Critics Choice Awards: "Slumdog" Cleans Up,

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The critics have spoken, and "Slumdog Millionaire" is their final answer.

The rags-to-riches tale won a leading five prizes, including best picture, at Thursday night's Critics' Choice Awards. "Slumdog" also won honors for director Danny Boyle, writer Simon Beaufoy, star Dev Patel and composer A.R. Rahman.

"It's amazing to see how generous you've been to our film," said Boyle, who called the movie "a love song" to Mumbai.

"You're mad really," he continued backstage. "You're a bit like the Indians are mad about movies. When you find a movie you love, you go for it really."

"The Dark Knight" also won a pair of trophies: best action movie and best supporting actor for Heath Ledger. The crowd rose to its feet as the film's director, Christopher Nolan, accepted the award for Ledger.

"I can't presume to speak for him. His voice was as unique as it was original," said Nolan, adding that working with the actor "was one of the greatest experiences any of us ever had or will have."

"His contributions to cinema should be greatly appreciated," Nolan said, "so thanks for this appreciation."

Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose in January 2008.

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Sean Penn was another double winner, earning best actor honors and sharing the acting-ensemble prize for "Milk."

A humble Penn said the real Harvey Milk would have been his first choice for the starring role.

"He had the charisma that an actor can only aspire to," Penn said.

Co-star Josh Brolin called Penn's turn as the groundbreaking gay politician "the most incredible performance ever."

Milk came into the contest with eight nominations. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" also had eight nods, but didn't win a single award.

Kate Winslet was named best supporting actress for "The Reader," while Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep tied for best actress for "Rachel Getting Married" and "Doubt" respectively.

"Meryl is my idol," Hathaway said backstage. "To win with my idol who I was nominated against is amazing. I'm so thrilled for her and I'm very thrilled for myself, too."

Winslet and Streep weren't on hand to accept their awards, nor was Bruce Springsteen, who won best song for "The Wrestler," from the movie of the same name.

Director Darren Aronofsky accepted on the Boss' behalf.

"I don't know how you put words into the coolest man's mouth," he said, "so I'll just say thank you."

"WALL-E" was the best animated feature and "Tropic Thunder" was best comedy.

"There's a lot of awards out there, and this one, I think, has the most meaning," said writer, director and star Ben Stiller. "I'm not just saying that because this is the only award our movie was nominated for."

Richard Gere received a standing ovation as he accepted the Joel Siegel award, which recognizes an entertainer's humanitarian efforts. The 59-year-old actor is a longtime supporter of Tibet.

"Clearly I'm undeserving of this," Gere said, urging the audience to "channel all that energy to Tibet."

The 14th annual Critics' Choice Awards, presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, honored cinematic excellence in 17 categories. The group, which represents more than 200 TV, radio and online critics from the United States and Canada, founded the Critics' Choice Awards in 1995.

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On the Net:

http://www.bfca.org/

(This version CORRECTS SUBS graf 8 to correct date of Ledger's death to 2008 sted 2007. AP Video.)

Comments

[poodlemom]

I saw Slumdog and loved it although in the first scene I closed my eyes when the boy jumped literally into sh*t. It kept my interest and after being in many places of poverty like in Thailand it wasn't such a jolt for me to see human beings living in such conditions. I also saw B. Button and had to say that it dragged a bit and I'm not really sure and if there is somebody out there that can explain to me why hurricane Katrina was used as a backdrop in the "present" part of the movie? Having the building flooded that housed the clock wasn't enough reason to use Katrina in the way they did.

[ChWh]

Should win the Best Picture Oscar, but Milk and Button could give it a good run.

[shela88]

I hereby present the "Lest We Forget" acting awards of 2008 to the following deserving artists: (1) Kiera Knightly/The Duchess.....Hugh Jackman/ "Australia"...Michael Sheen / "Frost-Nixon" Rebecca Hall/ "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona"... Brandon Walters/ "Australia"..Amy Adams/ "Doubt" Kate Beckinsale/ "Nothing But The Truth"...William Hurt/ "The Yellow Handkerchief" ...Will Smith/ "Seven Pounds" and Rosario Dawson/ "Seven Pounds."

[TeddyRoosevelt]

Join the 30 Thousand Voices to Save the Arts in America!

Sign Quincy Jones' Secretary of the Arts petition.

GO TO http://www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html or Google "Secretary of Arts Petition"

[1sparrow]

p.s.hoffman is an ocean of talent as is meryl streep. this year we have witnessed the magic of story telling-- that is SLUM DOG MILLIONAIRE. the production was of miracle stature.

[claptrapa]

I usually, and quite lazily so, remain in my home, awaiting the films I fancy to emerge on cable television. I made the effort to see two films recently. The first was Milk, followed by Doubt. Mr. Hoffman, Ms. Streep and Mr. Penn were most amazing. Their performances are deserving of the highest honors.

[sweetwhine]

Don't miss Brad Pitt in CCBB. It is so good too.

[anghiari]

Strange, but "Slumdog" did not affect me like it seems to have affected the crtics. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film immensely, I just don't think it stands hands and feet over many of the other filmsHowever, it did leave me wondering whether when American critics are shown a cultural value they have not experienced and have it inroduced to them in the extraordinary level of poverty and cruelty they saw in this film...they mistake that fact of life as what? fine filmmaking? How much of their engagement was simply the seeing of another culture and how that culture exists. The quality of the poverty in India given the sheer population is overwhelming and engaging. But I am not sure if you disect the film, it is the filmmaking giant people seem to believe it is. I do not for a minute believe the lead character in that film...could have stayed as naive as he was portrayed in the film, give his brother's hardnosed savvy. I felt just a little manipulated by that film. Gawky innocent guy pursues this plan, though he could be killed...that level of poverty = equally savvy survival instincts... savvy folks.

[keene]

I agree with you . I enjoyed it. But I felt there were some easy& unconvincing solutions to the films turning points.

[Forester]

It was in many ways an old-school hollywood film, set in a part of the world that rich white audiences probably carry guilt over. It may help assauge that guilt by seeing on screen a version of the poverty and what happens to thrown away children there. And I do also think the recent massacre there added a sympathetic eye. That being said, it was hard not to feel the movie audience get caught up in the story, and all the cheep cliffhangers. I know I liked the escapism it provided. I give it a 7/10.
That's entertainment!

[anghiari]

LesLib...maybe AJ is just not your type and that is the reason, you dismissed what a truly talented actress she is. You clearly have a closed mind about the Jolie Pitts and that's okay, but stop trying to sell your narrow mindedness as a valid critique of talent. Brad Pitt was astounding in Button...loved the film and I disagree with A.O. Scott...had Pitt been more emotional in Button, it would have fended off the audience being drawn in ....we would have cried our eyes out the first half hour and been ready to walk out of the movie...the distance as the character allowed the audience to stay in the moment and take this sad/happy/sad journey with him...loved this movie. You mistake the fact that it is THIS woman who of all those who have tried, can carry off a super hero character perfecly and can also move into the emotional role of a mother in Changling, and the myriad other roles for which she has won accolades. Did you see her play the wife of Southern Governor George Wallace, when AJ was in her early 20s and get raves for it... you have a problem with the woman that does not allow you to see
STRaight...and no double entrendre meant:))

[Leslib]

To each his own.

[ScandalousCandice7]

I am so glad it won. It truly is the best movie of the year. It's probably one of the best movies I have seen. It deserves its recognition. The Oscar push is hitting hard already. So many ads for Benjamin Button, Doubt and Gran Torino. I hope Slumdog prevails in the big awards.

[MomfromTexas]

Do you hate it when you like a movie, and everyone else doesn't, or you don't like a movie, and everyone else does? I hate it. It doesn't happen too often to me, but it does happen. And it's happened with Slumdog Millionaire. I really disliked that movie. God. I left after forty-five minutes, during the scene when the child had the rag put over his face. That was enough for me. It just seemed like every scene was disturbing and violent, and the violence seemed contrived. I can sit through very violent movies. In fact, a movie that stands out in my memory that I loved that my friends didn't was Apocalypse Now. I saw that film and thought, OMG, this is the best film I've ever seen, then took two friends to see it, and they hated it!

Oh, well. Maybe, I was having a bad day, and I need to go back and sit through Slumdog, give it another chance. Then, again, maybe not.

[ScandalousCandice7]

It's very clear you have no sense of culture which the movie represents good and bad. There are definitely fantastic elements but most of that is the love story aspect of it all. The rest paints a hard picture of what India is really like. And it's clear you have no sense of adventure which this movie takes you on. The bad stuff of this movie leads to a glorious ending. But you will never know.

I can't force you to like a movie, but you should have given it a better chance. And read up on India more. It's not pretty picture like the Bollywood flashy movies portray.

[MomfromTexas]

Oh, pleeeeease. What do you know about me? NOTHING! I've traveled all over the world. Don't talk to me about not having a sense of culture or adventure.

[Takae]

That's pretty unfair. I loved "Slumdog Millionaire," but it's easy to see why some might not like it. And why not? One doesn't need to be cultured or politically sophisticated to enjoy certain films.

Either it works or it doesn't. Either way it doesn't matter because it's all about respecting your own taste or interest. I just think it's wrong to criticize a person for not liking a film that you personally liked (or for liking the film that you disliked).

If you want the person to give it another chance, how about explaining why it works for YOU? Maybe this way, the person will feel inclined to give it another try. Surely this way is more productive than conducting an attack on a person's character?

[abi77]

Don't act like a typical pampered American. If you felt so uneasy to watch what goes on in other parts of the world, you don't deserve to comment about the movie. The movie show cased the worst and best parts of India. If you only want to see nice things in movies just stick to chick-flicks.

[MomfromTexas]

Actually, I've traveled around the world, I've taught refugee children in the inner city, some of whom were street children themselves, I've counseled abused and neglected children, many of whom were being supervised by CPS, and I have an AmerAsian child I adopted, who was a street child. I don't consider myself a "pampered American," who only wants to see nice things. Perhaps, I didn't like the movie because of what I DO know, not because of what I don't know?

[ladyv]

We enjoyed the film, but my husband and I actually did look at one another and consider leaving after we saw what happened after the child had the rag put over his face. I'm glad we did, because it sort of rinsed out our brains, but you're not alone.

[Leslib]

Not liking a movie that everyone else raves about has happened to me, too. It usually happens when my expectations for the film are very high, maybe friends have raved about it or I've ready really positive reviews of it, then I go to the film and think, "what's all the bluster and blow about??" Sometimes things strike each of us differently. For example I didn't particularly care for movies like Titanic and Forrest Gump. I liked the actors in the movies just fine, I agree that some of the cinematography was spectacular, but the stories didn't resonate with me for some reason. The fact that they did resonate with other people and they rave over those movies to this day is fine by me...I just happened not to care for them too much. So be it.

[brooklyncitizen]

Interesting that the level of violence in American life and movies leaves many Americans nonplussed.
Curious about your reaction to that scene...is it that they showed it? do you feel it is made up? or did you not know that this went on?

I've travelled in many Third World Countries and in the continent of Africa and still nothing prepares you for the poverty and depravity that is on view in India. Nothing; India wins hands down. Part of it is the sheer scale and overpopulation...you really sense that there are ONE BILLION people in that country.

The Mumbai slums are particularly disturbing....miles and miles and miles of them.And yes the street kids do descend and mob the tourists for handouts- and small girls carry babies like they are rags to play on your sympathy...it works.

[MomfromTexas]

Indeed. And we wonder what happens to those children behind the boundaries of the slums, which we dare not enter. Slumdog attempts to answer that question for us, by taking us behind the boundaries and letting each and every one of our worst imaginings come true. This is what I mean about the violence being contrived. For example, from the moment the car with "Orphanage" on it drives up to the slums, the viewer knows what's going to happen. It's just a matter of waiting for it to happen. And through it all, through all the violence and despair, the viewer knows the young man is going to win money on this game show, and that's going to make everything O.K.? I have heard, they actually break out into a Bollywood dance scene in the end? So the next time we visit India, and the little girl with the baby approaches us, we can look at her return to her home and feel as if we have crossed those forbidden boundaries into her world and leave her there, knowing that it will all work out in the end? I mean, it did in Slumdog, didn't it? Since you've been to India, maybe you know KWIM. I wonder, how someone who has worked with the children in the slums in India feels about this move? I wonder if that person also got up and walked out?

[Leslib]

Streep was amazing, as usual, in Doubt. Too bad no one thought to nominate Philip Seymour Hoffman for his role in that movie. He was also good. Nice to see Anne Hathaway carrying her own in "adult" movies - i.e. something other than Disney fantasy fare, but she does well across a broad range of genres. She's a keeper in this industry. Haven't seen Slumdog yet, but it looks like a winner. Am puzzled by the adoration of Jolie. She has an emotional range that stretches from A to B. If she's not squinting as some super hero type character and she's not screaming about some missing family member, then her acting is just, well. o.k....not great. Pitt just picks some strange stuff to be in. Waiting for B Button to come to video. Don't think it merits $9.00 at the box office. Sorry.

[sweetwhine]

Don't wait for B Button to come on video! No, no, no! You need to see this movie on the big screen. It's lovely. I promise you.

[Leslib]

O.K. I'll think about it, but if I don't like it how do I get that 2+ hours of my life back? ;^)

[brooklyncitizen]

What if you dont like Pitt?
I can't think of one movie of his that I've seen.

[marymansour]

IMO, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is one of the best actors in contemporary film. You can't take your eyes off of him when he's onscreen.

[Leslib]

Oh, I totally agree. The man is a genius at his craft.