SALAAM BOMBAY!

SALAAM BOMBAY! - 1988

RATED - NR but some language (several 'f' words, some violence, no sex or sexual nudity shown).

RATINGS - 28 Amazon (5/5), 47,653 Netflix (3.8/5), 2,685 IMDB (8.0/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

AWARDS - Nominee for BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM -Academy Awards, BAFTA and Golden Globes.

THEMES - Relationships, justice.

STORY - I would call this film a docudrama. The screenplay is like a documentary but it feels like a real life drama. It is SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE without the millionaire. The entire film is shot on location in the slums of Bombay (now Mumbai) and it feels like you're right there with all the filth, the squalor and the mobs of people. The filmmakers also used real street children for the film. Krishna, an 11 year old boy, has been sent by his mother to work in the circus to earn money. One day, the circus leaves without him and he finds his way to the nearest 'big town', Bombay. There we meet the other main characters, street children, pimps, druggies and prostitutes. In their own way, they stick together and fight to survive. When they try to earn money honestly, the employers take advantage of them, knowing they have no one to defend them. Others give up on honest wages and turn to crime and drugs to survive. But they are all real people and have a story and that's the strength of this movie. You really feel like you have entered into the lives of these people and walked with them in their journey, however short and difficult it may be. Krishna's only goal is to make 500 rupees to take home, a modest goal for most people, but a huge obstacle in that environment. While there are plenty of depressing moments in the film, there is also hope, that with the right kind of guidance and opportunity, these are bright and resourceful children who would be successful in legitimate society if they were given a chance. The sad truth is that very few of them will have that life changing opportunity. There are millions of street children in India and around the world. Many of them just waiting for a sponsor to get them out of the cycle of poverty and crime through organizations that are doing a great work of love and compassion. One of the outstanding ones is COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL. If you watch the film, and I highly recommend it, don't stop there, get involved in making a difference. It changes our lives, too. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/14/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, ROGER EBERT, COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL

STONE PILLOW

STONE PILLOW - 1985

RATED - NR but probably PG for mild language & non-graphic violence.

RATINGS - 23 Amazon (4.5/5), 9,312 Netflix (3.5/5), 150 IMDB (7.5/10)

STARRING - Lucille Ball ( her last film at the age of 74)

THEMES - Homelessness, charity, poverty, integrity, humility.

STORY - This made for TV movie was Lucille Ball's final film and she wanted to make a serious statement. Not everyone realizes she was a serious actress and starred in a number of movies before making her fame as I LOVE LUCY. This is a story about age and youth, about street-wise and naivete, about someone who has no hope and someone who wants to change the world. This is a story about Florabelle, a homeless woman, who 'owns' her corner in New York City. Everything she has is in her grocery cart. The merchants on her corner know her and help her. She knows the ways of the street. She's a survivor. It's also the story of Carrie, fresh out of college in her first job as a social worker in a woman's shelter. She's told to go interact with people on the street to better understand them. She meets Florabelle who thinks she's a runaway and tries to show her the ways of the homeless. She takes her underground and into the dark world of living on the street where you survive by your wits and with some help from your friends. Lucille Ball was a great actress and she 'Carries' the day in this outstanding film about what it's like to be one of millions of people living on the street. There's nothing comic about this movie and the serious message it had back in 1985 is perhaps even more appropriate today. As someone once asked the most famous rabbi of all, 'who is my neighbor?' This film will help to define who our neighbors are. As Carrie said near the end, 'how can I stay warm when you're cold'. How do we manage to stay warm when so many are living in the cold? This one may prick your conscience as it did mine. Available for immediate play on Netflix. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 04/04/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TURNER CLASSIC