Slumdog Millionaire's Recent Activity - Spout

Film:Slumdog Millionaire

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:13:02 GMT

Title: Slumdog Millionaire
Year: 2008
Director: Danny Boyle
Plot: Accused of cheating and desperate to prove his innocence, an eighteen-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai reflects back on his tumultuous life while competing to win 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in Danny Boyle's inspirational drama. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) may not have a penny to his name, but that could all change in a matter of hours. He's one question away from taking the top prize on India's most popular television game show, but as with everything else in Jamal's life, it isn't going to be easy. Arrested by police under suspicion of cheating, Jamal is interrogated by the authorities. The police simply can't believe that a common "slumdog" could possibly possess the knowledge to get this far in the game, and in order to convince them of how he gained such knowledge, Jamal begins reflecting back on his childhood. As young boys, Jamal and his older brother, Salim, lived in squalor, and lost their mother in a mob attack on Muslims. Subsequently forced to rely on their own wits to survive, the desperate siblings fell back on petty crime, eventually befriending adorable yet feisty young Latika as they sought out food and shelter on the unforgiving streets of Mumbai. Though life on the streets was never easy, Jamal's experiences ultimately instilled in him the knowledge he needed to answer the tough questions posed to him on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And though Jamal makes a convincing case for himself, one question still remains: why would a young man with no apparent desire for wealth or fame be so determined to win big on a national game show? Of course, it won't be long until everyone finds out the answer to this burning question, because as Jamal sits down to find out whether he will be rich beyond his wildest dreams, 60 million viewers remain transfixed to their televisions eager to see if he'll correctly answer the final question. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 68
Number of Lists: 40
Number of blog posts: 41
Number of discussion threads: 13
SpoutRating: 4

Spout Post: Slumdog Millionaire

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:42:16 GMT

Post By: Gerosimov
Post To: Gerosimov Blog
Post Date: 4/13/2009 3:42:16 AM
Body: Its not easy to go see a movie this over hyped, but after the first hour you are so hooked you don´t ever want this movie to end. The magic of this movie is impossible to deny!

Spout Post: Re:81st Oscars - Sh!t or Shinola?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:28:57 GMT

Post By: Risselada
Post To: It's a Wonderful Night for Oscar!
Post Date: 3/23/2009 1:28:57 PM
Body: [quote user="pippin06"] [quote user="Risselada"] Well it's like any situation with the media. It goes back and forth. The media tries to sense what people want and they give it back to them plus a little bit more. Then people get what they want plus a little bit of media invention or embellishment. They start to accept the little bit extra that was presented of it and think they want more of it. The media sees what they want and gives them more and then adds a little more... etc. So no doubt as the show was televised people took more interest. And as people took more interest, they advertised it more. And probably as it got to be more well known, movie studios started advertising actors or other people who worked on their films as oscar winners. And people already have enough of a celebrity worship that to see all these celebrities in a room honoring each other, they take stock in that kind of thing. I guess I'm kind of just repeating what you already acknowledged. I'm not sure why. I won't deny that obviously many people give Oscar cred. I mean that's what the debate is about here. SHOULD we be giving the Oscar cred though? I'm saying that I'm not often inclinded to because of all the reasons we've been talking about. [/quote] Right. It's simply important to acknowledge that the Academy and the Oscars and the people who find them important aren't really at fault for blowing them, perhaps, out of proportion. The media is a whole separate entity that can be tried, convicted, and sentenced for sensationalizing anything and everything all the time, and it's a whole separate convo that could last for years. [/quote] Well no, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying the Academy and the Media AND the public are all equally responsible. They they all keep fueling the sensationalization. They are not completely separate, but all tied together. Heck, the Academy is Hollywood and Hollywood is media. And often ownership of Hollywood entities own all other media outlets. [quote user="pippin06"] Should we be giving Oscar cred? I think the answer is taste again. I think it's valid for even an incestuous (inbred...family reunion...thingy) to issue awards to the members. I think what they nominate is a fair representation of deserving films. I think the Academy gets it right at least some of the time when they choose winners, but that's my opinion. When I'm watching Oscar nominees, frequently from years past because I can only watch so many films at a time, and I like to change it up, I tend to think about what else got nominated and compare. I tend to subscribe to at least some of the Best picks. Is it because they won the Oscar? Arguably yes (I like to compare), arguably no (I care less about the winners). I'm more inclined to nominees rather than winners, but that's just me again. I think the Academy has as much right as anyone to award themselves. It's just like the Grand Awards, which are awarded by a committee comprised of theater community members, some from the community theaters in GR and some from the college theaters. Who better to issue those awards than the people actually working in the areas? If you don't buy that, maybe someone (I leave that to the public to nominate just who) should start up an Oscars voted on by the people. Oh wait, that's the People's Choice Awards. There's the Indie awards for the Independent filmmakers and the Critics Choice for the critics and the Guild awards for all levels of production....that's why in this group, I've tried to present other filmmaking awards that tend to inform Oscar anyway. But it all comes down to taste. Enough people put stock in awards as validation (whether winning or watching the winning), but you might not. [/quote] It's perfectly fine with me if people want to award themselves, but when it's the biggest and most famous award show in the world and the results with knowingly dictate not only what kinds of movies most people will see and come to accept as good but also what kinds of movies will continue to receive future funding. When the movies that win are movies that I find present skewed or unchallenging worldviews, I find that frustrating. If they would at least change the awards from being the "best" in a category to the "favorite" in a category that would be nice too. [quote user="pippin06"] [quote user="Risselada"] And then it gets more frustrating when people take a lot of stock in an award that I feel picks winners that I don't necessarily appreciate as much as some of the "competition". But then again, there are times when I like things that may be called subversive. And without having a mass of people liking and doing things that I don't agree with, there would be no enjoyment in being subversive. It's not that I WANT to be subversive just for it's own sake (I hope not) it just doesn't seem like the world is going to change. I guess when we are rewarding art it's especially subjective. But I think if you look through history you will find that the best art usually is subversive and only truely recognized as the best after time. The best artists are not recognized often by their peers. This is a generalization of a complicated issue. I do certainly like finding out what films receive acclaim from other filmmakers, especially onces I respect. But it doesn't need to have all of the dopey glitz and glamour for me, and there doesn't have to be just one winner. I guess that's why I like certain lists, like the Sight and Sound poll for instance. [/quote] You hit on an important point: Oscar hype tends more to the present than to timelessness. The deserving Best movies are still discussed decades later (i.e. Gone with the Wind or the Godfather) while other movies, whether nominated and lost (Star Wars; Citizen Kane) or not nominated (Psycho, snubbed for Best Picture/Director, though it won Original Screenplay and was nominated for others), don't need Oscar to validate their artistic excellence because people are championing them years later. Look at the AFI lists (which is why I am also compiling them in this group). Not everyone even subscribes to those, but many of the films on the Greatest lists never won Oscars, or won less than notorious Oscar prizes. That doesn't mean that Oscar's presence in the present doesn't count for something: it's a time capsule snapshot of what was discussed as "great" for the appropriate year, and it's a yardstick by which to measure and compare other good films. And the dopey glitz and glamor are appealing to some, ok :-D. I like the glitz and glamour. Sometimes, people just want fluff and entertainment...hence the silly awards show. Art is subjective, but I maintain that it's up to you. Take them or leave them, the Oscars are relevant, even if they're not relevant to you. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. As to the Academy itself, actually there are dissenting opinions. The face of the Academy has changed quite substantially. First, the membership is larger. It's more diverse, not only in culture but in age. The fact that a film like Slumdog even got nominated is a testament to how much it's changed (it's from India, it's not cut according to a "classic" cloth). And there is much talk, usually every year, about snubbed contenders. But it's a voting membership. It is a club, and a somewhat exclusive one, but it's not the type of fraternity of homogenous thinkers you might be inclined to regard it as. The majority of votes wins. So, a film like The Wrestler (which would not have been nominated ten years ago) probably won't beat a feel-good like Slumdog Millionaire, because the membership is massive, and it's a mass, and masses tend toward certain types of films, and the mass is changing in its group dynamic. The Academy used to be comprised of older, non-ethnic type men because that's who started the tradition...but the tradition is breaking. Maybe not in step or in time with some people's pulses (ahem). At this point, I encourage any member of the group, actually, to discuss barometers or rankings or polls or awards that mean something to you and explain why. Because I understand the antipathy toward the Oscars, but I'll remain a steadfast supporter because, chances are, it'll expose me to some films I might not have otherwise considered. But maybe something else means more to you, like Rizzo mentioned the Sight and Sound polls. I don't mean to duplicate the Movie Polls group (there was a similar poll not too long ago), but we're dissecting this in such an in-depth way, I think it's worthwhile to offer it up as an alternative. I might not be able to convince you that the Oscars are worthwhile, so maybe something else will be more valid to you...or maybe nothing will be. Say it here. [/quote] I just don't find the fact that a movie from India won is really a testament to much change at all, relative to the huge scope of what is really out there. Where a movie is from does not affect me as much as what it's saying or how it says it. I guess it's not fair for me to pass judgement Slumdog Millionaire it until I've actually seen it though, so I won't say much more about it. But in general the Academy seems to award movies that tackle important issues but give simple or cliche answers and are often manipulative towards an audiences emtion in a false way to bring them to that kind of emotional response. Sadly I've heard reviews of Slumdog Millionaire from people I respect who seem to say this fits in that category. Since I can't say for sure since I haven't seen it, I'll hold off judgement. But I have seen best picture winners Million Dollar Baby (what's with the million dollar motif here??) and Crash, and those are some examples. Because I'm a geek about my movie ratings and stats and such, I decided to check on what my average overall movie rating is vs. the average rating I gave for Best Picture Oscar winners. Out of about 1,181 feature length movies proper that I have rated, my average rating is 7.5250. Out of 33 of the Best Picture Oscar winners I have seen my average rating is 7.7727. There is only about a 3% difference between those numbers. So basically left to my own method of what movies I end up seeing compared to the Oscar winners, my level of enjoyment is pretty negligable. Or in otherwords, the average Best Picture Oscar winner that I've seen is not any better to me than than any other average movie I see. I would be interested in seeing the stats on Best Picture Oscar nominees, but getting those stats will probably take a lot longer, and I doubt there will be much difference there either.

Spout Post: Re:3/13 - New movies - Oscar nominees hit DVD, plus the Rock is a remake of Kurt Russell

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:57:57 GMT

Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 3/16/2009 12:57:57 PM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I guess Oscar noms don't really determine how much distribution a movie gets as much as I thought. At least I spoke with a girl last night who has a friend in a smaller town who she talked to very recently. This person sees movies at the theater somewhat regularly, and she had never even heard of Slumdog Millionaire. [/quote] Wow, that's kind of hard to believe. By now, I've heard the words Slumdog Millionaire way too many times...

Spout Post: Re:3/13 - New movies - Oscar nominees hit DVD, plus the Rock is a remake of Kurt Russell

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:19:05 GMT

Post By: Risselada
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 3/16/2009 11:19:05 AM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="tadiv"] I am so looking forward to my copy of this arriving later this week. I really enjoyed it at the theater. Tom Cool, I think it was in the theaters here for about one day. I guess I can't complain, because some of my Michigan friends who live in smaller towns never even had The Wrestler come to town! Even after its Oscar noms! [/quote] I guess Oscar noms don't really determine how much distribution a movie gets as much as I thought. At least I spoke with a girl last night who has a friend in a smaller town who she talked to very recently. This person sees movies at the theater somewhat regularly, and she had never even heard of Slumdog Millionaire.

Spout Post: FilmCouch #112: Sita Sings the Blues, Roman Holiday, SXSW Preview

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:01:27 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/13/2009 2:01:27 PM
Body: The success of Slumdog Millionaire, despite our reservations about it, has got us thinking about romance in film. We look to another Westerner’s spin on Indian romance, Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues. The animated feature, which is now available for free online, weaves an ancient Indian epic with a modern day break-up story, all with a soundtrack of vintage Annette Hanshaw. Then we look at Roman Holiday. A classic romance involving royalty, where the lovers don’t live happily ever after. Karina tells us what to look out for at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival, the indie film destination where everybody knows your name. Don’t miss Alexander The Last, Drag Me To Hell, Sorry, Thanks, It Came From Kuchar, and St. Nick. (Subscribe to FilmCouch–Spout’s weekly movie podcast–in the iTunes store or to our RSS feed and an episode will download each Friday) 0:00 - Intro 2:24 - Romance, from India to Rome 25:46 - Karina on SXSW filmcouch-112 Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: 10 Accessible Indian Films for the Slumdog Lover

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:03:10 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/3/2009 5:03:10 PM
Body: In addition to winning Best Picture (and seven other awards) at the Oscars last week, Slumdog Millionaire passed a major box office benchmark. It has now grossed more than $100 million in the U.S., which is pretty astonishing for a film with one-third of its dialogue in a foreign language. But is Slumdog’s popularity a one-shot in terms of its audience’s interest in India, or are moviegoers actually now more curious about the nation and its own films? Some websites are simplifying the question of whether or not Slumdog will be a gateway film with polls asking if American moviegoers will now “go Bollywood” (40% of Cinematical readers flat out answered, “no.”), which is rather silly since Danny Boyle’s movie bears no resemblance to the majority of Bollywood pictures. In fact, Americans have in the past received far greater entry points into Indian cinema by way of films involving Anglo or NRI (non-resident Indian) protagonists directed by culturally bridging filmmakers (such as NRI helmers Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha), than the more-touristy type of filmmaking represented with Slumdog. If someone truly wants to become familiar with Bollywood, he or she should probably just jump right in and then patiently get used to the style, which can be quite difficult for Westerners to immediately grasp. The extremely interested might benefit from reading the section on popular Indian cinema in Dimitris Eleftheriotis and Gary Needham’s Asian Cinemas: A Reader & Guide, a book that does a really great job acquainting the Western spectator with Eastern film form. Or, the more casually curious cinephile could simply follow our guide to accessible Indian (or India-based) films for the Slumdog lover to watch next: Sita Sings the Blues (Nina Paley, 2008) What it’s about: Paley’s semi-autobiographical animated feature self-deprecatingly depicts the events of the filmmaker’s divorce crosscut with a somewhat paralleling adaptation of part of the epic Indian poem Ramayana. Why you should see it: Although not an Indian production nor made by an Indian filmmaker, Sita does offer an entry point for the mythological genre of Indian films and/or an introduction to Hindu myths, a number of which are the basis for a lot of Bollywood musical numbers. If that’s not enough reason, though, here’s what Karina wrote about the film in her review: “Sita Sings the Blues is a strange and beautiful little film, a potentially wispy slice of autobiography smartly elevated through irresistible, orgiastic style.” Where to see it: Sita won the Gotham Award for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You and will infamously remain without a distributor forever. However, those of us in the NYC area can watch the film on PBS’ Reel 13 program on March 7. Those of you outside New York are in luck, too; the film is currently available for free on Reel 13’s website as a streaming video. Salaam Bombay! (Mira Nair, 1988) What it’s about: A 10-year-old boy tries to survive on the streets of Bombay (now Mumbai) after being told to go out and find work by his mother. Why you should see it: With all the crossover movies from the past two decades dealing with interracial relationships, arranged marriage and the complications of NRI life, Nair’s films are typically the most entertaining. But while minor gateways could be found in her films The Namesake (starring Harold & Kumar’s Kal Penn), Mississippi Masala (starring Denzel Washington) or the very enjoyable Monsoon Wedding, this Oscar-nominated drama might be what Slumdog fans seek most if primarily interested in more “poverty porn.” Like Slumdog, Salaam Bombay! even starred actual non-professional street children. Where to see it: Available on DVD. Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955) What it’s about: The first installment of Ray’s Apu trilogy (which also includes Aparajito and The World of Apu), Pather Panchali is a tragedy-filled tale of a poor family living in rural Bengal in the 1920s and concentrates on the coming of age story of young Apu. Why you should see it: Aside from being one of the greatest films ever made, let alone one of the greatest Indian films, Pather Panchali tells a universal story of family and is quite Western in form (for one thing, it lacks musical numbers), a fact that made it somewhat looked down upon in its own country. But in addition to its accessibility, it can also serve as a starting point to melodramatic conventions found in many classic Indian films. The abandoning patriarch, the significantly strong matriarch and other common national metaphors are present and will familiarize you for the next title on this list. Where to see it: This is one of those films that’s constantly being screened at repertory houses, so see it on a big screen if you have the chance. Otherwise, the entire Apu trilogy is unfortunately out of print on DVD. But such masterpieces can’t possibly be unavailable for too long, so pick up a box set whenever one is released. Mother India (Mehboob Khan, 1957) What it’s about: An epic maternal melodrama and metaphor for post-colonial India, Khan’s Oscar-nominated film focuses on a poor Indian family throughout many years, as the patriarch leaves the home and the mother is left to deal with two very different sons. Why you should see it: If you enjoy Pather Panchali, you may at least appreciate the story of Mother India, though the latter has a much more melodramatic and emotional tone. Unlike Pather Panchali, it does feature musical numbers as well as a bit of comic relief, courtesy of a very bratty little boy. Also, it’s basically the Gone With the Wind of India, at least in terms of its national significance — and one familiar-looking shot — if not in terms of its plot. Where to see it: Available on DVD. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (Ashutosh Gowariker, 2001) What it’s about: Oppressed Indian villagers battle against their British governors … in a cricket match seemingly depicted in real time. Also, one of the villagers becomes entangled in a love triangle between his true love and a British woman, who is also the sister of the film’s villain. Why you should see it: First of all, it’s one of the most accessible foreign films of the last 10 years, period. For the guys: Lagaan is just like all your favorite underdog sports flicks except that it gives you even more of the game, as well as some singing and dancing here and there (with music by Slumdog Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman). So what if you don’t know anything about cricket; just pretend it’s baseball. For the gals: there’s just as much romance as cricket playing. Advice for both sexes: you might want to fast forward through the song that the British woman sings. It’s the single unbearable moment in the nearly 4-hour film. Where to see it: Apparently unavailable through rental sites like Netflix, but you can pick up a DVD through Amazon affiliates. Hum Tum (Kunal Kohli, 2004) What it’s about: Basically, though not officially, it’s the Bollywood remake of When Harry Met Sally. Why you should see it: If Lagaan is the perfect gateway for guys, Hum Tum is the perfect gateway for girls, although like Lagaan, this film has something for both sexes. All guys can appreciate When Harry Met Sally, after all, right? Where to see it: Also unavailable through Netflix, but you can find a very cheap all-region DVD through Amazon affiliates. Abhimaan (Hrishikesh Mukherjee, 1973) What it’s about: Inspired by A Star is Born, a famous singer meets, falls for and fosters the career of a young woman, who ends up more popular than him. Why you should see it: First of all, every Slumdog fan should become acquainted with Amitabh Bachchan (the celebrity whose autograph the young excrement-covered Jamal acquires), who costars here with his real-life wife Jaya Bhaduri (a bigger star at the time). Second of all, because the musical numbers all figure into the plot, either as recording studio sequences or concert performances, there’s not as much of that jarring, interruptive nature of most Bollywood musicals. Where to see it: Available on DVD. It’s also one of the many Indian films available for streaming on Netflix’s Watch Instantly. Amar Akbar Anthony (Manmohan Desai, 1977) What it’s about: Another great metaphor for post-colonial India, this other Bachchan-starring classic tells the story of three brothers separated as infants, who end up growing up under very different circumstances. One is adopted by a Hindu policeman and becomes the same; one is brought up by a Muslim taylor and becomes a popular singer; and the third (played by Bachchan) is raised Catholic and enters a life of crime. Why you should see it: For more Amitabh Bachchan after he became India’s favorite actor. Though not technically a great film, it is filled with a lot of absurd moments and can serve as a gateway for those cinephiles who can only approach new things first through ironic appreciation. Such viewers should really love the Easter scene in which Bachchan jumps out of a giant egg wearing a top hat and monocle to sing a song about himself. Where to see it: Currently available on DVD. Krrish (Rakesh Roshan, 2006) What it’s about: This sequel to the sci-fi movie Koi…Mil Gay is your typical superhero action flick, except done in the style of Bollywood. Why you should see it: This one is primarily for getting your kids into Indian cinema, because kids will watch just about any superhero movie, regardless of the language or setting. Though the original more-E.T.-than-Superman film, Koi…Mil Gay, should probably be watched first, there’s nothing wrong with making this your primary gateway for the little ones. Where to see it: Currently available on DVD Vanaja (Rajnesh Domalpalli, 2006) What it’s about: Set in South India and controversially made outside the local “Tollywood” film industry, Domalpalli’s comparatively non-musical film follows the story of a 14-year-old girl who is pretty much sold off by her father to a wealthy landowner who puts her to work while also teaching her traditional Kuchipudi dance. Why you should see it: While not very relative to Slumdog or most of the other films on this list, Vanaja will open up viewers to other cinemas of India, even if this rather Western-form film was a Columbia University graduate thesis film and even if it is considered more “art house” than the popular cinema of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Like the slightly similar coming of age art house film Pather Panchali, Vanaja is a wonderful film and a terrific start for beginners. But because this film features Indian music and dance, it may also function as a gateway to the typical musical films of India, either produced in Andhra Pradesh or Mumbai (Bollywood) Where to see it: Available on DVD. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Re:Bugs and Errors

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:44:39 GMT

Post By: civex
Post To: Spout Customer Care
Post Date: 3/2/2009 6:44:39 PM
Body: [quote user="tadiv"] The Slumdog Millionaire page takes the user to the "you found a bug" page >SNIP< [/quote] Same thing on "The Reader" -- I can't follow a link to it, and I can't associate my review of the movie with the movie. I get directed to the 'you found a bug' page.

Spout Post: Re:Bugs and Errors

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:38:50 GMT

Post By: tadiv
Post To: Spout Customer Care
Post Date: 3/2/2009 6:38:50 PM
Body: [quote user="spoutgirl"]Did you see an error message or something that just didn't seem right on Spout? Post it here and we will do our best to get it resolved for you! [/quote] The Slumdog Millionaire page takes the user to the "you found a bug" page and it has done so for about a week (I have been reporting it on that page)... Any ideas on why this is happening? Tom

Spout Post: Oscar Predictions: Surprises

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:01:44 GMT

Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 2/27/2009 6:01:44 PM
Body: Two more days until we find out who wins this year’s Academy Awards! Okay, so the exclamation point is more than forced. It’s been quite awhile since we’ve had even an ounce of excitement about the Oscars. But we mustn’t let predictability get us down. Sure, even the still-uncertain races (Penn vs. Rourke; Winslet vs. Streep; Man on Wire vs. Trouble the Water) are anything but interesting, because the everyman of 2009 couldn’t care less about who gave the year’s better performance and would probably be fine shrugging his shoulders at the TV screen in the event of a tie (or, better yet, irresolution). However, there’s one thing people keep forgetting about the Academy: they’re full of surprises. So, rather than just go with the easy, “predictable” predictions, we attempted to guess who and what will Crash the Oscars this year with a surprise victory — preferably the kind that adds an “ing” to “upset.” And once again, we’d like to extend the forecasting fun to you. What surprises do you expect and/or hope for? Or, if you’re down with the boring route, what “certain” winners do you truly believe in? And why? The most accurate comments will be reprinted in our final Oscar column on Monday. Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button If the Academy didn’t continually cause controversial commotion with Best Picture picks like Shakespeare in Love and Crash, we wouldn’t have very much to talk about the morning after, or years later. So, in a way it’s exciting and somewhat necessary to have the occasional baffling or infuriating upsets in the top category. The one film that would piss off more people this year than any other, even more than The Reader, is Benjamin Button, especially since it pretty much already had the (dis)honor of being an undeserving Best Picture winner 15 years ago. Best Director: Stephen Daldry (The Reader) If Benjamin Button is to win Best Picture, then Danny Boyle should probably still win Best Director, because often in the years of controversial Best Picture upsets the director’s prize still goes to the (critical) favorite. Think of Steven Spielberg in ’99 and Ang Lee in ’06. But just to prove the Oscars are completely out of touch, we have to go with the Academy favorites of Daldry and the Holocaust. Both Fincher and Boyle are Oscar newbies and may have their turn with some future, more lackluster effort. Best Actress: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) For this category, we’re looking to the 2008 presidential election. Let’s consider Meryl Streep to be the older, more experienced, and typically well-respected candidate, who will lose to the young novice in her very first bid. Where that puts thought-to-be-a-lock Kate Winslet in the analogy is not important. As long as people keep mentioning Obama in their reasoning for why Slumdog Millionaire will win Best Picture, it’s just as fair to recognize Hathaway as the most Obama-like choice for Best Actress. Best Actor: undetermined As much as a tie in this category would be a surprising and slightly satisfying turn of events (even though it would be more appropriate in the Best Actress race, since Streep will forever be compared to Katherine Hepburn, who tied with Barbara Streisand 30 years ago), we’re looking to another political race of last year for the Best Actor decision. All we’ll know Sunday night is that it’s still down to Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke. But don’t worry, we’ll find out who actually wins in a few months. Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler) Just as Judy Davis probably deserved the Supporting Actress Oscar more for her performance in a Woody Allen film 16 years ago, Penelope Cruz probably deserves it more this year, also for a Woody Allen film. But Tomei is the champion of Oscar surprises, and we could very well see a repeat of 1993. At least this time she’s a little more worthy. Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) Okay, there’s no chance of a surprise here. Because if the Oscar goes to anyone but Ledger, a crazed fan will likely blow up the Kodak. And the Academy must presume that Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister won’t conveniently have access to the detonator this time. Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth and Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) Never mind the tremendous amount of work Roth put into expanding a very short story into a very, very long film. His and Swicord’s true triumph is in how they were able to rewrite Forrest Gump and repackage it well enough to fool $242 million-worth of moviegoers. Hollywood is surely obligated to reward the duo for pulling off such a double-tiered adaptation and such a well-played moneymaking scheme. Best Original Screenplay: Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter (WALL-E) Yes, a lot of people are predicting this to win the Oscar, and so it won’t be quite as much a surprise as a win for Frozen River would be. But the real shocker is going to be when Kung Fu Panda wins Best Animated Feature, a repeat of its glory at the Annies, and Academy logic once again goes completely out the window. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog

Spout Post: Should Win...Will Win...Missing?...My Oscar Predictions!

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:39:44 GMT

Post By: scswngr
Post To: Film Obsessed
Post Date: 2/22/2009 6:39:44 PM
Body: As I scramble to catch the last couple of films that will complete my Oscar Watch List, I am prematurely making my picks for the statuettes tomorrow night. I will save judgement on the Foreign Language and Documentary Short categories, neither of which I have had the opportunity to get into since I live in a town where you can see 4 screens of Rambo, but you're lucky to get to see an independent or foreign film only months after it comes out on DVD at the local film club. That being said, I have also not had the chance to see 3 of the Documentary Features, but am confident in my decision in that category nonetheless. Otherwise, by tomorrow night's Academy Awards ceremony I will have seen every single movie nominated in every other category.So, onto my picks: Screenplay, OriginalShould Win: MilkWill Win: MilkMissing: The WrestlerScreenplay, AdaptedShould Win: Doubt or The ReaderWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireVisual EffectsShould Win: Iron ManWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMissing: Speed RacerSound MixingShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: The Dark KnightSound EditingShould Win: The Dark KnightWill Win: The Dark KnightShort Film, Live ActionShould Win: Grisen (The Pig)Will Win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)Short Film, AnimatedShould Win: PrestoWill Win: PrestoOriginal SongShould Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog MillionaireMissing: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen from The WrestlerOriginal ScoreShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMakeupShould Win: Hellboy IIWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFilm EditingShould Win: Slumdog MillionaireWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireDocumentary FeatureShould Win: Man on WireWill Win: Man on WireCostume DesignShould Win: The DuchessWill Win: The DuchessCinematographyShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Brideshead RevisitedArt DirectionShould Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAnimated FeatureShould Win: WALL-EWill Win: WALL-EDirectingShould Win: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonWill Win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog MillionaireMissing: Darren Aronofsky for The Wrestler Actress, SupportingShould Win: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina BarcelonaWill Win: Viola Davis in DoubtActor, SupportingShould Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWill Win: Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightActor, LeadingShould Win: Mickey Rourke in The WrestlerWill Win: Sean Penn in MilkMissing: Leonardo Dicaprio in Revolutionary RoadActress, LeadingShould Win: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married or Meryl Streep in DoubtWill Win: Kate Winslet in The ReaderMissing: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary RoadBest PictureShould Win: MilkWill Win: Slumdog MillionaireMissing: The Wrestler, Doubt, and The Dark Knight

Spout Tag:love

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:41 GMT

love
Number of films tagged: 12477

Number of people who tagged: 336

Number of times used: 1475

Spout Tag:family

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:09:21 GMT

family
Number of films tagged: 6288

Number of people who tagged: 226

Number of times used: 1138

Spout Tag:romance

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:40 GMT

romance
Number of films tagged: 7160

Number of people who tagged: 169

Number of times used: 1002

Spout Tag:friendship

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:40 GMT

friendship
Number of films tagged: 6791

Number of people who tagged: 154

Number of times used: 978

Spout Tag:drama

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:04:41 GMT

drama
Number of films tagged: 524

Number of people who tagged: 102

Number of times used: 623

Spout Tag:adventure

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:34:17 GMT

adventure
Number of films tagged: 227

Number of people who tagged: 95

Number of times used: 367

Spout Tag:escape

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:51:44 GMT

escape
Number of films tagged: 2868

Number of people who tagged: 76

Number of times used: 279

Spout Tag:children

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:28:15 GMT

children
Number of films tagged: 212

Number of people who tagged: 66

Number of times used: 270

Spout Tag:travel

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:40 GMT

travel
Number of films tagged: 46

Number of people who tagged: 54

Number of times used: 91

Spout Tag:memory

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:02:06 GMT

memory
Number of films tagged: 452

Number of people who tagged: 49

Number of times used: 69

Spout Tag:survival

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:56 GMT

survival
Number of films tagged: 67

Number of people who tagged: 48

Number of times used: 98

Spout Tag:Dance

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:25:46 GMT

Dance
Number of films tagged: 80

Number of people who tagged: 47

Number of times used: 101

Spout Tag:kids

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:49:19 GMT

kids
Number of films tagged: 96

Number of people who tagged: 46

Number of times used: 112

Spout Tag:money

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:03:25 GMT

money
Number of films tagged: 508

Number of people who tagged: 46

Number of times used: 145

Spout Tag:torture

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:51:19 GMT

torture
Number of films tagged: 571

Number of people who tagged: 43

Number of times used: 104