To prepare for this write-up, I decided to watch Slumdog Millionaire for the eighth time. Yup, eighth time. I've kept track. I saw it three times in theatres, twice the day I bought it, twice more so I could introduce people to it, and again last night.
It simply doesn't get old! In fact, the main reason Slumdog Millionaire makes my Top 10 of the 2000s is because each of the Top 10 are boredom-proof. The rewatchability factor scores a perfect 10. I can't say that for numbers 11-20.
(I have to be in the "thinker/analyze-every-shot" mood to see No Country; I saw Gangs of NY last weekend and am getting more disappointed with each viewing; Children of Men is over-the-top intense, and you can't watch it with just anybody; Million Dollar Baby is flat-out depressing, and ranks in the "view once every five years" category with Requiem for a Dream, Pi, The Passion of the Christ, The Bicycle Thief, and Schindler's List; There Will be Blood runs a bit long and also requires the "thinker/analyze-every-shot" mood, along with the need to be ready to analyze Day Lewis' performance; Kill Bill Vol. 2 ages after several viewings, although Vol. 1's popcorn entertainment has high rewatchability; Chicago's a musical; I only need to be introduced to the LOTR characters once, and Fellowship lacks the epic qualities of Two Towers and Return of the King; The Dark Knight lost a lot of suspense after the first viewing, but remains awesome; and The Departed loses my attention after the first 17 minutes. If you want to see a re-cap of #20-11, check out http://sullyz-world.blogspot.com/2009/08/best-of-2000s-movies-part-1.html)
Remember the three criteria for this list: quality of film, lasting effect on the memory, and rewatchability.
1. Quality. This sort of goes without saying, but I don't like crappy movies. They're crappy. Each of the Top 10 Films challenges the reality we live in; each film presents ideas in ways other films haven't dared to touch on; each film uses history to either provide social commentary on the present or predict the future; and each film has a distinct aura that separates it from anything else you've ever seen. In a nutshell ... they're good.
2. Lasting effect on the memory. I'm not sure if I spelled "effect" right, but all of the Top 10 have "left a lasting impression" (effected or affected, whichever works) on me, both as a critic as well as a person. I have all of their movie stubs; I can remember exactly where I saw these movies; and, most importantly, I can remember exactly how I felt while watching these movies, and the emotions I took home with me after these movies were over. This is a foundational belief - a cornerstone - for my love of movies. Whenever someone asks me why I love movies, I will immediately tell them that movies have shaped my life. They're a means of escape from the world I currently live in; a reminder of a world I used to live in; and encouragement for me to create the world of my future. Combined with "quality," a lasting impression is what helps me filter out the "classics" from the herd of "well-made" movies.
3. Rewatchability. I have watched Independence Day 12,042 times. No, I haven't kept up with that. Only Rain Man can keep up with that. Is Independence Day the greatest film ever? That all depends. Ask the 11-year-old version of myself about the greatest film ever, and he'd tell you all about Independence Day. You would ask why; and he would say, "because it's freakin' awesome! And I can watch it over and over again!" Ask me now what the greatest film is, and I'll tell you all about Casablanca. Again you would ask why; and I would say, "because it's perfectly crafted, perfectly executed, it's freakin' awesome, and I can watch it over and over again." Citizen Kane is scientifically crafted, scientifically executed, and has an awesomeness that develops over several viewings; but its satisfaction comes strictly from a standpoint of logic, not emotion. (To use a horrible analogy: Citizen Kane makes logical sense just like drinking perfectly-filtered water makes logical sense. It's pure, so you can't deny it.) Unfortunately, Citizen Kane is definitely NOT something you put in the DVD player for kicks on a Friday night. Casablanca, on the other hand, satisfies the logical senses of "well-crafted filmmaking," as well as satisfies the emotions of "relating to characters on a personal level," "reacting to plot twists with physical and audible gestures," and "feeling real pissed at Ilsa for leaving Rick, but proud of Rick for having so much respect for a Laslow, that he would forfeit the love of his life because Laslow is the love of hers." (Men cry in this movie because of the respect for Rick, not the heartbreak Rick suffers. I don't see any guy crying when Rick's alone at the train station; but I know we have a tear coming every time we see Rick telling her to board the plane.)
Anyways ... emotional satisfaction.
When you can see a movie over-and-over again - a quality movie - and receive the same emotional satisfaction with each viewing, you have a film that ranks high on the "rewatchability" meter. Combine that with the "lasting effect" and "quality" factors, then you have a Top Ten Film of the 2000s ... like Slumdog Millionaire.
So back to what I was saying ... I saw this film again last night - for the 8th time - and I will see each Top Ten Film again between now and the time you see their write-up on this blog. Although I was sitting in my living room last night, I felt like I was transported to the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham, NC, which is where I first saw Slumdog Millionaire in theatres. I remember the goosebumps on my arm when the words "D: It is written" popped up on the screen to start the movie; I remember the chest-thumping drums of "O Saya" that introduce us to the chaotic life of a slumdog in Bombay (later re-named Mumbai, but we'll get to that in a minute); and I remember how the dutch-angle cinematography had me turning my head like a puppy awaiting a biscuit from his owner.
Slumdog's story runs deep - there are several plot lines you can choose to analyze, depending on how you want to approach the film. This may be why I keep wanting to see it more; I can see it through several different critical eyes. For the sake of time and length, I'll just comment on 5:
1. It's a love story. That's the obvious. Jamal will stop at nothing to win the heart of his true love, even if he keeps loosing sight of her for years at a time. His unrelenting persistence finally unites them when they're eighteen years old; but only then does he realize that his journey is just beginning. His beauty must be rescued; and the dragons Jamal must conquer are older, wiser, more powerful, and much more dangerous than he. Does he cower? No way -- he faces them without a hint of fear. He can only fail if he gives up his pursuit; and because it's impossible for Jamal to give up, it's impossible for him to fail.
2. It's a Cain and Abel story. While Jamal has been an independent spirit since birth, his older brother Salim wants nothing more than to be accepted by someone. Without a father in his life, Salim has an avalanche of built-up anger that floods the lives of all who surround him. Because no one else shares in Salim's frustration, Salim vows to bring others down to his level. This is in part why he turns to crime so quickly; and this is also why his jealousy forces him to sabotage Jamal on multiple occasions. Is Salim a good kid at heart? Absolutely. He saves Jamal's life when they escape the child-labor camp, and consoles Jamal after Jamal first loses Laticka that very night. He even gives Laticka his keys and phone in a scene leading up to the film's climax. Salim truly cares about people, but his story becomes tragedy through his inability to escape his weakness of jealousy. He's the reason Jamal loses Laticka twice - it was Salim's choice. It was Salim who let go of her hand on the train leaving the labor camp; it was Salim who held a gun to his brother's head and forced him out of the hotel room; and it was Salim who forced Laticka into the back of a Mercedes outside the train station. It's not until his last breath does Salim account for his wrongdoings and achieve peace ... "God is great."
It's like the true story of two brothers: one was interviewed on death row; the other was interviewed at his mansion. When they asked what drove him to be a criminal, the brother on death row said, "my father was an alcoholic." When asked they asked the millionaire brother what drove him to become successful, he responded, "my father was an alcoholic." I think that story was shown on Montell or something, but you get the picture: some people respond to challenges differently than others. Jamal and Salim didn't have a father, and that may have been the reason one becomes a millionaire and the other serves a death sentence.
3. It's a story of India. In 1996, the city of Bombay became known as Mumbai. With this transition came a change in economy, government, and culture. Jamal and Salim leave the tin-shack slums of Bombay to ride trains and become entrepreneurs at the Taj Mahal - they come back to a city filled with hotels, highrises, and capitalism. When they left Bombay, a classroom had 1 book, 1 teacher, 15 desks, and 30 kids of various ages packed into a classroom that couldn't hold a washer and dryer. Jamal and Salim's mother did laundry along with 15 other women in a pond. A movie theatre consisted of 10 people watching a small projection screen set up against the wall of a living room. When they return to Mumbai, their old slum is now a highrise skyscraper under construction. Jamal works at a massive telecommunications office building that provides technical support to England. Cable TV is huge, and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" is, well, just like it was in the U.S. when it first came out. This is a far cry from the Bombay of 10 years before. It's a story of evolution...
4. It's a story about wisdom. You can find this explanation in my article highlighting Slumdog as the Best Film of 2008, found here: http://sullyz-world.blogspot.com/2009/01/top-10-films-of-2008.html
5. It's a story of destiny. How is it that the questions of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" fall directly in line to the life story of Jamal Malick ... the night Jamal Malick is a contestant on the show? Speaking of that, how is it that Jamal Malick gets to be a contestant on a show broadcast to 50 million viewers? How is it that a backstabbing brother sacrifices his life for a couple he spent 10 years trying to destroy? How can you explain something like that, other than "God is great," "It's our destiny," and "It is written."
Stay tuned for #9, coming later this week...
To check out Part 1: Counting Down #20-11, check out http://sullyz-world.blogspot.com/2009/08/best-of-2000s-movies-part-1.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment