Slumdog in Pleasantville...

Mon, Oct. 27 2008

Caught a special screening of Danny Boyle's new film, "Slumdog Millionaire," right down the block at the Jacob Burns Film Center on Friday night.

Special treat - Danny Boyle and the 18 year-old star of the film, Dev Patel, were there to answer questions after the screening.

I've admired Boyle from his early days when he cranked out two of my favorites: Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, but I feel like I lost touch after the disappointing combo of A Life Less Ordinary and The Beach (not sure how he screwed that up).

The advance buzz on Slumdog has been pretty hot and I'm happy to say, this is a great thrill of a film.

The movie takes place in India, and Boyle treats the senses to a frantic wash of color, pumping sound and flat-out electricity, telling the story of Jamal, a kid from the slums who ends up on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

But the best part is the way he tells the story.

Each correct answer on the show relates directly to a moment in Jamal's fantastic life, leading to his moment in the spotlight.

The time jumping is so perfectly blended, the result is remarkably fluid.

No spoilers here, just go see it.