Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Starring:
Dev Patel: (Older) Jamal Malik
Anil Kapoor: Prem Kumar
Madhur Mittal: (Older) Salim
Freida Pinto: (Older) Latika
Ayush Mahesh Khedekar: Young Jamal
Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail: Young Salim
And a longer list of great cast members.



I had the pleasure of seeing Slumdog Millionaire in the movie theater the other night. It is most unusual because the movie theaters here where I live rarely show independent or artsy films, so I ran to see it before they took it out of the theater.

Slumdog Millionaire is the story of a young man who goes on the Indian version of Who Want's to be a Millionaire? and makes it to the second to last question all in one night. After the show wraps he is whisked away by Indian authorities under suspicion for cheating., how could a young man from the streets of Mumbai know all the questions so easily? Through Jamal's answers to the detectives' questions we learn of his hard life and his connection to the woman of his dreams - Latika, a fellow "slumdog" whom he has lost in the chaos of the Mumbai underground. The main question of the movie is can Jamal convince everone that he isn't cheating and reunite himself with his lost love?

I loved this movie. I laughed and cried and probably annoyed people by my silly giggles at times that I noticed things they probably didn't because of my new-found familiarity to some of Indian pop-culture. The scene in which young Jamal runs to get Amitab Bachchan's autograph had me rolling in a fit of giggles. The story brings to light the darker side of Mumbai, the side that most Bollywood movies ignore. I am glad that they decided to use such a great ensemble cast and as Dev said on the Today show a few weeks ago "they couldn't get a Bollywood actor that looked as Geeky as me" (I'm para-phrasing beause I don't remember the exact words.) I tried to imagine this movie with Salman Khan, Shahrukh or anyone else, even John Abraham, would have seemed to not really fit this role. Dev Patel was wonderful, I feel that he deserves all the fan-fare and awards that he has been getting already. I hope that they do well at the Golden Globes - the movie is nominated for four of them. I know this isn't a Bollywood movie, but it is about India and i tseems to tell the story of real India, instead of the fanciful one portrayed so much more often. It's like our movies here, they usually show the bright side of things, and it takes quiet, independent films to show the real parts of our society that everyday citizens face. It's a great movie, and if you get a chance to see it I recommend going to see it in theaters.

India Movie Review: Koi...Mil Gaya (I Found Someone)

Starring:
Hrithik Roshan: Rohit Mehra
Preity Zinta: Nisha
Rekha: Sonia Mehra

The basic story of Koi...Mil Gaya is the tale of Rohit Mehra, a young man who was born with a mind that would never progress past the age of a young boy. While in the process of trying to grow and overcome his disability he meets Nisha, who sees his naiive mischivetey as bad manners and ill-natured jokes. After correcting the mis-understanding Nisha and Rohit become friends and she agrees to teach him how to use a computer. Rohit digs out an old computer belonging to his late father and un-knowingly contacts extra-terrestrials. They land in the small town, but leave a one of their own behind. Eventually Rohit finds and befriends this strange creature and names him "Jadoo." Along with his 6 friends and Nisha, Rohit changes with the magic of Jadoo and becomes an adult, but can the magic last?

I originally rented this movie in order to see Preity Zinta in it. And through my viewing of it became enamored with Hrithik Roshan. He is a delightful actor and when he smiles, it's a genuine smile that makes me happier for simply having seen it. Don't even get me started about his eyes! They are stunning! Back to my impression of the movie. :) I thought at first that it was going to be awkward to watch someone act as a developmnetally disabled person and then switch to a "normal" person and then fall in love. I also was concerned with how well it would be handled in a Bollywood movie. I obviously have nothing against them, I just think that they are traditionally melodramatic and that this particular role is a hard one to act. (On a side note the best role of a mentally disabled person was played by Kang Hye-Jeong in Herb - her acting was superb and emotionally touching.) I was worrying over nothing though, Hrithik was believable and charming as Rohit, either way that he played him as an adult-minded or under-developed version. Preity was also lovely, and it was believable that her love for him was genuine as a friend and then again as a lover later on in the film. It was fresh change for a Bollywood film too, since it had a science fiction feel to it versus the simple love, love lost, love found combination that most of them tend to have. (I love them either way!) Sadly, during three of the picturizations the disc I rented was scratched so I missed out on a lot of the songs. (I had shoes just like Preity that were black back in my high school days!)

That's all right though, since I will probably buy this one as it is a full five star rating. It's one of the movies that right after I see it I'm not sure how much I liked it, then after a few days or even weeks I find myself thinking about it more and more. The longer I think about a movie, the more I enjoy it. In all, a lovely movie and I will gladly watch it again.

Adventures of a Bollywood Newbie.

I'm going to take some time and pay tribute to my new and current obsession: Bollywood film. I've been inhaling them as quickly as possible, even increasing my Netflix to three a month again because I finally have enough to fill it. So, I've been barreling through as much as I can. I've seen some ho-hum ones and some that have pushed their way into the top 10 of my all-time favorite movies (Om Shanti Om) (regardless of genre or country of origin.) In the last few months I managed to watch over 30 Bollywood films. (A select few are not made in Mumbai, and are actually British or American films, but they are related to the genre.) Here's the full list of my initial foray into Bollywood: (with my star rating, out of five) Asoka (4), Baabul (4), Bombay to Bangkok (4), Chak De! India (5), Chalte Chalte (4), Chori Chori (3), Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke (4), Dhoom (3.5), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (4), Jab We Met (3), Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (5), Jodhaa Akbar (4), Kal Ho Naa Ho (4.5), Koi...Mil Gaya(4.5), Krrish (4), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (4.5), Lakshya (4.5), Lucky: No Time for Love (4), Maine Hoon Na (5), Maine Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (4.5), Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (4), Maine Pyar Kiya (3.5), Monsoon Wedding (3), Na Tum Jaano Na Hum (4), Om Shanti Om (5), Paheli (4), Phir Milenge (4), Provoked (3.5), Rangeela (4), Salaam-E-Ishq (4), Swades (4), The Hero (3), Veer-Zaara (4.5), Baadshah (2.5), Ladies Taylor (2), Boothnath (4), Namastey London (4), The Namesake (4). I want to eventually review and type synopses for many of these, but at the moment I don't have the time! I've watched some in the presence of my mom, who tries to watch, but gets a headache from watching the sub-titles. I love that she has already started referring to Shahrukh as "our guy." So, it's spreading. Not that I really needed another language and culture to overtake my life. I already have my head stuffed full of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and obviously English. Now I'm squishing little bits of hindi in there. Matlab? Hehe.

Here is one to start:
Lucky: No Time for Love. I wasn't sure what to think about this movie and tried to keep an open mind while watching it. I know that a lot of people took issue with the age difference between Salman Khan and Sneha Ullal. It was a little strange for the main love interests to have a 22 year age difference (in real life), but I was able to move past it. She was charming, if a little over-dramatic (even for Bollywood) at times. I think she did well for her first movie. Salman Khan is starting to grow on me; I wasn't instantly drawn to him like Shahrukh. He was actually heart warming in certain scenes of this movie. I know that the style of Bollywood is to ...hm over-act or be over-dramatic is wrong, but they tend to play their roles with excess emotion a lot of the time, or heightened emotion I suppose is a better way of saying it, so I keep that in mind when judging the acting.
There will be lots more to come, but I'm out of time for the moment. Stay tuned!

Just in Time!

One of my favorite Japanese artists just released a Christmas mini-album. Bonnie Pink is a Japanese singer who has made a name for herself by being original and having a jazz influenced sound to her music. She also writes her own music; which is pretty rare for mainstream Japanese musicians. I am a sucker for Christmas music and am the leader in a few forum threads for Asian Christmas music. So, I have already reviewed this album despite it being released on the 26th. The title track, Chain, is a lovely song and easily the strongest song on the album. The rest of the tracks are traditional Christmas song with the typical Bonnie jazz/pop twist to them. Check this little gem out if you have a chance. At least her English pronunciation doesn't drive me up the wall like others!

Track Listing:
1: Chain
2: Wonderful Christmastime
3: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause
4: Let It Snow
5: CHAIN 乣The Birth Cry乣
6: The Christmas Song

...

I couldn't think of a title for this entry. I am very saddened and humbled by the news of the attacks on Mumbai today. A group of militants have attacked locations all through out the major city of India, for unknown reasons (at this time.) They have specifically targeted places around Mumbai that are tourist favorites and purposefully gathered foreigners using their passports as identification. The group attacked a train station, two high-end hotels and a restaurant that is a well known tourist destination. They rounded up Americans and Britains and held them hostage in different areas of the city. News is still breaking about the situation so I don't know all the details. The number of people wounded and killed are still rising so I don't know what to say there, it's in the hundreds already. I find it disheartening that this is still going on, but I realize the nature of society and that this is a part of life. It is unfortunate, and sad, but there can only be peace if everyone in the world is willing, and that is a hard concept to get everyone to agree on. I am going to keep myself informed on the situation, and I will keep the people of India, and the visitors involved in my thoughts. I know they will never read this, but I would like to say that I respect the police officers and officials of Mumbai for dealing with this as best that they could. I hope that in the future they will have the ability to stop things like this from happening in the first place. For more up-to-the-minute coverage do what I do and check out msnbc.com.

A welcome change.

The Korean Fair Trade Commission just issued an ultimatum to several Korean entertainment companies: change or be changed. The so-called "slavery contracts" that many Korean entertainers are bound to. I've always felt that the companies have too much control over the people that they are in charge of. I think they forget they aren't just money makers and are living, breathing beings who have feelings, lives, families and ideas that are different than that of the company. Among the companies involved are SME, JYPE, and M.net. A large portion of the biggest acts are under these labels. I hope that these new rules reduce the invasion of privacy that the entertainers are subjected to. I also hope it allows them to have a little freedom, and even a little less stress. I give big kudos to the Korean Fair Trade Commission for this.

Another one bites the dust...

I have a feeling I will hate this one. Gore Verbinski is going to produce the remake of The Host. It is actually in my top...40? 30? I've seen SO many movies, but it's really one of my favorite Korean movies and I try to show it to people when I can. My friend Sheri thought it was sad, but I felt the acting was superb and the story line was very believable and fairly reasonable for a horror movie. It will be pretty low on my check list.

BoA is coming! BoA is coming!

BoA is a powerhouse of Korean entertainment. I saw her CD; ID; Peace B forever ago at a small Korean Hello Kitty store in Minnesota and bought it out of curiosity and I have been a fan of hers ever since. I've backed off the intensity for awhile, but I've always gotten her albums and listen to her when I'm feeling stressed or particularly nostalgic. She is in the middle of her American release. Her single has done well on the digital music charts and is in the process of adding a cd single release with re-mixes and a guest appearance by Flo Rida. The full-length album is slated for release in early 2009 with the name Look Who's Talking. I wish her the best, and I will do what I can to support her efforts. Just like I do with any artist who tries to come over to the other side. Haha. I hear that Utada is trying again after her flop a couple years ago. If they both stay true to their current style and fan base, I feel they can be very successful.



Watch BoA - Eat You Up (Korea Version) in Music Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Re-Make Update:

The Korean movie "Addicted" has been renamed Possession and is staring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lee Pace (star of Pushing Daisies.) The American re-make is slated for a January 23rd release. The actors are pretty decent, so the movie might not be too bad. I'll have to wait and see. I know that the version of My Sassy Girl has been released on DVD - I saw it at Blockbuster awhile back and ran the other direction. I don't like re-makes, they lose the original flavor of the movie. I might see it sometime though. And, the re-make of my favorite Korean horror movie A Tale of Two Sisters has had a name change as well, it's now being called "The Uninvited." Which, coincidentally is the name of another Korean horror movie. I doubt it can hold up to my favorite that has Moon Geun-Young. I love her and she just has a great innocence about her and her acting is superb. I also wrote about Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, but there is no other news on it at all. If you know of a re-make that I missed, comment and let me know. I'll keep updated as I learn about more.

On a similar note, I have plans to watch God Tussi Great Ho, a Bollywood re-envisioning/re-make of Bruce Almighty. I say re-envisioning because it has some differences and they also have traditional Bollywood musical numbers in it too. But, in the end, it's just a re-make. I'm curious to see it though. I'm pretty sure that Morgan Freeman does a better job at playing God than Amitabh Bachchan, but I will report on that later in a review.

Gackt's New Single!

I was very excited to find that Gackt had a new single coming out. The title of it is "Jesus" and it is basically a man praying for help from Jesus to overcome his challenge. I love the return to rock, he has been leaning towards his acoustic side lately. I've uploaded it to Veoh, hopefully the link will work. If I get permission from the person's lyrics I read to use them, I will add them here. Otherwise, enjoy some fun Gackt action.


Watch Gackt - Jesus in Music Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Here are the lyrics: (I didn't translate them, Keesaiox from YouTube did.. Thanks to her!)

傷ついた抜け殻をただ抱きしめていた
降り注ぐ雨は静かな 君の涙

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれMaria!!!

「殺して」と微笑みながら頬に触れた
見えない目に涙を溜めて消えて行く
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now，
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれ

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!


==================================


kizutsuita nukegara wo tada dakishimeteita
furisosogu ame wa shizuka na kimi no namida
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure Maria!!!!


「koroshite...」 to hohoemi nagara hoho ni fureta
mienai me ni namida wo tamete kieteyuku
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!



===========================

Please note my Japanese is poor and this is MY interpretation of the song. It may be right, it may be wrong. Depends on how you want to read into the lyrics I guess ;_;


Tightly embracing only the empty broken shell
The pouring rain is your silent tears
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me, Maria!!!!


Smiling, I touched your cheeks and said "kill me..."
Tears gathered in my blinded eyes, and then disappeared
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!