FROST/NIXON AND SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
December 22, 2008
I LOVE YA' CLEVELAND!!!!
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT RICHARD M. NIXON DISGRACED THIS COUNTRY AND RIGHTFULLY RESIGNED THE PRESIDENCY IN LIGHT OF THE WATERGATE SCANDAL. NIXON WAS HIS OWN WORST ENEMY AND DESERVED THE DISGRACE HE ENDURED. WITH THAT BEING SAID, MY INTELLIGENCE IS INSULTED BY RON "OPIE" HOWARD PROCLAIMING THAT HE PORTRAYS THE FORMER PRESIDENT IN THIS FILM AS A SYMPATHETIC FIGURE. THE REALITY IS THAT HOWARD IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED LEFT WING LIBERAL! HE IS SO UNABASHED THAT HE RECENTLY PRODUCED A DOCUMENTARY CO-STARRING FORMER TELEVISION FATHER, ANDY GRIFFITH AND HAPPY DAYS SIDEKICK, HENRY WINKLER. . .TO DO NOTHING BUT BASH, MOCK, AND INSULT PRESIDENT BUSH. IT'S ONE THING TO DISAGREE WITH BUSH'S POLICIES OR THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. . .BUT IT'S ANOTHER FOR THE HOLLYWOOD LEFT TO USE THEIR MEDIUM TO FULFILL THEIR LIBERAL AGENDA.
HOWARD TAKES EVERY ADVANTAGE TO MAKE NIXON LOOK LIKE A BUMBLING IDIOT TO MAKE REPUBLICANS APPEAR SHADY AND SLEAZY, AND TO MAKE DEMOCRATS TO LOOK RIGHTEOUS, SAINTLY AND THE ONLY ONES WHO SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE RIGHT ANSWERS.
FRANK LANGELLA GIVES A COMPELLING PERFORMANCE AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT. HE WAS NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA BY THE GOLDEN GLOBES AND IS LIKELY TO RECEIVE AN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION FOR BEST ACTOR.
HOWEVER. . .I FEEL MICHAEL SHEEN GAVE THE BETTER PERFORMANCE! SHEEN PORTRAYS THE FORMER BRITISH TALK SHOW HOST, DAVID FROST. HE ALSO DID A WONDERFUL JOB PORTRAYING BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, TONY BLAIR, OPPOSITE HELEN MIRREN. . .IN THE QUEEN.
FOR ONCE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE HOLLYWOOD LEFT PRODUCE A MOVIE THAT PUTS A REPUBLICAN IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. RONALD REAGAN WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PRESIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY AND YET. . .JAMES BROLIN PORTRAYED THE FORMER PRESIDENT AS ANOTHER BUMBLING STUPID IDIOT! I CHALLENGE YOU TO NAME ME ONE FILM SINCE BOTH HENRY FONDA AND RAYMOND MASSEY PORTRAYED ABRAHMA LINCOLN THAT MAKES A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT LOOK GOOD.
THINK OF HOW RIDICULOUS OLIVER STONE'S NIXON, PORTRAYED BY ANTHONY HOPKINS CAME OFF! EVEN THE TV SERIES, WEST WING, STARRING MARTIN SHEEN PORTRAYED DEMOCRATS AS ALL WONDERFUL ENVISIONARIES. I WONDER IF THE HOLLYWOOD LEFT FILMMAKERS ARE GOING TO DO A MOVIE ABOUT ILLINOIS GOVERNOR, ROD BLAGOJEVICH! IF THEY DO. . .IT WILL PROBABLY INSINUATE THAT HE WAS MISUNDERSTOOD AND ACTUALLY A FORTHRIGHT, HONEST POLITICIAN.
NOW. . .ONTO A MOVIE THAT TRULY IS WORTHY OF YOUR TIME AND HARD-EARNED CASH!
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
THIS FILM WAS DIRECTED BY DANNY BOYLE. . AND THE SCREENPLAY WAS DONE BY SIMON BEAUFOY. THIS IS A STORY OF 3 YOUNG ORPHANED INDIAN CHILDREN . JAMAL (DEV PATEL), SALIM(MADHUR MITTAL), AND LATIKA (FREIDA PINTO).
WE VIEW THE MOVIE BY ACTUALLY WATCHING 3 DIFFERENT STORIES DEVELOP. THE YOUNG CHILDREN IN POVERTY STICKEN INDIA TRYING TO SURVIVE THE SLUMS, THE CORRUPTION, THE SLAVERY, AND THE TORTURE OF SURVIVAL.
THE OTHER STORY IS THE "OLDER" JAMAL'S ARREST, TORTURE AND INTERROGATION BY MUMBAI POLICE. THE THIRD STORY IS JAMAL'S APPEARANCE AND MYSTERIOUS SUCCESS ON THE INDIAN VERSION OF WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? BOYLE SPENDIDLY KEEPS GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE THREE STORY LINES DEVELOPING THE CHARACTERS AND ALONG THE WAY TYING THEM ALL TOGETHER.
WE. . IN AMERICA. . .HAVE NEVER SEEN A MOVIE LIKE THIS BEFORE. . .ABOUT MODERN, YET PRIMITIVE INDIAN CIVILIZATION. THE MOVIE SHOWS THE MODERNIZATION OF CITIES SUCH AS MUMBAI, YET THE PRIMITIVE AND ANTIQUATED SLUMS FROM WHICH IT DERIVED.
THE POLICE BRUTALITY PORTRAYED IN THIS FILM IS INDEED REAL, WHILE THE POPULARITY OF A MODERN TELEVISON QUIZ SHOW CREATES NATIONWIDE FASCINATION. THIS MOVIE IS A LOVE STORY, A HISTORICAL VIEW AT THE SECOND MOST POPULATED COUNTRY ON THE PLANET, ABOUT HOW GANGSTERS AND MOBSTERS NOT ONLY EXIST. . .BUT RULE WITH FRIGHTENING POWER IN OTHER CULTURES THAN OUR OWN.
THIS FILM ALSO HAS AN ENTERTAINING QUALITY THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD, CONSIDERING THE TORTURE AND BRUTALITY THAT ALSO IS TOUGH TO TAKE WHILE OBSERVING IT ALL. THE REGIS PHILBIN, MERIDITH VIERA OF THE INDIAN VERSION OF THE WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE TELEVISION SHOW IS PORTRAYED BY ANIL KAPOOR. I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN THE GOLDEN GLOBES. HE PLAYS A CORRUPT, UNTRUSTWORTHY. . .YET VERY ENTERTAINING AND HILARIOUS GAME SHOW HOST. HE IS NOT A GOOD GUY, BUT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT LAUGH AND BE THOROUGLY ENTERTAINED BY HIS CHARACTER.
THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IN THIS FILM IS SPECTACULAR! THE MUSICAL SCORE IS EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE. THE DIRECTOR AND THE WRITER BRING ALL 3 STORYLINES AND THE CHARACTERS TOGETHER FOR A FITTING AND SATISFYING CONCLUSION.
I LOVED IT! I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO BEAT. . .FOR BEST PICTURE. . .NOT JUST FOR THE GOLDEN GLOBES. . .BUT WHEN THE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS COME OUT!!!
NOW. . DO KEEP IN MIND. . .I HAVE NOT YET SEEN ALL OF THE CONTENDERS. . .BUT AM IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO. MARK MY WORDS. . .THIS MOVIE IS A SERIOUS PLAYER FOR THE BEST OF 2008!
LOVE YA' CLEVELAND!!!
