Comments on: Discussion: Stepping Out…To The Cinema

By: Kieran Adams

Kieran Adams — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:38:44 +0000

Dev Patel gave a great performance in the movie Slumdog Millionaire.”‘:

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:11:02 +0000

I say don't write off The Reader until you've seen it. I think it's being unfairly maligned by critics mostly because it's yet another movie about the Holocaust and we've seen quite a lot of those. It's not a perfectly constructed movie like, say, Frost/Nixon, but I still think it packs a lot of emotional wallop (again, largely because of Kate Winslet) and has the potential to get you thinking. I personally found it a bit more affecting than I did Milk, which I expected to like a lot more than I did. I think the excitement over that one is more related to its huge political relevance than it is to the actual quality of the filmmaking (though it is a well-made movie in lots of ways).

By: Greg M

Greg M — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:52:58 +0000

I’ve seen 3 of the movies nominated for Best Picture: Frost/Nixon, Milk, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I still would like to see Slumdog Millionaire, but I’m not sure if I want to see the Reader or not. I actually disagree with it’s nomination (Considering what the critics said and Rotten Tomatoes) and think it should have gone to either The Dark Knight or The Wrestler. I’ve not see the latter, but the Dark Knight was the best movie I saw this year. At least Heath Ledger got the nomination for the Joker, which was an absolutely amazing performance.

I have a major problem with the way the Academy does things and only nominates the best movies of November/December but that’s for another topic and another time.

By: dudley

dudley — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:02:16 +0000

I’ll chime in with love for Slumdog Millionaire. It is far from a flawless movie, but somehow, I found myself rooting so hard for Jamal to survive with his innocence intact that the thin plot didn’t bother mel. And this film has the most credible representation of Mumbai that I’ve seen in film — Danny Boyle captures the incredible energy of the city and, more remarkably, offers a frank portrayal of various aspects of the city’s modern life without fetishizing them. The child actors in the film seamlessly morph into their characters without being cutesy or precocious. Frankly, I think their performances are stronger than that of their adult counterparts, though Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Madhur Mittal certainly do what is asked of them. I also think Irfan Khan does a very nice job as police inspector.

Lynn, for what it’s worth, I thought the film was at least as rewarding the second time around. I appreciated more of what the actors were doing apart from delivering dialogue, and the film does a good job with detail there. And in thinking about the film, I am increasingly impressed with the contextual ground it manages to cover as far as socio-economic realities go. And it conveys those realities with remarkable efficiency and efficacy.

And finally, the music is really well used to reflect the spirit of the movie. The “Jai Ho” scene a well-earned wink and such fun. But my favorite tune from the movie is probably the other song from this movie that is nominated for an Oscar: “O Saya” (featuring M.I.A.). It is compelling enough on its own, but all the more so in concert with the opening scenes of the film.

By: Chris D.

Chris D. — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:59:48 +0000

The Dark Knight by far. It’s just awesome!

By: CF

CF — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:08:27 +0000

Quantum of Solace and The Dark Knight :D .

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:58:14 +0000

Now that my joke has time to ‘sink in’ I’ll just say that I enjoyed stuff like “Wanted” and “Iron Man” this year along with “The Dark Knight.” I have plans to see the great Oscar-nominated movies, particularly “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Benjamin Button”

By: Erik North

Erik North — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:18:21 +0000

My pick for the best movie of 2008 is FROST/NIXON, in large part because of the performances of Michael Sheen (as David Frost) and Frank Langella (as Richard Nixon), who recreated the roles from the Peter Morgan stage play upon which the film is based. And since it was those real-life 1977 interviews with the former president that got David Frost truly noticed on this side of the Atlantic, it was of historical importance to me.

The other thing about that film is that it pointed out just what continues to make Richard Nixon such a fascinating figure in American history–why someone with his considerable abilities and his achievements could have blown it all because of his own personal paranoia. Langella did a very good portrayal of the 37th president (IMHO).

By: Cowboy Bleau

Cowboy Bleau — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:37:31 +0000

Considering the hype I’ve been really interested in actually seeing Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire.

However in 2008 I attended the movies much more than ever before and I have to say that “The Dark Knight” and Ledgers portrayal of a sadistic and twisted Joker where two of the best things I have ever seen in any for of entertainment. A close second and third respectively for 2008 for me would be “Iron Man” and “Wall-E”

By: Jordan Stacey

Jordan Stacey — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:29:41 +0000

I’ve seen way too many movies this past year but Benjamin Button is my favorite out of the Best Picture noms. I’d say my overall favorite though was Rachel Getting Married, I really loved the movie and thought Anne Hathaway did an amazing job. Hopefully she’ll win for best actress but with Meryl Streep in there I “Doubt” it will.