Slumdog Millionaire

Jamal Malik, an 18-year-old orphan from Mumbai, is a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" With each question that Jamal is asked, the audience is given a look back at his childhood in the slum where he and his brother Salim grew up, of their adventures together, of cruel encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the love of his life. It is these life experiences that Jamal draws on for the answers to the game show questions. However, when the show's host suspects Jamal of cheating, he is arrested and forced to admit that there is no way a "slumdog" is capable of answering all of the questions correctly and winning the grand prize of 20 million rupees.

The fact that Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar for best film pretty much says it all. It is a tough and heartbreaking film and at the same time, an exhilarating and heartwarming one. While every aspect of the film might not be completely credible, it does give us an idea of the condition and culture of India's slums, something that is rarely brought to the world's attention. I am especially fond of how subtle the flashbacks used to tell Jamal's life story are.

Click here to view the trailer.