Top Phllums of 2008

I’d like to unveil the list of movies that I think were the best of 2008. My list is not based on the box office. If you want to know how a film did go to boxofficeindia.com. My list is not based on any critic’s review of a movie. Let’s face it, Indian critics are only good at telling you the plot of a story.

Comparing 2008 to other years, I thought it was just an okay year. Then again I can’t be called an expert on 2008. Somewhere along living through 2008, I forgot how incredibly filmi I was. The year started big with Jodha Akbhar. While this movie was quite lavish, it won’t be making my making my list of great movies of year – just wasn’t that excited for having watched the movie.

Ghajini – while I thought that Memento was groundbreaking with the whole backwards plot thing – I felt Ghajini was a better film that it wasn’t so confusing and it was more interesting, especially the love story which I couldn’t wait to watch more and more of.

Jaane Tu... ya jaane na – wasn’t just any blah blah college romance piece, it was so much more. It was two people coming to terms with their destiny. It was about a group of friends. It was about how good Imraan Khan looked and how he made the cougar come out of any woman.

Slumdog Millionaire – while not an Indian film, but set entirely in India – I figured I put this in my list because it was damn good. You know a movie is good, if you wouldn’t mind if it was longer or you could sit through it again (back to back) or you feel better for having watched it.

A Wednesday – in light of the recent terror attacks in Bombay [although released prior to the attacks] – this film really hits hard. Who knew Jimmy Shergill had it in him to be so powerful and not just a pushover. In comparison, I still like Khakhee better (in this genre). I’d like to also mention Black and White – which I thought was a really bad movie. I think as soon as Anil Kapoor’s character heard the guys talking about their radical jihadi beliefs he should have reported them to authorities and the movie would have ended – this message of the movie was embracing terrorists (like that is going to stop them), it should be about preventing attacks. I can write another entry about this.

Race – great music, good looking actors, scantily clad women and a story line with twists and turns – that is why this makes it to the list. Just when I think I’ve figured out the movie and it has ended, here comes another piece of the puzzle.

Honorable Mentions: Welcome to Sajanpur, Shaurya

This is a working list and based on the films I have seen this year. Films that will be considered within the next couple of weeks: Rock On!!, Phoonk, Sarkar Raj [which I have only partially seen].