My top 10 favorite movies differ greatly from the greatest films of the year (with the strange exception of this year where two films make my top 10 of all time list), but I feel that instead, each year deserves its own top 10 list, so without further adieu, here is my list of the top ten films of the year, listed alphabetically (ordering them my quality would be hard if not 100% impossible)(Keep in mind that this list is limited to the movies that I have had the privilege of seeing this year):
1. Ballast
2. Che
3. The Dark Knight
4. Frost/Nixon
5. In Bruges
6. Milk
7. Revolutionary Road
8. Slumdog Millionaire
9. WALL-E
10. The Wrestler
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Slumdog Millionaire
Dir. Danny Boyle
Rating: 
Coming back from directing the less then enjoyable Sunshine, versatile director Danny Boyle directs what is one of, if not the best film this year. Slumdog tells the story of Jamal Malik who goes on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in order to reconnect with the love of his life, and is arrested and accused of cheating when he is one question away from winning it all. He has to go back in his life, and tell the police how he could have possibly known the answer to the questions that he was asked. If left in less experienced hands, this could have turned into a campy love story. Instead, it turned into a touching story of how love matters above all else, even 20,000,000 rupees (about $408,250).
Dev Patel stars as the oldest Jamal. He is arguably the weakest link of this film (no, no pun intended…obscure game show…no?). His stoic expression works well for him for most of the film, but I just can’t buy the stoicism during the tender scenes. It is almost depressing to see his lack of emotion during scenes that should affect him. Something as little as a smile would have sufficed, but alas, it was not delivered. The younger actors do a fairly solid job in general, but the standout was Tanday Hemat Chheda, whose performance as middle Jamal was emotionally charged and full of a passion unseen in the other cast members. His role required him to be sad, angry, happy, and loving. All of which he portrayed with great confidence and ability.
The filming was gritty, and occasionally grainy, which rather then detracting from the film added to the feeling of poverty and grime. The stark contrast of scenes full of vibrant color and those devoid of it helped to accentuate the emotion of the film, and how various parts of Jamal’s life played off of the others. This is just one example of the small additions to the film that helped to deepen the audience’s identification with the characters and their plight. Danny Boyle has set himself into many good habits, most of all the tradition of creating great films (with a few exceptions) but in his career he has also entered into the bad habit of constantly creating shots with a cockeyed camera. It worked well in 28 Days Later due to its nature as a fast paced, almost angry film, but the shots don’t find their place in Slumdog, and instead only serve to remove the viewer from the world so meticulously created by the filmmakers. Occasionally placed strange shots do assist the filmmaker in helping to make the viewer feel uncomfortable at the necessary moments. Its attempt to push the Brechtian idea that occasionally the viewer needs to be reminded that they are watching something fake rather then an account of real life is legitimate but not when it is at cross purposes with the events of the story.
At its heart, Slumdog is a romance. It is a tale of how love will survive no matter what the odds. Despite its occassionally dark scenes and less then happy events, it provides a story that anyone can identify with, and use to institute changes in their own life and relationships. It’s not often one can call a movie with a happy ending a “masterpiece” (the reason why escapes me), but I can with confidence tell you that Slumdog Millionaire is a masterpiece. It’s the type of film that should be cherished due to its once-in-a-generation status of the kind of film that will not only make you feel great, make you cry, and make you a better person all at the same time. So open your heart, and let Jamal and Latika in. You won’t be sorry.