The setting of the film in a tired old palace in the midst of a vibrant, colorful culture is representative of the message of the film as a whole: old people discovering that all the glories of life are still available to them and that new adventures are still to be had after age fifty. It also defiantly proclaims that age and beauty are no longer contradictory states of being. It also bashes the assumption that the elderly are no longer expected to have any sort of sex drive whatsoever. When one character asks her friend whether he thinks it's safe to have sex at his age, he cheekily replies, "If she dies, she dies!"
Although each of the retirees is motivated by a different set of circumstances, they are united by an intense curiosity about what life has to offer them. We the audience gradually learn about each character's background as they move forward, discovering their future. The unfoldment of each personal journey is presented in a graceful, natural way that makes this movie a real pleasure.
The hotel is run by Sonny (Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire), a young Indian boy who is full of all the vitality, optimism, and naivete of youth. His philosophy of life sustains him through many personal trials and endears him to many of the hotel's guests: "Everything will be all right in the end. If everything is not all right, then it is not the end." Although Sonny is charming, his character and his relationship with a young Indian woman lack the depth and development of the older characters.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel fills the senses with India. One can almost smell the spices along with the breathtaking colors and sounds of urban Jaipur. Director John Madden has truly harnessed the essence of India in his upbeat filming in the city, as well as in the camera's sweeping gaze of the Indian countryside. My friends who accompanied me to the theatre have been to India and other parts of southeast Asia, and they tell me that the movie really caught the hustle and bustle of the overpopulated country, and they they each identified with the Brits' terror of navigating the city streets and their uncertainty about the cuisine.
Maggie Smith (in whispered horror):
"There's an Indian in there!"
Although the major characters in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelare older, this movie is as much about life and culture as it is about growing old. It is hilariously funny while simultaneously being heartwarmingly sincere. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has a sense of humor, a love of color, and a zest for life!
I am very glad I went to this film early enough that I was not influenced erroneously by everybody else's opinions about the movie. It is important to realise that, where Harry Potter is concerned, every individual is going to have his or her own experience with the whole experience. This experience will be based on whether or not someone has read the books, whether he or she enjoyed or disliked the books, how old that person was when this whole thing took off, whether he/she has seen and enjoyed the previous movies, and one's circle of friends and their opinions and tastes also lean heavily on one's appreciation for this final installment in the Harry Potter saga. Therefore, please take whatever I say cum grano salis, with a grain of salt. It is based on what I saw with my eyes, mind, and heart. I will start by saying that I have read all the books, although I sped through five, six, and seven so quickly that I cannot really distinguish them. I also do not remember the details of the massive seventh book as much as some people, so please forgive me if I get some things wrong. My critique will be based on this film alone and will not venture to examine in any way the story itself.
As a film, Hary Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2 had many strong points. As usual, the special effects were spectacular. The cinematography was breathtaking. And for the most part, the sets and costumes were very attractive.
However, I would be willing to sacrifice some of the screen time devoted to showing off the technical side of the movies in exchange for longer, deeper scenes involving the development of the character-audience depth connection. I think many audiences are strongly bound to these characters because many of us have grown up with them in the books and the movies, but I do not think that the movie-makers should take advantage of this and not spend the time to make those loyalties reconnect on the screen. It is too easy to let the audience react emotionally based on their understanding of events separate from what is literally occurring on the screen. It makes the film as a whole weaker and thus more susceptible to deterioration over time.
My biggest concern going into the theatre was that Maggie Smith/Professor McGonagall would not have the necessary screen time to be amazingly spectacularly awesome. I cannot tell you how grateful I was that she was able to shine momentarily. However, I am not quite sure why so many of her reaction shots looked so sad, worried, concerned, surprised. In the books, McGonagall is a tower of strength, a strong leader. BecauseMaggie Smith has played such powerful characters before, and since she herself is a very strong woman, I am left rather perplexed. I would much rather accuse the director of feeding her bad direction than blame the Dame for bad acting - Goodness forbid!!!
I was thrilled beyond measure to see all my favorite actors back again in their original roles. A big fan of the greatGemma Jones, I nearly cried aloud when I saw the reprisal of her Madame Pomfry - even though she had no lines.
One of the strongest parts of the film is the section devoted to the story of Severus Snape. Who among us is not an avid Alan Rickman fan? He speaks and my knees go weak, I will admit! Many who have read the books were concerned that his story would not be properly explained to the film audiences, yet I do think the film-makers did a wonderful job unfolding that history. It was beautifully filmed and yet the special effects did not detract from the meaning of the telling.
That is one of my biggest criticisms of this movie. Much of the film appeared to me a running publicity collage - the film seemed an advertisement for itself in many cases. There were many screen shots in which the characters are blocked, staged, arranged in such a way as you might see them on a Harry Potter poster in Wal Mart. Although the staging of the battles/duels, et al. was visually stunning, it was seldom realistic. For example, in the attack on Hogwarts, there would be hordes storming the castle, then a few scenes later it was just Harry and You-Know-Who. Then in the next scene it would be just a handful of Hogwarts people. Where did the hordes go? What were they doing? It's awful quiet in this room full of wounded people...? There's also a part where Harry collects two of Snape's tears in a vial and when he pours them out, they have somehow multiplied into quite a stream.
These little glitches are what threaten to make this movie something of a joke in years to come. And although the special effects seem awesome now, we are already sniggering at the out-dated effects used in the earliest films. Special effects are the first part of a film to show age. Acting, scenery, plot, story development, emotional reaction, music - these age last and, if done very well, can make a movie timeless. It therefore seems that the producers/directors maybe got their priorities a bit mixed up; maybe their priorities for this movie differ from my own - it's possible.
It is very important for everybody to see this film because it is such a part of what is going on right now. I look forward to the tomes of New Historical research and scholarship which will doubtless come into being in the wake of this profoundHarry Potterhappening. Whatever is said about these films in the future, when a little bit of hindsight may be applied, none can dispute the fact that these films, that this story has struck a very powerful cord that will resonate in our individual experience for years to come. So please, do go see the movie on the big screen, because even if you're not a Potter fan, you are a member of your times and you cannot afford to let this occasion pass.
Preparing to see HP 7 pt. 2 some time this week. I've heard awesome things so I'm really looking forward to it. Actually, I am of the opinion that we should have had an international holiday to allow people time to go see the movie. If I ruled the world...
The previews and trailers of course look like this is going to be the awesomest HP film yet. But I am a bit nervouse about something. In the book, Professor McGonagall was super-spectacularly amazingly brilliant. When I read it, I couldn't wait to see Maggie Smith be super-spectacularly amazingly brilliant too. But I didn't see her in the trailer so I am very nervous about this.
One of my complaints about all the HP movies is that most of the great stars they've cast don't have enough screen time or dialogue. I am not the only person to have made this observation. I refer you to the French and Saunders Harry Potter spoof in which McGonagall's actress complains that her only lines are, "What's the matter Harry." It's true that most of the big name actors rarely have more than a few reaction shots per movie. I can't kick too much because I know that they only have a limited amount of time to tell the whole story.
But in the case of Maggie Smith, and her character McGonagall, the role in this part of the story is substantial so any abridging would actually change the story, yes? So I shall have to wait and see. Looking forward to it (I hope) !
The hotel is run by Sonny (Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire), a young Indian boy who is full of all the vitality, optimism, and naivete of youth. His philosophy of life sustains him through many personal trials and endears him to many of the hotel's guests: "Everything will be all right in the end. If everything is not all right, then it is not the end." Although Sonny is charming, his character and his relationship with a young Indian woman lack the depth and development of the older characters.
