Slumdog Millionaire: Best Picture, not so much
I’ve been writing about Summer Movies from 2008, so I figured I’d write a little something about an Oscar movie…
Slumdog Millionaire is the only Best Picture nominee I saw this year - and I did see it before it was nominated, just so ya know. I actually saw the thing with Janine and my wife and our friend Jess. It was a fun evening. We went to Davis Theater - my favorite little crappy, cheap-seat (but first-run) neighborhood movie theater. I love the place because of its price and because I can buy superballs there. (I bought, like, four superballs the night we went to Slumdog. I love superballs.) I often sneak in liquor, buy a large Sprite and get drunk. I can hardly remember much of Indiana Jones and the Fucking Kingdom of the Goddamn Crystal-ass Skull, but I had a terrific time, I know that. And then we all went to my favorite Mexican place across the street - this isn’t just your regular greasy, hungover Mexican joint - this is classy stuff. Jack Rabbit on Lincoln, check it out.
superballs!
I’m pretty sure the ladies all enjoyed the movie. I did, too. You know…enough.
It’s sweet and interesting and cool and a great feat for a small company working in India. Danny Boyle is kind of a prick, though, don’t you think? As far as filmmaking goes? He’s got talent, really fucking cool-ass talent, but he’s inconsistent like crazy. Trainspotting is incredible - but I think that’s because it’s from an incredible book (incredible…so I’m told). Shallow Grave is kick-ass - Ewan MacGregor is so great, and he moves so deftly between biggest fuckhead ever to awesome protagonist. The Beach is one of the worst movies ever. Millions is lovely. 28 Days Later should have been a masterpiece but wasn’t - nevertheless, I quite like it. I haven’t wasted my time with A Life Less Ordinary…yet. Sunshine is borderline really, really interesting and really, really shitty. Hey, that’s Danny Boyle!
mmmmmexican food!
Slumdog manipulates and I don’t like that. I’m fine with it sometimes, but not really in this case. Actually, it was fine for most of the movie, but that ending? You know, that works for some people - fine, whatever. But even making the GAME SHOW HOST a villain? What? WHAT??
It’s fun, though - hey, great. And it’s got heart. And pep. Terrific. I recommend it a little bit. I do. But I have a strong feeling many of us will not really remember much about this movie in years to come. I mean, I’m not saying this is Life is Beautiful embarrassing or anything but…
