I might've been the one person who didn't like Slumdog Millionaire, but I still love 28 Days Later and the trailer here intrigues. Apparently James Franco's bringin' the A-game:
Oh, you might want to try Slumdog, Nick. I had some issues with its big picture themes and moral, but it was consistently interesting. It's so rare you get a slice of Indian life and pop culture in an English speaking film. All that stuff is fascinating.
Nick- Me. Too. That and the Tizzle Wizzle Show (3 more seconds to choose your knife!). Lol.
And you should absolutely check out Slumdog Millionaire- it's one of the best/ most unapologetic (leaving these words out, due to possibly spoiler-y nature) movies I've seen maybe ever. I dunno what's up with Dave. ;P
A'ight, Nick, don't read this - It's the spoiler-talk for Slumdog Millionaire!
Right, then...
Technically well made movie. Excellent performances, looks great, etc.
The thing that bugged me about it, that really, I hate about it, stems from sentiments you can find on a lot of the promo posters for it proclaiming it to be a feel-good movie. The poster I'm looking at on the Wiki page even proclaims it "the feel-good film of the decade."
Really?
The feel good film of the decade is the story of a kid eventually connecting with his childhood sweetheart...after she's had to live her teen years in forced prostitution? After he's been beaten and abused by seemingly every strata of India? After the brother who sold him out blows his brains out in repentance? Da FUG?!
Now here's the thing - in real life, shit happens and people find a way to work through it. I don't know that I'd call it "feel good," but people can definitely turn tragedy around. That basic premise I like. 1984's got some beautiful love scenes set amidst the darkest backdrop imaginable.
But Slumdog asks us to believe their reunion was somehow "fate." Was it fate that she became a prostitute, too? Just to make their reunion extra neato? That's effed up. It's like when people celebrate an athlete's "God given" talent, but conveniently leave God out of the equation when an injury permanently sidelines the guy.
I hate that. It's either delusional or it celebrates a fate (or God) that inflicts good and bad so capriciously that it sure ain't something to celebrate or worship. I'd much rather see a story about love triumphing over adversity without trying to give it dopey, magical significance.
Related: once saw a reviewer say of the movie Unbreakable that it left him far more disheartened by the grim depiction of a domestic invasion than exhilarated by the idea of a real guy gaining superpowers. I felt similarly about Slumdog. Too much tragedy in that movie for me to feel good about a lone "they lived happily ever after" scene in the end.
Dave- It's a story of how true love triumphs over all. Yes, horrible shit does happen and the characters in this movie certainly saw more than their fair share, but the point is that life's horrible shit doesn't mean much at the end of the day when you have love. A bit cheesy? For sure, but all good love stories are... and that's what it is, yo- a love story. I actually did leave the theatre feeling good about life.
Yeah, I think you're asking too many rational and realistic questions of a story that is an unabashedly unrealistic, over the top, and fantastic love story.
I guess if you can't unground yourself for the movie it would definitely feel way twisted and grotesque, but I watched it the same way I would read an old fable or old children's tale.
"I'd much rather see a story about love triumphing over adversity without trying to give it dopey, magical significance."
It's the dopey and magical significance that makes it so enjoyable for me. It's not real life; it's escapism. When people do it in real life, it annoys me too (your athlete example), but this is not supposed to be comparable to real life. What would Lord of the Rings be without dopey, magical significance? Love stories, like medieval fantasy stories, are often stories of unrealistic circumstance, tragedy, cruel fate, and fantastic magic. This is a genre, like fantasy, that often includes these premises as a given. If you can't unground yourself enough to suspend reality and enjoy the fantastic and unrealistic nature of the genre, that's totally fair. Lots of people dislike medieval fantasy, wizards, and dragons for the same reason, but that's a personal connection issue and not a failing of the film, imho.
Ok, so all the participation in the comments finally got me to watch the trailer.
An idea that kinda makes me think no, and I'm also waaaaay tired of watching actors talk into camcorders in hollywood movies. It's just super trite and overdone for me. Buuuuuuuut the trailer looks good and has me interested enough to give it a chance.
I really just don't get how people walk away from Slumdog uplifted. I mean, I liked the dance number, too. It was so surreal and catchy you almost forget you just spent 95% of the last two hours watching a tragedy.
I think maybe if it hadn't been 95% tragedy, 5% "true love conquers all" - if maybe that balance had been more even on both sides - I might've been down with it. That 95% weighed down on me, though. Couldn't get my mind past it.
Back to Aron Ralston :p, I think I want to see this, even tho it will most likely be crazy sad. I remember when this happened. It doesn't show it at all in the trailer, but y'all DO know what he does, right?
I can never look at James Franco without thinking about him literally "sleeping" with a Japanese Pillow girl in 30 Rock.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the trailer looks good. I still haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, as it never really grabbed me.
Oh, you might want to try Slumdog, Nick. I had some issues with its big picture themes and moral, but it was consistently interesting. It's so rare you get a slice of Indian life and pop culture in an English speaking film. All that stuff is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteNick- Me. Too. That and the Tizzle Wizzle Show (3 more seconds to choose your knife!). Lol.
ReplyDeleteAnd you should absolutely check out Slumdog Millionaire- it's one of the best/ most unapologetic (leaving these words out, due to possibly spoiler-y nature) movies I've seen maybe ever. I dunno what's up with Dave. ;P
I can't say why it sucks so hard without spoiling it!
ReplyDeleteYou can't say why it sucks without... spoiling your argument.
ReplyDeletebecause in actuality it rocks rather than sucks.
A'ight, Nick, don't read this - It's the spoiler-talk for Slumdog Millionaire!
ReplyDeleteRight, then...
Technically well made movie. Excellent performances, looks great, etc.
The thing that bugged me about it, that really, I hate about it, stems from sentiments you can find on a lot of the promo posters for it proclaiming it to be a feel-good movie. The poster I'm looking at on the Wiki page even proclaims it "the feel-good film of the decade."
Really?
The feel good film of the decade is the story of a kid eventually connecting with his childhood sweetheart...after she's had to live her teen years in forced prostitution? After he's been beaten and abused by seemingly every strata of India? After the brother who sold him out blows his brains out in repentance? Da FUG?!
Now here's the thing - in real life, shit happens and people find a way to work through it. I don't know that I'd call it "feel good," but people can definitely turn tragedy around. That basic premise I like. 1984's got some beautiful love scenes set amidst the darkest backdrop imaginable.
But Slumdog asks us to believe their reunion was somehow "fate." Was it fate that she became a prostitute, too? Just to make their reunion extra neato? That's effed up. It's like when people celebrate an athlete's "God given" talent, but conveniently leave God out of the equation when an injury permanently sidelines the guy.
I hate that. It's either delusional or it celebrates a fate (or God) that inflicts good and bad so capriciously that it sure ain't something to celebrate or worship. I'd much rather see a story about love triumphing over adversity without trying to give it dopey, magical significance.
Related: once saw a reviewer say of the movie Unbreakable that it left him far more disheartened by the grim depiction of a domestic invasion than exhilarated by the idea of a real guy gaining superpowers. I felt similarly about Slumdog. Too much tragedy in that movie for me to feel good about a lone "they lived happily ever after" scene in the end.
Nick- avert yo' eyes!!
ReplyDeleteDave- It's a story of how true love triumphs over all. Yes, horrible shit does happen and the characters in this movie certainly saw more than their fair share, but the point is that life's horrible shit doesn't mean much at the end of the day when you have love. A bit cheesy? For sure, but all good love stories are... and that's what it is, yo- a love story. I actually did leave the theatre feeling good about life.
And that's what I think about that. :)
spoilers ahead!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think you're asking too many rational and realistic questions of a story that is an unabashedly unrealistic, over the top, and fantastic love story.
I guess if you can't unground yourself for the movie it would definitely feel way twisted and grotesque, but I watched it the same way I would read an old fable or old children's tale.
"I'd much rather see a story about love triumphing over adversity without trying to give it dopey, magical significance."
It's the dopey and magical significance that makes it so enjoyable for me. It's not real life; it's escapism. When people do it in real life, it annoys me too (your athlete example), but this is not supposed to be comparable to real life. What would Lord of the Rings be without dopey, magical significance? Love stories, like medieval fantasy stories, are often stories of unrealistic circumstance, tragedy, cruel fate, and fantastic magic. This is a genre, like fantasy, that often includes these premises as a given. If you can't unground yourself enough to suspend reality and enjoy the fantastic and unrealistic nature of the genre, that's totally fair. Lots of people dislike medieval fantasy, wizards, and dragons for the same reason, but that's a personal connection issue and not a failing of the film, imho.
Ok, so all the participation in the comments finally got me to watch the trailer.
ReplyDeleteAn idea that kinda makes me think no, and I'm also waaaaay tired of watching actors talk into camcorders in hollywood movies. It's just super trite and overdone for me. Buuuuuuuut the trailer looks good and has me interested enough to give it a chance.
I really just don't get how people walk away from Slumdog uplifted. I mean, I liked the dance number, too. It was so surreal and catchy you almost forget you just spent 95% of the last two hours watching a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe if it hadn't been 95% tragedy, 5% "true love conquers all" - if maybe that balance had been more even on both sides - I might've been down with it. That 95% weighed down on me, though. Couldn't get my mind past it.
I'm glad you guys liked it.
Back to Aron Ralston :p, I think I want to see this, even tho it will most likely be crazy sad. I remember when this happened. It doesn't show it at all in the trailer, but y'all DO know what he does, right?
ReplyDeleteNah, I actually don't recall the specifics, so don't SPOILS it, please! I figured I'd maybe catch the movie, then read up on the actual events.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't watch the trailer until yesterday, but I wants to see the movie.
ReplyDelete