It needn’t be said that here at the Fog, we consider ourselves fairly privileged. I mean, blogs sure, but blogs with original graphics and categories? Well that’s just a horse of a different color. Today I write to reflect on an article that I first peeped in the hard copy version of this week’s Entertainment Weekly. Can you believe things are still printed on paper these days? Save the planet, start a blog, brah. EW has one foot ahead and behind the curve though, as the article is also here in digital form. While it doesn’t read like a how-to article, it’s clear what EW is suggesting (I’ve always been a master of reading between the lines, you know). The easiest way to rise above the poverty line in India is by starring in an Oscar-winning film. I guess the fact that it wins an award is secondary to the more important issue of cash flow the film generates, but who says social work can’t be art as well.
Posts Tagged ‘Danny Boyle’
EW’s Tip for Rising Out of the Slums: Star In an Award-Winning Film
March 12, 2009Things That Tickled My Fancy in 2008: Danny Boyle
December 23, 2008While it may be self-evident on this blog that Danny Boyle tickles my fancy I thought I would take it a step further and include another work of his that I found quite moving this year: Sunshine. While this movie was released in 2007, I didn’t see it until earlier this year, therefore it falls into MY category of 2008. I had heard sporadically good things from people about the movie but because of its limited release nature (if it wasn’t playing at the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, NY, does that mean it was limited release?) I didn’t get a chance to see it until it arrived in my Netflix queue. What a wild ride it was.
He knows how to make good movies
Similar to Slumdog Millionaire, I found Sunshine to be a trip down the famous Boyle paved road of human morality. Sunshine is filled with questions about sacrifice, the value of human life, and the breaking point of the human spirit. While he’s not the first director to tackle these themes by a long shot, I think this is something Boyle is a true master at portraying. The sci-fi plot structure and setting was even more appealing to me. It forces the viewer to really expand their mind to think about what morality will mean when we are venturing to faraway planets or trying to reignite the sun with a nuclear bomb (if movies and TV have taught us anything, I assure you this will happen). Add to the list an emotionally gripping score provided by Underworld and you’ve got a film that had me talking for months.
The “ensemble” cast worked together magically. It was a good mix of people you recognized and people you didn’t. Sorry Clooney, but if you were at the controls of a rocket ship heading to the sun to save mankind I just wouldn’t buy it. The music in combination with the excellent script provided for excellent thrill-tastic elements that mirrored the coldness of space and ultimately the chilling nature of their decisions in the process of trying to save the world. I give my kudos to Boyle for a great year with Slumdog Millionaire and also to the fact that he is consistently stepping his game up with each film he releases.
The Only Way You Won’t Like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is if You Have No Soul
November 25, 2008
I saw Slumdog Millionaire last night.
- How? One of the many benefits of living in Los Angeles, CA is the fact that people really do care about cinema here and despite the traffic it takes to get to it, you can see limited release motion pictures in top notch facilities.
- Why? Slumdog has been seriously hyped for its emotional core and powerhouse directing job by Danny Boyle.
- Who? Not even a Michael Cera sighting at the theater could take my mind away from the performances of Slumdog‘s cast including Dev Patel as Jamal and Freida Pinto as Latika.
- What? This has been the weirdest post openings I’ve ever written, I thought it would work better. So now, on to the full review… here.
Lifting Fog 