I reviewed a independent film called "The Pool" for the Michigan Daily. It was filmed in India and has Nana Patekar, for those of you who know who he is. It's really quite good, check it out on DVD. A stark contrast to "Slumdog" as I'm quick to point out.
In the past few months, “Slumdog Millionaire” has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Its success has sparked a recent surge of interest in films about India, which benefits films like 2007 Sundance Award winner “The Pool.” The movie, released last fall, has finally been able to find its footing in smaller markets.
Full Article
Showing posts with label slumdog millionaire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label slumdog millionaire. Show all posts
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Pool Review
Friday, April 3, 2009
There is a God and his Name is Anil Kapoor
I just some fantastic piece of news on Entertainment Weekly.com that proves the existence of a higher power:
Anil Kapoor, the d-bag game show host in Slumdog Millionaire and Bollywood legend, has taken advantage of his film's popularity and joined the cast of 24 next season.
This is my all-time favorite Anil Kapoor moment: (Check out 1:10 for the best part)
Check out the original article here
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Come On Guys!!!
Poll results:
Why Haven't You Seen Slumdog Millionaire Yet?
I'm Too Busy - 3 (37%)
I'm Broke - 0 (0%)
I Hate Awesome Movies - 0 (0%)
I Have Seen Slumdog Millionaire - 4 (50%)
It Hasn't Come to My Town - 1 (12%)
The Movie Exploits Children - 0 (0%)
Only half of you have seen it? Say what? This was supposed to be a trick question. You were ALL supposed to have already seen it. This is a sad, tragic, extremely depressing day.
On a happier note, the recession is over! None of you are broke! Yay! Have a good day!
Monday, February 23, 2009
This is a Good Day
How did Slumdog Millionaire win best picture?
A. The director was a genius.
B. Somewhere, someone cheated.
C. Pure luck.
D. Kavi predicted it.
Answer: It was simply an amazing film.
It seemed obvious to me that Slumdog Millionaire would be the winner, but still what a spectacular moment.
It made me think of the movies that have won Best Picture in the recent past. They just don't seem as good in comparison. Crash? The Departed? Chicago? They really don't have anything on Slumdog. I like them and own all three, but they don't seem worthy of given such a label as "Best Picture." Slumdog Millionaire does.
That smile is priceless. Have a great day.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Live Blogging the Oscars
I'm going to post my reactions to the Academy Awards tonight as they happen. How exciting!
12:01 - It was a good Oscars overall, no real surprises. But I can deal with that. I'm only pissed that Kate Winslet won. I'll have full reactions posted tomorrow.
11:58 - Slumdog Millionaire wins Best Picture. My favorite director (Spielberg) gets to hand the award to my favorite movie ever. How poetic. They brought the whole cast and crew on stage. It was a touching moment, especially with young Jamal and Salim there smiling their faces off.
11:47 - Spielberg presents one final Best Picture montage. Enough!
11:45 - Sean Penn is the man. Best Actor for "Milk". Totally deserved it and called out Prop 2 during his speech. "I'm proud to live in a country where an elegant man can become president." Word.
11:36 - And now I'm sad. Kate Winslet wins Best Actress. How lame is that? I swear she said "F- You, Academy" by mistake.
11:23 - Danny Boyle get Best Director. He bizarrely jumps up and down, and mentions that he promised he would jump like tigger if he won. I'm very happy.
11:15 - The Death Montage. Paul Newman, Bernie Mac, and Sydney Pollack will especially be missed.
11:07 - "Departures" from Japan wins Foreign Language Film. That's a surprise for sure. I'm sure it's good.
11:02 - A.R. Rahman wins TWO Oscars. What is the world coming to? One for Original Score in "Slumdog" and Best Song for "Jai Ho", which was the song and dance number at the end of the movie.
10:57 - Zac Efron and Alicia Keys keep saying A.R.'s name with a "ch". It is bothering me. I never thought I would see John Legend and A.R. Rahman singing a duet, which they did at the end of the compilation of Best Song nominees. Otherwise, the sequence was disappointing since M.I.A. was busy doing other things. Like giving birth. Pssh.
10:42 - Jerry Lewis is being given a humanitarian award. I'm embarrassed to say I don't really know who he is. He's a comedian who has done a lot of good for kids with muscular dystrophy. Oh, I know now. He was in the original "Nutty Professor".
10:35 - "Slumdog" also wins Editing proper. The movie did have some insane, hyperactive editing that gave it a whole lot of energy. Good job, Chris Dickens. I love the way Will Smith says "Slumdog Millionaire".
10:32 - "The Dark Knight" wins Sound Editing and "Slumdog" wins Sound Mixing. An Indian guy gets the Mixing award. And he thanks India! He has a nice jacket on.
10:26 - "Benjamin Button" deservedly wins the award for Visual Effects.
10:16 - "Man on Wire" wins the award and some guy runs up on stage. I don't know why. Oh, he was the guy that tightroped between the Twin Towers, who the movie was based off.
10:15 - For some reason, they picked Bill Maher to present the documentary award.
10:11 - Heath Ledger wins. His mother, father, and sister give a speech.
10:01 - Supporting Actor is next...I'm curious to see what will happen. The presenters are Alan Arkin, Kevin Kline, Joel Grey(??), Christopher Walken, and Cuba Gooding Jr.
9:58 - Hugh Jackman, Beyonce, Zac Efron, the girl from HSM, and finally the chick and guy from "Mamma Mia" were in long musical number that was a mix of songs from "Grease", "Moulin Rouge", "West Side Story", and of course "Mamma Mia". It wasn't very good, though it could have been. Apparently, it was choreographed by "Moulin Rouge" director Baz Luhrmann.
9:48 - The winner is the freaking Holocaust short film, Toyland. Seriously watch this sentimental piece of crap and tear your hear out. I knew it was going to win, but I didn't pick it on principle.
9:45 - James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Janusz Kaminski (Cinematographer for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan) are in a pretty funny video. Franco and Rogen play their characters from "Pineapple Express". Now they are going to present the Live Action Short Award.
9:35 - Anthony Dod Mantle wins Cinematography for "Slumdog".
9:31 - Ben Stiller is wearing a Joaquin Phoenix beard to present Cinematography. And he's acting like Joaquin during Letterman.
9:28 - It was just a montage of romance in 2008 movies. Nice but forgettable.
9:25 - Oo la la. The guy from Twilight is presenting.
9:23 - "Benjamin Button" wins Makeup. I guess I underestimated voters. I thought they were smart enough to know that it was ALL VISUAL EFFECTS. Hellboy was a real task.
9:20 - As predicted, "The Duchess" wins Costume Design.
9:17 - "Button" wins Art Direction. I really hate it when two people win an award and one guy talks the whole time. I feel so bad for the other person who just kind of stands awkwardly, wanting to say something.
9:14 - Whoa! I forgot to predict Documentary feature and Documentary Short Subject! It’s going to be Man on Wire and The Conscience of Nhem En, respectively.
9:10 - "La Maison en Petits Cubes" wins the Animated Short Film award. I'm on a roll... The winner just said "Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto" and he's Japanese. Good god, that was funny.
9:06 - Best animated film goes to "Wall E". 2-4. No surprise.
9:05 - Jack Black and Jennifer Anniston present a montage of the Animated movies of 2008, which is set to the song "Attack of the 60-foot Lesbian Octopus" by Does it Offend You Yeah? The irony!
9:01 - The winner is Simon Beaufoy, for Slumdog! The sweep begins...
8:59 - Tina Fey and Steve Martin are presenting another award, for Adapted Screenplay. This is strange, as they usually go later.
8:57 - The Original Screenplay goes to Dustin Lance Black for "Milk". O for 2, but it was a really good script. And he gives a shout out to the LGBT community.
8:54 - Steve Martin and Tina Fey are funny presenters. What's new.
8:49 - Cruz said something in Spanish in her speech. I didn't pick up on most of it, but otherwise it was a nice, heartfelt speech.
8:47 - And the Oscar goes to Penelope Cruz. I'm happy, but I'm also 0 for 1.
8:43 - They brought on four past winners to present the supporting actress award. Interesting decision. And they are reflecting on each performance nominated this year. This is too boring. Aren't the Oscars long enough?
8:40 - Hugh Jackman is supposedly contractually obligated to mention Brad and Angelina at least five times tonight.
8:38 - Quite possibly the best Oscar opening of all time. Hilarious spectacle with cool song and dance sequences.
8:34 - The Oscars are making fun of the fact that "The Dark Knight" was snubbed. They are good sports.
8:33 - He's a good singer. Watch this on youtube tomorrow. This is a great performance.
8:32 - Hugh Jackman is kind of funny. "Next year I'm starring in a film called New Zealand".
8:28 - As a reminder, here are my predictions.
8:24 - Signs the economy is not in recession: "Madea Goes to Jail" made $41 million this weekend.
8:12 - Zac Efron just complimented Dev Patel. Respect.
8:10 - The Slumdog crew! All the kids made it. It's so cute. Youngest Jamal is wearing a tux. Amazing.
8:04 - Why are they interviewing Sarah Jessica Parker? Was she nominated? Not bloody likely.
8:03 - Great. More red carpet nonsense. At least Tim Gunn from Project Runway is there for his impeccable analysis.
8:00 - In other news, "Slumdog" has now grossed $98 million. Not bad for a movie that's half in Hindi with no big stars.
7:59 - I'm listening to "E-Pro" by Beck to pump me up. Only one minute left!
7:56 – Hey it’s Nathan Fillion! He’s in the new ABC show Castle. Looks decent.
7:51 - The day is finally here. I'm at home, on my couch. I just ate some great Indian food. And now I'm going to watch the Oscars.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Bona-Fide Oscar Predictions
The Academy Awards are on Sunday. I will be live-blogging them. But for now, these are my predictions for each category. If I get at least 83% correct, I'll be pleased. Along with what film I think will win, I will mention what film should win in my opinion. Enjoy. Actor in a Leading Role
Should Win: Sean Penn
Will Win: Mickey Rourke
Brad Pitt is a great actor (see Snatch , Seven ) but he didn't do anything in this movie. There were better performances that should have been acknowledged. Jenkins has been around for awhile and was great, but the film is too little to win. Frank Langella was the early favorite, but judging from other awards this season, the race is between Rourke and Penn. In Milk , think that Penn gave the greatest performance of his career. But he already won in 2003 for Mystic River, and voters might think that he doesn't need another award. Plus, everyone is a sucker for a comeback story, which makes Rourke the favorite. I won't mind if he wins, since his acceptance speech would to rock. Actress in a Leading Role
Should Win: Anne Hathaway
Will Win: Melissa Leo
I only saw Doubt , and Streep gave yet another one of her stern old woman performances. Jolie has no chance. Anne Hathaway had a lot of momentum as the awards season began, but she kind of fell off the map. I'd like her to win, as she did the impossible feat of shedding her Disney princess image and has become a legitimate actress (well, most of the time). Leo was supposed to be great in her independent film, but the clear favorite is Kate Winslet. I love her body of work, but I hate The Reader as mentioned before and refuse to acknowledge that it might win such a prestigious award. This is Winslet's sixth nomination, but it would be sad if her career is defined by this movie. Thus, I'm going to pick Melissa Leo to win since if she does pull off the upset, I'll look really smart. Actor in a Supporting Role
Should Win: Heath Ledger
Will Win: Heath Ledger
This category is depressing. Heath Ledger owned in The Dark Knight , and everyone with a rational mind knows that he's going to win on merit and not because he passed away. I know I'm going to have tears in my eyes when his family goes up on stage to accept. It's also sad because in any other year, Hoffman, Brolin, and Downey Jr. could have easily won the award. This is pretty much the strongest category in the awards, even though we all know the victor. Actress in a Supporting Role
Should Win: Penelope Cruz
Will Win: Tajari P. Henson
This is the toughest category to call this year. All the previous awards (Golden Globes, SAG) were won by Kate Winslet, who had entered her role in The Reader in this category. So unlike the previous categories, there's no known leader. Marisa Tomei already won this award for My Cousin Vinny, which many people thought she didn't deserve. Voters may give her another one to justify Tomei's acting talents. Either Doubt co-star could also win, but I feel like the two women will split the vote and end up empty-handed. Davis was only in two scenes in that movie, but the were intensely gripping. Lots of pundits are giving the award to Cruz, and I agree that she deserves the Oscar. However, Henson gave the best performance in Button and will probably win. It would be too embarrassing for the industry if such a high prestige movie was to be shut out of every major category. Best Director
Should Win: Danny Boyle
Will Win: Danny Boyle
Forget the fact that three people on this list don't deserve to be here (Howard, Van Sant, and Daldry) because of the snub of one Christopher Nolan. Boyle is going to win, hands down. He filmed on location in the slums of Bombay with a cast of unknown child actors and Bollywood b-list actors. It's hard to believe how he pulled of some of the shot in that movie- the opening chase and the train sequence come to mind. I feel bad for Fincher, who I typically adore. Seven and Fight Club are two of my favorite movies. Again, like Winslet, I just feel like this was the worst movie he's made and he shouldn't get acclaimed for lousy work. Art Direction
Should Win: Benjamin Button
Will Win: Benjamin Button
Sorry, but I don't have time to type out each name. I feel bad, because it makes it seem like they don't matter. But they do. Anyways, I've never discounted Button's technical bravura. The film managed to realistically recreate sets from nearly an entire century, from the train station to the tugboat to the streets of New York. The rest of the movies were good, but they only had to focus on a single time period. Which isn't good enough this year. Cinematography
Should Win: The Dark Knight
Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
This category is a toss-up between Slumdog, Button, and Dark Knight. All three films made good use of lighting to reflect the emotions of their characters and to influence the mood of the audience. I prefer Batman, which used overpowering darkness to convey an unsettling sense of dread throughout the movie. I'd be happy if either of these three movies win, but it would be cool to see The Dark Knight as revenge for its disappearance in the major awards. It seems like Slumdog is going to win, with its incredible depiction of both India's beauty and its unpleasantness. Adapted Screenplay
Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Even though the source material is reportedly nothing like the movie, Simon Beaufoy will win. It is written. Original Screenplay
Should Win: In Bruges
Will Win: In Bruges
This is my genius pick of the night. Everyone has their money on Milk. I'm sticking with Colin Farrel and Ralph Fiennes. In Bruges was beloved by all who saw it, and it will win the only Oscar it was nominated for. If this actually happens, I will scream from the top of my roof. Costume Design
Should Win: Benjamin Button
Will Win: The Duchess
Again, I'm a big fan of Button's incredible technical work, and it should win for accurately reproducing costumes from several distinct time periods. But the Academy loves those medieval period dramas in this category, so it'll go to The Duchess Editing
Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Neither Button nor Milk had particularly memorable editing. Frost/Niixon was fast-paced and intense, but it wasn't very inventive. The Dark Knight had some excellently cut sequences, but nothing could match the insane energy created by splicing frames together in Slumdog . Makeup
Should Win: Hellboy 2
Will Win: Hellboy 2
Did anyone else see that wonderfully bizarre underground market scene? If yes, you know why Hellboy is going to win. Also, Button was mostly CGI and the Joker was really the only one with makeup in his movie. Foreign Language Film
Should Win: Waltz With Bashir
Will Win: The Class
Bashir is an documentary that is animated in the style of A Scanner Darkly. I'm going to watch it in a few weeks, and it looks sweet. However, voters generally don't like war and animation ( Bashir is about the Israeli-Palestinian War) so they'll go with The Class , which won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Best Picture
Should Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
It is a really good film. Everyone likes it. And it has won every major picture award. There is no stopping the Slumdog train. Jai Ho! Visual Effects
Should Win: Benjamin Button
Will Win: Benjamin Button
No contest. Making Brad Pitt look like an old baby man for most of the movie was the greatest technical feat of the year. Animated Film
Should Win: Wall E
Will Win: Wall E
I heard it's really good. I'm going to watch in the next few days, don't worry. Original Song
Should Win: "O Saya"
Will Win: "Jai Ho"
Both songs from Slumdog are pretty remarkable. I prefer the first, with it's core-shattering drums and MIA's rapping. I'd be cool with "Jai Ho" winning too, and it will, with its upbeat tempo and catchy refrain. Original Score
Should Win: A.R. Rahman
Will Win: A.R. Rahman
I've been listening to this guy since I was 8 years old. I may cry if he gets the award. What a great step for Indian culture in America. Thanks for enjoying it, honkies. Live Action Short Film
Should Win: The Pig
Will Win: The Pig
I was actually able to see all the short films for this year's Oscars. I meant to have them reviewed beforehand, but I kind of forgot. I'll have them done very soon. The Pig is heartfelt and witty, easily the most entertaining short. But Toyland is about kids and the Holocaust, so of course it's going to win. But I'm crusading against Holocaust films this year, so I'm going to predict that The Pig will win. Animated Short Film
Should Win: La Maison en Petits Cubes
Will Win: La Maison en Petits Cubes
Those of you who saw Wall E in theaters have seen Presto, which was attached to it. It was fun yet frivolous, just like the rest of the category except for La Maison. It was a mature, gorgeous animation about an old man living in an underwater world who revisits memories from when the world was proper and dry. Good stuff. Check it out on the youtube or something. Sound Mixing
Should Win: The Dark Knight
Will Win: Wall E
I don't know what this category means. I feel like the cute robot will win. Sound Editing
Should Win: The Dark Knight
Will Win: The Dark Knight
Again, this category is just unnecessary. So Batman's going to win it.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
D. Because It Is Written
So I finally watched Slumdog Millionaire, and I actually found it better than I expected. Kavi asked me to write a review. I reluctantly agreed, but it will pail in comparison to those of Master Pandey. Oh well, let us begin.
My favorite movie for quite awhile now has been Pulp Fiction, but Slumdog Millionaire is much better in some regards. What makes Pulp Fiction so good is the dialogue, but the heart of Slumdog is the storyline, and oh what a story it is. It brilliantly mixes humor with sadness and love to fully mobilize one's emotions.
The story centers around three souls of the slums - Jamal (the protagonist), his brother Salim, and his love Latika. The Three Musketeers. The audience sees events of their childhoods, their teenage years, and their current lives as young adults. I loved how flashbacks corresponded with questions asked of Jamal.
The best acting was done by the kid actors who played the young versions of Jamal, Salim, and Latika. They were great and totally stole the show.
Continue Reading if you wish, but beware of spoilers. I would suggest you continue only if you have seen the movie.
Three Favorite Scenes:
(1) When young Jamal receives the autograph of his favorite actor. He literally jumps into a pile of human waste to get it. His exclamation upon receiving said autograph is one of pure, uncorrupted joy. The scene was very fun and exhilerating. I felt like I received the autograph along with him.
(2) A group of kids are playing cricket when suddenly they are chased through the streets by police and "the music is pounding" (to quote Kavi). The song, O Saya, is up for an Oscar along with Jai Ho. It is fair to say that the music in this film is outstanding.
(3) Okay, so I am occasionally a sucker for the more romantic parts of movies. Yet few scenes I have ever seen compare to the emotion I felt when Latika picks up the phone when Jamal chooses to phone a friend. What is the name of the third musketeer?
Latika: I don't know. I have never known.
I think somewhere in an alternate universe I wept tears of joy at those words. It isn't the words that evoke the emotion, but the emotion behind the words. Beautiful.
The film ends with a Bollywood-esque dance routine. While it wasn't the best dancing I have ever seen in a Bollywood or Tamil film (which I have actually watched quite a few of), it was probably the cutest due to the transitions from old Jamal/Latika to young Jamal/Latika. I felt it was a good way to end.
To conclude, do I think it will win the Oscar for Best Picture?
Yes, for it is its destiny.
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