Cinema Society

Salute to Director Danny Boyle and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Average
Rating

4.6

Sunday, November 16, 2008, AMC La Jolla 12 Theatres

Invited Guest: Director Danny Boyle

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16

7:00PM: Cinema Chat with Andy (Auditorium 9 Only)

7:10PM: Introduction, Auditorium 9

7:10PM: Introduction, Auditorium 11

7:30PM: SALUTE TO DIRECTOR DANNY BOYLE and

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, Auditoriums 9 & 11

Discussion will follow screening in Auditorium 9

AMC La Jolla 12 Theatres

Special Sunday Night at the Movies!

SALUTE TO DIRECTOR DANNY BOYLE and

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Danny Boyle’s career has been marked by the remarkable variety of themes, locations and genres he has tackled and his extraordinary eye for discovering talent. After several provocative made-for-BBC films, his first theatrical feature, the riveting dark-comedy thriller SHALLOW GRAVE, introduced Ewan McGregor and won the BAFTA award for best British film. TRAINSPOTTING, an inventive adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s gritty, scabrous novel about heroin addicts on the street of Glasgow, established Boyle as a major talent worldwide. In addition to making McGregor a movie star, the film introduced audiences to future stars Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner and Kelly McDonald. Boyle’s low-budget zombie update 28 DAYS LATER featured two extraordinary actors, Cillian Murphy and Naomi Harris, and some of most innovative use of digital video yet. His space opera SUNSHINE, island thriller THE BEACH and offbeat family film MILLIONS further demonstrated his range.

The Cinema Society of San Diego is honored to welcome Mr. Boyle for this special “Sunday Night at the Movies” presentation, and will join us following the showing of his latest work, the Audience Favorite Award Winner from this year’s prestigious Toronto Film Festival--SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”

But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show’s questions.

Intrigued by Jamal’s story, the jaded Police Inspector begins to wonder what a young man with no apparent desire for riches is really doing on this game show?

When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out...

Masterfully directed by Danny Boyle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE stars Mia Drake, Imran Hasnee, Ani Kapoor and irfan Kahn. A Fox Searchlight Release, it opens commercially in San Diego on November 21st.

Rated: R

Running Time: 120 Minutes

PLEASE NOTE: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is in English and Hindi with English Subtitles

ALSO PLEASE NOTE: For this special “Sunday Night at the Movies”, we will be in 2 different auditoriums at the AMC La Jolla 12 Theatres. Auditorium #9 will serve as the “discussion auditorium” following the screening, while Auditorium #11 will be the “non discussion” auditorium.

Send a Comment

21-Jan-09: SMM - Rating: 5

Isn't it great to see this movie garnering so much acclaim? And to see Danny Boyle on TV talking about it? I saw the movie for a second time and liked it just as much as the first time.

21-Nov-08: EBee - Rating: 5

Absolutely brilliant evening! Thought the movie was terrific, made even more so by Danny's "what was I thinking" pst-movie chat.

20-Nov-08: M.Roe - Rating: 5

Though the film started out rather gritty and intense a'la Trainspotting and did at times have some "tough" scenes to sit through I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I thought the actors selected to represent the boys for their three different ages were spot on. Once the premise that each question/answer was going to be a snippets from Jamal's life experiences it was captivating to see how it would all play out (and didn't turn into a "Memento"-esque flashback fusion). I've been asked "who's in the movie" I of course say that they are all actors from India (although I believe the Police Inspector is the Father from "Namesake") but that should not deter anyone from seeing the film. Of course to make the night even more incredible the "Q&A" with Danny Boyle was fantastic. What a delightful and engaging man...not at all what I expected (was basing it on Trainspotting), he has definitely moved to the top of the list of Best Guest Speakers so far this season.

18-Nov-08: SMM - Rating: 5

I give this movie my first 5 of the season! Even though I had to avert my eyes several times and cringed even more often, I found it ultimately enjoyable and uplifting. I found the story compelling, the characters engaging, and the film-making original and well done.

(During the Q&A, I kept thinking that Mr. Boyle had one movie with the worst toilet in Scotland, and he now has a second with the worst toilet in India!)

17-Nov-08: Jeri F - Rating: 5

What a roiling, engaging, emotional, uplifting ride into a culture so strange and exotic, balanced with the human condition so universal and familiar. If only Danny Boyle could go on to direct Shantaram...

17-Nov-08: andy feldman - Rating: 5

Let's just say that if this creative masterpiece does not win for best picture I will be surprised, as I had a similar reaction to CRASH a few years back and it went on to win. I LOVED this film.

17-Nov-08: jh - Rating: 5

"Amal", "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas", and now "Slumdog Millionaire". Andy, you're spoiling us. Keep it up. "Slumdog Millionaire" was exhilarating and entertaining.

17-Nov-08: DanW - Rating: 5

I thought Slumdog Millionaire was excellent! The film kept me glued to the screen the entire time wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed the pacing of the action and the music added to the film's edgy mood. Also, the sheer accomplishment of filming amid the overwhelming chaos and squalor of India was stunning. These are the films that make Cinema Society so special and raise members' viewing experiences above the Hollywood "factory films" aimed at the lowest common demographic. Thanks Andy for bringing another great indie film (and director!) to the group. Mr. Boyle's Q & A was wonderful.

17-Nov-08: Ed Wall - Rating: 3

Why do some film makers think that by TURNING UP THE VOLUME they are making the film any better? Believe me I am already paying attention and by cranking the volume way up during some scenes they take me right out of my experience.

17-Nov-08: JimY - Rating: 3

Sorry, maybe there was just too much hype. The film is a good story and it makes for some enjoyable entertainment, it just wasn't really anything special. I think I'll watch Millions again. Jamal went on the show to find Latika and not for the money, I think getting only "the girl" and not the money might've been a better story but I'm sure that the average audience would've been dissapointed by that. I have to say that I'd rather see "Amal" again, I think that Jamal and Latika would've done better without the millions and just his job at the phone company. This ending was just a bit too cliche, but then again maybe winning the money is the new unexpected ending, but then as the opening has already told us "D. It is written". Maybe Jamal and Latika won't just buy a mansion with their millions but will instead save lots of children from being tortured and singing on the streets.

As long as I'm complaining, the film was a little too loud in places, but I did like the music (MIA's sound really works here). Also, some of the violence was over the top, but maybe that's how it is in India (electric shock torture for a police investigation, ouch). Did Danny really need another unique "toilet scene" in one of his films, remember Trainspotting?

Glad to see that Bollywood bit in the closing credits (and not during the film).

Thanks to Danny Boyle for coming to the show.