slumdog millionaire

Maybe the mod can make this a sticky and post it at the top of the movie section under the title "It's Just A Movie."

 

lol!

 

she is a goddess! she is on the cover of vouge, is set to star in the next Woody Allen movie, he sees her as his new muse. Didn't she win best supporting actress in one of the award ceremonys? She only realli had a 2 min part but gosh, she is a beauty!
Pity though, two of the younger children in it are still living in the slums. Today it was in the paper (two days after they attended the Oscars) pictures of his father hitting him across the face w tears flooding down his face.

 

agreed. one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen.

awww, that sucks!

 

You know, I am hearing a lot of these C-people, as you call them, who did not know of the sad situation of the B-people having their eyes opened, and feeling sorry for the B-people. Maybe this one movie is not enough to make many C-people do something to end the suffering of many B-people (maybe the current economy is hurting to many C-people to keep them from giving)----but nonetheless, I have heard comments on this thread that goes out to the situation of your B-people. And I have heard people talking in coffee shops, and at my office, and in the media, about the sad situation of your B-people. And all of this is because of this movie. Surely some of these C-people will try to help B-people.

Even if the producers, writers, and directors were trying to exploit the poor for nothing more than profit----then A.) is it wrong that they have entertained us? and B.) is it wrong that they have opened peoples eyes up to the suffering in the world?

What if slumdog millionaire was a story about some Middle class American?---it could be done to be entertaining, it could be made into a comedy, or girl meets boy-----some good writing----fit the story to the social structure----some good acting-----and it could even win some awards. And then Neim wouldn't be able to talk about the poor exploited B-people.

There wouldn't be any B-people exploited, no B-people to have even a moment of fame, no B-people with anything to do with the movie, no B-people.

Likewise, noone would be talking about B-people, noone would be wondering about B-people, noone would feel sorry about B-people, and there is no reason for B-people to benefit in even the slightest way. And guess what, B-people would still be suffering, with no clue of what just happened----and even less of a chance that any B-people will benefit from some of C-people's change of heart.

Now, there is a movie that does not paint a happy story about your B-people---Salaam Bombay-----it shows what is a very realistic story about a young street kid-----and not many people have seen it. I have the DVD, and over the years I have tried to get several people to see it, who have refused---because they are afraid it will be too sad. I got my mom and dad to watch it---my mom said that if she knew it was going to be so sad, she wouldn't have watched it----her heart went out to those kids, but she would have preferred not to watch it. A lot of people don't want to see sad things like that.

Are the makers of Slumdog Millionaire going to get money for making this movie? Well, I say, bravo for them! Because that is why people make feature productions that win awards----to get money. Maybe it will incite other people to make similar movies-------maybe some of those movies will be more realistic and because of the other award winning movies----people will go and see them. But either way----your C-people's awareness will be raised.

Do you know why American's do not care so much for the starving millions in Africa? Do you know why American's could care less for the poverty-stricken masses of India? Or the street kids of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, or the Philippines? Do you know why most Americans could care less about the life in the inner ghettos of America? Do you know why more Americans are indifferent to the war in Iraq as compared to the Vietnam war?

Awareness----that is why. Middle and upper class Americans cannot relate to life under these horrible conditions----for many of them, their answer is, "Get a job!" They can't understand that the only opportunities are still dead-ends, and that many of these people already are working to the best of their abilities, and then some. They do not see the conditions, they have very little concept of them. Look at the outpour of money after the South East Asian tsunami-----people saw the horror of this, and gave a lot of money. They volunteered, they did all kinds of things to help these people. It was reported everywhere in the press, so extensively, you would have to shut off all media to avoid it---and people were made aware of its horror.

The Vietnam war, was a war of statisitcs----reported everyday---Americans were aware of how we were harming innocent civilians based on the kill ratio---which was constantly reported, possibly even made better than it really was---the kill ratio measured how many VC we killed to how many innocent civilians. And there were plenty other statistics too. None of that is reported today. America's youth were also being drafted and sent to be killed---that hit home as well---people were aware. That is the first step to making a change-----People have to be aware.

How can you fault Slumdog Millionaire as exploiting the poor----if it is making people aware?

And how does this movie compromise the health and well-being of B-people. Did they release toxic chemicals into the shanty towns as they were making this movie? Did they pay people in heroine? Are their subliminal messages inserted in the movie to kill streetkids and sterilize the shanty towns???? I don't understand...

(Oh BLuesafire-----be careful, you were supposed to be entertained---not let your heart go out to those kids...)

 

huh?

 

Of course you are supposed to let your heart go out to them---that is my point, that it is raising awareness------I just said in light with the fact that Neim claims that we are simply bored and are only seeking entertainment (we are C-people), and putting money into the pockets of A-people, while the b-people continue to suffer.

 

oh. lol!

yeah, my heart is out there all the time, regardless of the entertainment value.

 

beautiful movie.

 

Even if I believed that art ever had to explain itself to anyone other than the individual I wouldn't agree. Where do you get off telling me that the emotions I felt throughout this film were fake? The entire reason I go to movies is to be immersed in a story other than my own and experience emotions outside the range of what my daily life provides. Generally I prefer sad movies because anguish is not something I feel enough of, so believe me when I say that this wasn't the kind of ending to a film that I'd normally think highly of. Slumdog, by doing what all movies are meant to do and opening a window to another world, leaves it up to the viewer whether or not to invest their emotions in the characters. The end, in my opinion, hardly matters as far as the impact of the film goes. It only provides the escapism that many people seem to need in order to avoid being so depressed by a movie that they don't think about it. The hypothetical conversation you gave seems much more likely to be finished with "...but of course it's not realistic. People in those situations need our compassion to escape their cirumstances."

I also think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone involved in the creative production of Slumdog who came away from the experience with nothing more than a paycheck. After putting their blood, sweat, and tears into a beautiful piece of art that they know will awaken millions of people to the realities of life in many destitute parts of the world, they should be honored to accept awards from their peers who understand their art and tend (more than people in almost any other industry) to give to freely those they know need their help.

 

mark your calendars! the dvd is coming out this tuesday, march 31st!
can't wait.

i think this movie was the perfect blend of both entertainment value and promotion of awareness...which would explain it's massive universal appeal and winner of so many awards.

SPOILERS AHOY...
*
*
*
*
*
so glad i saw this movie again because the first time i saw it, i was so drawn in, blown away and tensed up by the first few tragedies, that i didn't enjoy all the funny parts. knowing how it ends made it so much easier to just sit back, relax and laugh my ass off at the many comic moments i barely reacted to the first time.

 

You know this movie was good but the way people spoke about it, I thought it was a true story so i was like thats cool i love "true story" based movies. After watching it and finding out it wasnt a true story i was bummed out becuase anyone can put together a good story line but being based off a real events is better.

Another thing I don't get is how people are so not aware of the conditions of India and then after watching this film their "AH'ed" about it and its reality. It comes to show how alot of us americans that live in the USA take it for granted and not inform ourselfs on how other people live. Other then that the movie was a pretty good love /drama film.