Lanning : ) (binky013)

I must do more research on a film before I put it in my queue. I'm going to carve that into my hand with one of Umbridge's magic quills -- note the heavy "borrowing" from Harry Potter in this one. I swear, these movies based on comic books are like a plague of dumbness. C'est la vie. You get lazy, you pay.

First the good news. The visuals are pretty slick in this one, and . . .

Man, I have to mourn when so much money is spent on 10% interesting and 90% stupid. And it's not just that the story itself is dumb, it's that the good people who put this project together think that all of us are brain-dead as well. That borating kills me.

Okay, so I was stupid enough to throw this on my Netflix queue. Maybe they're right.

Absolutely frustrating, like the hum-drum life of quiet desperation as an average account manager -- who suddenly discovers he's "the chosen one." Sound familiar? And then you think they turn the corner with their brilliantly borrowed Star Wars twist: Wesley, I am you father.

But that corner is never turned; it's a feint.

I would go on, but I know that there's no one reading this far anyway. Okay, for the possible one person who might be still reading: You maybe understand what I'm talking about, Grasshopper . . . Quickly as you can, grab the pebble, er, weaver's shuttle from my hand, er, loom.

Pssst, Angelina, either you gotta fire your make-up person, or you gotta have at least one friend who can be honest with you and tell you that you look old enough to be McAvoy's mother in this one.

On second thought, my apologies. Maybe these comic book dudes were also big borrowing fans of Oedipus.

Like most fairy tales, Slumdog Millionaire is predictable for the most part. If, as the movie unfolds, you believe that Malik will not win the 20 million rupees or get the girl, then you are probably either a wee bit of a cynic or else a contrarian. I think most of us know that this story will have a happy ending -- just from the title alone. If that had to be the title of this movie, then the only way not to tip us off would have been to put a question mark at the end of the title: Slumdog Millionaire? -- and trust me, a writer should never do that : )

So is it a problem for Boyle that the outcome of the story is predictable?

Yes, it is a problem for Boyle and for anyone else making a movie, telling a story. If the outcome is predictable, then you must have a way of making the story keep the audience interested. And here, Boyle does an excellent job. Malik's story is fascinating, a series of hardships that all add up to providing just the answers he needs to take home all the money.

That alone is fascinating. Imagine if each experience of our lives added up to a big payoff -- another sure sign of a fairy tale unfolding. Of course we all know this is unique; our lives usually add up to little more than our lives. There are no big payoffs, monetary or otherwise. This movie is a great example of a very predictable story told in a very unpredictable way.

I feel most for all the orphans whose fairy tale is cut short when they are disfigured by Maman and his ilk in order to make them more successful beggars, and for older brother Salim who makes the choice for his own fairy tale life based on the murder of Maman. A fairy tale life based on murder -- even though we all know that Maman deserves death and worse -- can almost never lead to a happy ending for that character.

Oh good. For a moment there I thought we were in trouble.

Famous last words from Robert LeRoy Parker (aka Butch Cassidy) right before that amazing run out the door. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are one of the unbeatable male pairs in movies. If you've not seen this one, but saw The Sting and liked their work together, you must see this movie. A good job done by Katherine Ross as well.

Man, do I hope they do a few more together before they call it quits.

11/14/06 update: Just watched this again. One of the aspects that really grabbed me this time, even though I've seen this so many times, is the way you believe, right up to the end, that Newman and Redford might actually get out of this . . . and go to Australia. Beautifully done. I'll say it again: Hope they do one or two more together . . . for the ages.

If I loved you
Time and again I would try to say
All I'd want you to know.
If I loved you
Words wouldn't come in an easy way
Round in circles I'd go.
Longin' to tell you, but afraid and shy
I'd let my golden chances pass me by.
Soon you'd leave me
Off you would go in the mist of day
Never, never to know
How I loved you . . .
If I loved you.

One of the greatest love songs to come out of musical theater. Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones: A Hollywood musical match made in heaven. I wonder if Jones might have broken a few hearts in high school . . .

Carousel's story is different from most Hollywood musicals in several ways, the most significant of which is that true love is won right at the beginning, then is tragically squandered by Billy Bigelow, although not ultimately lost. Besides such memorable numbers as the "Carousel Waltz" theme itself and "You'll Never Walk Alone"--the ultiimate graduation song--, one of my all-time favorites is "When (the) Children Are Asleep," the beautiful duet, shared by Carrie and Mr. Snow on the way to the clambake, in which they dream of their married future together:

When the children are asleep we'll sit and dream
The things that every other dad and mother dream.
When the children are asleep and lights are low
If I still love you the way I love you today
You'll pardon my sayin' I told you so.
When the children are asleep, I'll dream with you.
We'll think what fun we have had and be glad that it all came true.