FILMDUDE

The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik became a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?"

Slumdog Millionaire is a beautiful, almost epic story of love, struggle and money. The plot is tightly constructed, with Jamal reflecting on the vivid memories of his past while answering questions on the show, recollecting his life in the Indian slums. High in emotion, and rife with tension, Slumdog Millionaire is both breathtaking and fascinating, an experience that will stay with you long after you leave the cinema.

Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their fears about their future.

HSM3 might be better suited for the stage, but definitely not for the big screen. It feels like cameras were simply stationed in front of each performance, creating a dull and disappointing view considering the potential of cinema. The dance choreography is impressive, far superior to the songs that take too long to gather any momentum or vivacity. The climax is a simple re-hash of the film's earlier songs, and like my senior year, I couldn't wait for it to be over.

Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot.

"Australia" reverently captures the culture of our land, from the quintessential outback "aussie" to the native spiritual Aboriginals. This is an ideal, albeit clichéd, backdrop for a romance to develop, and this relationship persistently takes centre stage, overshadowing the many sad events within the story. Ambitious in scope and venture, "Australia" is our country's patriotic film, and despite some underwhelming key scenes, is one to be proud of.

An ex-cop and his family are the target of an evil force that is using mirrors as a gateway into their home.

Mirrors are pretty scary, uncanny in their ability to reveal unsightly curves and impure skin. This film takes it to a whole new level. The mirrors in "Mirrors" like to trap souls, absorb bullets, and callously break jawbones. A premise such as this is purely ridiculous, and far from chilling, despite some great creepy locations. Upon reflection, Mirrors has many laughable scenes, and if not taken seriously, is as satisfying as the rather amusing ending.

Seeking revenge for the death of his love, secret agent James Bond sets out to stop an environmentalist from taking control of a country's water supply.

Quantum of Solace is a sequel, continuing the story of a re-invented Bond and sustaining him brilliantly. The film speeds to life in its CG-adverse approach, parenting action that is gritty, real and constant. What really shines is the comparable emotional conflict of 007, rebelling from his seasoned superiors and contending with the revenge that consumes him. This is still quintessential Bond, revamped, reenergized and welcome solace for an equally stirring future.

A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.

Victor Mancini is your atypical hero. Beneath a vivid sex addiction that thrives with perverse nudity is a man affectionate to his mother and seeking redemption from his self-destructive way of life. He also strives to identify his father, which leads to a bizarre and confusing set of events. It's this outlandish story that, complete with moral dilemmas and plot twists, heighten Choke's appeal, despite requiring your attention till the end.

A British writer struggles to fit in at a high-profile magazine in New York.

This film could have been a shrewd attack on the culture of celebrity, but decides to play it safe instead, directly contradicting the very ethos of our main character, Sidney Young. As hard as Sidney tries to lose friends, mostly by getting into the most contrived and ridiculous of situations, he still seems to charm his work colleagues, while entertaining the audience with his seditious wit. How to Lose Friends & Alienate People is about an enjoyable character, one with a message inconsistent with the very fluff of his own story.

A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

The Duchess is a window into the intriguing life of Georgiana, a view that overlooks her reputable politics in favour of her more lascivious endeavours. Extravagant romanticism flourishes in 1700's England, a time of manners, costumes and beauty. A significant contrast to the inner turmoil that dwells in the Duke's house, burdens of birthing a male heir exacting many sacrifices. Outstanding performances portray the many troubled characters of this film, in a period drama that only suffers from an imbalance of love and politics.

On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

This movie is designed as a crowd pleaser, but what little enjoyment there is comes from the luminous world beneath ours, a labyrinth of impressive 3D visuals and molten lava, providing warmth far greater than the characters. Blatantly akin to a kid's theme-park ride, this movie intersperses mild suspense, best capsulated when our heroes out-pace a large dinosaur. This film suspends all scientific belief, taking you on a ride that is far from adventurous.

Two spoiled guys become competitive stepbrothers after their single parents get hitched.

Step Brothers is a film of two adults acting as kids. The jokes are cheap and immature, their amusement heightened by gratuitous swearing and childlike behaviour. You watch things happen on the screen, things that you know are supposed to be funny, but they simply don't make you laugh like they once used to. Brennan and Dale fatefully grow and mature, seamlessly and conveniently, and just in time for the inevitable happy ending. Step Brothers is ideal for those who are fond of juvenile performances.

In the Far East, trouble-seeking father-and-son duo Rick and Alex O'Connell unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin -- a shape-shifting entity who was cursed by a wizard centuries ago.

The Mummy 3 is your typical Hollywood adventure film; family friendly, light-hearted, simple plot with simple characters. But at what point in time did copious amounts of computer generated scenes substitute for real action? It makes the film lifeless, uninspiring and unbelievable. Tomb of the Dragon Emperor delivers all you would expect in its mediocrity. We can only hope this story is finally dead, destined for burial, never to be unearthed again.

Poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution.

It's surprising how touching this black and white animation is. With sharp contours and pale gradients, the film looks astounding, but also portrays a "dark" period of Marjane's life. Her narrative provides earnest accounts of Iran's history, family and moving out of home, growing into an acute perspective of life in these times of revolution. You leave the cinema in a wake of colours, realising the splendour of freedom.

Diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games.

While the premise might not appeal to all, the King of King goes much further than explore a simple video game; it's about competition at a world class level. Arrogant Billy Mitchell, a messiah of the arcade with many disciples at his whim against Steve Wiebe, innocent family man craving to be number one. It's the rivalry, unique characters and a welcome insight into the world of freaks and geeks that makes this a documentary of the highest level.