Oscar Watch 4.0

I'm still obsessed with them "Stillers" and their remarkable, mind-blowing victory, but bear with me as I attempt to focus again on the next exciting chapter in my life: the Oscars.

So, "Slumdog Millionaire" is on quite a run. It's certainly become quite the hip and trendy film. And all the positive attention is deserved. For its two frenetically paced hours, you are transported to India, with all its grandeur and flaws. You climb inside a world which feels authentic, yet alien to what we know day to day. Danny Boyle has directed several projects over the years, but will forever be linked in my mind with "Trainspotting" and that dead baby on the ceiling. (It still gives me chills...) Whichever way you see it, this film is quite different and, honestly, superior.

The backdrop of the story finds Jamal in the hot seat on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire." As the questions come one after the other, he answers them correctly to the surprise of host and audience. Suspicious of the slumdog's intelligence, he's automatically taken in as a cheat. To explain his knowledge, the film flashbacks through his life and tells us his story. We meet the main players - Jamal and his big brother Salim - when they are kids. Their pasttimes include romps across garbage-strewn landscapes as they navigate a tough, poor life, until one day something terrible happens which leaves them to truly fend for themselves. On their new, scary journey they meet the other protagonist, Latika, and from there on, their individual stories weave through and around each other for the rest of their lives.

By the time Jamal gets to the game show, he has already spun quite a tale. The combination of tension in his life and on the show never feels forced. The film keeps you engaged on both levels. The fact that you don't recognize the faces in the film adds to your being wrapped up in the action from start to finish. Everything about the atmosphere - the dingy feel of the city, the engaging soundtrack, and the true chemistry between the two romantic leads, Jamal and Latika - is spot on. These two young actors - Dev Patel and Freida Pinto - are on the rise and rightfully so. All in all, this film works at every turn.

That said, I enjoyed Slumdog's journey. I'm not sure I'd say it's the best trip I've taken at the cineplex this year, but I admire its tenacity and the places it goes.