spin city
daily dos
mon 3/16/2009
The Pussycat Dolls team up with A.R. Rahman in a new video for the Oscar-winning song from Slumdog Millionaire, "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)."
Slumdog Millionaire vs. City of God
versus
tue 3/3/2009
| name | Slumdog Millionaire. | City Of God. |
| directed by | Danny Boyle. | Fernando Meirelles. |
| co-directed by | Loveleen Tandan. | Kátia Lund. |
| based on the novel | Q & A by Vikas Swarup. | Cidade de Deus by Paulo Lins. |
| plot | The story of two brothers, one good and one bad, growing up in the slums of Mumbai with a love story at the center of its arc. | The story of two friends, one good and one bad, growing up in the favelas of Rio with a love story at the center of its arc. |
| tagline | "What does it take to find a lost love?: A. Money B. Luck C. Smarts D. Destiny". | "Fight and you'll never survive... Run and you'll never escape." |
| inspiration | Indian cinema and the lives of kids in the slums of Mumbai. | The lives of kids in drug gangs in the slums of Rio. |
| common themes | Poverty, corruption, classism, rape, racism, murder, drug use and gang violence. | Poverty, corruption, classism, rape, racism, murder, drug use and gang violence. |
| in the author's words | "Just because someone has not had a formal education, that does not mean he does not have wisdom and common sense. Sometimes street knowledge can be as important as book knowledge." - Vikas Swarup. | "I think about the moment that we are living today and the current situation, and the racial tension that exists. People are starting to realize that these attitudes do not fit anymore and doesn’t make sense." - Paolo Lins. |
| starring | Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. | Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Jonathan Haagensen, Douglas Silva and Seu Jorge. |
| the music | Bollywood technopop, hip-hop and traditional hindi by A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.. | Brazilian jazz, samba and funk by Antonio Pinto and Ed Cortes. |
| keeping it real | Real-life residents of Mumbai slums were cast as actors. | Real-life residents of the Vifigal and Cidade de Deus favelas in Río were cast as actors. |
| controversy | Film producers accused of exploiting child actors. Famous Indian actor accused producers of "portraying India as a Third World, dirty, underbelly developing nation." | Some critics accused the film of glamorizing violence and devaluing the lives of those who live in favelas. |
| sales | Has grossed over $100,000,000 in the U.S. | Has grossed over $28,000,000 worldwide. |
| critical acclaim | USA Today: "The beautifully rendered and energetic tale celebrates resilience, the power of knowledge and the vitality of the human experience. Horrifying, humorous and life-affirming, it is, above all, unforgettable." |
The Washington Post: "If one of the moral responsibilities of the movies is to put you in places where you'd never go and live lives you'd never live, then City of God is great moviemaking." |
| awards | Eight Academy Awards, including "Best Picture." Golden Globe Award for Best Drama and other international awards. | Four Academy Award nominations, including "Best Director." Nearly 50 awards won worldwide. |
