Revolutionary Road (2008) Dir. Sam Mendes

The trailer for Revolutionary Road reflected this as a deeply philosophical film which raised questions about relationships, the idea of marriage itself and happiness.

Adapted from Richard Yate's 1961 novel, the film is predictable, irritatingly long and the acting is excessive . So, failed actress April and her corporate copywriter husband Frank have a home in Connecticut.

Sam Mendes is obsessed with reminding the audience it is the ninety fifties via the costume, random throw In's of societal pressure and the constant cigarette smoking.

Frank has an affair as does April, there is a random plan to ditch their dull life and move to Paris to truly start living, but it falls through. Their children are hardly ever seen in the film which is understandable as this is a film about marriage but their absence is sloppy and there are gaps in the plot. Who looks after them when they are out with neighbors? The film leaves time for the audience to wonder these minor issues.

These characters are not believable, a lazy performance by Kate Winslet and Dicaprio desperately tries to shine here but fails terribly. The only fine thing in the film is Kathy Bates whom plays Helen Givings and her mentally ill son, John Givings, played by Michael Shannon. They are a breath of fresh air to this claustrophobic, empty and ridiculous film.

My favorite sequence is John Givings arrival, his air time is very short but he is mesmerising, storming out with controversial lines about marriage, philosophy and life. Kathy Bates is also excellent, portraying a frustrated mother trying to make things normal.

There isn't much else to say about this film - I left feeling undoubtedly cheated. It is suprising that this is the same director that gave us the insightful and subtle, American Beauty.

MILK (2008) Dir. Gus Van Sant

"My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you!"

On of my favorite performances of the year was Sean Penn in MILK. This is a film about the first openly gay elected member of the Public office in the US. Very relevant for the current time we are in and an excellent portrayal of San Fransisco circa 1970.

The sheer excellence of the film is down to the screenplay, Sean Penn and the mere celebration of gay rights. Josh Brolin plays Dan White, Harvey Milk's opposition. This biopic is an excellent piece of film making, not only is the screenplay fantastic, the characters are very loyal to the real life people involved in Milk's legacy.

So, Milk moves to San Francisco from New York and opens up a camera shop in the cities flourishing gay district. Van Sant reveals Milk's death early on in the film and switches back to the beginning of his journey. The mood is essentially positive, light and warm. This is mainly due to Milk's friends and coworkers.

Emile Hirsch in particular gives a fantastically modern representation of a young, trendy gay man. The friends / coworkers bounce off each other and Penn delivers heartbreaking lines with the warmest sentiment.

At times, the focus on politics is lost and turned into a fluffy subject however we must remember this is essentially, a biopic. Alison Pill gives a mediocre performance of the only lesbian in the film, the fantastic Anne Kronenberg whom has openly congratulated Van Sant on the film. There is no doubt this is about gay rights not the lesbian movement.

A fascinating film which celebrates the legacy of Harvey Milk.

Slumdog Millionaire Dir. Danny Boyle

Danny Boyle is back and he isn't quiet with his return with this new feature.

Dev Patel plays Jamal Malik, a former Mumbai slum child whom has now found work in a call centre and has landed himself on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. We are instantly told the outcome of the film, Jamal has won but how? He has astonished India with winning and the splendid question arises; was it luck, did he cheat, is Jamal merely a genius or was it purely down to fate.

The film cleverly uses the game as a hub for the audience to witness and understand Jamal's life. Going back in time to experiences in his life which led him to know all the answers. Instead of being overly sympathetic we are led to see Jamal as morality solider.

Danny Boyle takes us on an electric journey through the slums of Mumbai - Ambitious and electric camera work makes the seemingly dull scenes, for example, the kids running through the alley slums, as something of masterpiece in the making.

The soundtrack is incredible and fits perfectly with the general vibe of the film. In particular MIA teams up with AR Rahman with 'O Saya' a hair rising track that forces the audience to truly understand this film as well as savor every second of it.

Plot wise - This is very simple. There is the touching love story between Jamal and his childhood friend turned love of his life. Jamal's tale involves crime, tragedy and love.

The representation of Indians in this film were one dimensional, this was the films downfall. However, slumdog has edgy camera work and fantastic cinematography - A definite favorite for the Oscars for many worthy reasons but one in particular will be because people will feel like they have visited the 'real' India. This however is debatable.

I think we have an auteur on our hands, Boyle's trademark in the film is visible without being irritatingly self indulgent.