slumdogs, Pushers, the last man, and a dash of insanity

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle’s name sounded familiar; only later was I able to check his filmography. I loved The Beach (butt-nekkid Leonardo DiCaprio!) (and Tilda Swinton!), and 28 Days Later (butt-nekkid Cillian Murphy!) . With Slumdog Millionaire Boyle dealt with, well, something more feel-good. Yes, feel-good. The characters even (SPOILER ALERT) dance in the end (END SPOILER ALERT).

The film has predictable elements (love, rags-to-riches, a bunch of bad guys, “It’s our destiny” drivel) made exciting and unique by crazy camerawork and music. As Roger Ebert has very wonderfully put it, Slumdog is “dramatic proof that a movie is about how it tells itself”. To be sure. :)

(Although I keep thinking: if a foreigner made a film about Filipinos with the Philippines as its setting, will I like it? Will I even accept it? Honestly, probably not – although I still can’t explain why I found it okay to read Butler write through the eyes of a Vietnamese. Anyway, I think Danny Boyle has a kind heart. I applaud him and his crew for at least doing something.)

(Also: I think the kids are too cute for words. Hee.)

(Photos from Rotten Tomatoes, Daily Mail, and the Huffington Post.)

Push

Watched it during the weekend. Just wanted to kick off my shoes and watch something decidedly non-Oscar, haha. I enjoyed watching it, how about you? I’m thinking maybe I just dropped my expectations before entering the cinema. Dropped it like even if Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning just sat in front of the camera I’d still think I saw something worthwhile.

But, I liked the colors and the cinematography. I particularly enjoyed watching Dakota perform. Her characters should get drunk more.

(Photos from Rotten Tomatoes.)

Y: The Last Man

The series’ premise (all the men of the world die to a plague of unknown cause, with Yorick left as the only male alive) didn’t exactly tickle my fancy, but when I started reading it (special thanks to Kate and Andrea) I found it difficult to stop.

I’ve just finished the series and now I’m missing Yorick and 355 and the other characters terribly. Highly recommended. I’d grab you and strap you down and force you to read if I could.

(Photo from DC Comics.)

Arkham Asylum

A one-shot graphic novel by Grant Morrison, illustrated by frequent Gaiman collaborator, Dave McKean. Excellent artwork, just excellent – brings several frames of the latter Sandman collections to mind (notably Endless Nights). This novel (if I recall the news reports correctly) was used as the late Heath Ledger’s inspiration for his take on the Joker in The Dark Knight. Here the Joker tells Batman: “Enjoy yourself out there…in the asylum.”

Ledger totally nailed it.

This graphic novel shows Joker squeezing Batman’s tush – that was fun. Robin is only mentioned (“is he already shaving?”), but I would really, really love to read/watch a good story with Robin in it, anything to remove the Schumacher aftertaste.

(Photo from geekshow.us.)