It is Written

I'm going to join the thunderous chorus of approval ricocheting around the world for Slumdog Millionaire, which has thankfully been echoed by the Golden Globe voters. Drop everything and see this beautifully filmed and expertly crafted Dickensian tale-- I've never seen a crowd more riveted in the movie theatre than when I went to see the film on Saturday night.

The cast is phenomenal, especially the young children. The movie has received some criticism for what some consider to be a cavalier portrayal of poverty in India, but I thought the actors displayed an acute sensitivity towards a difficult subject. Dev Patel's flickering-eyed Jamal effectively captures the lingering effects of his character's childhood trauma. Watching him sweat as each question brings back intense and sometimes violent memories, you wonder just what goes on in the heads of other game show contestants you see while flipping channels idly.


Also, I am so excited for Waltz with Bashir- an animated documentary about one man's attempt to remember his experiences during the 1982 Lebanon war. The preview that ran before the film was breathtaking, and from what I've read, it sounds like the film takes a multifaceted approach to what is a very difficult and controversial subject.

I could say that I prefer Oscar season to the summer movie season because the films are artistically superior and more interesting and whatnot, and that would be true. But the other reason I love shelling out 10 bucks nearly every weekend from January to March is that the subjects of the films tend to be difficult, dark, and depressing. I inherently prefer 'depressing' to 'action' or 'fluff' because (a) I am a masochist, and (b) I am the originator of the greatest fake concentration ever, Depressing Studies.