Millionaire, Bollywood Style

Three weeks ago I wrote about my anticipation and the buzz surrounding the newly released Slumdog Millionaire. Through a series of flashbacks evoked by a tortuous police interrogation surrounding his alleged cheating, the film recounts the story of Jamal, a Muslim orphan hustling for a living in the slums of Bombay, and how he came to be just one question away from the 20 million rupee prize on India's most popular game show. To say that all of my expectations were met would be an understatement. Director Danny Boyle weaves an intricate narrative that ties together the most poignant scenes from Jamal's life and plays out as a type of modern day fairy tale about the power of true love and determination. That said, however, do not confuse this movie for a candy-sweet Disneyesque fable. Rather, interspersed among the film's most touching moments are glimpses of man at his worst and most desperate. These roles in the film are assumed by Jamal's older brother Salim, a tenacious, though arrogant and corrupt teen that robs Jamal of one prize after the next, a deranged orphanage leader, and even Millionaire's host, an envious former-slumdog loathe to see another pauper rise to fame and fortune himself. Boyle puts the viewer on the edge of his seat at multiple points throughout the movie as the sheer dramatic force of the movie draws you in and makes you cringe at the disaster possibly awaiting the protagonists.

The film is also stunningly shot, with beautiful panormas of the emerging Bombay skyline, the Taj Mahal, and the Indian countryside shot with gorgeously filtered cinematography to highlight the full pallete of India's diversity. The acting is all top notch, I even read that Boyle bestowed co-director status to his Indian casting director for her invaluable contribution to the film. In addition, actress Freida Pinto plays Jamal's love interest Latika with an effortless grace, not to mention beauty. Current events aside, the film plays out as a symbol of the promise that Bombay holds for all its people, slumdogs included, not to mention as a postcard trying to draw foreigners to the country. Slumdog is certainly the best film I've seen in theaters (excluding Dark Knight...a very different beast indeed) for a few years at the least. See Slumdog for yourself and see for yourself how Jamal won the millions, if he cheated, if fate can bring true lovers together, and to see what a quality film looks like. Expect best director and film nods at the least, not to mention casting.

What I Did Besides Flip the Bird This Thanksgiving

-So while I was home for Thanksgiving break my dad asked me to help him out in the kitchen. What was my job? "Help me flip the bird would you? It's gotta cook on the other side." My dad and I stared at each other for a few seconds and then gave each other the finger and laughed. It was touching, really.

-Also while I was home my brother expounded the virtues of Mr. Kanye West to me. A while back I commented on how I was skeptical of his use of autotune, a criticism that I do not feel was unwarranted, though it does certainly seem like everybody and their mother is utilizing the technique these days. That said? 808s and Heartbreaks actually sounded pretty decent, mostly because it is such a departure from Kanye's other material. More beat versus hook oriented, more spoken than sung. Not to mention the fact that the two videos released thus far are both very impressive (though I still think of Richard Linklater when I see rotoscoped film)
-Love Lockdown
-Heartless

-Everybody! Now that Thanksgiving is over we are on the dawn of America's next great holiday! Get out your Santa yarmulkas!

-In my long running commentary against "urban loneliness", I can now claim the support on NY Magazine, owing to a very detailed investigative piece they recently completed. Though NYC may have the highest number of people living alone and isolated in other supposed ways, all indicators regarding true emotional isolation point to our being pretty sane after all.

-And one more thing. Can we just talk about Plaxico Burres for a second? I saw a headline yesterday: Burres Shoots Himself in the Foot. "Okay," I figure. The Giants must be 10-2 and lost another game thanks to some dropped catches of his. When my friend told me that, no, Burres did not drop any catches, but instead just shot himself in the thigh...I walked away in embarrassment for Burres. To shame...

Doggy Fizzle Meets the Martizzle

And That's Why...You Don't Try and Copy T-Pain

Because he and Justin Timberlake will just show up all of his imitators...I'm looking at you Kanye.

It's Been How Long Since We've Been Off the Air? Come On!

Not that there have already been years of speculation about an upcoming movie (and it's certainly not as if we were promised one in its last episode), but is an Arrested Development movie finally upon us? I'm hoping so, but still very skeptical. The fan base is too devoted, I'm hoping at least, for them to trot out some sorry script and just try and make money off of it (though, ironically, this would be a reason to just make the movie regardless). If the quality of writing per episode is any indication of how smart the movie will be though, I plan on being able to watch at least 6 times before I catch all the jokes in there.

As a bonus, look for Turk from Scrubs and Buster from Arrested in this sweet Fall Out Boy video. I bet Buster learned those moves in Army Hero Training!

Sign Me Up For That Job

If somebody had turned me onto being a food critic as early as this kid, it's very possible that this blog would be on the NY Times web page and medical school would have been solely an afterthought in my mind. I'm impressed by such a young kid eating tripe! I didn't eat offal until I was 21 at least. Also, as reported earlier here, "Milkofuku" is supposed to be a huge hit, so I will be making my pilgrimage there soon...

You Play Ball Like a Girl!/You're Killing Me Smalls!/Wendy Peffercorn!

In today's nostalgia series, I give you The Sandlot. Never has there been a better sports/growing up movie to which we all could relate any better. Who hasn't gotten into a pickle before anyways? And who remembers when the worst insult you could actually get was being told you can't play ball? And who didn't want to buy some PF Fliers just so they could run like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez? And who can make smores ever again without laughing and thinking of Ham Porter (well I can't at the least). Wendy Peffercorn, we salute you. (that's what she said?)