No business like show business!

Again, I have had no idea what to blog (verb? noun?) I feel like I should say something smart, and I have a lot of complaints about people. Problems with those two being 1. I ain’t witty enough and 2. Those are people I don’t know and hence do not matter the slightest bit.

What then? Entertainment! I have managed to watch quite some TV/films. I would write proper reviews like Manda does, but I am too lazy and can’t be bothered to organize. So, what I will have is a short comment for each one I mention.

And this one is the film post, I will try to make it spoiler-free. Here is a complete list of films I have seen in 2009.

Doubt – IMDB Link
I haven’t seen the original play – but considering the plot (or the lack of) I suppose it would be better presented on stage. The premise is the story – whether or not Father Flynn has molested the boy is far from the point. If you are looking for a who-did-it drama, go see something else or you will be very disappointed. The plotless-ness in the script is a disadvantage, therefore the film makers obviously tried to make up for it by the strong casting. I enjoyed watching it for all the dramatic confrontations – they are all extremely entertaining. I know I don’t have to say this, but Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman were beyond amazing, so was Viola Davis (although her part was so small). Amy Adams’s performance was a delightful surprise as well, she has become one of my favourite actresses. Overall, weak story for a film and excellent performance by the cast.

Ghost Town – IMDB Link
This film is not great, but I love it! It was a very pleasant surprise – after Run Fatboy Run and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, I get worried every time British comedians try Hollywood romantic comedies (sorry Simon) but Ricky Gervais pulled it just fine. His hilarious performance made the first half of the film – filled with laughs. It’s quite silly, at times too sweet, it’s the kind of cliché you would expect in romcom. However, it is actually funny, clever and down to earth with nice music. It is hard for me to explain – but expect to see a Hollywood romcom, and you will be pleasantly surprised too. Tiny spoiler: the last lines are gold.

Slumdog Millionaire – IMDB Link
Woah, where do I begin? It was something I had been looking forward to so, so, so much – because of the immense popularity and Danny Boyle. And my verdict? It was brilliant film making and it deserved all the awards it got – I really enjoyed it, in fact I enjoyed it so much that I also paid for tickets for my parents to see it. However (yes!), on a purely personal level, I do not love it. The film seems to focus too much on the drama and as a result, its characters lack development. Jamal and Latika get boring as they grow up – I never understand their chemistry and why they think they are destined to be together. Salim was the only character I liked and the interaction between him and Jamal was a lot more entertaining and emotionally uplifting than that between Jamal and Latika. At the end, I found myself yelling “What the hell Jamal? Why don’t you ask about your brother?” Okay, it was probably just me. The destiny theme is not something I buy either – at least in the film there isn’t a clear distinction between that and pure luck, or even karma. Before I open a whole can of worms, I should round up by saying that it is a great movie, but it is not something I want to watch over and over.

That’s it! Please note that these are personal comments and I am in no way a film expert – feel free to disagree and I am willing to be enlightened. Anyway, It’s great to take some time to enjoy movies, and I intend to do that often. I will be writing about other ones I get to watch later.