Sugar Baby

I was not too enamored with Slum Dog Millionaire. The violence put me off a bit especially the maiming of the children. What I did love I found in this little known film Sugar Baby lush textures, great acting and a terrific story with a similar theme as Slumdog but much more uplifting. The music the acting were both terrific but the locales the art design the layouts exceeded everything. Calcutta with it's grinding poverty and abundant wealth is truly one of the most underused film locations in the world and the cast and crew of Boat Angel films has taken great advantage and used it to it's utmost. I hope this film achieves the success it richly deserves.

Boat Angel Film funds all their productions from the sale of donated boats and uses the funds to produce movies. This is their eleventh film and it will not disappoint anyone. It is a finalist in the Worldfest the world's largest film festival in 3 categories. It took over a year to film edit and score and the results are worth it. Lush textures incredible action support a solid story line of homeless children taking care of others while reaching for their dreams. inspired by the true story of Ric Timas and Vincently Brantley writers of Cool it Now and Count me Out for Bobby Brown and New Edition the story will hit home with teenagers searching for their way in life. Don't miss it.

I saw this film at the recent Worldfest Houston on Sunday night. I had earlier seen the trailers and had anticipated a song and dance film. What I got was beyond expectation. Shot in Calcutta, the city of Mother Teresa, this uplifting story revolves around three teenage girls who make their ends meet by singing on the street, a shoeshine kid who loves to play the harmonica, a little baby whose uncle was put in jail by corrupt cops, and a couple of record producers from America who are looking for raw talent. When the girls witness a murder, they immediately become target of a drug-lord who in turn is being sought by the police force. The story shows how the street kids protect each other through their love, faith and friendship. The beautifully written story was enhanced by an extremely energetic filmmaking style and captured by a brilliant piece of cinematography thats rich in color and texture. Music was captivating and editing was fantastic. The language being English helped me concentrate on the film and I fell in love with the city. Now I definitely want to go to Calcutta and experience it. The film interweaves the story of all the different class systems prevalent in India. The film is 2 hour long but it is so fast paced that when it ends, I wanted to see more. Everyone in the audience connected with the characters. The vulnerability of the kids wanted us to protect them from the bad guys. Dialogues were funny yet meaningful. We really enjoyed the film. All through the script, there was subtle messages that cannot be overlooked especially in today's violent society. The film was worth its wait and definitely a must-see for everyone.

I am not a fan of low budget films. I have watched many independent low budget movies and they have most times disappointed me due to bad set designs, bad acting, poor quality, lack of storytelling etc.

To my pleasant surprise, "Sugarbaby" threw at me a grand colorful canvas encapsulating the vibrant city of Kolkata and its people, the wealthy, the middle class, the poor; the evils, the victims and the protectors.

The story can take place anywhere in a big city and it will translate beautifully. Interestingly, the film, even though a Christian film, it was not on-the-nose preachy.

It was gripping and fast-paced. I wanted to know what happens next and I was made to feel a part of the city. For two hours, I was transported to Kolkata.

Script was original and heartwarming. Cinematography was fantastic and took the film to a different level. Direction was intelligently chalked-out with great emphasis on characters and plots. I was extremely impressed by the overall production value of the film because it looked like a huge blockbuster movie made independently in a guerrilla style. It was two hours worth spending in a foreign land.

I missed the screening of this film during its festival run. But had a chance to watch it on DVD with friends this weekend. What a film! Brilliant cinematography, crisp colors, rich texture and fantastic direction made the film stand out and interesting, unlike all other typical faith-based movies. This had speed and charisma. Definitely made us all want to go to India. The story was told so well that it made the script believable, despite being acted by non-Indian lead cast, who did not even know the language and were first time visitors in India. My mom thought its the best movie she watched in years and was also in tears. That is an accomplishment. A must-see for all who like to watch happy action movies.