2015: World Premieres 2015: U.S. Releases 2015: Still Left to See 2015: Cannes Festival 2015: Venice Festival 2015: Toronto Festival 2015: Chicago Festival 2015: Reeling Festival 2015: Anniversaries Looking Back Moving Ahead Browse Films by Title / Year / Reviews Home / Blog / E-Mail The Movies of 2015: U.S. Releases  By Grade // By Title, with Full Reviews // By VOR Rating  (what's this?) Top Ten List (January 2016) 1.  Arabian Nights, Vol. 1: The Restless One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Miguel Gomes A Arabian Nights, Vol. 2: The Desolate One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Chico Chapas A– Arabian Nights, Vol. 3: The Enchanted One Dir. Miguel Gomes. Crista Alfaiate A 2.  Carol Dir. Todd Haynes. Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson A 3.  Son of Saul Dir. László Nemes. Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Sándor Zsótér A 4.  Iraqi Odyssey Dir. Samir. Documentary combining familial and national history A 5.  The Look of Silence Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer. Documentary about a genocide A– 6.  The Diary of a Teenage Girl Dir. Marielle Heller. Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård A– The Wonders Dir. Alice Rohrwacher. Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck A– 7.  In Jackson Heights Dir. Frederick Wiseman. Documentary about NYC neighborhood A– 8.  Creed Dir. Ryan Coogler. Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson A– 9.  It Follows Dir. David Robert Mitchell. Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto A– The Tribe Dir. Myroslav Slaboshpitskiy. Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova A– 10.  Heart of a Dog Dir. Laurie Anderson. Essay about animals, memory, and storytelling A– Runners-up: 45 Years; La Jaula de oro; Li'l Quinquin; Timbuktu; Victoria; We Come As Friends Remainder of Films Screened 45 Years Dir. Andrew Haigh. Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James A– La Jaula de oro Dir. Diego Quemada-Díez. Brandon López, Karen Martínez A– Li'l Quinquin Dir. Bruno Dumont. Alane Delhaye, Bernard Pruvost, Lucy Caron A– Victoria Dir. Sebastian Schipper. Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit A– We Come As Friends Dir. Hubert Sauper. Documentary about South Sudan A– About Elly Dir. Asghar Farhadi. Golshifteh Farahani, Shahab Hosseini B+ The Assassin Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. Shu Qi, Sheu Fang-yi, Chang Chen, Zhou Yun B+ Chi-Raq Dir. Spike Lee. Teyonah Parris, Nick Cannon, Angela Bassett, Wesley Snipes B+ Eastern Boys Dir. Robin Campillo. Olivier Rabourdin, Kirill Emelyanov, Daniil Vorobyov B+ Eden Dir. Mia Hansen-Løve. Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Hugo Conzelmann B+ Girlhood Dir. Céline Sciamma. Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh B+ The Iron Ministry Dir. J.P. Sniadecki. Documentary about train travel in China B+ Jauja Dir. Lisandro Alonso. Viggo Mortensen, Diego Roman, Viilbjørk Malling Agger B+ The Kindergarten Teacher Dir. Nadav Lapid. Sarit Larry, Avi Shnaidman, Lior Raz B+ Macbeth Dir. Justin Kurzel. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine B+ Mad Max: Fury Road Dir. George Miller. Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron B+ Mediterranea Dir. Jorge Carpignano. Koudous Seihon, Alassane Sy, Ernest Zire B+ Mississippi Grind Dirs. Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden. Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds B+ Of Horses and Men Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson B+ Our Brand Is Crisis Dir. David Gordon Green. Sandra Bullock, Joaquim de Almeida B+ The Pearl Button Dir. Patricio Guzmán. Documentary about Chilean histories B+ A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence Dir. Roy Andersson B+ The Princess of France Dir. Matías Piñeiro. Julián Larquier, Agustina Muñoz B+ Saint Laurent Dir. Bertrand Bonello. Gaspard Ulliel, Jérémie Renier, Amira Casar B+ Sicario Dir. Denis Villeneuve. Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber B+ Spotlight Dir. Tom McCarthy. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams B+ Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens Dir. J.J. Abrams. Daisy Ridley B+ Timbuktu Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako. Ibrahim Ahmed, Toulou Kiki B+ 99 Homes Dir. Ramin Bahrani. Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern B Advantageous Dir. Jennifer Phang. Jacqueline Kim, Samantha Kim, Freya Adams B Amour fou Dir. Jessica Hausner. Birte Schnoeink, Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller B Brooklyn Dir. John Crowley. Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson B The End of the Tour Dir. James Ponsoldt. Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Segel B Far from Men Dir. David Oelhoffen. Viggo Mortensen, Reda Kateb, Nicolas Giraud B The Fool Dir. Yuri Bykov. Artyom Bystrov, Darya Moroz, Aleksandr Korshunov B The Forbidden Room Dirs. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson. Louis Negin, Clara Furey B Freeheld Dir. Peter Sollett. Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carell B Futuro Beach Dir. Karim Aïnouz. Wagner Moura, Clemens Schick, Jesuíta Barbosa B Goodnight Mommy Dirs. Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala. Elias Schwarz, Lukas Schwarz B Hard to Be a God Dir. Aleksei German. Leonid Yarmolnik, Evgeniy Gerchakov B Horse Money Dir. Pedro Costa. Ventura, Vitalina Varela, Tito Furtado B I'll See You in My Dreams Dir. Brett Haley. Blythe Danner, Sam Elliott, Martin Starr B Inside Out Dir. Pete Docter. Animated. Voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Kaitlyn Dias B Jafar Panahi's Taxi Dir. Jafar Panahi. Jafar Panahi, Hana Saeidi, Nasrin Sotoudeh B James White Dir. Josh Mond. Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi B Joy Dir. David O. Russell. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramirez B Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Dir. David Zellner. Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube B Love & Mercy Dir. Bill Pohlad. Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti B Magic Mike XXL Dir. Gregory Jacobs. Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer B The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dir. Guy Ritchie. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer B The Mend Dir. John Magary. Josh Lucas, Stephen Plunkett, Lucy Owen, Mickey Sumner B Mustang Dir. Denis Gamze Ergüven. Güneş Nezihe Şensoy, Ilayda Akdoğan B Nasty Baby Dir. Sebastián Silva. Sebastián Silva, Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe B Paddington Dir. Paul King. Voice of Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins B Phoenix Dir. Christian Petzold. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zerhfeld, Nina Kunzendorf B Play Dir. Ruben Östlund. Sebastian Blyckert, Kevin Vaz, John Ortiz, Sebastian Hegmar B Results Dir. Andrew Bujalski. Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan B Sand Dollars Dirs. Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas. Yanet Mojica B Shaun the Sheep Movie Dirs. Mark Burton, Richard Starzak. Animated B A Sinner in Mecca Dir. Parvez Sharma. Documentary about gay filmmaker on his hajj B Slow West Dir. John Maclean. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Caren Pistorius B Stations of the Cross Dir. Dietrich Brüggemann. Lea van Acken, Franziska Weisz B Tangerine Dir. Sean Baker. Mya Taylor, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Karren Karagulian B What Happened, Miss Simone? Dir. Liz Garbus. Documentary about Nina Simone B When Evening Falls on Bucharest, or Metabolism Dir. Corneliu Porumboiu B When Marnie Was There Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Animated B Wild Tales Dir. Damián Szifron. Darío Grandinetti, Julieta Zylberberg, Rita Cortese B '71 Dir. Yann Demange. Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Sam Reid, Sean Harris B– Amy Dir. Asif Kapadia. Documentary about the life and death of singer Amy Winehouse B– Beasts of No Nation Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga. Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, David Dontoh B– Bessie Dir. Dee Rees. TV Movie. Queen Latifah, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mo'Nique B– Boy Meets Girl Dir. Eric Schaeffer. Michelle Hendley, Michael Welch B– Cinderella Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden B– The Duke of Burgundy Dir. Peter Strickland. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D'Anna B– Ex Machina Dir. Alex Garland. Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander B– Far from the Madding Crowd Dir. Thomas Vinterberg. Carey Mulligan, Tom Sturridge B– Fifty Shades of Grey Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan B– Gerontophilia Dir. Bruce La Bruce. Pier-Gabriel Lajoie, Walter Borden, Katie Boland B– The Gift Dir. Joel Edgerton. Rebecca Hall, Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton B– Heaven Knows What Dirs. Josh and Benny Safdie. Arielle Holmes B– The Hunting Ground Dir. Kirby Dick. Documentary about campus-based rape cases B– The Martian Dir. Ridley Scott. Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Chastain B– Predestination Dirs. Michael and Peter Spierig. Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook B– Queen of Earth Dir. Alex Ross Perry. Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston B– Room Dir. Lenny Abrahamson. Jacob Tremblay, Brie Larson, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen B– La Sapienza Dir. Eugène Green. Fabrizio Rongione, Christelle Prot Landman B– Spectre Dir. Sam Mendes. Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz B– Straight Outta Compton Dir. F. Gary Gray. O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins B– Testament of Youth Dir. James Kent. Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Taron Egerton B– Trainwreck Dir. Judd Apatow. Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn B– While We're Young Dir. Noah Baumbach. Ben Stiller, Adam Driver, Naomi Watts B– White God Dir. Kornél Mundruczó. Zsófia Psotta, Sándor Zsótér, Lili Horváth B– Anomalisa Dirs. Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman. Animated. Voice of David Thewlis C+ Ant-Man Dir. Peyton Reed. Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll C+ The Big Short Dir. Adam McKay. Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Christian Bale C+ Blackhat Dir. Michael Mann. Chris Hemsworth, Tang Wei, Wang Leehom, Viola Davis C+ Bridge of Spies Dir. Steven Spielberg. Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Austin Stowell C+ Clouds of Sils Maria Dir. Olivier Assayas. Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart C+ The D Train Dirs. Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel. Jack Black, James Marsden C+ Dope Dir. Rick Famuyiwa. Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoë Kravitz C+ Everest Dir. Baltasar Kormákur. Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Emily Watson C+ Experimenter Dir. Michael Almereyda. Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, John Palladino C+ I Smile Back Dir. Adam Salky. Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Skylar Gaertner C+ It's All So Quiet Dir. Nanouk Leopold. Jeroen Willems, Henri Garcin, Martijn Lakemeier C+ Joy of Man's Desiring Dir. Denis Côté. Documentary about human and machinic labor C+ Love Dir. Gaspar Noé. Karl Glusman, Aomi Muyock, Klara Kristin, Juan Saavedra C+ Madame Bovary Dir. Sophie Barthes. Mia Wasikowska, Henry Lloyd-Hughes C+ Maps to the Stars Dir. David Cronenberg. Mia Wasikowska, Evan Bird, Julianne Moore C+ Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Dir. Christopher McQuarrie. Tom Cruise C+ The Overnight Dir. Patrick Brice. Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman C+ Ricki and the Flash Dir. Jonathan Demme. Meryl Streep, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline C+ Spy Dir. Paul Feig. Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Miranda Hart C+ Suffragette Dir. Sarah Gavron. Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff, Helena Bonham Carter C+ Tom at the Farm Dir. Xavier Dolan. Xavier Dolan, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Lise Roy C+ Truth Dir. James Vanderbilt. Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Dennis Quaid C+ The Wolfpack Dir. Crystal Moselle. Documentary about six cooped-up siblings C+ Xenia Dir. Panos H. Koutras. Kostas Nikouli, Nikos Gelia, Aggelos Papadimitriou C+ Black Mass Dir. Scott Cooper. Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Rory Cochrane C Bone Tomahawk Dir. S. Craig Zahler. Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins C Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Dirs. Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz. Ronit Elkabetz C Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Dir. Alex Gibney. Documentary C Grandma Dir. Paul Weitz. Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer C The Hateful Eight Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins C Insidious: Chapter 3 Dir. Leigh Whannell. Stefanie Scott, Lin Shaye, Dermot Mulroney C Irrational Man Dir. Woody Allen. Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey C Steve Jobs Dir. Danny Boyle. Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels C The Walk Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley C Welcome to Me Dir. Shira Piven. Kristen Wiig, Wes Bentley, Linda Cardellini C Youth Dir. Paolo Sorrentino. Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano C Z for Zachariah Dir. Craig Zobel. Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine C Blackbird Dir. Patrik-Ian Polk. Julian Walker, Torrey Laamar, Gary LeRoi Gray C– Crimson Peak Dir. Guillermo del Toro. Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston C– The Green Inferno Dir. Eli Roth. Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Aaron Burns, Daryl Sabara C– Hungry Hearts Dir. Saverio Costanzo. Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher, Roberta Maxwell C– Mistress America Dir. Noah Baumbach. Lola Kirke, Greta Gerwig, Heather Lind C– Jurassic World Dir. Colin Trevorrow. Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt C– Serena Dir. Susanne Bier. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, David Dencik, Rhys Ifans C– Southpaw Dir. Antoine Fuqua. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker C– Woman in Gold Dir. Simon Curtis. Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl C– American Ultra Dir. Nima Nourizadeh. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart D+ Chappie Dir. Neill Blomkamp. Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman D+ The Last Five Years Dir. Richard LaGravenese. Anna Kendrick, Jeremy Jordan D+ Lila & Eve Dir. Charles Stone III. Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Shea Whigham D+ The Revenant Dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy D+ The Danish Girl Dir. Tom Hooper. Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw D Stonewall Dir. Roland Emmerich. Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Vladimir Alexis D Trumbo Dir. Jay Roach. Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Michael Stuhlbarg, Louis CK D Where to Invade Next Dir. Michael Moore. Documentary about global policies D Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Thomas Mann D–