*** Official SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

I can't believe I'm the first to post about the film, but what they hey

I am a Danny Boyle fan. I made the decision a while back to just see whatever the guy makes. It's worked out for me so far. Fortunately for me, the guy jumps genres pretty much every film.

This one took a little bit. It timeshifts from the get-go, and it took me about 20-30 minutes to get into its rhythm. But once I did, it was a very interestingly told love story. Almost blithely, it rolls through some horrendous events, circumstances, and people. Because the protagonists are children, it sees these things with the innocence and wonder a youth might. It reminded me of City of God more than once, and that is high praise.

It examined a part of the world I am wholly unfamiliar with, and I truly enjoyed that aspect.

I'd like to fit it into a box for a review, but it's just not possible. I do highly recommend the film to anyone with an open cinematic mind.

Last things:

1) The older Latika (Freida Pinto) is ridiculously attractive.
2) Brilliant score.
3) If you don't love the end credits, you probably have no soul.

9/10,
Chuck

 

[Brandon Conway]

I also say 9/10, for all the reasons you mentioned Chuck.

 

[teapot2001]

Who Wants to be a Millioniare was one of the most suspenseful things I've ever watched when I watched it when it first aired. I remember wondering how that type of suspense could be put into a movie, and I guess there's no better way than to make a movie that involves that show as part of it's story.

This is a great movie. It's a cool script told in a breathtaking, fast paced style much like City of God. Even though you could anticipate what's going to happen, the scenes still retain their suspense. Probably the best thing about the movie is that it shows a side of India and in a manner that I haven't seen depicted in a movie before. I hadn't seen subtitles shown all over the screen before, so I thought that was neat and added to the energy of the movie.

I could've done without the Paper Planes song.

~T

 

[Adam_S]

My favorite movie of the year so far, 10 of 10. and other than Dark Knight, the only film this year I'm downright anxious to rewatch.

 

[Jose Martinez]

My favorite movie of the year as well. Definitely the feel good movie of the year too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Slumdog Millionaire". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Patrick Sun]

"Slumdog Millionaire" is about Jamal, an unlikely contestant for the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" who somehow finds himself on the brink of the show's history in getting close to the 20 million rupees (supposedly $1 million dollars at the time in 2006), and his life's story somehow provides him with clues to many of the answers to questions he would face on his way to the final question on the show.

Director Danny Boyle puts on a dazzling display of directorial confidence in telling this story, which will surely stay with those who see the film. Orphaned at a young age, both Jamal and his brother Salim have to fend for themselves, and along the way, they take in a young girl, Latika. Surviving on the streets in Mumbai isn't easy, and their paths to young adulthood is often bumpy, and events that happen in their youth mold their character and lot in life.

The use of flashbacks as the tale unfolds isn't an original tact, but it's well done, and somehow keeps the audience on its toes as Jamal's past somehow relentlessly catches up with him at the crux of his appearance on a game show that could bring him riches, or take the love of his life from him.

The pace of the film is good for the first 2/3 of the film, but it stumbles a tiny bit in the final act as the events that come together feels a little too much of an artifice to wrap things up, but it's a minor quibble for such an engrossing story, otherwise.

I give the film 3.75 stars, or a grade of A-.

 

[Edwin-S]

Finally saw this film last night. I find it hard to believe that this is probably going to be the eventual winner for Best Picture Oscar. I thought the film was good, but I found myself more impressed by the soundtrack and cinematography than the actual story. The city of Mumbai really becomes another character in this film, thanks to the cinematography.

The story, overall, on the other hand rates just a B with me. AFAIAC, it is just another typical Hollywood star-crossed lover plot. WALL-E used the same device and, for me, did it better. The flashbacks were very effective at capturing the squalor, filth, corruption, and danger of growing up as an orphan in Mumbai; however, the direness of their existence had me thinking why am I watching a movie showing the shittiness of the world. All I have to do is read a newspaper or turn on the news and get more than my fill of the squalid conditions that most people live in in this world. The worst thing about it is that thanks to Globalization I can see that squalidness eventually coming to North America and Europe.The whole thought depresses me. I look at the images in this film and all I see is our future. I'm glad I have no kids.

A for the melding of images and music. B for the story overall.

 

[Aigijimri]

Slumdog Millionaire Sucks!!!!!!!!!

I am surprised how come this movie was chosen ahead of a much better movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

First, of all the name itselft is so humiliating to the slum dwellers! its directly addressing the slum dwellers as "Dog"

Secondly, Slumdog millionaire exhibits only the slum future of India and its poverty. It doesn't feels the need, to showcase the other side of India which is fast lossing its tag of being a developing nation.

Thirdly, there are instances in the movie which is not at all suitable for other small kids and teenagers to know & watch. For example "How Salim seduces Latika"

Fourth, the older hero could have been played by a more manly & handsome guy!

Fifth, there were better music than "Jai Ho" which luckily got the oscars.

Sixth, the background music was real boring for the whole movie.