Spring Break
Movies warm up the box office this winter
Winter Break in review
Paresh Jha
Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: Focus
Apart from seeing family, relaxing and getting sick of said family, many students use winter break to catch up on movies. Let's examine some of the high and low points of the recent silver screen productions.
"Slumdog Millionaire"
If you have not heard of this flick yet, perhaps the countless Golden Globe Awards will catch your attention. "Slumdog Millionaire" is an amazingly colorful, rich and emotional story. It centers on Jamal, a young boy in Mumbai, India, who, against all odds, is doing extremely well on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" What ensues is an engrossing tale of determination and love, backed up by stunning visuals from a director (Danny Boyle) whose love for India is readily apparent in every scene of this film. Dev Patel, who portrays Jamal, throws in a fiercely emotional performance that really defines what "Slumdog Millionaire" is all about.
"Milk"
It is likely the world will never find another movie where Sean Penn smiles this much. "Milk" tells the story of the first openly gay public official in the United States and how he came to power. Not only is this historical drama well crafted but it is also perfectly acted, not just by Penn, but by all his supporting cast including James Franco and Emile Hirsch.
"The Wrestler"
Anyone remember the name Mickey Rourke? He used to be a pretty big deal in Hollywood. During the '90s, he disappeared from the scene as he hit hard times in his personal life. But with this recent film, Rourke makes the mother of all comebacks. "The Wrestler" is gut-wrenching in every way. The story is about an over-the-hill wrestler dealing with a heart condition, financial troubles and his estranged daughter. Rourke hits all the right notes as "The Ram" on his road to redemption. Director Darren Aronofsky crafted a classic here.
"The Spirit"
This has to be the absolute worst movie of winter break. Frank Miller should stick to living in the past, in the days of his best comic books, because film is not his thing. At first glance, the movie just looks like a rip off of "Sin City," but at least that would have been somewhat entertaining. The only good thing about this movie is the ridiculousness of it all. It is almost fun to watch a movie that is as confused about itself as the viewer may be. Regardless, the film is a feast for the eyes, though not the mind.
"Slumdog Millionaire"
If you have not heard of this flick yet, perhaps the countless Golden Globe Awards will catch your attention. "Slumdog Millionaire" is an amazingly colorful, rich and emotional story. It centers on Jamal, a young boy in Mumbai, India, who, against all odds, is doing extremely well on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" What ensues is an engrossing tale of determination and love, backed up by stunning visuals from a director (Danny Boyle) whose love for India is readily apparent in every scene of this film. Dev Patel, who portrays Jamal, throws in a fiercely emotional performance that really defines what "Slumdog Millionaire" is all about.
"Milk"
It is likely the world will never find another movie where Sean Penn smiles this much. "Milk" tells the story of the first openly gay public official in the United States and how he came to power. Not only is this historical drama well crafted but it is also perfectly acted, not just by Penn, but by all his supporting cast including James Franco and Emile Hirsch.
"The Wrestler"
Anyone remember the name Mickey Rourke? He used to be a pretty big deal in Hollywood. During the '90s, he disappeared from the scene as he hit hard times in his personal life. But with this recent film, Rourke makes the mother of all comebacks. "The Wrestler" is gut-wrenching in every way. The story is about an over-the-hill wrestler dealing with a heart condition, financial troubles and his estranged daughter. Rourke hits all the right notes as "The Ram" on his road to redemption. Director Darren Aronofsky crafted a classic here.
"The Spirit"
This has to be the absolute worst movie of winter break. Frank Miller should stick to living in the past, in the days of his best comic books, because film is not his thing. At first glance, the movie just looks like a rip off of "Sin City," but at least that would have been somewhat entertaining. The only good thing about this movie is the ridiculousness of it all. It is almost fun to watch a movie that is as confused about itself as the viewer may be. Regardless, the film is a feast for the eyes, though not the mind.
Be the first to comment on this story