The main event of the last 24 hours was the 81st Academy Awards. Notable winners include Sean Penn, Heath Ledger, Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet (with the whistling dad). The majority of statuettes were awarded to British/Indian production Slumdog Millionaire, including Best Film and Best Director.
I met Danny Boyle years ago. He seemed like a very nice and affable fella with long finger nails, stained trousers and odd shoes. He asked me if I wanted to star as one of his red-eyed running infected people (or zombies) in 28 Days Later. I would usually jump at the chance to play a flesh-eating crazy man but I was off for a cheap holiday in Afghanistan the week of filming so I had to decline.
I have mixed feelings about Boyle’s victory. On the one hand, it is great to see a Brit win Best Director and Slumdog is supposed to be a very good fable – I haven’t seen it yet. I also admire Danny’s genre-jumping choice of movies. On the other hand, I feel that I have been let down by Boyle one too many times.
Boyle is a great director who has made some brilliant films. However, as I am enjoying one of his movies he will always fail me in the final act. These silly, ridiculous endings negate the rest of a very good film.
Let’s look at the evidence:
Sunshine should have been one of the greatest intelligent SF movies. However, the introduction of a silly monster in the final third leads to lots of running around and non-sensicle plotting.
28 Days Later could have been one of the best horror/zombie shockers – last third is really silly where the protagonist acts out of character and runs around a lot, killing in his underpants (the DVD has an alternative ending where he turns into a chicken – this is true).
Shallow Grave – a brave psychological thriller ends with Eccleston acting out of character and running around a lot. Trainspotting – Renton betrays his mates, goes to London and runs around a lot.
At present I am unaware of any final act betrayals in Slumdog – maybe Boyle has learnt his lesson and made a great film. If so, please go back to SF and horror and make a masterpiece.
Unfortunately, an Oscar win does not guarantee a great film and why does it always appear that the films in consideration by the Academy have only come out in the last couple of weeks? Oscar oddity.