Slumdog Millionaire (2008) Director: Danny Boyle

Slumdog Millionaire is an exceptional film although incorrectly marketed as 'the feel good film of the decade' - sure, it's thrilling, heart-breaking and features one of the greatest love stories to come to the silver screen for some time...but it's got very, very dark undertones about the harsh life in India's slums.

We follow our lead character Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) when he is on the final question of India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire; he is being quizzed (well, tortured) by police who don't believe he hasn't cheated to get through to this last question - after all, he is a 'slumdog', how could he possibly know all of the answers? The film then follows Jamal's upbringing so we begin to understand exactly why he has the answers to the questions - this is the riveting part of the film as you come to really feel the pain and heartache that Jamal has been through in his 18 year old life. He encounters a young girl called Latika (played later on by Frieda Pinto, impossibly gorgeous) who quickly becomes his best friend in the slums but then they get split up - Jamal never stops in his quest to find her and love her and this builds up to an emotional finale when he is allowed back into the studio to answer the big, final question.

Special kudos should go to the excellent Anil Kapoor as Millionaire host Prem Kumar - slimey, vain, arrogant and jealous - he plays this part beautifully. The film does have its flaws - it is quite fairy-tale in some senses - but ultimately, it's captivating and you're willing Jamal to succeed all of the way. Danny Boyle has another fantastic movie to add to his repertoire.