]

Just watced it for the 3rd time, one of my fave movies already.

SPOILER BELOW !!!!

NSFW:

Yes you can see the ending coming a mile off with the Phone a friend, and the Phone in the Jeep. but still a great movie.

 

[theotherside]

This movie was outstanding. The first part turned me off, but after 15 minutes I was hooked. I had no idea how bad the ghetto's are in India. Great movie.

 

[Psychedelic Gleam]

This movie was outstanding. The first part turned me off, but after 15 minutes I was hooked. I had no idea how bad the ghetto's are in India. Great movie.

this didn't come close to showing how "bad" things are there.

it was a quaint story. beautiful direction, but boring and predictable. Granted the only "romance" stories I enjoy are the ones where the characters are neurotic as hell at the very best.

I wasn't emotionally pulled in in any way. I found it stylistically moving with content that lagged far behind. Plus I saw no real reason why they loved each other beyond it being asserted by the film. What I mean to say is that the love was blatantly stated and inorganic rather than acted/expressed and organically rising.

It was also painfully unrealistic to the point where I was thinking "I AM WATCHING A FILM". I am quite good at the suspension of disbelief but the characters nor the plot were engaging enough to pull me in. Plus the dialogue was pure schlock, oftentimes like something out of a bad romance novel.

I give it a 1/5.

That said I'm a jaded bastard who struggles to relate to romantic love.

but I was entertained and found the setting visually distracting from the painfully manufactured and artificial nature of the film's content.

 

[The Liberal Media]

Mark Kermode did an excellent review of it,

He makes the observation, that its essentially a fable, its set up as such, and many of Boyles movies have the same type of structure ( ie Millions).

A degree of suspension of disbelief is required.

Boyle and writer Simon Beaufoy state that they wanted to make the movie with elements of Bollywood, so they toned down the coincidences, because in a typical Bollywood movie it would have been even more unbelievable.

 

[L O V E L I F E]

4 Golden Globe Victories, INCLUDING Best Drama!

How you like me now?!!

-- Slumdog For Best Picture Next Month!

 

[Psychedelic Gleam]

Mark Kermode did an excellent review of it,

He makes the observation, that its essentially a fable, its set up as such, and many of Boyles movies have the same type of structure ( ie Millions).

A degree of suspension of disbelief is required.

Boyle and writer Simon Beaufoy state that they wanted to make the movie with elements of Bollywood, so they toned down the coincidences, because in a typical Bollywood movie it would have been even more unbelievable.

I understand the concept of suspension of disbelief. I just found that it was too tame to have that bollywood absurdist magic where its beyond "normality", at a point that is uncomfortably between magic fable and reality. Plus the characters were in my mind absolutely unsympathetic and I found myself unmoved by the romance which was given no logical explanation, they just "loved" each other. His unending love spanning many many years needed in my mind far more justification. I love bollywood films and I felt that this missed the mark considerably.

 

[The Liberal Media]

I understand the concept of suspension of disbelief. I just found that it was too tame to have that bollywood absurdist magic where its beyond "normality", at a point that is uncomfortably between magic fable and reality. Plus the characters were in my mind absolutely unsympathetic and I found myself unmoved by the romance which was given no logical explanation, they just "loved" each other. His unending love spanning many many years needed in my mind far more justification. I love bollywood films and I felt that this missed the mark considerably.

The movie is a sarcastic wink to " Masala Cinema" ie Bollywood epic's from the 70's, movies like " Sholay"
It was written as such and on that level its an outstanding Movie IMHO.

The "Full Monty" , which was written by the same guy, is hardly representive of life in Yorkshire.
Boyle and Beaufoy state repeatedly that they wanted to make a Bollywood satire/tribute and in that respect they have hit a home run.

Its an outstanding movie IMHO, and if it wins a best oscar, it deserved, unlike crap like " Million dollar Baby" or " Crash"

 

[L O V E L I F E]

People will be re-re-re-watching this masterpiece fifty fucking years from now - largely so that their not-yet-born kids shall have the opportunity to experience it.

Not unlike that "unrealistic" film called "Shawshank."

This, my Bluelight friends is the epitome of beautiful fucking ART!

See it NOW!

 

[His Name Is Frank]

Did you just bash Shawshank Redemption? And why in comparison to a movie in which it has nothing in common with? I want to see Slumdog Millionaire and have no doubt it will be great, but if you're seriously bashing Shawshank Redemption then that's the best example of "comedy" I've heard from you Mr. Comedian.

 

[dshock]

Did you just bash Shawshank Redemption? And why in comparison to a movie in which it has nothing in common with? I want to see Slumdog Millionaire and have no doubt it will be great, but if you're seriously bashing Shawshank Redemption then that's the best example of "comedy" I've heard from you Mr. Comedian.

Seriously, what is the deal.....?.......totally unnecesary bashing first of all, secondly, why the comparisson?

 

[coldasice]

Questions and Answers?

Wasn't this concept taken from the book called 'Questions and Answers'?

Still - I saw a programme about them filming it the other day and they were saying how hard it is to film actually in the slums cuz one day they'd film in a location and they'd come back the next day and there'd be like a wall fully built where they wanted to film. lol. :D But also they were saying how it was amazing to see how totally classless India is - that the slums weren't considered a bad, dirty place but that they all worked together as a community.
I would love to visit rural India.

Anyway, the concept looks interesting and the story sounds beautiful and refreshing. :D

And finally, isn't the character that gets onto the game show the guy that was in Skins on Channel 4/E4 in the UK?

 

[L O V E L I F E]

Did you just bash Shawshank Redemption?

And why in comparison to a movie in which it has nothing in common with?

I want to see Slumdog Millionaire and have no doubt it will be great, but if you're seriously bashing Shawshank Redemption then that's the best example of "comedy" I've heard from you Mr. Comedian.

Seriously, what is the deal.....?.......totally unnecesary bashing first of all, secondly, why the comparisson?

Do either of you two geniuses happen to be fluent in English?

Because if you are, then a simple re-reading of my very straight-forward post will reveal that my post has absolutely NOTHING to do with "bashing" Shawshank Redemption - it's my favorite movie of all time.

I used the word "since" (would you like me to look that SAT word up for you?) to imply that in the fifteen years SINCE the masterpiece entitled Shawshank had been released in 1994, in my opinion, there has NOT been a movie released that has been quite as beautiful as Slumdog Millionaire.

Understand?

 

[His Name Is Frank]

Sorry. "sarcastic quotes" tend to "throw" me "off" and make posts "questionable" instead of "straightforward". Your movie cred, if there is such a thing, is still intact.

*Someone sounds a little grumpy today. Maybe you need to "herbalize your mind".