I already know that this is going to be a bad week for me in terms of writing anything much. I will try and review a couple of the films below in more detail soon. However, here are a few thoughts for now!
Slumdog Millionaire – A romantic tale framed by the Who Wants to be a Millionare gameshow and told against the backdrop of the rapidly changing Indian society. This is a surprisingly good film on the whole. Whilst the frenetic and invigorating pace of the first half eventually calms down into something a good deal more predictable, there are a multitude of themes and ideas crammed in here and it all comes off really rather nicely in the end. Well recommended.
Love and Honour - A Japanese love story between a samurai and his wife. When the former is left blind from eating bad shellfish, their future prospects look quite uncertain. The course of action that unfolds contrasts a couple prepared to die for the other against a social background that heavily dictates how people should behave. This is a slow-moving affair with limited action scenes. That said, it is a highly engaging and enjoyable work with regular comic moments that relieve the tension. Recommended.
The Spirit - A January turkey from the director of the impressive Sin City and 300 respectively. It features a Lazarus-like superhero who does battle against some baddies or other in a confused and distinctly unfunny film. On the whole, it feels like Joel Schumacher getting his hands on the Batman franchise all over again. Samuel L. Jackson once more puts his bank balance ahead of his legacy as the villain of the piece. Best avoided.
Filed under: Cinema | Tagged: Love and Honour, Slumdog Millionaire, The Spirit
