Film-Tech Cinema Systems
Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE


  
my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film Handlers' Movie Reviews   » Slumdog Millionaire (2008) (Page 1)

 
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2 
 
Author Topic: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Carol May
Film Handler

Posts: 48
From: los angeles, ca, usa
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted 11-08-2008 05:50 PM      Profile for Carol May   Email Carol May   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What a fantastic movie! A friend asked me if I wanted to go, I took a quick look at IMDB and said Sure. If I had noticed that this was the upcoming Danny Boyle picture, I might not have gone.

Boyle was very creative in using Who Wants to Be a Millionaire as the impetus to learn about the main character's life. He's 18 now, and we see him beginning at about age 6. The actors are all excellent, living their roles, not acting. We see how India has changed over the last decade-plus and how that affects the lives of these Muslim children born into poverty.

My friend and I were thoroughly engrossed, and after the movie, the buzz was positive. Stay through the end titles for the Bollywood musical number!

 |  IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001


 - posted 12-06-2008 12:50 AM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This week the National Board of Review gave Slumdog Millionaire its 2008 Best Picture Award.

 |  IP: Logged

Alex Rolfe
Film Handler

Posts: 37
From: Cambridge, MA, USA
Registered: Mar 2003


 - posted 12-13-2008 11:02 AM      Profile for Alex Rolfe   Author's Homepage   Email Alex Rolfe   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The mixing of past and present action was neat and well done. Much of story, especially the WWBM part, pushes the bounds of plausibility, but that gives it a feeling like a gritty fairytale. Overall, 7/10.

The song at the beginning of the credits doesn't really qualify as a Bollywood song since
- it only used one location instead of ten
- it only used one change of costume for the lead actor and actress instead of fifteen
- they weren't lip-syncing the words

 |  IP: Logged

Mike Schindler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1039
From: Oak Park, IL, USA
Registered: Jun 2002


 - posted 12-14-2008 07:35 PM      Profile for Mike Schindler   Email Mike Schindler   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This movie is extraordinarily cheesy and contrived. It has plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. I found the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire stuff to be way more interesting than the flashbacks, and yet it wasn't nearly as compelling as an actual episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And I don't even watch that show.

Here's a question. Why do people consider the photography in this thing to be good?

And maybe this has something to do with the fact that I drank a large Coke Zero while watching the movie, and had to pee really bad during the last half hour, but it seemed to go on forever. I was, like, two reels ahead of this movie every step of the way, and I just wanted them to get on with it so that I could go to the bathroom. And then it keeps going through the credits! (which, admittedly was the best part)

Every time Boyle comes out with a movie, there's some "friend" of mine that say, "Oh, man, it's awesome! You have to see it!" And then I do, and it sucks, and I swear I'll never see another one of his movies again. Someday, I'll learn...

 |  IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 12-14-2008 08:40 PM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Okay...so I was at the AFI/Silver on Saturday on other business and this film happened to be playing...it had been doing well so I decided to take a peek...

Slumdog Millionare tells the story, in flashback, of a kid born in poverty, in India, that finds himself in an Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionare?"

We learn how this young adult is doing well on the show, despite his obvious lack of scholarly upbringing. As some have noted, the story is contrived in a Forest Gump sort of way. His life experiences just happen to fit the questions being asked of him. The story is told in flash-back.

For me the story was pretty poor...the acting was pretty darn good, the photography was incompetent and the sound, while clean, was uninspired...though the music was good.

I'm guessing that film was used, sparingly, in the photography as the grains are uber-bolder sized and there are horizontal steaks, like scan lines, in all dark portions of any frame, so video was in there somewhere. I can not state enough just how piss-poor the quality of image is on this movie. I'm amazed that it was released in "scope." There wasn't enough data on the image to fill the screen.

I'll give the movie about a 2/5...mostly for the acting...again superb.

Steve

 |  IP: Logged

Paul Burt
Film Handler

Posts: 46
From: San Francisco, CA, United States
Registered: Apr 2006


 - posted 12-15-2008 02:03 AM      Profile for Paul Burt   Email Paul Burt   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
My favorite film at September's Telluride Film Festival. Smart fast-paced colorful semi-fantasy with touches of Bollywood and a thriller edge. Loads of fun if you let yourself go with it and don't haver to pee too badly. 4.5/5

 |  IP: Logged

Chad Souder
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 962
From: Waterloo, IA, USA
Registered: Feb 2000


 - posted 01-28-2009 11:13 AM      Profile for Chad Souder   Email Chad Souder   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Once I caught on in the first few minutes that the game show was a vehicle with which to explore the character's life, I found myself just wanting to find out the next question to see if I knew the answer. I was quite bored throughout - never caring about any of the characters. It was like they were all plucked from other good movies. The music was good. I truly do not understand how this is winning/getting nominated for so many awards. I didn't think it was terrible, just not nearly as good as some are making it out to be.

 |  IP: Logged

Louis Belloisy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 120
From: morris, ct usa
Registered: Jun 2006


 - posted 01-28-2009 02:59 PM      Profile for Louis Belloisy   Author's Homepage   Email Louis Belloisy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't understand the hype over this film. I had to watch it after I put it together. I looked at my watch each and every 10 minutes, waiting for it to be over.
First of all, the cinematography is terrible, acting is horrible, especially the game host. The academy has its head buried up their collective butts.

I have been a professional photographer for 30 years, and i think i know good photography when i see it. this stinks.

Again, as i stated in a post last week, its all about the bottom line. Most of the patrons who come to see this film are of the artsy type. It has been our experience that when we have a film that appeals to the artsy crowd, we don't sell concession. Artsy people = cheap.

Louis

 |  IP: Logged

Blaine Young
Master Film Handler

Posts: 477
From: Kirkland, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2006


 - posted 01-28-2009 03:45 PM      Profile for Blaine Young   Email Blaine Young   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We opened this film in mid-November on 2 screens. After several weeks, it dropped down to 1 screen. Then after the Golden Globes and Oscars, a 2nd print came back and we're now running this on our two largest screens for 7 shows a day.

I saw the film after building our new 2nd print. I'll agree about the comments regarding the photography. And while the film was okay for me, it certainly isn't 'best picture' material. But then again, I've not agreed with the adademy for years...

 |  IP: Logged

Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000


 - posted 02-25-2009 10:36 PM      Profile for Phil Hill   Email Phil Hill       Edit/Delete Post 
YUK!

2 outta 5

 |  IP: Logged

Sally Ann Burgess
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 120
From: Queenstown, New Zealand
Registered: Apr 2008


 - posted 02-26-2009 08:46 PM      Profile for Sally Ann Burgess   Email Sally Ann Burgess   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
There is NO WAY that in real life, a question on Millionaire would be asked on this show, and for then to be a break.
My favourite part was the song at the end. I enjoyed this movie but didn't think it deserved Best Picture. TDK was better than this but then what do I know?

 |  IP: Logged

Justin Gorka
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 174
From: High Wycombe, England
Registered: Apr 2006


 - posted 02-27-2009 07:12 PM      Profile for Justin Gorka   Email Justin Gorka   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Boring

 |  IP: Logged

Gary Crawford
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 200
From: Neptune NJ USA
Registered: Nov 2003


 - posted 03-03-2009 07:50 AM      Profile for Gary Crawford   Email Gary Crawford   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We're still running it, 5th week for us, interest is now waning. I thought it was okay, not Best Picture tho. As we keep running it, those high-pitched screechy voices are getting on my nerves more and more.

 |  IP: Logged

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 03-19-2009 02:00 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We just wrapped it up.

Crowds - crappy except 1 night (Saturday). Not a small-town picture, apparently.
Film condition - Dog-shit.
Audience reaction - Several teen walkouts, some loved it though. One 50-ish guy said it was "horrible." Ladies seemed to like it more than men.

I watched bits and pieces here and there but couldn't bring myself to watch more than a few seconds due to the amazingly bad condition of the film. Thanks, Fox and Deluxe!

 |  IP: Logged

John Koutsoumis
Master Film Handler

Posts: 261
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Aug 2003


 - posted 03-19-2009 04:20 PM      Profile for John Koutsoumis   Email John Koutsoumis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Were in our 12th week with this one. The more I look at it the more I like it but it would have been better if it did not revolve around the game show. Those scenes ruin it.

 |  IP: Logged



All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2 
 
   Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic    next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:



Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.3.1.2

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.

© 1999-2020 Film-Tech Cinema Systems, LLC. All rights reserved.