Showdown: best picture of the year: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

By Eric Pressberg

The surprise film of the year, "Slumdog Millionaire," will continue to shock viewers and film critics alike by taking home the best picture award at the Oscars. Earning ten nominations, including best director for Danny Boyle, the film has all the qualities that should earn it the film industry's top honor.

The movie opens with Jamal Malik, a slumdog from Mumbai, India, faced with the final question on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Through a series of flashbacks, we discover how a kid raised on the streets learned the obscure facts that got him there.

Malik falls in and out of contact with his love interest, Latika, and their relationship culminates with a shared kiss. "Slumdog" is a crowd-pleasing story complemented by creative cinematography that captures the sounds and images of modern-day India.

"Slumdog" brings new talent and a new landscape to an old art. The academy is always searching for something new, not the love story of "Forrest Gump" reincarnated as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" or the political thriller in "Frost/Nixon."

"Slumdog" also manages to keep a good pace throughout the film and avoids the cliché Hollywood ending. Not afraid to touch on the darker side of reality, it effectively deals with poverty, prostitution and police brutality. Most importantly, the universal struggles of heartache and growing up touches everyone.

This film is leading a dominant charge toward the Oscars, collecting best picture wins at the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, Producers Guild and Golden Globe Awards. At one point a straight-to-DVD film, this Bollywood-influenced masterpiece has emerged as the feel-good story of the year.

"Slumdog Millionaire" will continue its rampage of the film awards, culminated by earning the award for best picture at this year's Oscars.

Eric Pressberg is a junior economics major.