Slumdog Millionaire was the big winner at awards ceremonies on both sides of the Atlantic over the weekend, nabbing the Writers Guild prize for Best Adapted Screenplay in New York on Saturday and then picking up seven trophies, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, at the British Academy awards in London on Sunday. Slumdog has now won the top prizes from BAFTA, SAG, PGA, DGA, WGA, the Broadcast Critics, and the Golden Globes, a feat matched only by eventual Oscar winner American Beauty in 2000. (Chicago and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King both lost the WGA award, while Schindler’s List and Forrest Gump were released before the SAG awards were founded.)
Though Milk won the WGA’s Best Original Screenplay award, it ended up losing to In Bruges at the BAFTAs, while Sean Penn lost to The Wrestler‘s Mickey Rourke in the Leading Actor race. Could Rourke really beat Penn for the Oscar in two weeks? Since a large part of the Academy lives in post–Prop 8 California, not London, my money is still on Penn. But I do think the three other BAFTA acting winners—The Reader‘s Kate Winslet, The Dark Knight‘s Heath Ledger, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘s Penélope Cruz—all stand to repeat their victories on Feb. 22.
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SNORE! Slumdong is the most overrated film of 2008!
I agree with Paige. It is a good movie but it is definitely getting more awards than it deserves.
Now that Penn and Rourke have split the four major awards leading up to the Oscars (Penn has the SAG and Critics Choice, Rourke has the Golden Globe and now the BAFTA) I think it could be possible for Frank Langella to sneak in and snatch the Oscar, Adrien Brody style. Frost/Nixon (like Milk) speaks volumes about the current political climate and issues that have been raised concerning our past administration.
This is sort of reminds me of what happened to “Brokeback Mountain” three years ago. The movie was winning every award in sight, until they lost at the SAG and then at the Oscars. So maybe the Oscars will surprise us and make Benjamin Button the winner for Best Picture. I’ll admit I liked “Slumdog Millionaire” but then I liked “Crash” too. Neither of which I thought was deserving of best picture.
i was shocked when slumdog won sound, and cinamtography, it really didn’t deserve that. this could be the new “crash.” cause all i been hearing how slumdog is overrated. i like the flim, don’t get me wrong, but does it deserve to win all these award, it just makes 2008 look a weak year for movie. i don’t think it weak year, wrestler is a wonderful movie, wall-e i dropped my jaw when i saw that, and who can forget the dark knight when you look back 20 year from now, i am certain people will remember 2008 as the year of the dark knight, not slumdog millinoire.
Forrest Gump was not released before the founding of the SAG Awards! Tom Hanks won the SAG award for outstanding performance by an actor in a leading role in 1994 for his role in Forrest Gump! c’mon dave
Ruben, I couldn’t agree more with you. ‘Slumdog’ is getting too much attention, though I don’t think it’s a bad film. At this point, I’d be satisfied with any other nominee.
Mickey Rourke FTW. It’s the best performance of the decade!
I cant seem to find this years section where the anonymous academy members share who there voting for. is there one,can anyone help me out?
Hey, Dave. I realized I didn’t have your email addy. Here’s the article in which you’re quoted:
http://www.afterelton.com/movies/2008/2/whydidmilkgosour?page=0%2C0
if the academy voted for crash over brokeback, i doubt the same group of mostly older straight white men will be motivated to vote for sean penn this year because of the passage of prop 8. if penn wins, it’ll be on the merits of his performance. i don’t believe the political climate will help him at all.
although i feel like the “man’s man” and “former entertainer” aspects of rourke’s character may help him win. i feel him pulling ahead in the homestretch.
SAM–best performance of the decade? Really? I don’t even think it’s the best performance of the year by a leading male actor.
I was so excited to see The Wrestler. Honestly, even a little worried it would make me realize that Rourke really was better than Penn and deserves the Oscar. The whole movie underwhelmed me in every way. Rourke’s performance was largely physical–which is impressive, and he was good for the moments with Evan Rachel Wood…but his performance doesn’t touch Penn’s nuanced, subtle mastery, nor Frank Langella’s powerful portrayal of Nixon. The only one in the movie I was impressed with was Marissa Tomei, and even she was better in “In The Bedroom.”
If Rourke wins, it will certainly be one of those performances that would lose in an EW-esque “Recall the Gold” poll…as I think Slumdog would, as well.
Danny. I respect your opinions, but Frank Langella? Really? His Nixon accent was touch and go between scenes. Anthony Hopkins did a better Nixon. Sean Penn was great in Milk–his best performance since Dead Man Walking, IMO, but Mickey Rourke was just phenomenal. Both he and Marisa Tomei were so subtle you barely even knew they were acting, which is what makes them both great actors.
I think Slumdog completely ignores the complexities of Indian history albeit mentioning the Taj Mahal. Should this movie really be an Oscar contender? Here’s a take on all the depoliticized Oscar nominees:
http://www.indypendent.org/2009/02/06/curious-case/