Single Sentence Summary: A wildly ambitious, unarguably epic potential masterpiece of a film empowered by strong visuals and dynamic performances but hindered by uneven, occasionally hokey storytelling.

Five Adjectives: Aesthetic, meticulous, inspiring, innovative, complacent.

Most Memorable Moment: Daisy dances for Benjamin under a pagoda against the moonlit sky. Really a beautiful moment driven by the awe-inspiring power that is Cate Blanchett.

Biggest Surprise: There were many times throughout the film that I found myself (and those around me) laughing out loud. The unexpected moments of humor very nicely punctuated the otherwise tragic story.

Biggest Disappointment: Much of the dialogue felt corny and contrived (not unlike screenwriter Eric Roth's Forrest Gump), which kept the characters and the story a certain distance from the viewer. The result is a story that comes across as a fable or fairy tale as opposed to a relatable, fully-engrossing experience (which, granted, would have been difficult to achieve considering the film's fantastical premise... though the Lord of the Rings movies were able to do this).

Best Performance: It's a close call between leads Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Both are fabulous and aptly portray layered, compelling characters. Though I think I have to give the edge to Pitt, who is able to successfully and believably play an old man and a small child at the exact same time. Quite the feat!

Worst Performance: I have to say I was disappointed by Tilda Swinton. She was so wonderful in Michael Clayton, but her performance in Benjamin Button was flat and mostly forgettable, if not disposable. And it's not as if she didn't have the material to work with. Granted, she wasn't bad by any stretch, but she was simply adequate in a film of outstanding characters.

Hidden Gem: The absurdly cute ending. I don't want to give anything away, but it's very Dr. Seuss and nicely brings relevance to a lot of the movie.

The Best: While Brad Pitt technically gave the stronger performance, I just love watching Cate Blanchett. She's so natural and elegant as Daisy, and there is a certain precision to her features that makes her uniquely radiant and stunning.

The Worst: Probably the fact that I wasn't moved to my core. Don't get me wrong, it was a magnificent achievement in filmmaking. However, there's always a wall between the contents on the screen and the viewer, and you never quite forget that you are watching a movie. This kind of storytelling is most effective when the viewer becomes a part of what they're watching, when they are totally immersed into the narrative. And, unfortunately, that just never happens here.

Final Thoughts: Perhaps I like the idea of this film more than the film itself. Either way, I can't help but continue to feel its impression and be entirely impressed by its scope and presentation.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 7.5/10
Acting: 10/10
Sights & Sounds: 10/10

Final Grade: 8.5/10

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The Dark Knight

Single Sentence Summary: A powerful, absorbing superhero movie that truly transcends its genre while providing a provocative glimpse into the intricacies of human nature.

Five Adjectives: Harrowing, gripping, awe-inspiring, epic, profound.

Most Memorable Moment: There are many, but I gotta give it to the "truck flipping" scene. Now THAT is how you stop a villain.

Biggest Surprise: Pretty much everything about this film was (deservedly) over-hyped, so not much truly came as a surprise. However, I was not expecting such emotional and contextual depth out of a superhero movie. Who knew?

Biggest Disappointment: Not much to report here. If I had to pick something, I'd have to go with "Two-Face"'s extremely short reign before meeting his demise.

Best Performance: It's no contest. Heath Ledger as "The Joker." He steals every scene he's in, and his lingering power pervades every scene he's not in. Not a second of his performance feels the slightest bit contrived, or even short of pure brilliance.

Worst Performance: Maggie Gyllenhaal as "Rachel Dawes." While she's definitely an upgrade from Katie Holmes in Batman Begins, she's still awkward and fairly dull, particularly when compared to her astounding fellow cast members.

Hidden Gem: Really more "forgotten" than "hidden," Gary Oldman as "Lieutenant James Gordon" manages to hold his own throughout the entire movie without ever seeming unnatural or unbelievable.

The Best: Without question, "The Joker." Potentially one of the greatest characters ever developed and performed for the screen. Also, some truly inspirational and very memorable pieces of dialogue. ("This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." -- Pristine description of the film's central conflict.)

The Worst: I have to nitpick to include anything in here, but I'll have to give it to the handling of "Harvey Dent." While Aaron Eckhart successfully portrays the character, Dent sometimes comes across as over-the-top. Also, his motives for revenge (to avenge Rachel's death) don't seem justified or believable. Talk about overreacting! I also wish they had developed the villain "Two-Face" more before disposing of him, perhaps allowing him to stick around for the next movie?

Final Thoughts: The Dark Knight is not just a great movie: it's extremely fun to watch. It's one of those ones you can view repeatedly without ever getting bored. But is it of the ilk of cinema that changes how we think, how we feel, how we conduct our lives? The ilk of which comprises those that will go down in cinematic history? I don't think so.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 9/10
Acting: 9/10
Sights & Sounds: 10/10

Final Grade: 9/10

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Doubt

Single Sentence Summary: Maintains relevance thanks to powerful performances and dynamic direction despite repetitive, monotonous storytelling and uninspired dialogue.

Five Adjectives: Humble, somber, weighty, tedious, languid.

Most Memorable Moment: The very end. Again, I don't want to give anything away, but it is without question the most poignant moment of the entire film and significantly elevates Meryl Streep's character.

Biggest Surprise: Philip Seymour Hoffman was quite good, even fantastic as Father Flynn, the priest suspected of molesting a male student. Early reviews said he was miscast. I say he was magnificent.

Biggest Disappointment: Viola Davis as the mother of the potentially molested student. Buzz indicated she was the greatest thing about this movie. I found her performance to be great but the least inspiring of the leads. And I couldn't help but be severely distracted by the watery discharge pouring from her nose and into her mouth while she cried. Gross.

Best Performance: In a movie full of extremely strong performances, who else would rise above the rest than Meryl Streep? Streep is so convincing as the strict and suspicious Sister Aloysius that her beliefs become our beliefs. Just as she has few doubts, we have few doubts as to the guilt of Father Flynn.

Worst Performance: Everyone was fantastic. But again, Viola Davis gave the least layered and realistic performance out of the leads. Though she was powerful and effective, talking loudly, crying, and shaking does not provide a glimpse into the character's soul.

Hidden Gem: Thirteen-year-old Paulie Litt was the standout of the extras as the charmingly awkward Tommy Conroy. His distinctive appearance and undeniable screen presence should land him film roles for at least the next few years.

The Best: Doubt is the Meryl Streep show. While it isn't her best work (the woman has been nominated for an astounding FOURTEEN Oscars!), I'm confident that no one could have done it any better.

The Worst: The plot was even more one-note than I had anticipated. The entire movie addresses one question: Did he or didn't he?, and the quest for answers inevitably grows wearisome.

Final Thoughts: Was there even a point to this movie? Or was it made solely to garner awards for whatever production company put up the funds? Despite powerful performances, Doubt will soon all but be forgotten.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 6/10
Acting: 9/10
Sights & Sounds: 6/10

Final Grade: 6.5/10

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Frost/Nixon

Single Sentence Summary: A well-made, provocative intellectual exercise guided by two strong lead performances that effortlessly builds in suspense to its staggeringly powerful climax.

Five Adjectives: Refined, intellectual, smooth, compelling, absorbing.

Most Memorable Moment: There is a good seven seconds of breathtaking silence as Nixon is drawn into a corner by Frost's questioning. Ironic indeed that the most powerful moment in such a "talky" film would be one in which there is no talking at all.

Biggest Surprise: The film makes the transition from stage to screen so well that you can't even tell that it was based on a play. I was worried that it would be overburdened by dialogue, but that is simply not the case.

Biggest Disappointment: The character David Frost is somewhat underdeveloped. Richard Nixon's portrayal would have packed even more of a punch if we had gotten to know his foil a little bit better.

Best Performance: While Martin Sheen does more than fine as Frost, Frank Langella's complete embodiment of Richard Nixon is so fascinating and inspiring that the rest of the cast is nearly reduced to white noise.

Worst Performance: Kevin Bacon as Nixon's aid Jack Brennan. He's awkward, unconvincing, and completely disposable. Basically, he's Kevin Bacon.

Hidden Gem: Sam Rockwell gives such an enthusiastic, uninhibited performance that I wonder whether he personally shared some of his character's disdain for Richard Nixon.

The Best: The final interview between Nixon and Frost has so much riding on its shoulders that you are effectively glued to your seat. And the result is riveting.

The Worst: It's admittedly hard to find much fault with this film. Though I will say that while the movie maintains a consistent level of excellence and suavity throughout, there are too few moments that really stand out, especially when Langella is absent from the scene. It's as if the film is satisfied with being excellent without even attempting to attain perfection or "masterpiece" status. And because of this, Frost/Nixon gets inside your head but never into your soul.

Final Thoughts: This is a well-bred movie, one in which every movement, every action, every scene is intricately planned-out and produced. But while all of the precision and planning makes a good movie, it does not make a movie with a soul. And perhaps aside from a few moments created by Langella's performance, this film is missing a soul.

Direction: 8/10
Script & Story: 8.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Sights & Sounds: 8/10

Final Grade: 8/10

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Happy-Go-Lucky

Single Sentence Summary: A joyous journey through a slice of one very spunky woman's life empowered by a fantastic script and an inspiring, uninhibited leading performance.

Five Adjectives: Whimsical, humorous, endearing, motivating, moving.

Most Memorable Moment: Poppy's run-in with a mentally ill homeless man. It's hilarious, it's creepy, it's touching, it's awkward, it's inspiring, it's uncomfortable. Whatever it is, it's so fascinating that you can't look away.

Biggest Surprise: Watching Poppy's unrelenting optimism actually made me want to change the way I live my life. If that doesn't indicate an effective movie, I don't know what does.

Biggest Disappointment: The movie ends without fully addressing certain plot elements, leaving the viewer with a certain sense of dissatisfaction. Though the movie is more of a character study than a plot-driven piece, it would have been nice had the story followed a more specific path. On the other hand, one could consider the spontaneous nature of the plot to nicely complement the spontaneous nature of the focal character.

Best Performance: Sally Hawkins is a wonder to watch. She exudes such happiness and optimism that she inspires you to live a better life. But her performance is far more than just an apt display of exuberance: she displays an awe-inspiring sensitivity to all emotions, building one of the most fascinating, dynamic characters of this year.

Worst Performance: Apart from Hawkins' Poppy and Eddie Marsan as her disgruntled driving instructor Scott, the performances in this movie are good, though fairly generic. Though I have to say Samuel Roukin, playing social worker and Poppy's love interest Tim, gives the least inspired interpretation of a character.

Hidden Gem: Karina Fernandez is hilarious and unforgettable as the sassy and passionate Flamenco teacher. Her appearance is brief but still manages to make an impression, even alongside the scene-stealing Sally Hawkins.

The Best: Much of the film's success is based on its solid foundation of a well-constructed story and outrageously funny, energizing dialogue. Comedy is some of the hardest stuff to write, and Mike Leigh does it effortlessly.

The Worst: It's difficult to find much fault with this movie, but if I had to pick something, I'd have to say that occasionally the rapid-fire dialogue and unrelenting wit of the characters can grow wearisome. Fortunately, the purely comedic scenes are nicely counterbalanced by several more poignant and moving moments.

Final Thoughts: There is a lot that can be learned from this movie, and I find myself eagerly wanting to re-watch and share it with friends. It is itself the hidden gem of the 2008 film season.

Direction: 7/10
Script & Story: 9.5/10
Acting: 8.5/10
Sights & Sounds: 6/10

Final Grade: 8.5/10

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In Bruges

Single Sentence Summary: An extremely original, surprisingly poignant character study piece highlighted by sharp dialogue, engaging (and often gruesome) visuals, and enthusiastic performances.

Five Adjectives: Stirring, harrowing, outrageous, brutal, shocking.

Most Memorable Moment: Can one forget the racist rantings of disgruntled midget high on cocaine? Certainly not me.

Biggest Surprise: THIS IS NOT A COMEDY!!! I cannot stress that enough. Sure, you'll laugh, and quite loudly sometimes, but you will not leave this movie feeling all bright and happy from the jokes and giggles. NO. SIR. In Bruges is QUITE devastating.

Biggest Disappointment: THIS WAS NOT A COMEDY!!! But this was a good disappointment, as the film proved to be much, much more.

Best Performance: Brendan Gleeson is quite effective as the more intellectual and mature secret agent who is ordered to kill his partner. He portrays an array of emotions without ever seeming insincere or over-the-top.

Worst Performance: Though Ralph Fiennes made quite an impact with his loud irreverence and vulgarity, he was oftentimes a bit too loud and a bit too vulgar to maintain believability.

Hidden Gem: Bruges! Who knew that such a charming little place existed? I can see why a secret agent/trained assassin might go stir-crazy there though.

The Best: The dialogue in this movie is so witty and dense that you can't nearly catch it all in one viewing. Not a single word uttered by any of the actors feels irrelevant or generic, and much of what is said (and shown) is actually rather moving.

The Worst: While I wouldn't say the film is boring, it does get a tad monotonous at times. Because the actual plot is fairly straight-forward and concise, the meat of the film comes in lengthy dialogue exchanges and extended scenes of digression from the main plot.

Final Thoughts: If nothing else, this film is extremely unique. Though rich with clever dialogue and memorable moments, the overall impact of the film is small. Aside from perhaps the bloodbath in its concluding scenes, In Bruges will quickly become a distant memory.

Direction: 8/10
Script & Story: 7.5/10
Acting: 8/10
Sights & Sounds: 9/10

Final Grade: 8/10

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Milk

Single Sentence Summary: An intricate, fascinating portrait of an under-recognized American hero that is powerfully moving and emotionally tender.

Five Adjectives: Compelling, important, inspiring, enthralling, touching.

Most Memorable Moment: A young gay teenager from Minnesota calls Harvey Milk saying that he wants to end his life to prevent his parents from sending him to a gay rehabilitation center. Milk instructs the young man to get out of his house, run away to the nearest big city, and find allies. The obviously defeated teen informs Milk that he physically can't do that as the camera pulls back to reveal he is sitting in a wheelchair. Truly devastating.

Biggest Surprise: Though he isn't really garnering any awards or buzz for his performance, Emile Hirsch is a delight as the outspoken, rebellious, and flirtatious Cleve Jones. The biggest laughs in the film definitely come from him.

Biggest Disappointment: The film tackles such a large and important topic, and yet, in scope, Milk feels too small. The story is epic, and yet the limited views provided by the framing and camerawork along with dusky cinematography somewhat trump the visual realization of Harvey Milk's far-reaching influence.

Best Performance: Sean Penn is Harvey Milk. Not only are the physical similarities quite striking, but Penn fully embodies Milk's entire persona with incredible intricacy. Even the smallest gestures, the most subtle mannerisms are executed by Penn with such effortless precision that his performance creates an entirely believable, vastly dynamic, perpetually fascinating character study. Thanks to Penn, we are given the keys to Harvey Milk's heart, and in turn, Milk completely steals ours. I also have to give props to Josh Brolin for playing the disturbed and conflicted congressman Dan White. When he first shows signs of his growing vulnerability, he looks Milk dead in the eyes with a rigid passion and says he will not be humiliated. It is the most stirring moment in this very moving film.

Worst Performance: While his performance isn't bad, James Franco is the least affecting as Milk's lover Scott Smith. He offers little insight into his character and provides even less with which other characters may develop. In fact, if any part of the film feels even slightly contrived, it's the relationship between Smith and Milk. Penn successfully plays his end of the bargain, but Franco always somehow feels disinterested or cold.

Hidden Gem: I'm tempted to say the fact that the kid who plays Ryan in High School Musical has a small supporting role... but that's more of a "hidden irony" than a true gem. I'll have to go with the opera-style music that plays throughout the movie, creating alluring, haunting tones that perfectly highlight both the grandiosity and tragedy of Milk's saga.

The Best: Milk would not be Milk without Sean Penn. Though the story by itself is incredibly important and extremely powerful, Penn greatly ups the ante. He deftly steers this movie into enthralling territory, providing not just a fully absorbing view of Milk's actions and achievements but also a heart-wrenching depiction of Milk himself. Penn elevates the film from a story of a fascinating movement to a story of a fascinating man.

The Worst: The film's ending is a little sloppy. The aftermath of Milk's assassination is moving for sure, but it also borders on sentimental and sappy. The mass of mourners carrying candles up to city hall is too predictable for a movie that has been, up to this point, playing by its own rules.

Final Thoughts: Milk is a monumental achievement. Not only is it unarguably important, depicting a crucial, far too seldom recognized revolution in U.S. history, but it also a fantastic movie. It is tremendously entertaining and engrossing without ever feeling tedious or repetitive. Milk successfully combines cinematic art, filmmaking craft, performance, storytelling, and historical significance to create a truly remarkable experience.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 9/10
Acting: 9/10
Sights & Sounds: 9/10

Final Grade: 9/10

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The Reader

Single Sentence Summary: A moving, if not maudlin entry into the amalgam of contemporary drama, hindered by the awkward sentiments of its principal pairing but massively charged by Winslet's fascinating, impeccable performance.

Five Adjectives: Heartbreaking, intricate, striking, frustrating, uncomfortable

Most Memorable Moment: The penultimate courtroom scene, during which Hannah chooses to sacrifice herself to maintain her dignity. It's an extremely powerful statement that deeply pierces the heart.

Biggest Surprise: Though the love connection between Hannah and Michael initially leaves you ill at ease at the very least (he's 15, she's 30, she decides to seduce and have sex with him), you absolutely find yourself fully rooting for their cause after a few of their (unnecessarily pornographic) encounters. Similarly, the film manages to make an incredibly poignant statement by blurring, even crossing out the line between what is good and what is evil. The obvious villain on paper becomes the hero in our hearts.

Biggest Disappointment: The beginning of the movie feels disjointed and random, and this breeds a crucial problem for the remainder of the film. Instead of smoothly introducing and building the story, plot elements are thrown at us for the sake of convenience. As a consequence, the encounters and more importantly, the emotions and feelings between Hannah and Michael are not fully genuine or convincing. The love story, on which the majority of the film's influence is riding, is already difficult to swallow. That it doesn't feel the slightest bit natural, at least initially, only sours the taste. Sure, we eventually get in step, but far too late to allow the tribulations of our central characters to fully impact us.

Best Performance: There is no contest. While I should mention that David Kross as the adolescent Michael more than holds his own with a strikingly honest performance, Kate Winslet completely steals this show. She is entirely engrossing as she delicately sculpts from crystal quartz: intrinsically elegant, fragile yet sharp, bruised and weathered, always beautiful, always mesmerizing. She creates such a complex, complicated character that every spoken word, every gesture, every facial expression (seldom loud, never abrasive) echoes through the deepest chambers of the heart. And all without ever letting us fully explore the depths of her mind: Hannah remains somewhat of an enigma to the film's very end. It's even more of a wondrous feat for Winslet considering that technically, Hannah is both a pedophile and a Nazi. Yet we are, unquestioningly, devoted to her every intention.

Worst Performance: No one sticks out like a sore thumb, so to speak, but Rainer Sellien as Michael's law professor is quite ho-hum. He seems more like a plot contrivance than an actual character.

Hidden Gem: Lena Olin is fabulous in both of her fairly brief appearances during which she plays two separate characters: an elderly Jewish woman testifying in a Nazi war crimes trial, and then her daughter many years later. In the former role, Olin conjures a biting intensity, making you hold your breath as she powerfully describes the horrors of living in a concentration camp. When she reappears at the film's conclusion, you once again cannot ignore her unspoken strength and commanding aura foiled in a face-off with Ralph Fienne's quietly devastated and defeated Michael.

The Best: The second and third acts of the film are far more satisfying than the first, which is arguably mostly kept from falling to pieces by the remarkable Kate Winslet. Thanks to the fantastic performances of our two leading characters, the war crimes trial and courtroom scenes are actually quite enticing, even more so perhaps than Frost/Nixon's ultimate showdown between its two leading characters. The strong emotional overtones help to move you to your core. Without giving away too much, the events of the film's latter two-thirds invoke a surprisingly potent mix of anger, sadness, frustration, suspense, and hope.

The Worst: The Reader commits the cardinal sin of actor swapping. When we are fully introduced to Ralph Fiennes as the older Michael, we are expected to transfer our emotions and energies surrounding the younger Hannah and Michael (Winslet and Kross) to the older version of the pair (Winslet and Fiennes). The problem is that we are never given visual context in which we can place the new actor: Hannah and Michael are physically separated, and thus an emotional current is never regenerated. When Fiennes displays any sign of Michael's love for Hannah, we feel he is intruding on, rather than channeling, Kross' portrayal of Michael's love for her. Once again, we eventually buy into things, but neither as fiercely nor as powerfully.

Final Thoughts: I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I hate that it robbed The Dark Knight of a Best Picture nomination, but I cannot deny that it was both effective and affecting. Though it may follow a conventional, even clichéd, story structure, it did not feel nearly as baity or contrived as many suggested. In fact, I tasted a certain eloquence in the artistic simplicity of the film, something that others from this year such as Revolutionary Road, even Milk and Benjamin Button seemed to lack. In large part, I believe this has to do with the understated dexterity of director Stephen Daldry, who managed to steer the movie away from saccharine sentimentality as much as possible.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 7.5/10
Acting: 9/10
Sights & Sounds: 8/10

Final Grade: 8/10

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Revolutionary Road

Single Sentence Summary: An impeccably crafted, masterfully acted, devastatingly powerful piece of filmmaking undone by an erratic story structure and unnatural, even awkward dialogue.

Five Adjectives: Ambitious, heartrending, exhausting, devastating, haphazard.

Most Memorable Moment: The camera gently pulls away on a broken April Wheeler (played to perfection by the wonderful Kate Winslet) wistfully staring out the window as a patch of blood slowly grows and seeps through the back side of her dress. A truly ingenious shot.

Biggest Surprise: This movie isn't really all too interested in plot; it's purely a character piece.

Biggest Disappointment: The script is extremely uneven, sometimes bordering on downright absurd. There is little consistency in what the characters say or do, and the result feels forced and awkward. Thank goodness for the impeccable acting, or this film could have potentially been a real doozy.

Best Performance: Though both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are sensational in their respective roles, Winslet has the leg up. Not only is she a stunning beauty, a true vision to observe on the screen, but she fully commands your attention by faithfully and entirely throwing herself into her performance. Every facial expression, every gesture, every utterance is made with such precision and perfection that she is a true wonder to watch. She is jaw-droppingly phenomenal, particularly in the film's final crucial moments.

Worst Performance: David Harbour basically played a tree as Leo and Kate's neighbor Shep Campbell. What could have been a meaty and moving role came off as uncomfortably bland. The lack of a solid script certainly didn't help either.

Hidden Gem: Who knew you could buy home abortion kits in the fifties? It looked to me like someone glued together a blood pressure cuff, a turkey baster, and a funnel.

The Best: Kate Winslet is just so magnificently powerful and moving as April Wheeler. Why hasn't this woman won an Oscar yet??

The Worst: The narrative architecture of the film was entirely scatter-brained. Characters would say and do things seemingly out of the blue, and some scenes that should have been compelling almost felt silly due to lack of justification. It played sort of like an extended trailer for a much better film, omitting crucial steps in plot and character development. It's as if Kate and Leo got together and said "Hey, we really deserve Oscars. Let's make a movie that's just a bunch of random, good looking scenes of us screaming at each other, and maybe we'll finally earn our due." Obviously this is a gross simplification and exaggeration, but it could be said that with a much better adaptation, this movie would have been an inarguable masterpiece.

Final Thoughts: This film is for me the biggest disappointment of year. It comes so close to achieving cinematic perfection, and it completely botches it all thanks to a lousy script. Just goes to show you how important good writing really is.

Direction: 10/10
Script & Story: 5/10
Acting: 11/10
Sights & Sounds: 10/10

Final Grade: 7.5/10

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Slumdog Millionaire

Single Sentence Summary: An inspiring, occasionally heartrending, often suspenseful, always visceral anthem to love and to life, masterfully pioneered by director Danny Boyle.

Five Adjectives: Inventive, enlivening, dazzling, thrilling, touching.

Most Memorable Moment: Two boys reach out from a train to help their friend running alongside trying to keep up. When they are unable to grab her hand, they can only watch in horror as she stands defeated, disappearing into the mist of the night to be swept back up by their abusive captors. A truly beautiful, heart-breaking scene. The most powerful, emotionally moving part of this movie involves two small actors and one little actress, all of whom would probably not be old enough to tie their own shoes (if, of course, they had shoes in the first place).

Biggest Surprise: The aesthetic palette used by this film is beautifully varied and frequently awe-inspiring. From the crowded slums of Bombay to the towering skyscrapers of Mumbai, from the hustle and bustle of the train station to the pristine glory of the Taj Mahal, the film is, if nothing else, a marvelous piece of visual artistry. Paired with the creative and electrifying direction of Danny Boyle, nearly every frame is fascinating to observe.

Biggest Disappointment: I could not help but be vigorously reminded of Fernando Meirelles' 2002 masterpiece City of God while watching this film. And despite Slumdog's impressive presentation, it just cannot compete with the staggering achievement that is City of God. City does everything that Slumdog does, only much better.

Best Performance: I was most impressed by the tiny actors who portray the leading characters Jamal, Salim, and Latika as very young children. However, Rubiana Ali, who plays the youngest version of Latika, takes the cake. She is outrageously adorable. One look in her big, round brown eyes and you're believing every word she's telling you. Oh, the charms of a pretty lady...

Worst Performance: No performance in this movie was bad. Every character was portrayed successfully and, at the very least, adequately. But among those who were simply adequate, I have to say Irrfan Khan gave the least inspired performance as the police inspector interrogating Jamal. He serves as an expedient plot device, providing the means for which Jamal can tell his story, but makes no impact as an individual character. Even his assistant, the Constable Srinivas played by Saurabh Shukla, is more memorable.

Hidden Gem: The interactions between the present Jamal and game show host Prem Kumar provide an entirely separate entity of entertainment. Woven in between scenes of Jamal's interrogation and life story is a deceptively cautious waltz of host and contestant, in which the leading dancer is constantly shifting. As Jamal conquers each question, he also conquers Kumar's overstuffed egotism to the point of defeat. And when the beast is finally unleashed, you are on the edge of your seat.

The Best: The story structure for most of the film is extremely clever. Though we are frequently jumping back and forth through time, the ride is exhilarating and never dizzying. Overall, it is an incredible tale, all told as Jamal explains in punctuations and anecdotes how he knew (or did not know) the correct answer to each of the quiz show's questions. It's an extremely inventive way to weave a story.

The Worst: While much of the film is pulse-pounding, the plot and story structure begin to unravel quite a bit toward the end. After Jamal's interrogation concludes and the movie's central shtick of question, answer, explanation expires, the film feels wobbly and misguided. The ultimate conclusion is also terribly disappointing, molding into the conforms of the "Hollywood ending." For what is supposed to be an innovative and brave film, you'd think that in the end just maybe the good guys won't win, or maybe the long lost lovers won't be reunited, or maybe the bad guys won't pay for their misdeeds, or maybe all those deserved won't ride off into the sunset. The group dance during the end credits only added to the banality.

Final Thoughts: It's a great film. But it's not a masterpiece, and it's also not the best of the year.

Direction: 10/10
Script & Story: 9/10
Acting: 8/10
Sights & Sounds: 10/10

Final Grade: 8/10

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Tropic Thunder

Single Sentence Summary: A creative, absurdly goofy and gratuitous comedy with Hollywood inside-jokes aplenty that thinks it's a lot cooler and funnier than it actually is.

Five Adjectives: Absurd, ostentatious, zany, vainglorious, obscene.

Most Memorable Moment: Ben Stiller gets attacked by a three-year-old Asian boy and proceeds to throw him off of a bridge. Even baby-killing isn't off-limits in this movie, and it's wonderfully hilarious.

Biggest Surprise: Tom Cruise is in this movie? He's barely recognizable, and he's absolutely outrageous. He's blatantly awkward at times, but he brings plenty of extra laughs to the movie. But let's not get carried away... a Golden Globe nomination? Really??

Biggest Disappointment: Okay, okay. The movie is funny. But it isn't nearly as hilarious or worthy of praise and recognition as many are heralding. In fact, without Robert Downey, Jr. in the cast, Thunder would have suffered from several dry spells throughout its run.

Best Performance: It's no contest here. Robert Downey, Jr. is undeniably brilliant as Kirk Lazarus, the deeply disturbed Australian actor entirely absorbed in his role as a hardened black war general. He's playing an outrageous crazy man playing an even more outrageous crazy man, and he effortlessly sells every single second of it. Unlike the rest of the cast, Downey never lets up that he's actually performing in a spoof. This, ultimately, is what makes him a hundred times funnier than any of his fellow cast-mates.

Worst Performance: Jack Black was embarrassing. It was painfully obvious the entire time that he was was out of his league beside the likes of Ben Stiller, Robert Downey, Jr., Nick Nolte, and Tom Cruise. His performance was akin to what one might see in a sub-par Saturday Night Live skit, despite having fairly strong material to work with.

Hidden Gem: Brandon T. Jackson as "Alpa Chino." He's funny in his own right without being ridiculous like the rest of the cast and does not pretend to be among the ranks of his more seasoned cast-mates either. And thus, he is able to stand out instead of being overshadowed.

The Best: Robert Downey, Jr. It would not be the same movie without him.

The Worst: I was rather annoyed by child drug lord "Tran" played by Brandon Soo Hoo. The idea was clever and the young actor was enthusiastic, but the character himself was abrasive and poorly conceptualized.

Final Thoughts: This movie is largely over-hyped and only rises above typical mediocre comedic cinema thanks to a fearless performance by Robert Downey, Jr. Why it's getting all of the extra attention from critics and moviegoers is otherwise beyond me.

Direction: 6/10
Script & Story: 6/10
Acting: 8/10
Sights & Sounds: 7/10

Final Grade: 6/10

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WALL-E

Single Sentence Summary: A deeply moving, touching love story exquisitely crafted and powerfully felt.

Five Adjectives: Charming, touching, dazzling, profound, imaginative.

Most Memorable Moment: The most beautiful and poignant moment in this incredibly beautiful and poignant film: when WALL-E and EVE soar together through space (WALL-E propelled by the emissions of a fire extinguisher!) while the Axiom's computer describes the act of "dancing." Truly moving and brilliant.

Biggest Surprise: It's a love story! Who would've guessed that a futuristic animated film about robots trying to save a decimated Earth would be a love story??

Biggest Disappointment: The film lacks a strong cast of supporting characters seen in every other Pixar entry.

Best Performance: WALL-E! Without question one of the most believable, relatable, and human characters in any movie this year. Not to mention he's just so darn lovable! WAAAA-AAAAH-LEEEE!

Worst Performance: Pixar's decision to include footage of actual humans was probably a poor choice. While I generally like Fred Willard, his appearance in an otherwise completely animated world feels awkward and out of place. Not to mention that the animated people look NOTHING like real people, which creates some problems with comparative consistency.

Hidden Gem: MO! M-O! MO! The OCD robot is a charming and hilarious delight.

The Best: The love connection between WALL-E and EVE is so wonderful to witness and evokes such a surprisingly wide array of emotions. Potentially one of the greatest love stories ever told.

The Worst: Not much. If I have to pick something, I'd say the obese, wobbly Axiom residents sometimes come off as a bit too ridiculous. They're also generally uninteresting, though the show does admittedly belong to the robots.

Final Thoughts: WALL-E is without question Pixar's greatest achievement to date. It's not just a movie: it's poetry. And it will soon become the stuff of legend.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 8.5/10
Acting: 10/10
Sights & Sounds: 10/10

Final Grade: 9/10

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The Wrestler

Single Sentence Summary: A powerful, incredibly moving portrait of a fascinating figure that invokes a colossal array of emotions and, despite its premise, holds relevance on a surprising number of levels.

Five Adjectives: Tender, emotional, sincere, brutal, humble.

Most Memorable Moment: It's a tie. The first, our man Randy "The Ram" Robinson is marvelously goofy and charming as he prepares orders for customers at the Acme deli. The scene perfectly represents why one of the most lovable film characters of the year is a man who pretends to knock other men unconscious for a living. The second, Randy and his estranged daughter Stephanie share a dance in an abandoned warehouse by the boardwalk. It is, without question, one of the most emotionally tender moments I've ever seen on film.

Biggest Surprise: This movie is actually very gratuitous. And I thought In Bruges was brutal! I imagine this is what the Saw movies must be like (no, I've never seen them... I will not support the Hollywood "torture porn" movement!). I never thought I'd see a man purposefully staple-gun a dollar bill to his face or shove his thumb into a meat slicer. Blech!

Biggest Disappointment: As the movie is supposed to be a character study, plot is mostly pushed to the wayside. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, a more developed central story would have elevated the material to a new level.

Best Performance: Mickey Rourke as title character and wrestler "The Ram" gives such an inspired, multi-faceted, and devastatingly honest performance that he engenders every emotional response in the book. I smiled, I laughed, I gasped, I shouted, I pouted, I sighed, I cried (inside). He does it all while employing such graceful subtlety most of the time, so that when he does let the deeper colors show, it is staggering.

Worst Performance: I can't think of a single performance in this film that wasn't good, even great. Some of the other wrestlers were forgettable, perhaps, but I can't say anyone was anything less than good.

Hidden Gem: For a movie laced with so much testosterone, there is actually a strong undertone of pro-diversity and anti-chauvinism. It's marvelously ironic to watch Randy "The Ram" ready himself for his comeback: bantering with his stylist while getting his hair highlighted or stripping to his "tightie-whities" before climbing into a tanning bed. And some of the movie's warmest moments come from the friendly exchanges between the surprisingly warm and affable wrestlers backstage before a match. It produces a wonderful message: that the macho wrestling figurehead is a mere facade to an dynamic human being with a fully-developed soul, a powerful declaration applicable to all people from all professions and social standings.

The Best: At first glance, the film's synopsis seems too specific to be relevant to the everyday man. How could the average viewer have anything in common with a professional wrestler? And yet, I found myself relating this movie in a surprising number of ways. Because at its core, The Wrestler is a story about a human being struggling with the most primal fears and universal difficulties of living: getting older, becoming irrelevant, being alone, being a failure. And watching Randy just make it through each day depicts, faces, and answers these questions in extremely eloquent ways.

The Worst: The Wrestler is an undoubtedly moving experience. But I can't say it's more than an "experience," that is, it isn't exactly a fully realized movie. Though there are gripping moments a-plenty, the lack of a strong central storyline inhibits the film from truly taking off.

Final Thoughts: This film is the defiant foil to more traditional Oscar-fare like this year's Revolutionary Road. It is able to conjure up the deepest of emotions without overly contrived, baity dialogue, close-ups of intense facial expressions, or loud shouting matches. Small in scope, and yet great in power: quite the feat indeed.

Direction: 9/10
Script & Story: 8/10
Acting: 10/10
Sights & Sounds: 7/10

Final Grade: 8.5/10