Will 'Slumdog' Stand the Test of Time?
posted January 30, 2009 8:06 PM
Now that it's pretty much inevitable that Slumdog Millionaire is going to win Best Picture, I find myself wondering if it is going to be remembered 10, 20 or 50 years down the road.
I've never been the biggest Slumdog enthusiast. I went with it while I was watching it, but from the moment I left the theatre my appreciation of the film began to decrease. Of course, that hasn't been helped by the fact that it's been heaped with praise from all corners of the film community. In my experience, nothing increases the lack of enthusiasm you have for a film more than universal praise. It always makes me stand back and say, "Wait a minute, now. It wasn't really that good."
Don't get me wrong, Slumdog is an excellent achievement. It has more energy and ambition than a dozen mediocre movies combined, and it wears its heart on its sleeve in just the right way. I'm just not crazy about.
I have a feeling that Slumdog will be one of the forgotten Best Picture winners. 20 years from now I can see a group of movie enthusiasts sitting around a coffee table and mulling over the Academy's decisions, and they'll probably struggle to remember what won the Best Picture prize in 2009. Or maybe they'll look back and complain how Milk or The Wrestler or even The Dark Knight should have won.
I felt the same way about Crash a couple of years back. Talk about a mediocre decision on the part of the Academy. That film will not be remembered 20 years from now. That win stunk of politics way too much. Even Jack Nicholson was shocked when he announced that it had won.
For the most part, the Academy has picked some memorable films this decade, even if I haven't always agreed with their picks. Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Million Dollar Baby are all films that will last. People will be watching them 50 years from now, and they will understand why they won Best Picture.
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Preet said:
I am sorry to say that you are alone in your analysis of "slumdog Millionaire". For The lord of the rings and million dollar baby, eigther people liked it or they didn't.For Dark knight, people will only remember joker's performance, without joker this movie is a B grade movie. There were so many movies made in the past which were classics but that doesn't mean that the current generation will like it. Can you watch titanic again and again I don't think so!! but people will definately remember it. Same way they will remember "slumdog millionaire" because it's a unique movie for this continent. This movie brings something different to north american audience which they have never seen before. It's shocking, thrilling and yet it's so real in its dipiction of the story. Everybody is talking about it(That shows the impact).
January 30, 2009 11:19 PM
Anonymous said:
he's not alone, Preet. i feel exactly the same way. a crowd-pleaser, with great energy. just because it brings something new to the audience, doesn't make it a great film. (btw, people - not me - did watch titanic again and again - that's what made it the biggest box office of all time). i wouldn't watch this one twice.
January 31, 2009 10:56 AM
mir mehdi said:
maybe it became so common watching an american artist to free the whole world, but what in eastern thoughts is always concerened about is the independence of a personal determination in choosing right way to live and love. jamal and salim live in same situation, but different decision making form their lives and feelings totally different. if you know which choice is the right one you are the millionair.
January 31, 2009 12:55 PM
Farhan said:
slumdog is the best movie of the year. dark knight is nothing to it. i know that dark knight made a goog business only because of joker. nobody is talking of batman but only joker. slumdog story is unique. it rocks a person to its core. teach a person rules and choices made in life. just like jamal and salim did.
February 1, 2009 4:35 PM
jatayu said:
I agree with phil's comment ... this film is no less than an extremely mediocre effort by any given standards ... In the indian context "RANG DE BASANTI" is a far more superior film ... we indians know it ... Danny boyle is essentially a foreigner and has his point of view to the way people below the poverty line live in urban India ... this is a piece of exotica for the americans and the europeans ... so this film is being awarded for the novelty of it's canvas in the foreign market ... to add some more the music was the biggest downer and i refuse to believe that A.R .RAHMAN was awarded for this trash ... I am a RAHMAN fan myself ... he excelled himself in ROJA and many more ... again the novelty of sound also worked for the awarding authorities...
February 1, 2009 11:28 PM
jatayu said:
I agree with phil's comment ... this film is no less than an extremely mediocre effort by any given standards ... In the indian context "RANG DE BASANTI" is a far more superior film ... we indians know it ... Danny boyle is essentially a foreigner and has his point of view to the way people below the poverty line live in urban India ... this is a piece of exotica for the americans and the europeans ... so this film is being awarded for the novelty of it's canvas in the foreign market ... to add some more the music was the biggest downer and i refuse to believe that A.R .RAHMAN was awarded for this trash ... I am a RAHMAN fan myself ... he excelled himself in ROJA and many more ... again the novelty of sound also worked for the awarding authorities...
February 1, 2009 11:35 PM
rahl said:
well we will have to wait 20 or 30 years to see whether your "intuition" was right or not, but i also have an "intuition", you would be wrong.
February 2, 2009 10:07 AM
King of USA said:
i want to ........ bush he is big................
February 3, 2009 1:41 PM
vikram said:
academy awards sometimes behave as popular awards and flush out nominations and awards to lesser films..like zodiac was not even nominated...and everybody forgot van sant's last days..this year my mind says slumdog will win following the "popular" traditions...m an indian so good for us..our actors getting recognition..but my heart wants milk to win..its by far the best movie..n i love van sant..
February 8, 2009 9:08 AM