Song of the Day: “Punk Rock Paranda” by Gogol Bordello

Slumdog Millionaire

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Drama/Crime/Romance
Year: 2008

I will lay it out on the table right off the bat, I am biased in that I pretty much love anything Danny Boyle does. Sure, like any director he has his better ones and his lesser movies, but in the grand scheme of things, Boyle will outshine just about any director even when he is at his worst. I do not exaggerate when I put him in my list of top five directors of all time. So, keep that in mind as I talk about this film, because it is liable to make things sound better than -you- might thing. Really, as with anything else, you should always take anybody’s review with a huge grain of salt and make your own mind up. However, if IMDb is any indication, the move has already cracked #45 out of the top 250 films of all time.

Now, about this film. Watch it, before it leaves the silverscreen and when it comes out on DVD, make the purchase. I went in with a bit of trepidation, I have to say. Even if it was a Danny Boyle film, I have to say that the logline was not entirely appealing. Essentially it is the story of a young Indian (East Indian) man who goes on to the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire in order to find the love of his life, whom he believes is fated to him and vice versa. I have personally never watched an entire season of Millionaire, game shows and reality TV never quite interested me, so already this movie had a check against it. Then the whole thing about fated love…call me a cynic but I have never really believed in all that so that sort of put another check against it. Lastly, the fact that it was set in India did not really do much for me. I saw the trailer and honestly it did not pull my strings much in one direction or the other. So in the end, I went to see this movie almost entirely on the fact that his name was placed on the director’s tag and that is pretty much it.

Having seen it, I would say it is one of the best films I have seen this year, if not -the- best. I still need a bit of time to digest it, but the fact that it has been continuously in my mind is a good sign. The movie plays out quite differently than I expected, more like a crime-thriller than a romance, told in flashbacks that in sequence explain the way he managed to make his way to the top prize in the contest. Equal parts insightful, amusing, thrilling and touching, this film plays at a high adrenaline level that rarely lets up, relating the story of Jamal Malik and his brother as they set of to try to survive in a world where the odds are against them. As it turns out, setting the movie in India was perfect, not only to serve as contrast to what we are used to seeing in Millionaire shows, but also to put into perspective life in the slums in a country that is for all intents and purposes on the cusp of becoming a world power. It seems interesting, though not at all surprising, that life can be this difficult and the setting itself helps create a sense of sympathy for the protagonist that effectively gets the audience rooting for him. Fate or not, this movie is a triumph.

Rating: 5 out of 5
Comments: While this movie takes the audience through a roller coaster of emotions and over all it has an upbeat message, this is not exactly a family movie. There is quite a bit of violence and graphic moments that are not suitable for minors. Also, it must be stated that the soundtrack kicks some serious fanny and that, for those of you are are subtitlephobic, this movie is in English…for the most part.

King of California

Director: Mike Cahill
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Year: 2007

At fifteen years old, Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) is pretty much an adult, not because she wants to, but because she has to. Her mother left her with her father Charlie (Michael Douglas), who over time began to deteriorate mentally, until he ends up in a mental asylum and Miranda ends up having to hold the fort down, lying to people about her age, making the house payment, purchasing a dilapitated but useful clunker of a car and making ends meet however she can. Obviously school was no longer an option. Hard as it may be, she does not truly fault her father, or if she does, she seems to keep it well hidden under a facade of understanding and the natural love that a daughter will have for her father, regardless of how he seems to fail her. And when Charlie is finally released, she is there to pick him up, even is she knows that her life is about to go spinning out of control.

Tolerating, more than anything, Miranda adds Charlie back up into her life, making it no secret that she was much happier alone, but knowing where her responsibilities lie. What she does not expect is her father coming out of the asylum talking about hidden Spanish treasure buried somewhere in the valley, treasure he is bound and determined to find, with or without Miranda’s help. Of course, given that he is linked to her and her life, in the end Miranda ends up going through the trip of her life, in a mad hunt for treasure which ends up being buried under — of all places — Costo.

This movie is enjoyable and while perhaps not as polished as Little Miss Sunshine, it seems to fall under the same vein, where drama and comedy seem to mix given a combination of unique characters and unique situations. More than anything, this movie effectively allows us to get a glimpse of the difficulties of dealing with an unstable parent and given the circumstances, it ends up making us that much more sympathetic to Miranda’s character. Pretty solidly directed and acted this film is actually quite charming and likeable and while it may not be life changing, it is definitely worth the watch.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Comments: Some adult situations but nothing too crazy, really its just the language you gotta watch for, which is not too heavy.
Quote: Miranda: You don’t take anything seriously do you? You think the world is just here for your amusement!
Charlie: But look at the world…
Miranda: I do. But unlike you I have to live in it!