Slumdog Millionaire

This is a really powerful film here. Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy have made an excellent film here about destiny and experience. Dev Patel plays Jamal, a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? He is not a genius, he's not the most intelligent guy. He's an average slumdog. So why does he win 20 Million Dollars? Because his life experiences have given him the answers. Why did he have the neccesary experiences? Because of faith(because it is destiny, because it is written). This film shows us that our life experiences and our destiny dictate who and what we are, whether it is a slumdog or a millionaire, OR BOTH!!!!!

So far this year, this is the best film that i've seen. The acting is good, but not great but i really liked Boyle's direction and i do believe that this may be the best script of the year, by Simon Beaufoy. Great job to everyone involved. I still think that it can be beaten this season, but i guess i'll see.

Slumdog jumps to number 1, while The Visitor at 2, Dark Knight and Paranoid Park behind them and Burn After Reading and Snow Angels just behind them.

Grade: A/A-

Burn After Reading

This is a pretty witty, quirky film about a meaningless disk. I feel that teh Coen's are kind of mocking their own type of films here. The Coen's have done so many of these kidnapping/jewel theif movies and this time, nothing is to gain. It is a very clever film and a great comedy to contrast their more serious films. The acting is solid, but no one excels.

Grade: B

The Dark Knight

This is an extraordinary film here. Perhaps the best superhero movie ever. It is not about good guys and bad guys, its about a society that transforms "them". Christopher Nolan has revived this genre in a most unexpected manner. Both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are instant classics and can compete with more "intellectual, critical acclaimed" films. Usually, the thought is that these movies are entertainment only but Nolan doesn't believe in that. I dont think the film should get best picture nods but Nolan deserves the credit for integrating entertainment with substance, which is very, very, very rare. It is a little difficult for me to give this film outstanding reviews because too much is going on and it is too much of "grandiose filmmaking" for my taste but it still deserves more credit than i will be giving it.

The performances are good, but only one is exceptional: HEATH LEDGER. It is so obvious that Heath entrenched himself in this role. I've never seen a comic book character portrayed this way before: again, this is a big rarety. Congratulations to him and R.IP. We lost a good one here and it sucks.

I would admit that i wouldnt give it a legitimate best pic nod but it may sneak into my top 10. Heath Ledger should be unbeatable in the best supp. actor awards. Christopher Nolan should get a best director nom and maybe win for this work.

Grade: A-

Oscar Predictions Dec. 8

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director

Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"

Best Actor

Clint Eastwood, "Gran Torino"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Sally Hawkins, "Happy Go Lucky"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Kristin Scott Thomas, "I've Loved You So Long"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
John Malkovich, "Changeling"

Best Supporting Actress

Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Rosemary DeWitt, "Rachel Getting Married"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"

Best Adapted Screenplay

Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"
Chris Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, "The Dark Knight"
Eric Roth, "The Curious Case"
John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"

Best Original Screenplay

Woody Allen, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Charlie Kaufman, "Synecdoche, New York"
Jenny Lumet, "Rachel Getting Married"
Andrew Stanton, "Wall-E"