I heard a lot about this movie before it came out and have to admit it really peaked my interest. I’ve seen movies like City of Joy and while the situation in the slums of India are not totally unknown to me I was wavering on seeing it, despite the critical acclaim (something anyone smart usually pays no attention to). See, if it was good, I knew it would be a truly great and wonderful film but if it was bad, I would be terribly, terribly disappointed.

Today, I finally decided to go see Slumdog Millionaire and all I can really say is this: It’s truly one of the best movies I have ever had the pleasure seeing! Best movie ever? Maybe. I was captured from the second the movie started; completley fascinated you might say and never did I feel it was slow or I got bored (a rarity with what passes for films these days).

This movie was touching without going overboard, smart without being unrealistic and showed the concept of hope in a whole new light, at least for me. A love story, a tale of desperation and an unrepentant look at the impoverished of India (something the government there doesn’t want to talk or do anything about) all in one. And more. Much much more.

I’m very glad I went and was able to add a new original movie to my list of Great Films. Very, very glad. I can’t stress enough that you should see this wonderfully fascinating and original masterpiece of story-telling in the theaters while you can. And if for some reason you do not think this film is good, it’s because you’re dead inside. Like republicans, democrats or Switzerland. Yeah, Switzerland…

UPDATE: I just finished watching the Academy Awards and I’m very pleased to announce that Slumdog Millionaire won Best Picture as well as oscars for Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Original Song, Cinematography, Film Editing and Sound Mixing! 8 Oscars a well-deserved sweep, indeed! Congrats to everyone that made such a good film possible; a film that was going direct to DVD but some smart people worked hard and saved it! Jai Ho!

Here’s the pictures I took at CES this year. Enjoy! Click on the talk bubble for the captions and if you want to see the whole thing larger just go here to my CES 2009 photo-album.

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University .

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee, inspected the elephantʼs foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn’t the same elephant.

This is for all of my friends who send me those heart-warming bullshit stories…