The only "backlash" I can think of is if Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine, and their friends also reveal they hate Indians.

It's actually very Hollywood/cinematic/North American tastes-esque. Way more than I expected

Yeah, it's very Hollywood, and not in a good way.

Too bad it didn't end up going Direct-to-DVD like originally planned .

DTV was the original plan...seriously?

Maybe if he makes another movie, Clint could tell them to get off his lawn!

Does this post feature more idiocy or smilies?

Chia: once you see it you'll realize why it's "Hollywoodness" and "no big actors" are completely irrelevant.

I still consider this a two-horse Oscar race between Benjamin Button and Milk with almost no chance for Slumdog.

Benjamin Button has the heavy insider industry support with the network connections of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Influential friends like George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Stephen Spielberg, Coen Brothers, Martin Scorcese, and Bono may use their popularity to drive support behind this film.

For Milk, I don't think people outside California realize what a huge deal Prop 8 was (a much bigger issue than the presidency) and how much the cultural perception for gay rights has changed in CA since Brokeback lost 2006. Especially since Milk didn't get a chance at the limelight in an event like Golden Globes, gay rights supporters in Hollywood will still want to send a message by voting for this film. Everyone in Hollywood has gay friends, but how many have Indian friends?

Slumdog's network support of the British contingent is too small, and its chance at winning BP Oscar is not much higher than The Dark Knight/Frost/Nixon/Wall-E.

if Slumdog wins the three biggies, the WGA/PGA/DGA, it will win all of its expected Oscars and then lose Best Picture. I'm calling it.

Interesting post.

WAAAAAAAAAAALL-E

It's Slumdog or Benjamin at this point. Milk is completely out, it's like Mystic River a few years back. Strong in a couple acting categories, but very weak in BP.

Prop 8 outrage is so December of 2008...and Milk isn't that great of a movie. If it's going to win an award, it'll be screenplay or Penn. No shot at BP.

Slumdog's network of support is much greater than the British contingent (whatever that means). I know two AMPAS members, and without solicitation, and completely against their personality they both indicated to me that Slumdog was by far their choice. People love this film ........a lot. They also love telling you they love this film haha.

I hate to say it but i cant see it being stopped. I cant fathom the love for this movie. Sure its not as bad as Crash and its not even a bad film but its grossly overrated and i cant understand why it has received the praise its getting. Completely mind boggling.
The academy has completely lost their minds at times over the past decade, Shakespeare In Love, Crash and now this is likely to take the top prize, this!!!!!

I'm sure 99% of gay rights supporters voted for Brokeback Mountain too. And THAT was actually more acclaimed.

A Milk win ain't happening. I've been considering it up until 2 weeks ago...but itis too small and the rest is too big.

Look, If Brokeback Mountain can lose, anybody can lose.

But there's just nothing strong enough, cool enough, or important enough to topple Slumdog this year.

As I said...there were slight signs of Crash having some chance...and none of the films this year is really showing many signs.

Crash had the Best Original Screenplay frontrunner status, it sweeped all Ensemble wins, had half of Hollywood in it and an important topic.

The only film that comes close is Milk (looking at two acting nominees, likely frontrunnter for Best Original Screenplay, has an important topic)...but it is too small and too gay.

Slumdog/Brokeback comparisons are so pointless. A tiny, very sad gay western drama vs. a colorful, crowd-pleasing, international romantic dramedy?

Well, the point of comparison is their heavyweight, fuck-off-everybody frontrunner status. And Brokeback is the only major recent precedent for those still trying to convince themselves this is a race.

I agree about Benjamin Button at least. I believe the Academy could still go for it for the reasons you've stated.

I honestly believe the only film with a chance at dethroning Slumdog Millionaire, even though it is a very slight chance, is The Dark Knight. Taking a look at the other potential nominees...Milk is too small, and not nearly commercial enough to win, although it should as least grab one or two other wins elsewhere. Benjamin Button is going to do great with technical awards, but it is not the blockbuster smash (like Gump) which would enable Academy members to overlook its not-so-outstanding reviews (easily the weakest of the top 6 contenders) and lack of potential to win any acting or screenplay awards. Frost/Nixon is the Michael Clayton of 2009, and while it should rack up nominations in most of the major categories, it isn't really a serious competitor in any of them except possibly Best Actor (which seems out of reach at this point as well). Finally, I'd be happy, as I think most here would, if Wall-E simply managed to get itself into the Best Picture field, but it's quickly become reality that it doesn't stand much of a chance of winning. Personally, I don't necessarily have a problem with this, as a film shouldn't win the award just because it contains a perfect (and jesus is it perfect) first half hour, when it only proceeds to become a fairly typical children's film with some lousy dialogue and predictable good-guy/villian set-ups (which isn't bad per se, it just weakens its appeal as the best picture of the year).

I could very well see The Dark Knight, with its practically guaranteed Best Supporting Actor Win, and at least one or two other awards in smaller categories, stealing Best Picture from Slumdog, although I think it is all but guaranteed that Boyle walks away with the BD trophy.

Ditto.

Except for the Wall-E part. Which ever of the two gets the nom, will win.

Frost/Nixon, WALL-E should be happy with a nomination. Milk could still be #2 for this if Focus wasn't the fuck-up campaign group of all time. Benjamin Button has all the right ingredients, but it's really more The Green Mile with tech dominance than Forrest Gump.

The Dark Knight's still the biggest film of the decade, though, and perhaps the defining film as well. But it'd need to win PGA in addition to another guild to really be a threat.

I'm leaning on "no".

Unless Benjamin Button upsets Slumdog in PGA, DGA, or WGA Adapted, or Milk wins both WGA Original AND SAG Ensemble, Slumdog is in clear sailing.

In fact, I start to seriously think Slumdog could win SAG Ensemble too, although I still believe it will come down to Milk or Doubt, and if that happens, if even one of the film's weaker aspects gets such support, it could set up to potentially win 6 Oscars (Picture/Director/Adapted Screenplay/Editing/Cinematography/Score).

hmm, it's looking less and less likely for Slumdog to be dethroned with every post I read. Milk simply lacks the necessary force, Benjamin Button needed more critical acclaim or bigger box office, TDK was huge but hasn't really won anything important, and F/N and Wall-E are barely gonna sneak into the race at all, if that (one of them won't). It's not a matter of "Why might the Academy not vote for Slumdog?" anymore as much as "Why would they vote for anything else?". Ugh, that's depressing.