Guest Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Of course, I had to see Slumdog Millionaire. The buzz was enormous. I try to avoid reading reviews of movies I plan to write about but it was hard with Slumdog Millionaire. I had seen the Golden Globe Awards and heard some of the criticism of the movie.

 

 

 

Slumdog Millionaire

 

You are introduced to the main character, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), as a contestant on the Indian "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He has gained local fame by answering several questions correctly as the jackpot increases. TV host, Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) is getting increasingly irritated by the young man's run of luck.

 

At the end of the segment, Jamal is grabbed and taken to a police station where he is tortured. Prem believes Jamal is cheating and wants his confession. But, as the torture continues, Jamal does not confess. He is adamant that he knew the answers.

 

So, the story unfolds in flashbacks to his childhood where his various experiences introduce him to bits of trivia.

 

Many of the flashbacks are shot in the vast Mumbai slums. Rapid action scenes of young Jamal and his brother, Salim, follow their youthful exploits including losing their mother in a religious riot as Hindus attack and burn parts of the slum where many Muslims live.

 

After losing their mother, the boys find a variety of ways to survive. They serve tea on trains until they are thrown off. They beg. They pick trash. Mixed in are a few days in a classroom. Then a bus arrives and carts them off to a phony orphanage. At first, they are happy because they get fed. But, then they must beg for the leader, Maman, much like Oliver Twist. Then, Salim, Jamal's brother witnesses Maman mutilate one of the children. He rushes his brother and their new found friend, Latika, out of the camp but only Jamal and Salim escape.

 

Jamal fell in love with Latika and never forgot her as he and Salim continue their efforts to survive. Bits of humor flit through the scenes such as when the boys set up some American tourists as they tour the slum with their cameras. While they are taking pictures, the boys' cohorts strip the car. When the tourists return, the young boys dash off saying, "You wanted to see the real India, well, this is it."

 

For me, the turning point in the story is when while searching for Latika, Salim and Jamal encounter Maman and face capture again. Salim shoots Maman and only the boys escape again. Jamal learned Maman was using Latika to attract older men.

 

As the flashbacks return to Jamal in the contestant's seat facing the game show host, you can feel his discomfort and his resilience.

 

As a young man, Jamal had become a chai wallah (tea assistant) in a call center. There he finds his brother's phone number and meets Salim again. Salim had become a criminal. Salim leads Jamal to Latika. She had become the mistress of a crime boss.

 

Jamal tries to convince her to leave him. She asks what will we live on? "Love," he replies. He learns she likes the show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" because it is escapism for her. Later, Jamal applies to become a contestant on the show because he believes Latika will see him.

 

Prem accepts the police's belief Jamal is not cheating and the show continues. Now, there is an undercurrent of tension between the two.

 

Many think this movie is like a Bollywood movie. In some ways it is and in many ways it is not.

 

The story is not new. Orphaned brothers who struggle to survive and take divergent paths in adulthood is a common Bollywood theme. Conflict between the protagonists is the crux of the movie where the bad brother eventually saves the good brother from harm. A similar Bollywood movie, Ram Janne, features two protagonists who are not brothers, but they are orphans who help each other survive. One orphan, Ram Janne, becomes a criminal, the other, Muli, runs an orphanage.

 

Everyone got so excited about the dance number at the end of the movie. In a real Masala Bollywood movie, there are as many as six song and dance numbers sprinkled throughout the story.

 

In many Bollywood movies, I am left with questions, the same holds true with Slumdog Millionaire. I wondered what made the two boys different since they had similar experiences.

 

Also, I thought that Salim's character was not shown in a favorable light. He was the older brother and had protected Jamal many, many times. When faced with an adult criminal, Maman, Salim took the only choice he felt he had when he killed him. I felt that Salim could have taken another path in life rather than the one the movie portrayed.

 

Also, I never felt that the adult Latika's character reflected the abuse, loneliness, dreariness of her life experiences. It made the reunion with Jamal seem shallow.

 

The child actors, who were onscreen a lot, really deserve more credit than they got at any of the awards ceremonies or film festivals. They were the real stars.

 

There is controversy over how the children were treated. Did they get paid enough? How did acting in the movie affect their lives?

 

These are questions people are asking of the movie producers and directors. The producers did pay the children more than three times an adult wages, create a trust fund for them when they completed school, founded a school for the children and are paid for their education.

 

I believe most of the controversy over Slumdog Millionaire is based on jealousy. Indians are angry that it was not a Bollywood movie that was making such news but a movie made by an outsider.

 

On the positive side, let's hope that the world will now take an interest in Bollywood movies.

 

For all my concerns, I love this movie. It is a great example of film-making in all aspects. It's almost perfect.

 

Director: Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan

Producer: Christian Colson

Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy based on novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup

Cast: Jamal Mallik, Prem Kumar, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (young Salim), Ayush Mahesh Khedekar (young Jamal), Rubiana Ali (young Latika) and more.

 

Mr and Mrs Freakin Frugal and Making YouTube Videos

While most of Mr and Mrs FF's, (#FreakinFrugal), YouTube videos are about their #DumpsterDiving adventures, Mrs F makes other related videos. In some, she provides recipes on how to use Dumpster finds or coupon bargins, in others she gives tips on how to save money running a household and in some she and Mr F discuss how they are trying to make a living now that they both do not have full-time jobs.

 

 

Mrs F blows me away, she and Mr F have at least four children, two living at home, and older children at college or living elsewhere. But Mr and Mrs. FF still offer support to them in a variety of ways.

 

But, it's how Mrs F runs the household that blows me away. The full-time job of making and producing Dumpster diving videos is time consuming but she also does so much in the kitchen. When they bring food home from Dumpster diving, she washes all the food and prepares it for storage, freezing it, refrigerating it or dehydrating it.

 

It would take me a week to prep the amount of food they bring home in one day.

Also, Mrs F admits she a bit of a germophobe, so she is always cleaning. She, also, make recipes from scratch like yogurt, bread, jam, and other items. She mends and sews a variety of clothing and household items like pillows. She also gardens.

Plus, she has a part-time job.

She's like a modern-day 1900s housewife.

 

Oh, I forgot to add, they have at least 2 dogs and lots of cats.

Just as an aside, I admire YouTube creators, I thought I loved to talk but I get hoarse just watching / listening to just a few videos.

 

Here's a few other #FreakinFrugal videos:

 

Pros and Cons of Making YouTube Your Full-Time Job

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvscbiaG4xY&feature=youtu.be

Our Frugal Life During Pandemic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZNETE3jmPk

7 Days of Frugal Meal Ideas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppMd6u2QF74

Making Jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbVGJm1MQT8

 

DIY: Tech Fix for Fraying Cell Phone and Other Devices' Power Cords

 I ODed on watching YouTube DIY videos. While I tried to save the video links and make notes of some of the ideas in the videos in order to give credit, I can't find the video where I got this idea. It's a great idea to save the wear and tear on personal devices power cords.

Mine were in pretty bad shape and this repair has given them a longer life.

 

Basically, you wrap the cord tightly with a strong, thin string, or strips of cloth, or ribbon starting from the top and past the damaged area. I had to tape the top and bottom to hold it in place.

 

DIY Tech Fix for Fraying Power Cords

Original

 

Repaired

 

 

Original

 

Repaired

 

DIY: Dry Erase Board

I love dry erase boards. I have lots around my home.

So, when I saw this DIY version, I scrambled to find the materials to make one.

 

 

DIY: Dry Erase Board

Credit: https://youtu.be/o909eJiN-ck

 

Really, all you need is a page-sized piece of cardboard and a plastic page sleeve.

 

Put the cardboard into the sleeve and write on the surface with dry erase markers.

 

To wipe the board, clean with a slightly damp cloth.

Microwave: Salmon Melt

The Spruce Eats comes to the rescue, again.

 

I was tired. I had a can of salmon. But, when I thought of my existing recipes using salmon, I wanted to try something different. I went straight to The Spruce Eats and found many canned salmon recipes.

 

Of course, I did not have all the ingredients recommended, so I adapted the recipe and it turned out great.

 

Microwave: Salmon Melt

(Adapted from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/salmon-melts-909281)

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 140g (5 oz) can boneless, skinless salmon, drained

4 TBspns Frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and diced

3 Shakes Dry onion flakes


2 Spears DIY pickles, diced

2-3 Tspns Pickle juice

1 Tspn Yellow mustard

2-3 TBspns Mayo

4 Shakes Dry parsley

S/P to taste

1-3 Drops Hot sauce

1 Slice Toast

1-2 TBspns Mixed cheese, shredded or grated

 

Process:

 

In a container with a lid, add salmon with cooked, diced vegs, onion flakes, pickle spears and juice, mustard, parsley, S/P, and hot sauce.

Stir and mix ingredients thoroughly.

Refrig mixture for 8 hours.

Remove.

Place toast on plate.

Spread 1-2 TBspns of mixture over toast.

Top with cheese.

Place in microwave.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds or a more to melt cheese.

 

While this was a little messy, when I made another melt, I used less of the mixture and it was a tidier meal.

Surprisingly, the pickle juice, and the diced vegetables really added more flavor when combined with the cheese.

 

From Old to Old to New

January 1

From Old to Old to New

The oft-quoted whakutauki states, "Ka pa the numa, ka hao te rangatahi"—as the old nets pile up on shore, the new net goes fishing. The tauira [pattern or model] of the old provides the basis of formation for the new. The new line dictates changes in both the structure and form of the new net, and also in the choice of fishing ground. By casting it to sea, the old net may tell us even more than we dare hope for. The care taken is reassuring. It is the fishing exercise that now commands our attention, and this must be executed in the same spirit in which the old net was prepared and made.

—Pin Sciascia, Maori Writer

We are in a time of changing nets. The old scientific world paradigm is thrashing, groaning, and lashing out as we hear the constant message “This hasn’t worked. It’s time to change.”

It is the time that we return to the knowledge and wisdom of the old net—ancient Native cultures and the wisdom of our Elders—while recognizing that “the new time dictates changes in both the structure and form of the new net” as well as in the “choice of fishing ground.”

As we have become more and more willing to cast the old into the sea, we must take care to recognize that a time of change requires that we be present, that we learn from our past, that we do not cling to a “known” that is not working. We need the courage to make new nets and cast them onto new fishing grounds.

Native people’s wisdom helps me move into a new way of being on this planet.
—Native Wisdom for White Minds by Anne Wilson Schaef

Movie Review: Dil Se

As a Shah Rukn Khan (SRK) fan, I love many of his movies but Dil Se is one that holds a special place in my heart. It is an eloquent story about the sorrow and unnecessary pain and death resulting from prejudice, divisive politics, war and poverty.

Also, SRK performance is one of his most authentic and emotional.

 

Reprint from Bollywood Talk

Dil Se -- A War Protest Movie

It has only been 73 years since India gained independence from Britain in 1947. There were many bloody struggles in India’s war for independence and millions died during Partition when Muslims and Hindus either traveled to the newly created nation of Pakistan or from Pakistan into India. Kashmir is still in dispute and India has been fighting terrorism since independence as the subway bombings in Mumbai illustrate.

There are many movies that illustrate the horrors of war in attempts to suggest peaceful alternatives. While war is fought by nations, it is carried out by individuals. Mani Rantam wrote and directed Dil Se as a sensitive portrait of two people with different views of war based on personal experiences.


Dil Se is a story of Amarkanth Varma, an idealist radio journalist, who meets and falls in love with a lonely young woman, Meghna, on a railroad platform. At first, their stories diverge as she catches the next train while Amar has gone to get her some hot tea.

I was enthralled with the movie from the opening credits. The director added small details that not only added texture to the story but later you realize he is also giving the viewer and the characters information that foreshadow the depth and complexities of the emotional conflicts to come. Little touches like in the opening scenes where Amar is dressed in a black shirt and red sports jacket and Meghna is dressed in a red dress but covered with a black shawl, almost as if to say Amar wears his heart on his sleeve and Meghna keeps her heart hidden from view. Another example is when Amar goes to fetch Meghna some tea, he jokes and tells her not to move because he has a bomb in his suitcase and it could explode. Later, this joke seems prophetic.

As part of his job as a radio producer, Amar (Shah Rukh Khan) gathers various man-on-the-street perspectives for a program about the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations of Indian Independence. He hears from some that they have suffered more since independence and from others that India has prospered since independence. To expand his research, Amar seeks out the leader of a revolutionary movement. The leader’s main complaint is that the smaller outlying states of India were forgotten after the war for independence and many villages have suffered and continue to suffer in a multitude of ways. For Amar, whose father and grandfather served in the Indian army, he struggles to understand the dissents’ evaluation of their current treatment at the hands of the Indian government.

When Amar returns, he runs into Meghna (Manisha Koirala) but she claims she never met him before and they part. As you can imagine, Amar is confused. He is certain she is the girl he met on the train platform. Another day, he spies her making a phone call and follows her. Again, she rejects him but this time he hitches a ride on the back of the bus she is on and lands in her village. Here, Amar declares his love for her; again she rejects him claiming to be married. When Amar seeks to apologize to her, she sends several men to convince Amar that his pursuit is futile but in the ensuing fight, Amar learns she is not married and his hope is renewed.

While covering festivities in Lucknow, Amar glimpses Meghna in the crowd. He searches for her and finds her on a bus. As the police go down the aisle asking about identification and travel purposes, Meghna says she is Amar’s wife. Amar is more amused than suspicious by her change in attitude.

The bus travels north to the mountains. After it breaks down, the passengers gather their belongings and walk toward their destinations. Amar follows Meghna. Amar has been open and ardent about his feelings about her. She has continually rebuffed him but she appears to warm up a bit but not without visible internal emotional struggles that leave Amar and the viewer puzzled.

Late into the night, Meghna leaves while Amar is sleeping. She leaves a mysterious message in the sand. Amar returns to the city feeling he has lost her. He agrees to marry Preeti, a woman of his family’s choosing.

 

Preeti (Preity Zinta) is a bouncing, cheerful girl. They find that they both have loved and lost, but it does not take her long to realize that Amar’s thoughts are elsewhere.

Amidst their wedding preparations, Meghna appears at Amar’s house with a girlfriend asking for temporary shelter and a job at All India Radio where Amar works. He agrees. Watching the emotional struggles play across their faces as Amar and Meghna participate in the wedding festivities pictures two confused, unhappy, young people. Both Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha capture the pain, confusion, and regret of their lost love just as Preity expresses the joys and hopes for her future.

Soon the festivities are disrupted when Amar discovers Meghna’s true purpose for coming to the city and working at All India Radio. Because he is still loves her, he thinks he can stop her. It is chaos from here on. Amar tries to piece together information of Meghna’s whereabouts before the police find her. He locates her near the parade route. When he confronts her about her treachery, he learns about her tragedies. He offers to give up everything for her and begs her to run away with him. She wants to go with him. She wants those dreams of love and family, but she also wants justice for her people. She refuses. He attempts to physically stop her but police intervene. Later, the police release him but thugs lay in wait and beat Amar up.

 

When he returns home, Preeti confronts him as she bandages his wounds. She asks, “Should Meghna’s name be on these wedding invitations rather than mine?” He evades her questions. He is intent on stopping Meghna. The police raid the home and he dragged off to be questioned and drugged to elicit information but he escapes.

The action in these scenes is fast-paced and the emotions of all involved are heightened and intense. Amar still wants to save Meghna and she is tempted but his love can not offer her the solace she seeks. Amar makes the ultimate offer. He loves her and has accepted her pain.

For me, this is a well-crafted movie. Shah Rukh Khan’s and Manish Koirala’s performances are among the best I have seen. The choreography is incredible and inspiring.

I may have read somewhere that Amar’s love represents India’s pain over the loss of the territory of Pakistan, the horrible death and cruelty inflicted on so many Indians, and its longing to make amends. Meghna’s pain, desire for justice and love represents the desire of Pakistan to heal its rift with India because while war was initiated by governments, it was individuals who were affected.

1998, Color, Hindi, 163 minutes
Director: Mani Ratnam
Story/Screenplay: Mani Ratnam
Producer: Shekhar Kapoor, Ram Gopal Varma, Mani Ratnam
Cinematography: Santosh Sivan
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, Preity Zinta and more.
Music: A.R. Rahman
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, M.G. Sreekumar, Kavitha Krishnamoorthy, Sonu Nigam, Mahalakshmi, Udit Narayan, A.R. Rahman, Anupama, Anuradha, Sapna Awasthi, Sukwinder Singh