Slumdog Millionaire

Seil · 02-09-2009, 12:45 PM

For those of you that don't know, there's an Indian movie out called Slumdog Millionaire about a young Chai-runner (tea runner) for a phone company. He lands a spot on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," and ends up getting questions right. Because he's a slumdog - someone from the slums of India, he's uneducated and therefore obviously cheating. So he's taken away and tortured.

When they interrogate him, trying to get him to confess, he begins to reveal his life story, his brother Salim and the love of his life, Latika. What he reveals about life in the slums, the abuse he's suffered and what's he's had to go through makes for a fantastic film.

But what I really loved about the film was the music. Jai Ho, the opening piece, is just an example of the Bollywood music used in the film, which when added with the rest of the soundtrack, adds a lot to the film.

However, there's been some protests in India about the flick, as slum-dwellers are upset at being called "Slumdogs."

Lumenskir · 02-09-2009, 02:22 PM

Honestly, the main reason I didn't want to make a "Guilty Displeasures" thread was that I knew I would end up spending a good chunk complaining about how overhyped this movie has become. I mean, I guess it was sort of destined to be the movie that has some appeal for everyone (I think Slate called it one of the best "grandma" movies, along with The Reader), but it quickly shot past that into the sort of "OMG What a great experience!" things that are reserved for the likes of your Junos and Little Miss Sunshines.

Of course, it might just be that I put City of God in my top 10 and I couldn't help watching Slumdog and wondering when the characters would become believable instead of melodramatic caricatures (probably my favorite review so far was from the A.V. Club, wherin the reviewer wondered when the twisty-mustached villain would finally get around to strapping the love interest to the train tracks), or when everyone would stop being connected by the flimsiest of fairy tale logic, or basically when the poverty setting would actually matter as opposed to being some grungily-cute background for the 'story'.

Sorry if this is just shitting on the thread, but I've had way too many people attack me for being some killjoy just because I think TDK and The Wrestler and WALL-E are better movies. Also, the content of the film is nothing compared to what's happening with the actors.

Masked Jedi · 02-09-2009, 06:02 PM

I really enjoyed it, kinda how I loved Wall-E. We need this escapism those movies provide.

Also, Seil? It's British.

Seil · 02-09-2009, 06:17 PM

(>>)

Well... it's a British movie set in India and based around Indian characters.

02-09-2009, 12:45 PM	#1
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	Slumdog Millionaire For those of you that don't know, there's an Indian movie out called Slumdog Millionaire about a young Chai-runner (tea runner) for a phone company. He lands a spot on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," and ends up getting questions right. Because he's a slumdog - someone from the slums of India, he's uneducated and therefore obviously cheating. So he's taken away and tortured. When they interrogate him, trying to get him to confess, he begins to reveal his life story, his brother Salim and the love of his life, Latika. What he reveals about life in the slums, the abuse he's suffered and what's he's had to go through makes for a fantastic film. But what I really loved about the film was the music. Jai Ho, the opening piece, is just an example of the Bollywood music used in the film, which when added with the rest of the soundtrack, adds a lot to the film. However, there's been some protests in India about the flick, as slum-dwellers are upset at being called "Slumdogs."

02-09-2009, 06:17 PM	#4
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	(>>) Well... it's a British movie set in India and based around Indian characters.