I just got home from seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Oh my. I went in knowing absolutely nothing about it. I hadn't read a single review which is unusual for me. It was good seeing it "cold" like that.
It's very very good. In fact, it's probably more than good, once I've had a chance to let it sink in a little bit.
There was a line (unusual) and everyone was seeing either Milk, Benjamin Button, or Slumdog. No one wanted to see Valkyrie. Poor Tom Cruise, I think his day has passed.
Paul...interesting review of Benjamin Button. I read the short story a few weeks ago (free on my Kindle!). It sounds like the only thing in common with the story is the title! They've changed the location (from Baltimore to New Orleans), the time frame (the movie goes up to 2005 according to the New York Times review), the War (in the story it was the Spanish American War and a little bit of WWI), and just about everything else it seems. If I see it, I'll forget about the short story.
Similarly, Lance and I just read Farewell to the Master, the 1940 short story that was the basis for The Day the Earth Stood Still (both of them). The 1950 movie had very little to do with the story and Lance tells me the 2008 version has even less. BTW, he didn't think much of the film and said Keanu Reeves had his bored/board expression in place all the way through.
L