Movies

Katie and I went to see three movies this week. With the Golden Globes rapidly approaching Katie wants to see as many of the nominated movies as she can to better predict the winners in each category. This is an annual undertaking. I don't really get into the whole awards thing, but it is an excuse to see some really good films (Ever since the Emmy's snubbed The Wire, I have no faith in any award shows anymore). In the past week we saw The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, and Doubt.

The Reader was a very interesting story with an underlying message about having secrets, keeping them to yourself, and the effect that can have on one's life. The basic plot is of a young man who has an affair with an older woman as a teenager, and later he finds out that she was an SS Guard during the Second World War. The story itself was intriguing and the acting was really good. I don't think it will win Best Picture, but I can understand why it was nominated.

Slumdog Millionaire was my favorite of the three movies we've seen. It's about a poor Indian boy who goes on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and wins a large amount of money. The story-telling is great as it cuts back and forth between the past and the present, showing how the events of the boy's life lead him to know the answers on the show. There's a romantic arc to the story as well, and the actors do a very good job, especially the kids who play the youth versions of the characters. There's even a Bollywood song and dance routine during the credits. This film has a good chance of being a sleeper winner for Best Film. I wouldn't be disappointed if this one won.

Doubt was a superbly acted film. Both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep are nominated for their acting in this movie (no shocker there - two of the top actors in the biz today). I found the story itself to be a bit dull. It's intentionally ambiguous and nothing is clear by the end of the film, but that's the whole point. I wouldn't be surprised if either nominee won an award for this film.

Out of these three, I would recommend Slumdog Millionaire the most. See all of them if you have the time, but definitely check out Slumdog.