Slumdog Millionaire

In the spirit of full disclosure, let me admit something here at the beginning. I like many Danny Boyle movies, not all of them, but the last several, so I go into his movies expecting to like them.  He is one of the directors that is able to move across genres easily and well.  28 Days Later is hands down one of my favorite zombie movies, and Millions is a delightful family movie.  I even thought that Sunshine was visually stunning (see Jeddler’s review here).   This movie was no different. And I really did like it.
The story telling device is unusual while still having a good simple story. The relationship between the brothers was complex and believable. They were constantly fighting, fractious but also trying to take care of each other. Yet this relationship was not even the main focus of the movie (to some extent) and the love story was also very pleasant. This was a sweet, endearing, lovely little movie.  I can highly recommend it, and it does actually deserve all the awards it is winning (and being nominated for).   Although to be honest, I will be surprised if it actually wins an Oscar.

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The Forsyte Saga (2002)

Based on a series of nine books by John Galsworthy. I’m only 2 episodes in. I’ll keep updating as I go along.

To be honest, I didn’t really know much about this series before viewing it. I knew it concerned the affairs and the lives of a wealthy family (The Forsytes) beginning about 1874, London. I also knew it starred Damien Lewis and I liked him in the television show, “Life” and the great “Band of Brothers.” Both of these he adopted and American accent and I was tempted by seeing him play an Englishman.

I thought it was really good in that subtle, period piece way. Where a savage kiss is the stand in for years long lust and passion. Intertwining fingers realize furtive stolen moments. I think one of the things I like about these BBC series is the actor’s have real faces. Rather than the open banality of America’s most beautiful, these actor’s have faces that are interesting and show real emotion (Hey! Look, an actor who’s face hasn’t been botoxed into submission!). And the camera’s close-up really serve the story rather than acting as an advertisement for Max Factor magic. 

The story is a bit of a mess to summarize because it is indeed a saga. But the look and feel of the era’s glitz is done well. I think the acting is good. Although, Gina McKee’s character is supposed to be a good deal younger than she is. The story is about her character, Irene choosing to marry the wealthy Soames Forsyte (Lewis) even though she doesn’t love him. All she asks is that if the marriage is not a good one, he let her go. He agrees. But a few years later, she falls in love with someone else and Soames isn’t really going to let her leave.

Having read others’ reviews after watching, the only people who didn’t love it were those that remembered the original. And that’s understandable. The original 1967 version is a classic.

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The Young Visiters (2003 – BBC)

Nope, not a misprint; a misspelling. This movie is based on a book published in 1919 by an 8 year old girl.

The story is of a man (Jim Broadbent) who meets a social climbing young girl on a train. He promises to introduce her to all the nobles he knows (sum total of one – Hugh Laurie) if she’ll come and live with him. She’s ecstatic. He wants to become more “suitable” for her and so enrolls in a sort of “training course” at the Crystal Palace. It’s a sort of fairy tale so you can guess how it ends…

But the real reason to see it is that it’s cute. It feels different. Just watching Jim Broadbent do his silly walk was enough to make me laugh. The performances were all over the top but never came off as hammy or too broad. Just big and fun.

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