Slumdog Millionaire
A young boy in India endures unfathomable lows but his travels to a better life are nothing short of brilliant to watch.

The Dark Knight
Freed from the confines of an origin story, director Christopher Nolan lets loose with an intense, challenging, flawed and, yes, dark vision of Gotham under siege, featuring an unforgettable final performance by Heath Ledger as the clown prince of crime.

Let the right one in
If you see one vampire movie this season, it shouldn't be the one you're probably thinking of. It should be this quietly beautiful, fiendishly gripping Swedish import which is likely to stay with you longer than your average teen romance novel.

WALL-E
"WALL-E" is truly a masterpiece of animation. If only live-action films were as thoughtfully and beautifully executed.

Gran Torino
The seamless blend of acting, direction, and story make "Gran Torino" another Eastwood triumph.

NOTE: Honorable mention should go to the documentary "Flow: For Love of Water". The film was not reviewed on this site due to time constraints, but it is a fantastic and frightening look at the global water crisis, and it will make you think twice everytime you take a drink. This is a must-see for anyone who hopes to be drinking water in a few years. Seek it out.